Family members push for answers after couple's poisonous lemon liqueur deaths
The heartbroken parents of a female who died alongside her partner after consuming tainted lemon-flavored alcohol state they are determined for answers.
The woman, thirty-three, and the man, 36, were discovered deceased on Boxing Day in the tourist destination, the Southeast Asian country, as a consequence of toxic alcohol consumption.
A short time earlier, the woman had contacted her mother and father, her loved ones, to say she had "the worst hangover possible" and was going to sleep, but she passed away in her sleep.
The server who allegedly produced the beverage was arrested in last winter and is being detained without charge. The parents explain they have had no further updates from the investigators.
"This is about responsibility," said the father, adding: "They cannot find closure."
Toxic alcohol is a variety of chemical commonly used in cleaning products, energy sources and antifreeze.
It is similar to drinking alcohol, which is safe for cocktails, but it is less expensive and highly dangerous to humans as a result of the way it is handled by the human system.
At the parents' home in their village, Carmarthenshire, a pair of containers rest beside the entryway – the first has a pink bunny resting on top, the second, a plush bear.
The containers keep Greta and Arno's remains.
"They sit in the home with the family," said Mr Otteson, a former worker. "The family want to give them a final resting place, but we think we can't do that until we get a satisfactory resolution."
The woman had been residing in the coastal town with the man, her South African boyfriend of about a couple of years, where the couple operated a accommodation offering units to tourists.
Their daughter was an only child, described by her parent as "marvellous", a "free spirit" and a "hard worker" who studied in Wales, Paris and America.
In late 2024, Greta's dad, seventy-one and the mother, in her seventies, had flown to Vietnam, getting to know Arno for the very first moment, and the two revealed their commitment not long afterwards.
"The trip felt lovely – the family were so happy," said Paul, who referred to his daughter's partner as "quiet but highly intelligent" and someone he "had hoped to have as a relative."
In their stay, the parents ate a number of times at an Italian eatery, a popular dining spot, where they appreciated the cuisine and accepted gratis servings of house-made lemon liqueur at the end.
Some weeks later, when Paul and Susan had left Vietnam and were attempting to decide on a holiday present for Greta and Arno, they thought back to the restaurant and its containers of limoncello and chose to order a few of them for transport to their loved one's house.
It was a action that would have the heartbreaking outcomes.
After moments of drinking the drink, the woman messaged her parents on December 25 to say she had a terrible sickness and was seeing vision issues but brushed off suggestions from family, and a acquaintance who had come over, to seek professional assistance.
Greta and Arno were pronounced dead in different rooms of the villa on December 26. Soon later, Paul and Susan were on a plane to the country.
Greta's dad described the widespread online speculation that followed as well as the struggle to handle the formalities of handling a tragedy in a overseas country.
It was not long before post mortem examinations confirmed the victims had died from lethal chemical consumption.
In February, authorities detained a bartender who was employed in a venue in the city for "disregarding rules on consumable products" by "employing repurposed strong non-consumable spirit, mixed with tap water, fruit skin and white sugar to make two bottles of limoncello."
According to national law, the offence could result in a maximum jail time of seven to 15 years.
Hundreds of victims are affected by toxic alcohol each year in South East Asia, according to medical organizations.
The couple's fatalities came just weeks after several people died of similar causes in Laos, a nation which shares a boundary with Vietnam.
The family were informed official inquiries require patience in the country, with the possibility of a accused being held for a year before being charged or freed.
Her parents expressed the wait for information was becoming intolerable.
"The family just want accountability," stated Greta's dad. "The family cannot heal. Susan says to me every morning when we wake up, 'is there news? Any developments?' I have to say 'nothing, no news at this time'."
"It's about answers," he added. "Justice for us would be holding responsible the parties involved and prosecuting them."
The couple said they also felt "extremely angered" the restaurant where they had purchased the beverage was still open and had not openly apologised.
"The management just proceeded as if no incident has happened," said Paul.
Regarding the family, the grief is still very intense.
Greta's dad