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May 14, 2008 9:32 am US/Eastern
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Fallen Woman Was In Abusive Relationship, Mom Says
BORDENTOWN, N.J. (CBS) ―
The woman who fell to her apparent death off a cruise ship on Mother's Day off the coast of Atlantic City was the victim of an abusive relationship, her mother told CBS 2.
Louise Horton said she saved her daughter's voice message fearing the worst – that because of an abusive relationship, she wouldn't come home.
"Abusive relationships don't get better," she told CBS 2.
Horton's fears came true when authorities say her 46-year-old daughter, Mindy Jordan, mysteriously plunged off a Norwegian Dawn cruise ship Sunday. Horton says she found out about the tragedy from Jordan's boyfriend, Jorge Caputo, who nonchalantly called from the ship.
"He said, 'We were just clowning around and she was messing around and she accidentally fell,'" she said. "I said, 'Are you trying to tell me she is dead?' He said yes. I said, 'And where are you?' He said, 'The Coast Guard released the ship and I'm on my way to Bermuda.'"
A spokesperson for the Norwegian Dawn, which left Manhattan on Sunday, said Jordan fell into the waters while climbing in between two balconies.
"That would be totally out of character. She was 4-foot-10, weighed about 98 pounds. She wouldn't go near a rail, this fellow beat her a couple of times," said Andrew August, Jordan's father.
CBS 2 attempted to call Caputo, who works at a car dealership in Mount Laurel, on his cell phone and got his voicemail.
"He was abusive and controlling," said Horton. "She would never jump. She had two children she loved."
The Coast Guard called off its search after looking through the waters for seven hours. Family members said authorities told them they won't be able to investigate on board until the ship comes back to New York.
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