In a troubling incident aboard the Carnival Sunrise, two American men have been charged with rape following a scheme to deceive a woman into unwittingly engaging in sexual activities with both of them during a cruise. The allegations paint a disturbing picture of betrayal and manipulation.
A 25-year-old woman from Miami, Florida, reported to authorities in the Bahamas that she initially consented to have sex with 26-year-old Sayjuan Readous. The encounter took place in his cabin amid the lively and festive atmosphere of the cruise.
However, the situation took a shocking turn when the woman turned on the lights, only to find herself in bed with a different individual. Investigators have pieced together that Readous allegedly left the room under false pretenses, allowing his stepbrother, 28-year-old Antoine Flowers Jr., to stealthily assume his place in the dimly lit cabin.
Upon the ship’s arrival in Nassau, officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force intervened, arresting both men in connection with the December 15 incident. The charges brought against them include rape, with Readous facing an additional charge of aiding and abetting the crime.
The duo, hailing from Detroit, Michigan, appeared in court on Monday, where they faced serious accusations that have sparked conversations about consent and safety in environments that can often blur boundaries.
The pair from Detroit, Michigan, appeared in court on Monday charged with rape, with Readous facing an additional charge of abetment to rape.
They were remanded in custody over the alleged attack which will pose fresh questions about security on board massive Caribbean cruise ships.
The incident comes six weeks after Florida teen Anna Kepner was found asphyxiated and stuffed under her bed on another Carnival vessel, the Horizon.
Police say the woman consented to sex with Sayjuan Readous, 26, (right) who then allegedly switched places with his stepbrother Antoine Flowers, 28 during the December 15 sexual encounter
The incident took place aboard the Carnival Sunrise cruise ship to Nassau, Bahamas
Nobody has been charged over Anna’s November 7 death but her 16-year-old stepbrother has been named as a suspect in family court papers.
The Daily Mail also revealed how an Oklahoma grandma was able to smuggle a loaded pistol on board Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas on December 1.
Mary Robinson, 69, insisted she had forgotten it was in her purse and was able to pay $8,000 instead of serving two years in prison.
In April, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas returned to Port Miami after a poolside brawl left two passengers needing hospital treatment.
That same month a viral video captured buffet guests on board the Carnival Sunshine coming to blows in an argument about chicken tenders.
Carnival staff were alerted to the latest incident after reports of screaming coming from an eighth-deck cabin after the Sunrise left Eleuthera in the Bahamas on December 15.
They found a partially dressed ‘victim’ who was examined by a doctor before police boarded the $240 million mega-liner the next morning in Nassau to investigate.
The woman told officers she struck up a romantic connection with Readous while she was on a five-night cruise with her family.
Readous and his stepbrother appeared in court on Monday charged with rape, with Readous facing an additional charge of abetment to rape
They swapped numbers, had several drinks by the pool then headed back to his room for consensual sex.
Afterwards it’s alleged that Readous switched off the light and left the room claiming he had to run an errand for his mom.
After falling asleep for a short while, the woman told police she awoke to find someone in bed with her and they had sex again.
It was only when she switched on the lights that she allegedly ‘realized it was his brother,’ according to a police source.
Readous and Flowers were denied bail by Magistrate Abigail Farrington and will make their next court appearance on March 26.
Their defense attorney, Terrel Butler, confirmed the two were stepbrothers.
It’s understood that Readous insisted in his police interview that the sex was consensual while Flowers refused to comment.
According to data from the US Department of Transportation, some 48 crimes were reported onboard cruise ships in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
Officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force boarded the ship when it reached Nassau and arrested both men over the December 15 encounter
Of these, 23 were rapes, 10 were sexual assaults and seven were assaults.
A Carnival spokeswoman said: ‘After being notified of an alleged assault involving a guest, our onboard team immediately conducted a medical evaluation, collected evidence, and provided support to the guest.
‘The matter has been turned over to law enforcement authorities in the Bahamas, and we will defer to their investigation for any further comment.’
The Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement: ‘The police are currently investigating an alleged sexual assault that took place on Tuesday, 16th December 2025, on board a cruise ship involving American nationals.
‘According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred shortly before 6:00pm. The female victim reported to police that she met a male onboard the ship who invited her to his room, where they had consensual sexual intercourse, and she fell asleep.
‘However, she was awakened to another male that she knew by face performing sexual acts on her without her consent.
‘As a result, police have taken two males, ages 28 and 26, both American nationals, into custody.’
