A heartbroken father has launched a £5.5 million wrongful death lawsuit against a Dominican Republic resort, blaming the untimely passing of his wife and young son on the buffet food they consumed at the luxury holiday destination. Stephen Gougeon, aged 38, took the legal action after his spouse, April Gougeon, 41, and their 8 year old son, Oliver Gougeon, fell ill and perished within just one day of arriving in December 2023.
“Flying back home without April and Oliver sitting beside as they had done just days earlier is indescribable,” declared Gougeon. “We planned this trip so our family could get some rest and relaxation. The thought that something like this could happen was the furthest thing from our minds.”
Wyndham Hotels and Air Transat have been identified as defendants in the lawsuit. Responding to the tragedy, a spokesperson for Air Transat told People Magazine of their “deep sadness” over the incident but refuted all allegations levelled against them.
They maintained: “In such cases, we act with diligence, prudence, and compassion, making every effort to assist our clients. Moreover, we choose our suppliers with great care and the hotel operator has assured us of its full cooperation with the authorities in shedding light on these tragic deaths.”
The Gougeon family, including another son Wesley, embarked on their holiday to Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham Resort with expectations of a peaceful retreat but were instead met with tragedy. The family’s attorney disclosed that after partaking in the resort’s buffet, the mother and son became severely ill, reports Express US.
Despite seeking help at the on-site clinic, their conditions rapidly declined. A coroner’s report confirmed April and Oliver died from secondary causes linked to food poisoning. April, a lawyer, was remembered in her obituary as a devoted mother who “was the first one to assist when others were in time of need.”
Oliver’s obituary described him as having an “easy-going personality found him with many friends” with many friends, and a passion for drawing and sketching.
In the lawsuit, Stephen Gougeon alleged unsanitary conditions in food preparation areas, inadequate medical treatment, and untrained staff. He claimed the staff didn’t take their pleas for help seriously, failed to check on them, and delayed seeking medical attention.
“When they finally responded after our further plea, there appeared to be confusion about how to handle the situation. These delays cost precious time that could have been used to treat our illness. And in the end, it cost my wife and my son their lives,” Gougeon stated. Meghan Hull Jacquin, the Gougeons’ lawyer, said the family “was failed on so many levels.”
“The Gougeons are taking action against the companies whose negligence allowed this to happen, not only to get answers and realize a sense of justice for themselves but to shine light on these events, effect change in the failed processes and procedures and ideally protect other vacationers from having to experience anything similar,” she added.
“I don’t think I’ll ever recover. 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,” Gougeon confessed to The New York Times.
