An Atlanta couple have become the latest tourists to say they fell violently and mysteriously ill while on a vacation to Dominican Republic.
Vanessa McNelley-Neal and her husband James say they were the victims of a 'very intense' sickness while on a break on the island.
Six American tourists have died there, including four at the Bahia Principe hotels and two at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Punta Cana. FBI officials say they're now investigating each of the deaths.
The brother of Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran, John, was also found dead in a Dominican Republic hotel room in April.
Corcoran said in a statement on Instagram Thursday that her brother had an 'existing heart condition and we believe he died of natural causes'.
But the family of Nathaniel Holmes and Cynthia Ann Day, who died at the Bahia Principe Hotel, La Romana, say they plan to carry out their own autopsies on their bodies.
Their attorney Steven Bullock told
'We look forward to getting the FBI findings.'
Vanessa McNelley-Neal and her husband James have become the latest tourists to say they fell violently and mysteriously ill while on a vacation to Dominican Republic
Cynthia Day, 49, and Nathaniel Holmes, 63, of Maryland, checked into the Bahia Principe Hotel, La Romana on May 25. They were found dead in their rooms five days now and their families say they now plan to carry out their own autopsies on their bodies
An autopsy carried out in the Dominican Republic said Holmes and Day they both died of respiratory failure and pulmonary edema. Day also reportedly suffered from cerebral edema.
The McNelley-Neals told
The couple first visited in October last year before returning a month later.
Vanessa said: 'We had a good couple of days and then started feeling ill.
'Started having really bad abdominal cramps. Thought it was some kind of a GI [gastrointestinal] issue. I had a light headache.
'I had food poisoning years ago in Tahiti so I know what that feels like and it did not feel like that,' Vanessa said. 'The stomach cramping was very different. It was very intense. It was not the normal stomach pains.
'Anything we took didn't really help.'
Her husband James added: 'I had a heavy headache that just lasted and lasted. I took everything and nothing phased it.'
The couple, living in Puerto Rico at the time, went to the doctor when they first returned home but doctors there and later in Atlanta could not determine what was wrong with them. They say they were sick for at least three weeks.
Vanessa added: 'We just left it be until people started having the same issues and it sounded very similar to what we had going on and it just didn't make a lot of sense.'
The couple now say they hope 'other people will come forward' and an investigation is launched.
Tourist Jerry Martin, from Plant City, Florida, also claimed to have fallen ill at Caribe Club Princess Beach Resort & Spa in Punta Cana last month.
He told : 'We were down at the pool when it hit, and I had to go up and just lay down and hold my stomach.
It was on fire.'
DailyMail.com has contacted the resort for comment.
The Atlanta couple Vanessa and James McNelley-Neal stayed at the same chain of hotels as others who died, 'It was very intense.
It was not the normal stomach pains', Vanessa said
Tourist Jerry Martin, from Plant City, Florida, pictured, also claimed to have fallen ill at Caribe Club Princess Beach Resort & Spa in Punta Cana last month
Cynthia Day, 49, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland and her fiancé Nathaniel Holmes, 63, of Temple Hills, Maryland were found dead in their room at the Bahia Principe hotel
Miranda Schaup Werner collapsed on May 25 and died in her room after having a drink from the mini-bar at the all-inclusive Bahia Principe Hotel in La Romana.
She's pictured left with her husband Dan. David Harrison, 45, right, of Maryland died of an alleged heart attack while vacationing with his wife, Dawn McCoy and their son at the Hard Rock in Punta Cana
Yvette Monique Sport, 51, left, of Glenside, Pennsylvania, also died after drinking from the minibar at the Bahia Principe resort, Sport's family members said. Robert Bell Wallace, 67,right, of California, became ill and died after he had a scotch from the room minibar at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino resort in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic
FBI officials say they're now investigating the seven deaths of seemingly healthy Americans who died suddenly at one of two resorts in the last 12 months
The Bahia Principe Resorts and Hotels tweeted to say: 'The safety and comfort of our guests and staff stand at the core of our company values and we work daily to insure it.
'All our properties in the Dominican Republic hold some of the most prestigious certifications in the industry including Travelife certifications at the Gold level, as well as a Global Reputation Index (GRI) of 90 percent.'
In a statement a spokesman for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana told the DailyMail.com: 'Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana is deeply saddened by these two unfortunate incidents, and we extend our sincerest sympathy to the families of Mr.
Harrison and Mr. Wallace.
'We are currently waiting for official reports regarding these deaths, which occurred in July of 2018 and April of 2019 respectively.
'We can assure you, the safety and health of our guests is now, and has always been our highest priority.
We currently implement beverage protocols, including purchasing sealed and unopened products from licensed and reputable vendors, as well as daily inspections of all products served throughout the hotel bars and in-room liquor dispensers.
'Additionally, our team members are trained to inspect all supplies, equipment and products that enter the property.'
Authorities in the Dominican Republic had said last week the deaths of a Pennsylvania psychotherapist and an American couple five days later at the same resort appear to be unrelated incidents.
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