Winnipeg woman, 27, found dead at Cambodian hostel

A 27-year-old substitute teacher from Winnipeg has died in Cambodia, her family says.

Abbey Amisola and her British friend Natalie Jade Seymour, 22, were found dead at a hostel in the city of Kampot, in southern Cambodia, on Tuesday morning.

Her sister, Anna Amisola, told CBC News her family is working with a Cambodian funeral home to bring the body back to Canada. Winnipeg police visited the family on Tuesday night to confirm Amisola had died.

Amisola's family first learned of her death reading media reports.

Cambodian immigration officials posted online that Amisola and Seymour weren't feeling well the night before, and were suffering severe diarrhea and vomiting.

Staff at the Monkey Republic Guest House told CBC, in an online message, they visited a pharmacy to get medication. They were later found unconscious, taken to hospital and pronounced dead, according to Cambodian officials.

Police are investigating the possible causes of the death, Monkey Republic staff said.

"The staff at Monkey Republic are devastated by the tragic deaths of the two young women yesterday morning," said hostel owner Lee Verlander.

A statement in Khmer, the Cambodian language, posted on Facebook by the Cambodian immigration office in Kampot, said investigators suspect the women died after taking too much of the medication. Images of the bunk beds at the hostel and the women's passports were also posted online.

Global Affairs Canada spokesman Philip Hannan said consular officials in Cambodia are assisting the family and are also in contact with local authorities.

"Our thoughts go out to the family and friends," Hannan said in an email Wednesday.

Amisola worked as a substitute teacher in the Winnipeg School Division before leaving to travel overseas, according to a spokeswoman.

"We are saddened by the loss of such a bright and well-liked member of the education field, and our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time," she said.

Manitoba Teachers' Society president Norm Gould said the union was also "touched and saddened" to hear of Amisola's sudden death.

Amisola had left for a year-long trip across Asia at the start of September, social media posts from friends said.

Winnipeg woman found dead at Cambodian hostel

7 years ago

Duration 0:56

A 27-year-old substitute teacher from Winnipeg has died in Cambodia, her family says. Abbey Amisola and her British friend Natalie Jade Seymour, 22, were found dead at a hostel in the city of Kampot, in southern Cambodia, on Tuesday morning.