A woman whose mother vanished at sea claims her husband had made threats to throw her overboard.
Karli Aylesworth thinks something “just doesn’t add up” about the disappearance of her mom, Lynette Hooker, while she was out on the water in the Bahamas on Saturday night.
She had already demanded a “full and complete investigation,” and told Fox & Friends on Wednesday that she thinks her 55-year-old mom’s husband, Brian Hooker, could be involved. He denies all allegations of involvement.
The pair were traveling together and documenting their sailing adventure under the moniker “The Sailing Hookers,” but Aylesworth claims they allegedly had a history of domestic violence.
“There’s history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard,” she claimed. “So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there’s more to the story.”
“It just doesn’t add up,” she told Fox.
“Mom is very fit and strong, and she’s a good swimmer. Like, why was she swimming away from the boat? Why did she have the key? This story just does not make sense to me.
“There’s also been history of domestic violence in that relationship, so I do believe something might have happened to her.”
In an email to the Daily Beast, Brian Hooker said, “I categorically deny the allegations made by Karli Aylesworth. At this time, I have retained local counsel, Terrel Butler, and I am acting on her strict advice not to provide further comment to the press, as there is currently an ongoing investigation.”
Cops in the Bahamas say that Lynette fell overboard from a dinghy en route to their yacht from Hope Town, Soulmate, and was swept away by the current.
“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” they said.
She also claimed she received a voice note from her stepfather in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
“Hello, honey, it’s Dad,” it said. “I just got a call from Hope Town Search and Rescue, and they found the flotation device that I threw to Mom when she fell overboard.”
A friend of the couple, John Waters, told Fox News, “Their new lifestyle was this boat that they picked up in Texas. They spent a year working on it,” but added that they “weren’t that experienced.”
No charges have been made, and no criminal investigation has been launched, according to the New York Post.
According to CNN, Brian told local police that he last saw his wife swimming toward shore.
Speaking to Fox, she also claimed that Brian’s personality would shift after a drink.
“He starts to act more smart-a--y and more picking at you and like ‘I know this will irritate you so I’m gonna do that’ type of attitude.”
Speaking to CBS News, she said that her mom’s falling overboard with the dinghy’s keys rankled.
“Brian’s always driving. So he basically is in charge of the key,” she said. “So the fact that my mom had it doesn’t make any sense.”
Her daughter is becoming increasingly gloomy about her mom’s prospects. “The more time that goes on, the more I disbelieve that she will come back alive. I don’t think that you can tread water for that long.”
She added, “But I hope maybe she’s on a little island somewhere.”
