A post mortem examination on the body of American National Rickilee Michelle Mercer has confirmed her cause of death as drowning. Mercer, a 29-year-old accountant from Spring Texas USA, was found dead in the leeward coast of Ambergris Caye on Wednesday, March 1st. She had been reported missing at sea late Tuesday evening, on February 28th, after reportedly falling off of a Jet Ski.
A search and rescue operation was spearheaded by the Belize Coast Guard along with the San Pedro Police Department and volunteers. Despite their efforts to find her alive, Mercer’s lifeless body was located a day later, around 4PM, floating in the Caribbean Sea with no signs of physical injuries. The body was retrieved and transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City where she was pronounced dead at 4:49PM.
According to an official report, Mercer was socializing with friends at a popular area north of San Pedro Town called ‘Secret Beach.’ Around 2PM on Tuesday, February 28th, she went on a Jet Ski ride with 39-year-old American National Hazim Yono, when she fell off the Jet Ski. Mercer was not wearing a life jacket at the time. Yono told local authorities that he swam to shore and the last sighting of Mercer was when she was swimming towards the Jet Ski. Police held him for questioning, but was later released.
According to police, due to the results of the post-mortem, no foul play was suspected in the cause of death and the case has since been closed.
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