A 23-year-old man from Maryland was discovered dead on a beach in the Bahamas shortly after arriving for a family vacation. His mother alleges he was “beaten to death.”
Dinari McAlmont, originally from Bowie, Maryland, traveled with his parents to the Atlantis Paradise Island resort on April 4 for a planned relaxing holiday. The family had just begun their vacation when the incident occurred.
McAlmont was last seen dining with his parents at the resort. According to family reports, he left the table around 9 p.m. to get a jacket and explore the resort. When he did not return, his parents started searching for him.
Resort officials reportedly approached Michelle McAlmont, Dinari’s mother, indicating they were looking for her son because he allegedly spat on several staff members at a restaurant.
Unable to track Dinari’s phone, his parents filed a missing person report. Their concerns were confirmed when authorities found McAlmont’s body on the shore of Paradise Island with “no vital life signs” shortly after 5:30 a.m. on April 5, about 12 hours after their arrival in the Bahamas.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force has initiated an investigation into the cause of death but has not classified it as a homicide. Officials are awaiting autopsy results before determining the circumstances around McAlmont’s death.
Michelle McAlmont shared her distress over the condition of her son’s body. She mentioned that police showed her a photo of her son’s body, which she found extremely distressing, claiming he was unrecognizable due to injuries.
“When I looked at the photo they showed me, my son was beaten; he was traumatized,” Michelle McAlmont told Bahamian media. She noted observing froth on his teeth and sand in his hair.
“That tells me they beat my son down in the sand. I need justice for my baby. I need justice,” she added.
According to media reports, McAlmont was a music producer and engineer at Lowcation Studios in Maryland, known professionally as “Diddy.” His colleagues have expressed their sorrow over his unexpected death.
The grieving mother described experiencing various emotions following her son’s death, including anger and frustration. She questioned what could have been done differently to protect him.
McAlmont’s parents are now seeking legal representation, specifically an attorney skilled in international cases, as they await the police investigation’s outcome in the Bahamas.
The Atlantis Paradise Island resort, where the family stayed, issued a statement expressing condolences and confirming their cooperation with authorities.
The incident occurs amid heightened safety concerns for American tourists in the Bahamas. On March 30, the U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the country, advising Americans to “Exercise Increased Caution” while visiting.
The advisory highlights concerns about violent crime, including armed robberies, burglaries, and sexual assaults, particularly in the main cities of Nassau and Freeport. It also mentions that activities like boating and jet ski rentals are not well-regulated, leading to injuries, deaths, and sexual assaults.
This advisory was in effect before McAlmont’s death and was not issued in response to this specific case.
As the investigation continues, McAlmont’s family remains in the Bahamas, determined to discover what happened to their son during what was intended to be a family vacation.
