Family members of Almarosa Tenorio, the Alabama woman who plummeted to her death aboard a cruise ship sailing from Curacao to Aruba last week, spoke out about their mother’s apparent apprehension regarding the trip before she left.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, two of 52-year-old Almarosa’s grown children talked about how the victim’s demeanor appeared to change before she set off to cruise with her husband—who the children said their mom had marital issues with—and planned to try and work them out on the Royal Princess ship.
Timothy Tenorio and Andrea Smith told the news station that their mother seemed hesitant about the vacation before leaving with their father, Leo Tenorio.
“My mom did not want to go on this cruise. She did not want to go. She knew something was going to happen,” the daughter stated. “They specifically said they were going on this cruise because they wanted one week to work on their relationship.”
Timothy echoed his sister’s thoughts, also speaking about how their mother appeared worried.
“The night before they left, my mom hugged me for like a good five minutes and I was kind of curious why it was so long and then I asked her,” he said. “And she … said, ‘Well, it might be the last hug you get from me.'”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the cruise line has said it is considering the husband and father to be a suspect in Almarosa’s death. However, a witness reported witnessing a man choke the victim before she fell from an upper deck of the Royal Princess. She landed on a lifeboat located on the side of the ship and was subsequently pronounced dead.
ABC News communicated with a spokesperson for the Aruba Public Prosecutor’s Office, Ann Angela, who did not provide specific details of the ongoing investigation into Almarosa’s death, but did say her passing was deemed “unnatural.” She also reportedly said the incident was being “investigated at every angle.”
“The incident was reported to the FBI and local authorities and the local authorities met and boarded the ship upon arrival in Aruba,” Princess Cruises said in a statement. “We are cooperating fully with the investigating authorities, including the FBI.”
Timothy, who resided in Mobile with his mother, says he is devastated by the loss.
“I can’t focus,” Timothy Tenorio told ABC News. “It’s like my rock is gone.”
“I’m trying to be the best that I can so that I can try to be like how my mom was: always useful, helpful to everybody,” he continued. “And like I said, it’s just really hard for me. I’m trying to stay strong. However, my strength isn’t all the way there anymore.”
Almarosa’s husband also reportedly spoke out to the media outlet, saying he will regard his “memory of her with respect,” and that the death will “haunt” him for the rest of his days.
[Feature image: Almarosa Tenorio/Facebook]
