ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – Authorities are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found at a Mexican resort while students from several St. Louis-area high schools celebrated spring break.
It happened Wednesday at the Now Jade Riviera Cancun resort, located about 25 miles south of Cancun.
Three high school seniors and their mothers spoke to Nexstar's KTVI shortly after they returned from the vacation that took a sudden, terrifying turn.
As one of the students put it, it had been the trip of a lifetime. The students and their mothers said the resort had a large group from at least three St. Louis-area high schools: Lafayette, Eureka, and Kirkwood. Everything was like they dreamed until the three students happened to walk by a woman’s body.
“Going into the trip we were like, ‘This is going to be the best time of our lives. It’s going to be awesome.’ I don’t think we ever imagined the worst things that could have happened, that we could be involved with it. We could see it. It’s really scary,” said student McKenzie O’Neal.
The woman who died after apparently falling from a fourth-floor room was believed to have been the mother of a student from one of the three schools.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department confirmed the death of a U.S. citizen near Cancun and offered sincerest condolences to the woman’s family, but declined to identify the deceased person
The three students and their mothers sent their prayers and condolences, as well.
“You could see the looks on people’s faces. It was truly heartbreaking. Again, you never know what to expect. In the snap of your fingers, something could be gone,” said Lafayette senior Ava Scaglione.
“We all just need to be aware of our surroundings, be very cautious now,” Lexi Basler said.
The State Department spokeswoman reminded U.S. residents of the ongoing travel advisory in Mexico, which urges people to exercise increased caution due to crime. It says: “Criminal activity and violence, including homicide, occur throughout the state. Most homicides appear to be targeted; however, criminal organization assassinations and turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by US citizens. Bystanders have been injured or killed in shooting incidents.”
The spokeswoman would provide no further details on whether this was an accidental death or something else but said the State Department is closely monitoring the investigation of local authorities in Mexico into the cause of death.
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