The aunt of a 23-year-old Maryland man who died in the Bahamas has taken to social media to plead for international assistance, as she believes crucial evidence might disappear.
Dinari McAlmont was vacationing with his family when he was found dead on a beach April 5. A post-mortem exam revealed that McAlmont “died as a result of drowning and no foul play was suspected,” according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Still, his mother, Michelle McAlmont, alleges he was beaten to death and is asking authorities to release more information about the incident.
Dinari McAlmont’s aunt, Marcelle Bacchus, said in an April 11 Facebook post that her nephew’s body was scheduled to be released from a mortuary on April 10 but was not due to a spelling error with his name. Bacchus is asking for more support with the investigation.
According to Bacchus, no cameras were allowed in the mortuary, and photos of Dinari McAlmont were not shared publicly. Bacchus believes evidence will disappear and is asking for international help “ASAP.”
Bacchus could not immediately be reached for comment.
Hours before her son’s body was found, Michelle McAlmont said she sent texts to her son trying to find him. There have been reports of a possible altercation between her son and an unknown person, who reported to police that Dinari McAlmont spat at them, according to Eyewitness News in the Bahamas.
After looking at a photo provided by police, Michelle McAlmont said she noticed her son’s hair was full of sand, which she believes suggests he could have been killed on the beach.
Officials with the Bahamas police could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Prince George’s County Councilmember Ingrid S. Watson is also seeking more clarity with the case and has asked Bahamian authorities “to conduct a thorough investigation into what happened.”
The Atlantis resort, where the McAlmont family was staying, issued a statement of condolences and said it was “fully cooperating” with the investigation.
The U.S. State Department has issued a Level II travel warning due to an increase in crime in the Bahamas.
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