Water heater blamed for death of Iowa family in Mexico

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A family of four from Iowa who went missing after traveling to Mexico was found dead Thursday night in their condominium in a tourist complex in the country, police confirmed to Fox News.

The family – Kevin Wayne Sharp, 41, Amy Marie Sharp, 38, Sterling Wayne Sharp, 12, and Adrianna Maria Sharp, 7 – left their hometown of Creston, Iowa, to travel to Tulum, Mexico, on March 15, the Des Moines Register reported.

Paul Ver Meer, the chief of the Creston Police Department, told Fox News the family was found dead Thursday night in a condo they rented in Tulum. The family’s cause of death is not immediately known but the department is awaiting autopsy reports.

“There appears to be no signs of trauma,” Ver Meer said.

Ashli Peterson, a family member, wrote in a Facebook post that the family was supposed to return to the U.S. on Wednesday after catching a flight from Cancun, but did not return. Peterson said the Sharp’s notified family members that they made it to Mexico safely but that was the last time they heard from them.

Peterson said the family filed a missing persons’ report via the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. They also tried to locate the family by tracing their cell phones but found there was “no movement on their phones.” The family’s social media accounts were also at a standstill.

Renee Hoyt, Amy Sharp’s sister, told Creston News Advertiser that the family flew into Cancun and rented a car to drive to Tulum.

"On Wednesday at 7 p.m., Amy sent a text to our mom that said, 'We made it to our condo,'" Hoyt told the media outlet. "That is the last communication she made. We got told last night Kevin sent a text to Travis Anderson around 5 p.m. Thursday and Travis responded around 11:30 and has not heard anything back."

On Friday, Peterson posted a Facebook post saying the family was located.
“They were found last night in their condo deceased,” Peterson wrote. “There was no foul play! At this time that is all the information we have. Please respect the family at this time as they go through the grieving process. Thank you for all the posts, shares and kind words.”

Last week, the State Department sent out a travel advisory to Mexico due to crime in the Playa del Carmen. The department warned American travelers to “exercise increased caution” in the country.

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