An 80-year-old Canadian woman who suffers from Alzheimer's Disease was heinously raped by another tourist in the Bahamas last month, her son has claimed, and the incident took place about two weeks before two US women say they were also raped in the island country.
The woman, who has not been named, was vacationing with her family at the Warwick Hotel Paradise Island on Jan. 28 when the horrific sex attack took place, her son David Ahrens wrote on LinkedIn and GoFundMe.
"Rape is never OK. I'm going to share some very difficult news with you," Ahrens wrote on LinkedIn four days ago.
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"My 80-year-old mother, who is a grandmother and great-grandmother, and who has Alzheimer's, was sexually assaulted and raped by a guest at the hotel. He is a 61-year-old man from New Waterford, Nova Scotia," Ahrens wrote. "He is currently in Bahamian prison without the chance of bail, pending trial."
Bahamian police announced that an elderly woman had been sexually assaulted by a 61-year-old male but did not provide any more details. Fox News Digital reached out to the police and The Warwick Paradise Islands Bahamas for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
"Those of you who know my mom know that she is incredibly loving and so very special to us and our extended family. We are dealing with the shock and are horrified at this incident," Ahrens wrote, adding that he decided to go public about the incident to warn other travelers abroad to be careful with their vulnerable loved ones.
Ahrens wrote how the sunshine break in the Bahamas turned into a nightmare in the blink of an eye for the Canadian family.
He said that his mother was always in physical contact with his sister, but when they were returning to their room after dinner, the pair became separated.
His sister stepped out of the elevator and when she turned around to get her mother, the doors closed and their mother was left with the suspect.
A frantic search ensued with their mother missing for around 45 minutes.
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"He assaulted her in his room," Ahrens wrote. "This is a vile, unthinkable and an unimaginable nightmare."
The search involved Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Tom Justice, who was in the Bahamas on an assignment, the agency told Fox News Digital. He joined the search for Ahrens' mother, going floor by floor shouting her name. The search party then eventually found his mother and the suspect coming off an elevator with Justice quickly apprehending him.
"The doors open up and there is my mother with this assailant," Ahrens told WSOC-TV.
"He pinned the guy in the elevator ... Down the elevator they went to the lobby. He pulled him out, the police took over," he added. "My Mom is back home safe and her attitude is that she wants to leave it behind her and move forward. She is a warrior."
Ahrens also launched a GoFundMe page to generate funds to cover medical expenses, lawyer expenses and out-of-pocket expenses in relation to the incident. The fundraiser raised more than $8,200 as of Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security praised Justice for his actions in apprehending the suspect.
"HSI management is aware of the actions SA Justice undertook while on temporary duty and are proud of the way he went above and beyond to protect the welfare of others," Kyle Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
"His actions are in keeping with the highest standards of this agency,"
The incident comes less than three weeks since the State Department issued a level two travel advisory for the Bahamas, urging travelers to be extremely cautious due to violent crimes like sex assaults, burglaries and armed robberies.
The agency says the majority of crime is happening in Freeport and Nassau — where the Canadian family from Ontario was staying.
On Feb. 4, Kentucky moms Amber Shearer and Dongayla Dobson said they were raped after being drugged with a laced cocktail.
The Royal Bahama Police Force said in a Feb. 4 statement it arrested two men — ages 54 and 40 — in the alleged sexual assault.
