Quebec couple found dead in Dominican Republic

A Quebec couple has been found dead while on a vacation in the Dominican Republic, their family says.

Gilles Sauve Jr. posted to Facebook saying his sister Christine Sauvé and her husband Alain Noël had died during their sleep the night of Dec. 25 into 26.

Both in their 50s, were found by their son in the bedroom of their home in the Caribbean country. 

“Out of respect for our family and in order to experience this grief privately, we ask for your time and understanding. We will not be answering questions at this time. We are waiting for more answers to our questions before telling you more,” read part of Sauve Jr’s Facebook post.

Patricia Sauvé told the Canadian Press her aunt had felt dizzy and had gone to the hospital on Christmas Day, but was released with a date for followup testing.

She says her uncle had also mentioned feeling unwell, but both had been healthy enough to FaceTime the family on Christmas Day.

Sauvé says the family is in shock and are mourning the healthy, loving couple from Gatineau, Que., who worked in the family construction business.

She says authorities haven’t released a cause of death but have told the family that violence or suicide were not involved in the couple’s deaths.

In a statement to CityNews, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) said it “is aware of two Canadian citizens who died in the Dominican Republic. GAC expresses its condolences to the family and loved ones.”

Adding, “Canadian officials are providing consular assistance and are in contact with local authorities to gather more information. Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed.”