Posted on 06/04/2005 4:14:58 AM PDT by SonnyBubba
FBI Joins Search for Missing Ala. Teen By MICHAEL NORTON, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 45 minutes ago ORANJESTAD, Aruba - More
FBI agents headed to Aruba to help search for an Alabama teenager whose disappearance on the last day of a high school graduation trip has shaken the quiet Dutch Caribbean island.
Police and volunteers combed beaches and scrubland for a fifth consecutive day, but found no sign of Natalee Holloway, 18, whose mother had tearfully pleaded for more U.S. help in the search. Her mother and stepfather rushed to a police station late Friday night when police thought they might have found the teen in a car with some Arubans. Police said they detained a young American woman - a blonde like Holloway - because she presented what they suspected was false identification. Holloway's mother and stepfather held hands and smiled as they emerged from the station outside the capital of Oranjestad, saying the woman was not their daughter but they were confident she would be found. "I know we'll find her," said Beth Holloway Twitty. Justice Minister Rudy Croes announced late Friday that more FBI agents were on the way to Aruba, though he did not specify how many or say how many were already on the island. FBI officials did not return calls seeking comment. Authorities say there is no evidence that the honors student was abducted, but police commissioner Jan van der Straaten said "after four or five days you are afraid a crime has been committed." Her mother had pleaded earlier Friday for the Dutch government to request more direct help from the United States. "We all have a common goal to find Natalee so we can bring her home," Holloway Twitty told reporters in a hotel conference room. She choked up and left the room in tears. Aruban Attorney General Caren Janssen had insisted earlier that local authorities did not need more U.S. help. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Washington was "making sure that we provide all possible assistance to the family and local authorities." A $50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to Holloway's rescue, said Myrna Jansen, the director of Aruba's tourism office. The Aruban government and local tourism organizations were contributing $20,000, while family and benefactors in Alabama were offering the rest, she said. Aruba's coast guard began searching surrounding waters, indicating authorities were considering the possibility Holloway was taken off the island with or without her consent. Police found her passport in her hotel. Holloway spent the last night of her holiday at Carlos 'N Charlie's bar and restaurant in the capital, eating and dancing with classmates and residents. She didn't show up for her return flight. Croes said police questioned and released two Surinamese nationals and a native of the Netherlands who said they dropped Holloway off early Monday at the Holiday Inn where she had been staying, rectifying police reports that the three men had been Aruban students. He said the three men were residents of Aruba. The search has not been extended to Venezuela, whose coastline is only 25 miles from Aruba at the nearest point, or the neighboring Dutch island of Curacao, van der Straaten said. Holloway had just graduated and earned a full scholarship at the University of Alabama, where she planned to study premed, said her uncle Paul Reynolds, who traveled from Houston to help in the search. Reynolds said his niece was a responsible person who would not have run away. "Natalee is very smart and focused," Reynolds said. "It never crossed my mind that she intentionally missed the flight. When she did, I knew something was terribly wrong." Posters with a photograph of Holloway have been put up throughout island, with a caption reading: "Kidnapped since 1:30 a.m. May 30." On an island remarkable for its friendliness, pristine beaches and an absence of violent crime, Holloway's disappearance has shocked islanders, many of whom say they are optimistic she will be found alive. "She's not on the island," said Jany Winterdal, a 51-year-old taxi driver. "In Aruba, we don't know what doing bad things to people is. For me, she's alive." There have been two murders and three rapes on the island of 72,000 people this year, compared to one murder and six rapes last year, none involving foreigners, police said. Aruba has an average of 13,000 tourists on any given day at this time of the year, the Tourism Authority said.
What kind of girl would go out in the middle of the night with three men she doesn't know? Sorry, but this girl's parents didn't provide her with important life lessons. I'm not interested in this and certainly do NOT condider it news!
Paragraphs are our friends.
"I'm not interested in this and certainly do NOT condider it news!"
Well you are pretty blase.
But, stories like this always interest me, that's because I had a cousin who was "disappeared". She was a responsible young woman who went to work very early because she worked for the Post Office. One morning she was just grabbed and that was the last of her, insofar as anyone knows.
