Family of Quebecer who fell off balcony in Dominican Republic seeks answers

William Gareau's family is suing a tourism agency after he fell off a balcony in the Dominican Republic. (Courtesy of Sylvie Marcotte)

It’s been a year since William Gareau died, and his family is now looking for justice.

In a lawsuit filed this week at the Montreal courthouse, the 25-year-old Quebecer’s parents say their son fell from his third-floor balcony at the Bahia Principe Grand Resort in Punta Cana because he was allegedly drugged without his knowledge.

“When we had this phone call in the middle of the night, it’s crazy. I don’t want anybody having this again,” says his mom, Sylvie Marcotte.

If he had taken the drugs on his own, he would have acted differently, she adds.

“He would have known also himself. ‘Oh, I just did this, it’s kicking in. Something is not okay,’” Marcotte says. “The signs that William had was mental distress. He was heavy sweating. He was lying down in the corridor of the hotel naked.”

The family says they haven’t received the toxicology report or security camera footage they asked for from authorities.

They’re suing Transat Tours Canada Inc. and a Boucherville-based travel agency called Orientation La Seigneurie for $1.5 million, accusing both of gross negligence.

The lawsuit says there are several media reports of similar situations at the same resort, including cases of confusion, paranoia, suicidal thoughts and memory loss.

Plus, a risk analysis expert hired by the family found major issues in the hotel staff’s ability to keep their clients safe.

Marcotte says travelers should be warned.

“William should have been brought to the infirmary to be hydrated, to be treated and they never did that,” she says. “They didn’t even make sure that someone was in the room with him, to take care of him.”

In a statement sent to CTV News, Transat’s senior director of brand communications said, “...we choose our partners with great judiciousness, and the hotel operator has assured us of its full cooperation with the authorities in shedding light on this tragic accident...we refute the allegations made against us...”

The lawyer representing the travel agency also sent a statement, saying, “our client wishes to specify that she will contest this request in court,” and calling what happened to Gareau “a sad, isolated and unpredictable event.”