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Very interesting! Who would have known? This is what we're all saying.....Nat, BH, chaperones......who would have known? Thanks for the advice.

Sorry you don't see the foolishness of a teenage girl party trip without proper supervision in a foreign land. My example proves the point. I was a grown man safely in a car not needing to stop and using common sense, who was ACCIDENTALLY out late at night. Not female, 18 and drinking and flirting unchaperoned on a foreign island. Nat's mom, like all the others was not careful enough. BTW, if it was just random bad luck that could have happened anywhere, anytime, say something about all the calls for Aruba boycotts without the facts, etc.

Wouldn't you like something positive to come out of this, at least a lesson to future girls and their parents about taking these kind of indulgent and dangerous trips? Apparently not.

"Nat's mom, like all the others was not careful enough."

IMO this is an unfair statement. Based upon the facts before the trip, I don't see how you can possibly blame this on BH's carelessness. Natalee had demonstrated maturity and responsibility in life. She was going away to college. Many students take trips like this. I have not seen any statistics to indicate that Natalee's case is a common result of these trips.

There are lessons to be learned here. We will have to wait for all the facts to emerge, to understand what some of those lessons are. So far, what I have told my own daughter is that you don't ever leave your friends, or allow them to leave you, no matter where you are. (drinks can be drugged causing uncharacteristic behavior)

We could deduct from this case that no teenager should travel without parents in a foreign country. It would be wonderful if that would prevent something like this from ever happening again. Unfortunately, protecting your children is not nearly so simple. This is just one of many many risks children face as they grow up and become adults. I think a better approach would be to understand how you were able to avoid a similar situation. Whatever gave you this instinctive reaction, is something that I would very much like my children to learn.

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I'm only responding to you because I see that you're not a donor to this wonderful site. Maybe you should take time to contribute.
Besides, you were asked to not bash this poor child and her family.