Kentucky
Nurse who treated Kentucky moms after alleged Bahamas drugging, rape describes how she helped them: ‘Worst scene I had ever had to work’
The veteran nurse practitioner who treated the two Kentucky moms who claimed two Bahamas resort staffers drugged and raped them during their vacation said “it was the worst scene” she had ever worked.
Ladonna Batty, a family nurse from Arkansas, was a passenger on the same Carnival cruise that Amber Shearer and Dongayla Dobson were on when the ship docked at the Grand Bahama island earlier this month.
“Out of my 20-odd years of practicing, it was the worst scene that I had ever had to work. It was a horrible situation for both girls,” Batty told LEX 18. “Worst thing I’ve ever seen. They were in horrible shambles.”
The moms, who wanted to spend the day at the beach and take some pictures, visited the Pirates Cove Resort when a male staffer allegedly offered them a two-for-one tropical drink deal
The drinks, however, were reportedly stronger than expected, and both women became highly intoxicated 15 minutes after their first sips, Dobson told NewsNation’s “Cuomo.”
A second resort employee had allegedly lured the women to a secluded area and led them to where they were eventually assaulted while in their impaired state.
Batty had been in the area when another staffer found Shearer and Dobson unconscious inside a bathroom, and she went into nurse mode.
“I got my phone out and immediately started charting everything, documenting everything I’d seen,” Batty told the outlet.
The nurse practitioner knew something wasn’t right with the women, claiming the pair had a “hard time forming sentences.”
“It was a horrible scene,” Batty told Inside Edition. “I was thinking as a practitioner, ‘Let me get all this documented, let me get all these details for the girls because they’re not gonna remember some of it if they were drugged.”
Batty believes Shearer and Dobson had been assaulted and under the influence of more than just alcohol.
“Seeing those girls in that state, it was awful,” Batty said. “Something happened to them that they will carry for the rest of their lives.”
The women claim the police did not properly handle their allegations but were thankful Batty arrived when she did.
“Had it not been for Ladonna advocating for us, I don’t know what would have happened,” Shearer said.
Once they were back on board, the moms received the results of their toxicology tests — which showed they had a plethora of drugs in their systems, including benzodiazepines.
“Anybody should be able to go on vacation and have a drink or have a Coca-Cola and take some pictures and not get brutally assaulted,” Batty added.
The resort said the two staffers accused of the assaults have been fired for violating a zero-tolerance policy by “fraternizing with guests or behaving in a manner that is unsafe,” according to a statement obtained by WLEX.
The Royal Bahamas Police had arrested the two men in connection to the sexual assault.
While Dobson and Shearer were aboard the cruise, the US embassy in the Bahamas released a level 2 travel advisory after rising crime on the island nation included 18 murders that occurred throughout January.
The moms were angry with the cruise line for not sharing the advisory with them before they got off the ship for the resort.
Top headlines of the week, May 8 2026
Here are some stories you may have missed this week in central Ohio.
Authorities said a body recovered May 4 from the Ohio River in northeast Kentucky has been identified as a Columbus man, Dispatch news partner NBC4/WMCH-TV reported.
Lewis County Sheriff Johnny Bivens said the body has been identified as Jason D. Frisbie, 38, of Columbus. Bivens said authorities in Kentucky worked with Ohio officials to identify Frisbie this week.
Bivens said Lewis County took a call around 4:30 p.m. May 4 about a body in the river in Vanceburg, Kentucky, a few miles south of Ohio’s Shawnee State Park. Bivens said responding agencies took the body to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office.
Lewis County authorities asked for public help identifying the body. On May 9, Bivens confirmed Frisbie’s identity after working with Ohio officials and local responders.
Bivens said the death remains under investigation, and authorities did not offer information about a suspected cause.
Kentucky
Two ‘dangerous’ inmates escape Kentucky detention center, sparking multi-agency manhunt across region
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Two inmates described as “dangerous” escaped Friday evening from a Kentucky detention center, prompting a multi-agency manhunt, police said.
