Mindy Jordan -Msg from Cruise

[awakening2lite]

Mindy Jordan

Age: 46
Cruise Ship: Norwegian Dawn
Missing overboard: May 11, 2008

Woman Missing After Cruise Ship Fall Near A.C.
May 12, 2008 7:14 pm US/Eastern

ATLANTIC CITY (CBS3/AP) ― Foul weather Monday forced the U.S. Coast Guard to stop searching for a woman passenger who fell overboard from a cruise ship off the Atlantic City coast.

The Norwegian Dawn was headed for Bermuda from New York City when 46-year-old Mindy Jordan, of Pine Hill, N.J., went overboard at about 7:50 p.m. Sunday, cruise officials said.

In a statement, the cruise line said the ship immediately began a search and rescue operation, but did not provide further details. On Monday, the Coast Guard said continuing winds over 50 mph and heavy rain prevented it from resuming the search.

"Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of the guest during this difficult time," said Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman AnneMarie Mathews.

The Coast Guard said the ship was approximately 45 miles northeast of Atlantic City when the woman was reported overboard Sunday night. It departed from a pier in Manhattan at 4 p.m.

The Coast Guard said it was initially notified Sunday night at approximately 8:21 p.m. A helicopter crew from Atlantic City launched at 9 p.m., and arrived on scene at about 9:43 p.m. The helicopter crew conducted search patterns until 10:53 p.m.

Then a rescue helicopter crew from a Coast Guard station in Cape Cod, Mass. arrived at the scene at 12:05 a.m. Monday, and conducted search patterns until 3:05 a.m. when it returned to base due to inclement weather.

The vessel was cleared to proceed on its scheduled itinerary and is set to arrive in Bermuda on Wednesday.

source: http://cbs3.com/local/cruise.ship.united.2.721695.html

[awakening2lite]

Woman falls from cruise ship 45 miles off Atlantic City


Monday May 12, 2008, 9:58 AM

A 46-year-old woman is missing after falling off the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship Sunday night approximately 45 miles northeast of Atlantic City, authorities said today.

The woman, whose identity was not released, fell off the Bermuda-bound ship around 8 p.m., according to Christopher Evanson, a spokesman for the Coast Guard.

Evanson said the Coast Guard was notified at 8:21 p.m. and sent out one helicopter at 9 p.m.

Evanson said the crew arrived at the scene at 9:43 p.m. and searched for one hour. Another helicopter was dispatched at 11:50 p.m., but had to stop its search at 12:30 a.m. due to inclement weather.

Strong winds and rain have prevented the Coast Guard from resuming the search today.

"We are monitoring the situation," Evanson said.

The ship left New York City Sunday and has continued its voyage to Bermuda, Evanson said.

source: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/woman_missing_after_falling_of.html

[awakening2lite]

USCG suspend search

May 12th, 2008

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The Coast Guard suspended the search for a 46-year-old female passenger who fell overboard from the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn at approximately 7:50 p.m., 45-miles Northeast of Atlantic City, N.J., Sunday night.

The Coast Guard launched helicopters from Air Station’s Atlantic City, N.J., and Cape Cod, Mass. Helicopter crews searched on scene for seven hours, and a total of 59-square-miles. Gale force winds and heavy seas severely hampered the effectiveness of the search. In addition, the Norwegian Dawn assisted in the search by throwing life rings into the water and deploying a small boat with rescue personnel.

Current weather conditions of the search area have low visibility with seas of 13-feet with and gale force winds in excess of 40 knots.

source: http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-suspends-search-for-missing-cruise-ship-passenger-4/2008/05/12/

[awakening2lite]

Weather halts search for woman who fell from cruise ship
5/12/2008, 7:31 p.m. EDT


EXCERPT

Louise Jordan of Bordentown told WPVI-TV in Philadelphia that the missing woman was her daughter, Mindy Jordan, and that her daughter's boyfriend, Jorge Caputo of Pine Hill, had notified her family from the ship.

"What he told me on the phone was she fell over the railing and fell to something down on a lower deck and that he ran to try and save her but she lost her grip and fell," Louise Jordan told the television station.

There was no published phone listing for Louise Jordan. A phone message left at Caputo's home was not immediately returned.



source: http://www.nj.com/ap/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-31/1210601345237060.xml&storylist=topstories

[packy]

How sad that he couldn't get to her in time.

My condolences to the family.

[awakening2lite]

May. 13, 2008


Search ends for S.J. woman who fell off cruise ship




The last time Louise Horton, 66, heard from her daughter, it was Mother's Day. Mindy Jordan, 46, called twice before boarding the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship in New York on her way to Bermuda.

