A Canadian man says his wife and 8-year-old son died because of food poisoning at an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic, according to the civil suit filed at the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario on Monday.
Stephen Gougeon, 38, a lawyer from Toronto, is seeking nearly $7 million in damages from the Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham resort, as well as a tour operator and other companies.
Mr. Gougeon said his family vacation in December 2023 turned into a nightmare after he, his wife, April Gougeon, and their two young sons ate at the buffet on the first night of their planned weeklong stay at Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham, one of a growing number of all-inclusive properties in the Caribbean nation.
The family awoke the next morning vomiting so intensely that they could not walk to the medical clinic at the resort.
“We couldn’t even make it to the washroom,” Mr. Gougeon said in a phone interview.
He said he asked the clinic for urgent help but was told its policy barred it from tending to guests in their rooms. After calling again to plead for assistance later that afternoon, the four were moved using wheelchairs to the clinic and then by ambulance to a hospital.
At the hospital, his 8-year-old son, Oliver, went into cardiac arrest and died. April, 41, died while unconscious on a ventilator. Mr. Gougeon and his son Wesley, then 6, were hospitalized for two days.
Autopsies in the Dominican Republic concluded that April and Oliver died of secondary causes from food poisoning, according to the civil suit.
“I don’t think I’ll ever recover,” Mr. Gougeon said. “I’ve lost my wife, who I loved so much, and my son, who was just such a beautiful person and who I was so looking forward to seeing grow up.”
The lawsuit alleges the resort, the Transat Tours Canada tour operator and other companies are guilty of negligence because of improper food preparation, inadequate emergency protocols and staff training, and the lack of timely medical care.
The Viva Dominicus resort and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the owner of the Wyndham brand, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
In a statement, Transat, through which the family purchased the vacation package that included flights and accommodation, rebutted the allegations in the suit.
“At the time of these events, we supported the Gougeon family. In such cases, we act with diligence, prudence and compassion, making every effort to assist our clients,” the company said. “We choose our…
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