Bahamas Cruise Excursion Assault

• 🚢 Amber Shearer and Dongayla Dobson, childhood friends from Kentucky, embarked on a "girls trip" via a Carnival Cruise Ship Elation to the Bahamas.
• 🌴 They chose a Port Adventure called "Pirate's Cove Beach Getaway," advertised by Carnival, to look for seashells.
• 🍹 At Pirate's Cove, a resort staffer offered them a two-for-one drink deal, which they accepted, noting the drinks were much stronger than expected.
• 🌊 Shortly after consuming the drinks, they experienced rapid intoxication and stumbling, with family members noticing their impaired state during a live video call.

Lured and Attacked

• 🐚 A resort worker, later identified as one of the assailants, lured them away from the main beach to an isolated, bushy area under the pretense of finding seashells and taking promotional photos.
• ⚠️ Both women reported waking up during a sexual assault, with Amber grabbing a tree to pull herself away and screaming for Dongayla.
• 🏃‍♀️ Amber found Dongayla, and they both ran to a bathroom, where they later became unconscious and were discovered by an employee.
• 🩺 A nurse practitioner, Ladonna Batty, vacationing on the same cruise, was called to assist and immediately recognized they had been assaulted due to their physical state and injuries.

Aftermath and Challenges

• 🚨 Bahamian authorities allegedly instructed them to urinate into toilet tissue as evidence, delaying a proper rape kit.
• 🛳️ A rape kit was finally performed hours later on the Carnival Cruise ship, but the delay could impact forensic evidence.
• ⚖️ Their lawyer, Nicholas Gerson, highlighted Carnival's marketing of the excursion and their reluctance to provide toxicology reports or other evidence.
• 💔 The women face severe emotional trauma, including panic attacks, inability to work, and difficulty being around their own children, compounded by hate comments.

Call for Justice and Safety

• 🗣️ Amber and Dongayla are sharing their story to prevent similar incidents and advocate for justice, despite the personal toll.
• 🛡️ They advise travelers, especially women, to be vigilant, avoid unsealed drinks, and travel in larger groups, emphasizing that "two is not enough."
• 📞 An FBI tip line (1-800-225-5324) was provided for anyone with information regarding the February 4, 2024 incident at Pirate's Cove.