As investigators search solutions in the disappearance of an American woman in the Bahamas whose husband says fell overboard whereas using in a dinghy, her household is sharing perception into the couple’s relationship and attempting to make sense of what occurred.
“I just want to know the truth. I don’t want him to be in trouble. I just hope this was a freak accident, but I don’t want it to just be swept under the rug,” Karli Aylesworth, instructed NCS Thursday, referring to her stepfather Brian Hooker’s arrest in reference to the case.
Brian Hooker was taken into custody Wednesday by the Royal Bahamas Police Force, days after he instructed them his spouse, 55-year-old Lynette Hooker, fell into the water whereas in tough waters.
Brian Hooker has not been charged. His lawyer says he “categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing.”
Brian Hooker was thought of a suspect and arrested “for additional questioning based on some probable cause we have,” Royal Bahamas Police Force Assistant Commissioner Advardo Dames instructed Reuters. Brian Hooker’s lawyer Terrel Butler mentioned Thursday he had “so far been interviewed as a witness,” including, “He has been cooperating with the police.”
In a press release Friday, Butler mentioned her shopper “appears completely heartbroken and deeply distressed,” and the trauma of his spouse’s disappearance and detention as a suspect has left him in an “extremely fragile state.”
Here’s what we’re studying about the Michigan couple as the investigation intensifies.
Aylesworth instructed NCS her stepfather first knowledgeable her of the incident in a jarring telephone name hours after he reported her mom missing, and his account instantly raised questions, she mentioned.
“He called me Sunday night around 8:00 to 8:30 and he said … like matter of fact, ‘Hey, your mom is missing. We don’t know where she is. She’s been missing since last night, but we’re gonna come up there soon to see you.”
Aylesworth mentioned it felt like “he just dropped a bomb on me,” after which he started speaking once more earlier than abruptly ending the name.
“I was just like, ‘Okay, like, what?’” she requested. “How do you just lose my mom?”
The 28-year-old mentioned after the name, she questioned, “Why wouldn’t he drop anchor and look for her? Why did he paddle the other way?”
“If my significant other fell into the water, I’d be freaking out and going after him, I wouldn’t just ‘bye.’ I’d be out in the middle of the ocean with you, at least we’ll be, you know, alive and together.”
Aylesworth instructed NCS, “I don’t want anything bad to happen to him. I don’t want anything bad to happen to my mom, but I just want answers.”
Darlene Hamlett, Lynette Hooker’s mom, additionally mentioned she had “many unanswered questions.”
Hamlett instructed the Associated Press she was “glad to hear” about the arrest however mentioned she was searching for extra info.
“Our family grew up on water and so Lynette her whole life has been near lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming,” Hamlett instructed the AP. “It would be a miracle if (she’s rescued), but I’m still counting on one.”
Hamlet has secured an expedited passport so she will fly to the Caribbean nation quickly, based on the AP.
Brian and Lynette Hooker have been married for about 25 years and are skilled sailors, their household instructed NCS. In latest years, the Michigan couple documented their travels on social media. They had been navigating the Bahamas on their yacht, “Soulmate,” when the spouse disappeared.
While they cared for each other, Aylesworth mentioned, that they had a turbulent marriage that had, at instances, turn out to be violent.
The daughter mentioned her mom beforehand confided that Brian Hooker had choked her.
NCS has been unable to independently verify that incident with regulation enforcement. In an preliminary assertion, Butler, Brian Hooker’s lawyer, mentioned her shopper denies “allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth.” Butler declined to remark additional on the allegations when reached once more Thursday evening.
NCS has tried to succeed in out to Brian Hooker’s household and mates for extra details about the couple.
What the husband has mentioned
Brian Hooker instructed investigators his spouse fell from an 8‑foot dinghy close to Elbow Cay Saturday night as they had been returning to their yacht, amid windy climate and uneven seas alongside the Abaco Islands, based on authorities.
“Strong currents subsequently carried her away,” and “he lost sight of her,” police mentioned Brian Hooker instructed them. The dinghy misplaced energy as a result of Lynette had the engine security lanyard at the time she fell into the water, the husband instructed authorities.
That is when Hooker mentioned he tried to paddle to shore, based on his account shared by police.
He mentioned he final noticed his spouse swimming towards shore as the dinghy drifted away from her, and he got here ashore close to Marsh Harbour hours later, Richard Cook, fireplace group lead with Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue, instructed NCS.
Before his arrest, Brian Hooker issued a press release describing the incident as an accident.
“I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy,” he wrote. “Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.”
Brian Hooker gave an identical account to a pal by way of Facebook Messenger in the early days of the search.
In messages Daniel Danforth shared with NCS, Brian Hooker described his spouse falling “off the dingy in some choppy seeds (sic) on the way back to the sailboat.”
“The wind blew me away from her and she swam towards the sailboat and we lost sight of each other pretty quickly as it was just about sundown,” Brian Hooker mentioned in a message to Danforth on Monday.
He instructed Danforth he paddled for hours earlier than reaching the shore and searching for assist.
“Our family is in hell right now,” Brian Hooker wrote after his pal supplied prayers, including that he deliberate to proceed helping with search efforts.
His search efforts had been lower brief after Hooker was detained Wednesday by authorities.
During a police search of his boat, “Soulmate,” that night, Hooker misplaced his stability whereas handcuffed and fell overboard in turbulent waters his lawyer described as “choppy and dangerous sea conditions,” Butler mentioned in a press release. He took in lots of water earlier than his life vest pulled him up and police rescued him. Hooker injured his knee in the fall, the lawyer mentioned.
Authorities launched an in depth search after Lynette Hooker was reported missing early Sunday morning, with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue looking marine and land areas close to Elbow Cay.
The US Coast Guard additionally performed an aerial search, a spokesperson mentioned.
After days with out finding her, officers confirmed Tuesday that the effort had shifted from an energetic rescue to a restoration mission.
The Coast Guard mentioned Wednesday it had opened a legal investigation into the case. That identical day, the company interviewed Aylesworth for 2 hours, based on her lawyer. NCS has requested the Coast Guard for extra details about the investigation, together with what jurisdiction it’s working below in the Bahamas.
The US State Department mentioned it’s conscious of studies concerning a missing American close to Elbow Cay and is offering consular help whereas working with Bahamian officers.
As investigators stay tight‑lipped, Aylesworth mentioned her household is hoping authorities will present readability, wherever the proof leads.
“I just want to know what happened,” she instructed NCS.