A Maryland family is seeking answers about the death of a 23-year-old man whose body they say was found badly beaten in the Bahamas, where they had been vacationing.
The man, Dinari McAlmont, of Bowie, Md., was found dead on Saturday morning near the Atlantis Bahamas resort on Paradise Island, where he had been staying with his parents, according to his family.
Mr. McAlmont’s mother, Michelle McAlmont, told Eyewitness News, a Bahamian news outlet, that when the authorities showed her a photo of her son’s face, it was clear he had been beaten. “He was traumatized,” she added.
His hair, which he took special pride in, was also full of sand, which suggested, she said, that he may have been beaten on the beach.
“I need justice for my baby,” she said. “I need justice. That would never have been how he would have done himself.”
Shanta Knowles, the commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, told Eyewitness News on Tuesday, “We will certainly do our best to get answers.”
“We are investigating this incident,” she said, adding that the police were waiting for autopsy results to determine the cause of death.
“We won’t be able to speak further on that incident until we understand exactly what it is that we’re looking at,” Commissioner Knowles said.
The police, who did not respond to requests for information on Wednesday, have not confirmed where Mr. McAlmont’s body was found or whether there were any signs of trauma or violence.
The U.S. State Department on Wednesday confirmed the death of an American citizen in the Bahamas, but declined further comment, citing respect for the family’s privacy.
The Atlantis resort said in a statement that it was “deeply saddened by the passing of one of our guests.”
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the guest’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” it said. “The police authorities are carrying out an investigation of this tragic incident. We await the police’s final report and will not comment on speculation.”
In an interview on Wednesday, Ms. McAlmont said the family had traveled to the resort on Friday and had planned to return on Monday.
Ms. McAlmont said that at about 8:45 p.m. on Friday, her son texted her that he was going for a walk around the resort. She said he then texted her again at about 10 p.m. to say that he was going to a restaurant at the resort, she said.
At about 12:30 a.m., he did not respond to her text asking where he was, she said.
At about 1 a.m. on Saturday, she said, the police summoned her to the front desk and told her that her son had spat on restaurant workers and that there had been an altercation. The police, she said, told her that her son’s phone had been found after he dropped it while running in the resort.
She said her son’s body was found at about 5 a.m. on Saturday and that the authorities told her it had been discovered on the beach.
The police have not confirmed if there was an altercation at the restaurant and have not said if Mr. McAlmont’s phone was found after he dropped it.
Ms. McAlmont said it would have been out of character for her son to spit on anyone and she believes he may have been beaten while someone tried to rob him of his phone.
She said that she wanted the police to carry out a “full investigation” of her son’s death that would include a review of security camera footage at the resort and interviews with staff members. She said she was also hiring a lawyer to press for answers.
“I am hoping that they come up with the truth,” Ms. McAlmont said. “The truth lies in the resort.”
Mr. McAlmont’s aunt, Marcelle McPherson, said in an interview that her nephew was a “very reserved” and “loving kid” who enjoyed basketball and music.
He had worked as an audio engineer and music producer known as Diddy at Lowcation Studios in Brentwood, Md., which posted a tribute to him on Instagram.
“Diddy was more than an engineer to us, he was a great friend and an all around incredible individual,” it said, adding: “It’s hard to imagine life in general and life at the studio without him.”
