Cindy Rowan is anxiously waiting by her son’s hospital beside in the Dominican Republic after he was placed in a medically induced coma following an alleged assault during a family vacation.
Eighteen-year-old Chase Delorme-Rowan was out with his brothers celebrating in the overnight hours at a resort when Rowan received a call from her oldest son saying Chase was body-slammed onto his head.
“When the doctor said he may not survive the surgery, that was hard,” said Rowan tearfully.
Since then, his health has improved.
“They have lowered his oxygen and they lowered his sedation so he hears me and reacts to my voice,” said Rowan.
The man charged with the assault is Kyle Stephen Denny, a Nova Scotia man who was at the same resort.
According to Rowan, Dominican Republic police have charged Denny. Rowan’s been told by her lawyer bail for Denny is set at $16,000 USD, which has not been paid yet.
“He is a monster. Who does that, attack people out of nowhere for no reason?” said Rowan. “We’re hoping for a bigger charge because he did some serious damage.”
If charged, Rowan’s lawyer said Denny could face at least five years in prison in the Dominican Republic.
A Nova Scotia man with the same name was convicted of assault causing bodily harm in Lower Sackville in 2015. In that case he was accused of kicking the victim in the head and stomach, requiring stitches.
Five years before that, the man received a conditional discharge for failing to comply with court-ordered conditions for another incident.
A fundraiser has been set up to help with the expenses. The costs are more than $80,000 and they are expected to increase the longer Chase stays in the Dominican Republic.
“Insurance can only cover so much,” explained Rowan. “Depending on if he needs both a doctor and nurse on the flight back, it can be expensive.”
While Chase has been cleared to return to Canada, the family needs to wait for a bed to become available at one of the two hospitals that treat brain injuries in Edmonton.
“My kids are taking it very hard. It’s every day I’m crying and so is my husband,” said Rowan with tears. “I’m trying very hard.”