The next morning, Jordan's boyfriend called to say her daughter was dead.

According to her boyfriend, Jorge Caputo, Jordan fell overboard Sunday night, Horton said.

Horton said she wants a full investigation of how this could have happened.

"The pieces just don't add together," she said in an interview this morning.

On Monday at 4 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard suspended "any further searches" for Jordan, said Coast spokesman Petty Officer Christopher Evanson.

Jordan was reported overboard around 7:50 p.m. about 45 miles northeast of Atlantic City.

The Coast Guard launched helicopters from Atlantic City, N.J., and Cape Cod, Mass., and searched for seven hours across 59 square miles, Evanson said.

Gale force winds and heavy seas severely hampered the effectiveness of the search, he said. The Norwegian Dawn threw life rings into the water and deployed a small boat with rescue personnel, he said.

After the initial search, the Coast Guard released the ship, which then proceeded to Bermuda, where it is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

In a written statement, Norwegian Cruise Line briefly described the rescue effort. "Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of the guest during this difficult time," the company said.

Jordan, a licensed practical nurse who worked in home care, has been living with Caputo in Pine Hill in Camden County. She has a 15-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son.

Horton said her daughter and Caputo went on vacation with another couple and had neighboring cabins on board the Norwegian Cruise Line ship.

"She was so super excited about this trip," Horton recalled.

"Trust me, she was not suicidal," Horton said.

Jordan called to say Happy Mother's Day on Sunday morning, Horton said. She later called again to relay how pleased she was to get Mother's Day text messages from her two teenagers.

The ship departed from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal at 4 p.m., the company said.

Horton said she has received conflicting accounts of how her daughter accidentally fell over from her cabin balcony.

A spokeswoman for the FBI said her agency would have jurisdiction over the situation, but she could not immediately confirm an investigation as underway.

The Coast Guard said it is conducting a "marine casualty investigation" to determine what role - if any - the ship may have had in the death.

source: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/news_breaking/20080513_Search_ends_for_S_J__woman_who_fell_off_c ruise_ship.html

[awakening2lite]

Pine Hill woman missing at sea; inquiry under way

May 13, 2008

The Coast Guard on Monday suspended an ocean search for a Pine Hill woman missing from a cruise ship, but family members said they're still looking for answers about their loved one's disappearance.

Mindy Jordan, 46, fell overboard from the Norwegian Dawn about 7:50 p.m. Sunday, when the cruise ship was about 45 miles northeast of Atlantic City, according to the Coast Guard.

But Jordan's relatives want an investigation into the incident, her sister, Julie August of Mount Laurel, said Monday.

"My sister is a professional. She's a nurse and a mother," said August. "This is not somebody who's going to be jumping up on a rail."

Relatives learned of Jordan's disappearance from her boyfriend and traveling companion, Jorge Caputo of Pine Hill, August said.

"He said she was clowning around and she fell over," said August. "Who knows? We weren't there."

But, she contended, "It's just not adding up."

A Coast Guard spokesman said a "marine casualty investigation" will look into the cruise ship's operation during the incident.

"From what I understand, the FBI's also involved in this particular case," said the spokesman, Petty Officer Christopher Evanson. "They are separate investigations."

An FBI representative could not be reached for comment.

Caputo also could not be reached as the cruise ship, which left New York at 4 p.m. Sunday, continued en route to Bermuda.

The Coast Guard, which was told of Jordan's disappearance at 8:21 p.m. Sunday, conducted a helicopter search over about 60 square miles until shortly after 3 a.m. Monday.

Norwegian Dawn crew members also threw life rings into the ocean and deployed a small boat to look for Jordan.

The Coast Guard search, which was suspended due to bad weather, would be resumed only if more is learned about Jordan's location, Evanson said.

Family members expect the worst.

"It's been such a long time," said August, who said Jordan is the mother of two teenage children.

"My mother had talked to her (by phone) while she was on her way to the ship, and she sounded fine," added August. "She was happy to be going."

She described Jordan, a licensed practical nurse who provided home health care, as "loving and warmhearted."

"She generally took care of children who were dying or on life support," said August. "That tells you the kind of person she was."

source: http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080513/NEWS01/805130365/1006

[jackiepie]

If you think she wasn't murdered you're all idiots. She was 4'9" and the rails were 4' tall..tell me how in the hell did she "accdiently" fall and why did he call her mom before telling the ship she was overboard?

