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The families of three Revere women who were found dead in a Belize hotel room last month released a new statement through a spokesperson Wednesday after being notified by officials about the cause of their deaths.

Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, Imane Mallah, 24, and Wafae El Arar, 26, were discovered Feb. 22 by staff at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro. The following week, Belizean authorities announced that they died of “acute pulmonary edema,” or a buildup of fluid in the lungs, but did not specify what caused that buildup.

Naqqad, Mallah, and El Arar’s families spoke out earlier this week and expressed that they were “deeply alarmed” by the lack of answers and information they had received about the three women’s deaths.

“We continue to believe the deaths of Wafae, Imane and Kaoutar are suspicious,” they said in a statement released through a spokesperson Monday. “We are hopeful the authorities will fulfill their responsibility to complete their reviews in a timely but thorough manner to ensure we know the full truth about what caused this tragedy.”

Since the release of that statement, US authorities in Belize officially notified the families about the circumstances of the three women’s deaths.

“Today, our families were notified by officials with the United States Embassy in Belize that our beloved Kaoutar, Imane and Wafae passed away as a result of acute carbon monoxide poisoning, likely caused by a faulty instant water heater,” the families said in the new statement. “While we remain shattered by the loss of these three bright lights in our world, we are incredibly heartened by the results of this investigation and grateful to those who completed it in a thorough and independent manner.”

The families are currently awaiting results from a separate independent review conducted by Massachusetts authorities, according to the statement.

Naqqad, Mallah, and El Arar’s families again addressed their suspicions and concerns about earlier media reports on the three women’s deaths.

“While today’s official finding puts to rest those initial reports, we hope this will give authorities in law enforcement pause before they make similar suggestions during future investigations,” the families said in the statement. “Survivors such as our families deserve their best, honest work. We received it today but needed it throughout this investigative process.”

The families asked that Belizean authorities provide them and anyone else who may have been harmed at the hotel with a full account of how officials and hotel management handled the investigation.

They also expressed gratitude to family, friends, leaders, and the media, who they said “continued to put pressure on Belizean authorities to complete this investigation in a timely and honest manner.”

The Daily Mail previously reported Belizean authorities conducted a second round of carbon monoxide testing after initially ruling out poisoning, citing other guests who believed they also suffered carbon monoxide poisoning during recent stays.

The families expressed their gratitude for the truth, the “outpouring of support” from loved ones, and the privacy that has been extended to them.

“Our families ask for continued prayers, patience, and privacy as we navigate this unimaginable loss,” the families said in the statement. “May their beautiful souls rest in eternal peace. We will forever love and miss you, Kaoutar, Imane and Wafae.”

Revere Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. also addressed the families’ “unimaginable loss,” saying in a statement that they “deserved the truth.”

“These young women were valued members of our community, and while the gravity of this tragedy weighs heavily on us all, I am grateful for the diligence of our state and federal partners in ensuring that a proper investigation was conducted and brought the truth to light,” Keefe Jr. said.