Family of teen who died on grad trip to Cuba trying to bring her body home

Family of teen who died on grad trip to Cuba trying to bring her body home
CBC News Posted: Jul 09, 2017 7:53 AM ET Last Updated: Jul 09, 2017 8:51
AM ET

Alex Sagriff was a student at St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School in
Belleville. She had been vacationing in Varadero with other graduating
students when she was found dead in her hotel room. (Facebook)

The family of a Belleville, Ont. teen who died during a high school
graduation trip to Cuba says they are trying to bring her body back home.

In a statement released this weekend, the family of Alex Sagriff, 18,
says she was found in her hotel room in Varadero, Cuba on Thursday
night. The family said it has little information about her death.

"Our concern right now is trying to get her home. We don't know much of
anything," the statement reads.

Teen dies during high school graduation trip to Cuba organized by
Toronto-based S-Trip tour company

"Alex was an amazing young woman, she had a ton of friends, and has a
ton of family who love her," it said.

The statement added that right now it is an "awful time" for the family.

Sagriff was on a trip organized by S-Trip, a Toronto-based travel agency
that specializes in young adult vacations, when she died.

The cause of death has not been officially released.

Her family said she had just graduated from St. Theresa Catholic
Secondary School in Belleville and was expected to attend Loyalist
College in Belleville in the fall.

On Facebook, tributes are being posted for Sagriff.

"She was so funny, beautiful inside and out, smart and so loveable,"
Dorothy Davenport wrote.

S-Trip says teen pronounced dead at the scene

S-Trip has refused to comment on the death, but in a letter sent to
parents and guardians of students on the trip, it said staff were
contacted at 9:30 p.m. on July 6 about a medical emergency.

"Emergency medical services arrived on scene and attempted to
resuscitate the individual," the letter reads.

S-Trip said Sagriff was pronounced dead at the scene. It also said a
doctor on the scene declared that Sagriff died of natural causes, but
that determination has not been independently verified. The family did
not release a cause of death.

The travel agency also said it is working directly with the family of
the young woman but could not share any further details or make
conclusions regarding the circumstances of her death.

Global Affairs Canada has confirmed only that a Canadian had died in
Cuba, and in a statement said consular officials in Havana are in
contact with local authorities to gather information.

Source: Family of teen who died on grad trip to Cuba trying to bring her
body home - Toronto - CBC News -
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/belleville-teen-cuba-graduation-trip-alex-sagriff-1.4196740?cmp=rss