[Pauli]

I don't believe you know the posters here well enough to be calling them idiots this being your first post and all. You may want to read the TOS here, we don't tolerate being rude and insulting to victims, families and other posters.

Thanks,
Admin

[packy]

If her friend did run down to try to catch her I wonder if there were witnesses to his attempts.

They are telling Mindy's story on Fox news as we speak. The ship will dock in Burmuda today and then will talk to passengers.

[awakening2lite]

May 14, 2008

EXCERPT

"He said, 'We were clowning around.' And he said, 'She was just horsing around, being silly, and she fell,'" said Jordan's mother, Louise Horton.

The FBI is considering sending agents to Bermuda to interview passengers

source: http://www.nbc10.com/news/16261777/detail.html
http://www.nbc10.com/2008/0514/16261928_240X180.jpg

[awakening2lite]

Wednesday May 14, 2008, 10:23 AM

The mother of a woman who fell from a cruise ship off the coast of Atlantic City Sunday has said her daughter had been involved in an abusive relationship, it was reported.

Bordentown resident Louise Horton told WCBS-TV that she learned about the death of her daughter, 46-year-old Mindy Jordan, in a phone call from Jordan's boyfriend, Jorge Caputo, after Jordan apparently plunged into the water while she was believed to have climbed between two balconies aboard the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn.

source: http://www.nj.com/centraljersey/index.ssf/2008/05/mom_daughter_who_plunged_from.html

[awakening2lite]

May 14, 2008

http://www.foxnews.com/images/370063/2_61_mindyjordan_320.jpg
Mindy Jordan and Jorge Caputo

A missing New Jersey woman thought to have fallen overboard Sunday from a Norwegian Cruise Line ship was caught by ship surveillance cameras alone in her room when the incident happened, the cruise line said in a statement released Wednesday.

The footage reportedly shows Mindy Jordan, a 46-year-old nurse, falling from her balcony two hours after boarding the ship in New York with her boyfriend, Jorge Caputo.

The cruise line said Jordan and Caputo had dined that evening with friends before returing to their rooms at about 7:30 p.m. Minutes later, Caputo left Jordan alone to visit with the friends next door, the company said.

Surveillance footage from the exterior of the ship shows Jordan falling overboard into the water about 15 minutes later, according to Norwegian Cruise Line, and an emergency call was made from the friends' room.

The cruise line said the initial indication was that Jordan fell as she tried to reach from one balcony to another on a windy night. The Coast Guard had given up its search Tuesday for her in the Atlantic Ocean off the New Jersey coast.

Jordan's family fears, though, that her fall was not only tragic but also criminal, and the FBI is investigating.
Related

Jim Margolin, a spokesman for the FBI's New York office, said agents were in Bermuda on Wednesday to interview witnesses aboard The Norwegian Dawn as the cruise ship arrived there.

"Among the things we're going to try to determine is whether a crime occurred," Margolin said, adding that it was not clear how long it might take to determine that. He also said that if no one was charged in the matter, the agency might not make its findings public.

Jordan's family has been asking authorities for a full investigation — rather than simply relying on the early word from Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line.

"Our interest is to understand what happened," said Jordan's brother, Steve Lynn, who traveled from his home in Kentucky to be with his and Jordan's mother, Louise Horton, in her New Jersey home.

Norwegian Cruise Line has offered to make arrangements for Jordan's family to join the ship in Bermuda on Thursday and view the surveillance footage.

Lynn said the FBI also interviewed his mother Tuesday night and took some possible evidence — including photos of bruises on his sister.

Family members have expressed suspicion of Caputo, whom they say was abusive.

Caputo remained on the cruise ship and was not available for comment. He has not been charged with any crime.

source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,355798,00.html

[awakening2lite]

EXCERPT

On Wednesday night, the cruise line issued a new statement that said an "advanced safety and surveillance system operating on Norwegian Dawn, including cameras in the interior hallways and on the exterior sides of the ship, has confirmed that Mindy Jordan was in her stateroom alone at the time of the incident."

The sequence of events was described as follows:
# Jordan and Caputo dined at the Garden Cafe with the couple they were traveling with and then returned to their assigned adjacent staterooms at approximately 7:28 p.m.

# At 7:36 p.m., Caputo left his stateroom and went to join his friends in their stateroom next door. From that moment on, Jordan was alone in her stateroom.

# At 7:53 p.m., surveillance cameras from the exterior of the ship captured Jordan falling overboard from her balcony, straight into the water. Shortly thereafter, an emergency call was made from the friends' stateroom, and Caputo was seen exiting to seek help.