The Morehead Police Department warned the surrounding community that two inmates had “walked away” from the Rowan County Detention Center.
Investigators said multiple law enforcement agencies are actively searching for the escapees, with Kentucky State Police leading the investigation.
“These inmates should be considered dangerous,” police said, warning the community not to approach anyone suspicious or unfamiliar.
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Two inmates described as “dangerous” escaped from a Kentucky detention center, prompting a multi-agency manhunt. (Morehead Police Department)
One of the inmates was identified as Michael Fogleman, 29, who is described as 6 feet tall and 188 pounds.
He has short or closely shaved hair and a short beard along his jawline and chin, according to police.
The second inmate was identified as James Smallwood, 52, who is listed at 6 feet 1 inch tall and about 215 pounds.
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Michael Fogleman, 29, is one of two inmates who escaped from a Kentucky detention center, police said. (Morehead Police Department)
He is described as having a medium to stocky build with gray facial hair around the mouth and chin area.
Smallwood was last seen wearing a white shirt and blue jeans and possibly a hat, police said.
James Smallwood, 52, is one of two inmates on the run after escaping from a Kentucky jail, authorities said. (Morehead Police Department)
Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant and call 911 immediately if they see anything suspicious or have information about the escapees.
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Law enforcement agencies are searching for two escaped inmates in Kentucky, authorities said. (Silas Walker/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service)
Investigators said they will provide more information as it becomes available.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Kentucky State Police and Rowan County Detention Center for comment.
The Kentucky high school 2026 outdoor track and field season has been exceptional, especially the girls competition.
In particular, the sprints and horizontal jumps.
Long Jump Leaders Set the Pace
First, the long jump.
Christian Educational Consortium’s Jade Hartlage, a rising superstar of track and field in its totality, has the state’s leading jump, 19feet, 9 inches, set March 26. She is partially homeschooled and not eligible for in KHSAA postseason.
Hartlage’s mark is followed by Simon Kenton’s Alexis Howard (19-0, March 26). Howard is another standout athlete. She was selected as a 2025 All-State Honorable Mention in soccer. Howard won the 3A indoor title in early March, recording a mark of 18-7 1/4.
Howard, Svidal Among Top Contenders
Walden School senior Natalie Svidal sailed to an 18-4 1/2 mark at the Walden Small School Championships May 5. That ties her for third in the state with Taleigha Nash of Great Crossing High School.
Triple Jump Competition Tightens
In the triple jump, Howard is atop the performance list. She leapt 40-5, April 25.
However, Svidal is close. She recorded 40-2 1/4 this past week.
Multi-Sport Stars Making Impact
Teigh Yeast, yet another standout athlete, who helped George Rogers Clark win a state basketball title in March and is a Robert Morris University basketball commit, logged a 40-0 1/2 jump April 21. Yeast was last season’s 3A champion at 39-5.25.
How Kentucky Stacks Up Nationally
Perspective and context need to be applied here. Here’s how Kentucky compares nationally.
National Benchmarks Set the Bar
Parker Coes of Morton Ranch High School (Katy, Texas) has surpassed 21 feet twice in 2026. Abigail Mecklenburg of Linn-Mar High School (Marion, Iowa) is approaching the 21-foot threshold.
Coes’ marks were achieved in the early indoor season. The Texan has jumped 20-10 1/2 outdoors (April 3) but her last mark was 18-11 3/4, May 2.
Mecklenburg is yet to replicate her indoor marks outdoors.
The top outdoor jump so far in 2026 is 42-7.5, set by Daniela Hughes of Los Altos High School (Los Altos, California).
A significant challenge for the Bluegrass jumpers to surpass. But if there is a season for top-10 national rankings or records.
State Records Within Reach
With that said, the Kentucky state records are potentially breakable in the next two weeks. The current records are 20-4 (Maxine Graham, Fleming County High School, 1975) and 41-7 (Sophie Galloway, Marshall County High School, 2021).
Each has the speed and explosiveness to challenge those marks.
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