Forty-year-old Laura Valm and her partner Brent Aubrey needed a vacation.
The Trent Hills residents looked at several options for a vacation and decided on a week in the Bahamas.
The site they selected was on the ocean.
On Tuesday August 6, the pair hopped onto a flight, landing in the afternoon.
Laura and Brent arrived at the cottage they on Airbnb and met the owners, who also lived on the same property, in a different home.
Valm says the married couple, who are originally from the Netherlands, were very helpful at first, assisting with where to get groceries, sights to see, and things to do.
For $50/day, they also offered the Campbellford couple their car for the week.
Valm says on August 7 they were on the beach when things began to get weird. There were several interactions that she can only describe as strange. Her thoughts were that the husband had mental health issues.
The host indicated that Brent needed to work out. He brought down gym equipment and medication to try, along with a strange concoction that was supposed to help with the insects.
Laura says the interactions made them uncomfortable, however, they wanted to be polite.
The hosts invited Laura and Brent into their home, where things got dangerous.
After what Brent thought was an innocent discussion on the Israel/Iran conflict, they say the host turned violent.
Brent says the he shoved him out the door and he almost fell.
Valm tells Quinte News that a groundskeeper of the property stepped in to try and diffuse the situation, the male host pulled out a sword and swung towards the grounds keeper.
“Pulls out the sword, and then that’s when (employees name beeped out), came to the door and Jan (property owner) sliced at him and cut his hand, right in between his pointer finger and his thumb, downwards towards his wrist.”
She adds that the groundskeeper was struck a second time by the sword, nicking an artery in his arm.
According to EyeWitness News, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Base provided medical treatment for the groundskeeper. The base also provided safe passage for Brent and Laura to return to their cottage to gather their things.
Valm says when they got back to the cottage, the host wife and children were in the rental cottage, allegedly with a sledge hammer. The male host then allegedly came up behind Laura and Brent, still armed with the sword.
Police arrested the male property owner, who is charged with assault with a deadly instrument . He has pleaded not guilty, according to a statement from Inspector Desiree Ferguson of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (according to EyeWitness News).
MORE BELOW – this video was sent by Laura Valm to Quinte News
He has been released on bail.
As Valm spoke to Quinte News, we asked her what would have happened if the groundskeeper did not intervene.
“I think we would’ve died. I honestly don’t think we’d be here to give this statement.”
Laura Valm’s extended chat with Quinte News can hear that below.