# At 7:57 p.m., a man overboard announcement is made and the ship's crew began lifesaving operations, including the launch of two rescue boats.

source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24635248/

[packy]

It is puzzling that it was said that she was playing around and yet no one was with her. Unless like someone said on a talk show that he was on one balconey while she was on the other. So sad, and so sorry this happened.

[Tracian]

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: She went overboard approximately 8:00 p.m. on Sunday night and it wasn`t until 11:00 a.m. that following morning that the boyfriend called the mother. He called Mindy`s mother and told her that they were goofing around and that Mindy had fallen from the upper deck and lost her grip sort of later in that fall and then fell into the water.

And he also gave that same report to the Coast Guard when they were investigating this case.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRACE: Apparently there is breaking news in the case of the missing mom, the mom who apparently fell overboard on a luxury cruise.

Let`s go out to Marlaina Schiavo, one of our producers there at the cruise terminal.

Marlaina, what`s the latest?

MARLAINA SCHIAVO, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Well, the latest, Nancy, is that Norwegian Cruise Line issued a statement today saying that they got surveillance -- they saw the surveillance video, they viewed it and it showed that Mindy was in her state room alone shortly before the incident happened. Apparently they had gone to dinner with the couple they were on vacation with.

They came back around 7:30. Jorge left the room. Her fiancee left the room to go next door and the surveillance video on the outside of the ship shows her falling over the railing and falling into the water. At that point, an emergency call was made. Jorge was seen exiting the room where the friends were to go get help and that`s when the rescue efforts started.

GRACE: Out to Jim Walsh, reporter with the "Courier-Post." Jim, what can you tell us?

JIM WALSH, REPORTER, COURIER-POST: Well, I can tell you we`re all busy here. We learned as your correspondent said moments ago that we learned that this surveillance account does show that the woman and the man were not together when this happened apparently. We`ve got calls out to family members.

We`ve also heard from Jorge Caputo supporters, which include his ex- wife and her sisters who have said to us before that they did not think he was capable of violence and they say they`re pleased to hear this account.

GRACE: Joining me right now, a special guest, this is Mindy Jordan`s mom, Louise Horton is with us.

Miss Horton, thank you for being with us. What is your reaction to this news?

LOUISE HORTON, MINDY JORDAN`S MOTHER: Yes. They -- Norwegian had notified me and faxed me a copy of the statement that was going to be released. My niece who`s been helping me a lot with getting through some of this faxed them for me to get more details. The tape that they`re talking about does show her going over the railing.

But as far as her climbing from one room to the other, they are taking verbal word for that from Mr. Caputo and his traveling companions.

GRACE: Miss Horton, when did you find.

HORTON: I had -- I had my niece request for them a copy of this -- for myself to see. I mean, to say they see her going over the railing but they -- my understanding when she talked to them that they have -- they`re taking their verbal word for the fact that she was actually trying to climb over to the other room. All the video shows her going over the railing.

GRACE: Have they offered have you and your family the opportunity to join the ship in Bermuda to take a look at the tape? Before the statement they called me regarding the statement or around that -- just before that, they called -- they didn`t say my family. They offered to have me flown down there at their expense and so that I could pick up my daughter`s items, her personal things.

And they would be happy to show me the state room and whatever.

GRACE: Miss Horton, do you.

HORTON: I told them -- I explained to them I did not feel it was going to help me see where my daughter died.

GRACE: Miss Horton, do you believe what they are saying about the video?

HORTON: I believe what they`re saying but I think the terminology of it -- well, it does show her going over the railing. But then when my niece called and just said, well, could -- you know, first of all, we would like to see a copy of that video. Does it show her climbing to the opposite cabin?

And they said, well, that the camera isn`t set up in a way to really do that. That they`re taking, for verification, the word of these other people which is Mr. Caputo and their -- his traveling companions.

GRACE: To John Lucich.

HORTON: Other police -- if she just went over the railing, and she was in the room by herself, how come they -- how could they immediately pick up the phone and call for help? Do you understand what I`m saying?

GRACE: That`s an absolute -- yes, I do. How would they have even known? I understand.

HORTON: How would they know she went over? If she accidentally -- even if she was planning on surprising them and trying it or something, whatever case may be, I mean, if you wanted to go with that scenario, which I don`t believe that either. It doesn`t quite.

GRACE: Are they making it very clear, Miss Horton, that the boyfriend was in a different cabin?

