British couple, passed away after spending hours next to a bed bug-treated room in an Egyptian hotel
What was meant to be a tranquil family getaway at a plush Egyptian hotel ended in a heart-wrenching ordeal, as a British couple succumbed to severe illnesses within hours of each other.
John Cooper, 69, and Susan Cooper, 63, tragically passed away under mysterious circumstances while vacationing at the opulent Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada, by the Red Sea, in 2018. Now, five years on, their bereaved family is seeking closure through an inquest taking place at Blackburn Town Hall.
During the initial hearing on November 7, as reported by LancashireLive, the couple’s daughter, Kelly Ormerod, 46, recounted her parents’ robust health prior to their trip from Burnley to the Egyptian resort in August 2018. Her father, a builder fond of sports and hunting, and her mother, who had competed in a Tough Mudder event just a year earlier, suddenly fell critically ill on August 21, experiencing acute diarrhea and vomiting, which led to their untimely deaths.
Their granddaughter Molly Ormerod, now 18, remembered an overpowering “yeasty smell” emanating from the room she shared with them, worsening after an adjustment was made to the air conditioning the previous day. The odor and an upset stomach prompted the then-12-year-old Molly to seek refuge with her mother in the early morning hours.
When Kelly later visited her parents’ room after they missed breakfast, she encountered a dire scene: her father, barely able to stand, and her mother, groaning in pain. Despite the frantic efforts of two doctors and family friends and the desperate need for an ambulance and vital medical equipment, help was delayed due to a religious holiday. John passed away in the hotel room, and Susan died hours later in a hospital.
Compounding suspicions, guests reported seeing the adjacent room treated for bed bugs, with the door sealed post-fumigation. Some of the Coopers’ travel companions also fell ill, with a few needing medical treatment back in the UK. Molly’s later observation of men carrying an air conditioning unit and the smell of fresh paint upon returning to collect items from the room added to the family’s concerns.
Kelly reminisced about her parents’ vibrancy and fitness, emphasizing her mother’s desire to reflect her inner vitality outwardly. The Lancashire Coroner, James Adeley, is set to deliver a verdict on the cause of the Coopers’ deaths on November 8, as the family awaits answers to this tragic enigma.