I have the same worries. I know the "blame" for any crime is with the perps. But I still want to know:
Who ever heard of letting a bunch of under 18-year-olds go off at 1:00 a.m. alone - to a bar? I am sure that is not normal at home. And those kids should have been instructed that they all go together and leave together. No one should have been allowed to leave with anyone from the island, whether known to them or not. There does not seem to have been sufficient "rules" laid down. Letting those kids go out unchaperoned was like putting them on a railroad track with the train coming. The train might do the damage, but the people responsible did not exercise good judgement. They were there to keep tabs on these teens - at all times. They were not there to give them freedoms that the kids do not even have at home (underage drinking, out at 1-2 a.m., running with "strangers," etc.)
It is a heartbreaking story and I would be disgusted if any of those chaperones even has the gall to show their face in that community. And I bet they got to go for free, or some such enticement.
There were no chaperones.
Not according to Natalee's mother.
I would guess they got to go at a discount. I was asked to be a chaperone on a trip to a foreign country and was told I would be given a discount price for doing so.
Keep in mind, this was not a school-sponsored event. This was a private vacation for a bunch of high school girls looking for some sun and fun. Natalie, along with the majority of her friends were 18 years old and in a foreign country that allows drinking at that age. In this case, the "chaperones" were probably one of the girl's "cool Uncle Mike" who happened to be back at the hotel bar with another of the girl's "cool Aunt Sally" enjoying the 30 to 45 crowd.
I'm sorry but, reality says that Natalie and her friends are not a bunch of little innocent lambs here. They were out at a bar getting trashed on the last night of the vacation of their lives and having chaperones in the bar was not an option.
I hope and pray that this girl is found alive for her sake and everyone involved, including the chaperones, but realistically, don't blame the chaperones, blame the naive parents who think that their child would neeeeeever do anything. Everyone thinks their kid is the innocent one in the group. At this time, the facts appear to be that Natalie got snockered and some evil young men took advantage of her in that condition.