HORTON: Yes. They said that they have a video of him leaving their own cabin and going next door.

GRACE: Was there an adjoining door?

HORTON: They did not say. They just said that they had cameras in the corridor and they had video of him leaving their room and going into theirs.

GRACE: To John Lucich, investigator and author, what further in the investigation should they do at this juncture?

JOHN LUCICH, INVESTIGATOR, AUTHOR OF "CYBER LIES": There`s a lot of things they`ll have to do. The investigation is just starting. You know they may have a video and I don`t have access to that video, haven`t seen it. But is she being dumped over? Is she falling off? What`s going on there?

I mean there`s just so many possibilities and until they get down to the crux of the -- of what`s going on and what -- where was he beforehand? Hey, and how did he know that how she fell if she wasn`t with her? There`s just so many questions unanswered here that have to be answered.

GRACE: And to renowned medical examiner Dr. Joshua Perper joining us out of Miami.

Dr. Perper, do you believe any possible criminal charge is going to hinge on finding Mindy`s body?

DR. JOSHUA PERPER, MEDICAL EXAMINER, AUTHOR OF "WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR": Well, I don`t believe so because there`s no evidence at this time to point in this direction. And if there is a video showing that she jumped or she went over the rail, somebody will have to make a determination how easy or how difficult it is to do that, and what`s the general medical and psychological condition and what were the exact circumstances which are not clear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My sister is 4`10", 98 pounds. It would not have been easy for her to get up over a railing nor is that in character for her. Her children, obviously, must be absolutely devastated and that`s our number one priority but we have, you know, we want them to find her. We hope -- we`re still hoping that they find her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRACE: Welcome back. I want to go straight back out to Mindy Jordan`s mom, Louise Horton joining us.

Miss Horton, you know your daughter better than anybody else. Why would she have been out on that balcony on the rail? That doesn`t sound like her at all.

HORTON: Well, on top of that, they`re telling me that there was -- part of the reason why there was an impossible rescue because they had a storm. I mean, this wasn`t like it was 4:00 in the morning. This was a few hours after -- this is also a totally different thing than what Mr. Caputo told me on the phone when he called me.

The cruise line never called many to tell me anything happened. The Coast Guard gave up searching for her in the wee hours of the morning, 2:00, 3:00 or something. He called me at quarter of 11:00 to tell me that Mindy`s had an accident.

GRACE: Well, and the first.

HORTON: And he told me that they were fooling around that she accidentally fell.

GRACE: And you`re sure he said that they, that he was with her when she fell?

HORTON: He told me -- he said, accidentally fell. He said, she fell on to something, I didn`t catch the word. So he said I ran down to try to save her. But by that time, he said, she had -- she couldn`t hold on any longer and let go and fell into the water.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0805/14/ng.01.html

[awakening2lite]

May 16, 2008

Based on a preliminary investigation, the FBI does not believe a crime occurred when a Pine Hill woman fell overboard from a cruise ship, the vessel's operator said Thursday.

Mindy Jordan, 46, plunged from the Norwegian Dawn on Sunday evening when the ship was about 45 miles northeast of Atlantic City. The Coast Guard has suspended a search for the woman, who had just started a New York-to-Bermuda cruise.

Some of Jordan's relatives, who were suspicious of initial accounts of the fall, did not dispute the latest view.

"We certainly have faith in the FBI," said her sister, Julie August of Mount Laurel. "That's all we wanted to know all along -- what happened?

Jordan's family had questioned an account provided by the woman's boyfriend, Jorge Caputo of Pine Hill, that she had climbed onto a balcony railing. They said that was out of character for Jordan, a licensed practical nurse and mother of two teenagers.

The ship's owner, Norwegian Cruise Line, on Wednesday said surveillance cameras showed Jordan was alone at the time of the incident. It said she fell while trying to climb between adjacent balconies.

On Thursday, the cruise line said the FBI "has confirmed" its preliminary investigation "was consistent" with the company's account.

"At this time, they (the FBI) do not believe that a crime has been committed," the company said. An FBI spokesman could not be reached.

Caputo, who flew back from Bermuda on Thursday, also was unavailable.

During a two-day investigation at the ship, FBI agents and Bermuda authorities conducted "extensive interviews" with Caputo and examined Jordan's sealed stateroom, the firm said.

August said family members declined an invitation to travel to Bermuda to see the ship's surveillance footage, now held by authorities.

"None of us wanted to watch our loved one plunging to her death," said Jordan's sister. "There's no nice way to say it."

source: http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080516/NEWS01/805160399/1006