Charges Against Michigan Mother’s Husband

Brian Hooker, the husband of missing Michigan mother Lynette Hooker, faces child abuse charges after allegedly assaulting her daughter during a dispute about creationism, according to court documents.

The incident reportedly took place in December 2005 when Hooker’s ex-partner, Elizabeth Joses, contacted the Kentwood Police in Michigan to report that he had pushed her homeschooled daughter against a wall.

This allegation surfaced while Hooker was in custody in the Bahamas concerning his wife’s mysterious disappearance, which he claims occurred after she fell from their dinghy on April 4.

During the alleged incident, Hooker was residing with his father at Lynette’s home and reacted angrily to a science book that Joses claims had creationist content. “He didn’t want what was in the book. I believe in God,” Joses stated in a police report.

It’s said that Hooker followed his daughter upstairs, where one of her step-sisters witnessed his actions. The report notes, “She saw her father holding [the daughter] up around his neck.” The stepdaughter later described how Hooker lifted the daughter’s feet off the ground and allegedly slammed her against the wall while strangling her.

Witness accounts indicate that Hooker demanded respect while he held his daughter and expressed his anger towards her, verbally abusing her as well.

In an effort to challenge Joses regarding their children’s education, Hooker seemed to acknowledge the incident when he emailed her stepfather post-incident, hinting at a turbulent evening with the children.

Photos shown in the police report indicated visible marks on the child’s neck from the encounter, which resulted in documented injuries such as a contusion.

Following the events, Hooker was charged with fourth-degree child abuse on November 22, 2005, and prohibited from contacting minors. Lynette later testified that her husband did not strangle their daughter.

The case was eventually dismissed on February 2, 2006, but further details about the dismissal remain unclear.

Nearly a decade later, in February 2015, Hooker accused his wife of assaulting him, claiming she punched him during an argument. Police who responded found both parties intoxicated, with Hooker bleeding from his nose. However, charges were dropped due to ambiguity over who initiated the confrontation.

Recent developments unfolded after Lynette’s daughter from a prior marriage, Carly Aylesworth, accused Hooker of displaying violent behavior during a Fox News interview regarding her mother’s disappearance. She alleged that he had previously strangled Lynette and made threats against her while at sea.

The couple, who sold their home and purchased a yacht named Soulmate in 2020, were sailing in the Bahamas when Lynette went missing. Last Wednesday, police detained Hooker at a tourist resort, releasing him on Monday after the window for indictment had lapsed. It remains uncertain whether he will be permitted to leave the Bahamas or face re-arrest.

Hooker has consistently denied any involvement in his wife’s disappearance and expressed intentions to continue the search following his release.