Publicity can be helpful in these cases, but they almost never end well.
And judging by the runaway bride story, when they do end well the "victim" faces felony charges. That I also don't get.
Agreed. This girl has made three critical mistakes:
1. Going to a Carribean country with friends.
2. Going to a night club in said country.
3. Leaving with three strange local men.
She's probably dead and lying in a ditch somewhere because of her naivitee'.
Anybody know the drinking age in Aruba? Sounds like she was at a nightclub, and may have had her first experience at a 'bar'. I fear the worst, but hope for the best.
On Fox & Friends Weekend, the unbearable Julian Phillips just said:
"Aruba has a very low crime rate, so it makes you wonder what really happened."
Maybe I was reading too much into it, but I got a vibe that Phillips was feeling defensive about a blonde, white girl being abducted on a island with a largely black population.
There might I suppose be a happy outcome to this, but things do not look good, and for him to "wonder what really happened" seems to be an exercise in ignoring the likely, sad reality.
Unfortunately, it appears one of two things happened:
(1) Three local men chivalrously and selflessly gave the young lady a ride to her hotel where, as luck would have it, a mysterious stranger just happened to be lurking in the bushes to grab her. Meanwhile, after returning to their respective homes, the three each enjoyed a quick repast of tea and biscuits, said their prayers and retired for the evening.
(2)Three local men got the young lady in their car where they proceeded to........You fill in the blanks, it's too sad to think about.
Or sold into prostitution.
I would not be surprised at all to find out she was taken into another country against her will. My heart goes out to her and her family.
I do hope this young lady is found alive. My first question is where were the individuals reponsible for chaperoning this group? They had a responsiblity to watch over those students. I possibly think, maybe a date rape drug was dropped in her drink and the perps walked her our out of the bar to a unknown location for non-consensual sex. The young lady may possibly still be alive and being held as a sex slave by this trio of POS. What people fail to understand in these little POS islands you have criminal cartel who are well versed in plyig young American boys/girls with booze&roofies for their criminal pleasure.(This is like a pick-pocket ring) where the money is a nice looking American boy or girl. I believe the principal and student body who voted or allowed this trip, to be completely insane. The parent's should have known better.Maybe if there were some (real men) chaperoning this group maybe it could have been prevented. Liberalism breeds weakness and the desire not to stop evil from happening. I hope this young girl is found unharmed and reveres this as a lesson learned the hard way. Wouldn't it be nice if when an American citizen is abucted in these different foreign vacation (cess pools)counties&islands, that we send in the Marines and either get our people back or exact one hell of a vengence on those responsible. Our concept should be, If you mess with one American then you mess with all Americans. If this were implemented you would see a rapid drop in these types of incidents. Time to step down for my (POA) Patriots Of America soap-box. NSNR
Read on another site: That seems to be the speculation of a family member.
The three has the following alibi, "We were drinking iced tea with al gore and frequently visiting the restroom. We were not aware of any criminal activity taking place. Verdict (Not Guilty) Catch the perps, try/fry their asses whether they are white, black, red, yellow, brown or albino. Criminals are criminals and they come from all races in life. NSNR
Maybe a girl whose drink was spiked with GHB?
Just a thought, since we don't know if she left willingly or not.
>>>Maybe a girl whose drink was spiked with GHB?<<<
I KNEW someone would blame it on a Bush eventually!!!!! ;)
I was thinking the same.
Did you catch the description of what she was last ween wearing? A "low cut blouse and short skirt". Now add together drinking at a bar on the last night, 18, innocent, blonde hair and blue eyed, leaves with THREE guys she couldn't have known before the trip who supposedly take her to a beach ... even if they return her to the hotel ... even though security cameras didn't record THAT ... the bottom line is she is very stupid and most likely dead. Or she could have been sold. Whatever ... the outcome is not going to be a good one.
"I suspect she is in Venezuela now, not by choice."
I'm leaning that way too. She could make them so money. She's attractive, naieve and young. Plus some customers would especially like blonde hair (natrual or not) and blue eyes.
"Read on another site: That seems to be the speculation of a family member."
Have a link for that?
Then there might be some hope.
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