Police Rule Death of American, 23, Found on Bahamas Beach as ‘Drowning,’ but His Parents Claim He Was ‘Beaten’

Police in the Bahamas have shared new information surrounding the death of 23-year-old Dinari McAlmont, who was found unresponsive on one of the country’s beaches over the weekend.

The Royal Bahamas Police shared in a statement on Facebook on Wednesday, April 9, that results from an autopsy done by a pathologist revealed that Dinari died “as a result of drowning,” and that “foul play is not suspected at this time.”

However, police acknowledged that they are still awaiting the results of a “forensic toxicology analysis,” which would determine whether “drugs, alcohol and other toxins” may have played a role in his death, and noted that the investigation into the incident is still “ongoing.”

Police noted that Dinari, from Bowie, Md. arrived in the Bahamas on Friday, April 4 with other family members prior to being found “unresponsive” on a beach on Paradise Island.

The release comes a few days after Dinari’s mother, Michelle McAlmont, reacted to the news of her son’s death after local authorities showed her a photo of her deceased son for identification.

“My son was beaten,” she claimed to Eyewitness News Bahamas. “He was traumatized. His face is damaged. His teeth [had] a lot of froth. His hair that he normally takes so much pride in, he spent a lot of money on products. He takes a lot of pride in his hair — full of sand.” 

“That tells me they beat my son down in the sand,” she continued. “I need justice for my baby. I need justice.”

The family told Fox 5 DC that Dinari and his parents booked a weekend trip at the Atlantis resort in Nassau, Bahamas from Friday, April 4 to Monday, April 7. The night the family arrived at their destination, they had dinner and Dinari left his parents to explore the resort, per the outlet.

They said that nothing was amiss until hours later when resort staff members came to his parent’s room to ask about his whereabouts. According to Fox 5 DC, When Dinari’s parents noticed that his location-sharing service had become inactive, they began searching the property. 

Dinari’s parents eventually filed a missing person’s report when they were unable to find him. After 1 a.m. local time on Saturday, Dinari’s parents were contacted by police about a report that her son allegedly “had spat” at someone, though the details were unclear, per Eyewitness News Bahamas.

Resort staff eventually returned to Dinari’s parent’s room to inform them that he was dead on Saturday, April 5, about 12 hours after the family had arrived in the country, Fox 5 DC reported.

A spokesperson for the Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas Resort told PEOPLE in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of our guests. Our thoughts and condolences are with the guest’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. This is an active police investigation, and we are fully cooperating.”