Disappearance in the Bahamas: Lynette’s daughter wants answers after stepfather’s arrest

The family of a woman missing at sea in the Bahamas demands answers after her husband’s arrest, whose version of events raises questions and is under investigation

As investigators search for answers in the disappearance of , whose husband they say fell into the sea while traveling in a small boat, the family is sharing information about the couple’s relationship and trying to understand what happened.

“I just want to know the truth. I don’t want him to get 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 told CNN on Thursday, referring to the arrest of her stepfather, Brian Hooker, in the case.

Brian Hooker was arrested on Wednesday by the Royal Bahamas Police, days after he told authorities that his wife, 55-year-old Lynette Hooker, fell into the water in rough sea conditions.

Brian Hooker has not been formally charged. His lawyer states that he “categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing.”

Brian Hooker was considered a suspect and detained “for further questioning based on some evidence we have,” Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police, Advardo Dames, revealed. Brian Hooker’s attorney, Terrel Butler, said Thursday that his client “has thus far been questioned as a witness,” adding: “He has been cooperating with the police.”

In a statement Friday, Butler said his client “appears completely devastated and deeply distressed,” and that the trauma of the woman’s disappearance and his arrest as a suspect has left him in an “extremely fragile state.”

Here’s what’s known about the Michigan couple as the investigation intensifies.

“How come you just lose my mother?”

Aylesworth told CNN that her stepfather informed her of the incident in a disturbing phone call hours after reporting her mother missing, and that the report immediately raised questions.

“He called me on Sunday night around 8:00–8:30 p.m. and said… very bluntly, ‘Your mother is missing. We don’t know where she is. She’s been missing since last night, but we’ll be there soon to see you.'”

Aylesworth said he felt like “it was like I had dropped a bomb,” and so he continued talking before suddenly ending the call.

“I was like, ‘Okay…what?’” he said. “How come you just lose my mother?”

The 28-year-old said that, after the call, she asked herself: “Why didn’t he drop anchor and look for it? Why did he row in the opposite direction?”

“If my other half fell into the water, I would panic and go after her, I wouldn’t just say ‘goodbye’. I would stay in the middle of the ocean with you, at least we would be alive and together.”

Aylesworth told CNN: “I don’t want anything bad to happen to her. I don’t want anything bad to happen to my mother, but I just want answers.”

Darlene Hamlett, mother of Lynette Hooker, also said that she has “many unanswered questions”, adding, in statements to , that she was “happy to hear” about the arrest, but that she is looking for more information.

“Our family grew up around the water and Lynette has spent her entire life around lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming,” Hamlett said. “It would be a miracle if (she were found), but I still believe that.”

Hamlett urgently obtained a passport so he can travel to the Bahamas soon, according to AP.

Daughter describes sometimes turbulent marriage

Brian and Lynette Hooker had been married for about 25 years and were experienced boaters, the family told CNN. In recent years, the Michigan couple has documented their travels on social media. They were sailing in the Bahamas on their yacht, “Soulmate,” when the woman disappeared.

Although they cared about each other, Aylesworth said, the marriage was turbulent and at times became violent.

The daughter revealed that her mother had previously confided that Brian Hooker had strangled her.

CNN was unable to independently confirm this incident with authorities. In an initial statement, Butler, Brian Hooker’s attorney, said his client denies “the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth.” Butler declined to comment further on the allegations when contacted again.

CNN attempted to contact family and friends of Brian Hooker to obtain more information about the couple.

What the husband said

Brian Hooker told investigators that the woman fell 8 feet from an dinghy near Elbow Cay on Saturday night as they returned to the yacht in high winds and rough seas off the Abaco Islands, authorities said.

“Strong currents subsequently swept her away,” and “he lost sight of her,” authorities said, citing Hooker’s account. The boat lost power because Lynette had the engine safety device on when she fell into the water, her husband told authorities.

That’s when Hooker said he tried to row to shore, adding that he last saw the woman swimming toward shore as the boat moved away, and reached shore near Marsh Harbor hours later, Richard Cook, chief of the Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, told CNN.

Before being detained, Brian Hooker released a statement describing the incident as an accident.

“I am devastated by the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and strong winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall out of our little dinghy,” he wrote. “Despite desperate attempts to get to her, the wind and currents pushed us further and further away. We continue to look for her and that is my only focus.”

Brian Hooker gave a similar version to a friend via Facebook Messenger in the early days of the search.

In messages shared by Daniel Danforth with CNN, Brian Hooker described the woman falling “out of the dinghy into rough seas on the way back to the sailboat.”

“The wind took me away from her and she swam toward the sailboat and we lost sight of each other very quickly as it was almost sunset,” Brian Hooker wrote in a message sent to Danforth on Monday.

Hooker said he paddled for hours before reaching shore and calling for help.

“Our family is going through hell right now,” Brian Hooker wrote after his friend offered his prayers, adding that he intended to continue helping with the search efforts.

Search efforts were halted after Hooker was detained Wednesday by authorities.

During a police search of the yacht “Soulmate” that night, Hooker lost his balance while handcuffed and fell into the water in what his lawyer described as “rough and dangerous seas,” Butler said in a statement. Hooker swallowed a lot of water before the life jacket pulled him up and police rescued him. According to the lawyer, Hooker injured his knee in the fall.

Searches turn into recovery operation

Authorities launched a large-scale search operation after Lynette Hooker was reported missing in the early hours of Sunday, with the Royal Bahamas Police, Bahamas Defense Force and Hope Town volunteer firefighters carrying out sea and land searches around Elbow Cay.

The United States Coast Guard also participated in the operation, using aerial means, according to a spokesperson.

After several days without any sign of the woman, authorities confirmed on Tuesday that the operation was no longer a rescue operation but a recovery mission.

On Wednesday, the US Coast Guard announced the opening of a criminal investigation into the case. On the same day, Karli Aylesworth was interviewed for two hours, according to her lawyer. CNN has requested more information from the Coast Guard, including details about the jurisdiction of the investigation in the Bahamas.

The United States Department of State has confirmed that it is aware of the disappearance of a US citizen in the Elbow Cay area and is providing consular assistance in coordination with Bahamian authorities.

While investigators remain silent on the case, Aylesworth said the family is waiting for answers, regardless of what is discovered.

“I just want to know what happened,” he told CNN.

Chris Boyette, Meridith Edwards and Diego Mendoza contributed to this report.