Family looks for answers after Quebec couple found dead in D.R.

MONTREAL — The family of a Quebec couple found dead in the Dominican Republic on Boxing Day say they are searching for answers about what happened to their loved ones.

Patricia Sauvé says her aunt Christine Sauvé, 55, and her uncle Alain Noël, 56, were found by their son in the bedroom of their home in the Caribbean country after he noticed they hadn’t woken up in the morning.

Sauvé says her aunt had felt dizzy in the days before her death, and had gone to the hospital on Christmas Day after fainting, but had been 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.

“It’s unimaginable, two people who die at the same time,” Sauvé said. “We absolutely don’t understand what’s happening, hence the family’s incomprehension, hence the numerous questions.”

She said the couple had appeared cheerful and joking during the call with family, adding that nothing suggested anything was seriously wrong. Sauvé says the close-knit family is in shock and are mourning the healthy, loving couple from Gatineau, Que., who worked in the family construction business.

“They were a really happy couple,” she said. The pair, who had been married for more than 30 years, had planned to eventually retire to the Dominican Republic, Sauvé said.

“They were a really dynamic couple who were very involved in the community, both in the Dominican Republic and in Gatineau,” she said.

She said authorities haven’t released a cause of death but have told the family they don’t suspect violence or suicide.

An autopsy has been completed, but it could be several weeks before the family receives the report stating a cause of death, she said.

Global Affairs Canada said it is “aware of two Canadian citizens who died in the Dominican Republic.” The federal department extended condolences to the loved ones of the deceased, adding that officials are providing consular assistance to family and have contacted local authorities to gather more information.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2025.

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press