"Something Bad Happened" to Missing Teen, Suspect Says

Associated Press:

Oranjestad, Aruba (June 11)--Police investigating the disappearance of an Alabama teenager in Aruba said one of three young men in custody has admitted "something bad happened" to her during her island visit.

Deputy Police Commissioner Gerold Dompig told Associated Press that the man was leading police late Friday to the scene. He refused to identify which of the three young men who took her to a beach the night she disappeared made the statement.

Early Saturday, police refused to say if they had discovered anything overnight to solve the mystery of what happened to Natalee Holloway, 18, who was last seen in the early hours of May 30.

Might as well admit what nobody wants to admit. Natalee Holloway is now dead--probably raped, killed and either buried somewhere near the beach, or dumped in the ocean. And it is more than likely that one of those three men--or all three--have a major part to play in the killing.

Two things strike me in this story. The first is about Natalee Holloway herself. What the heck was she doing getting drunk, and then heading off to a beach on the northern part of the island on a late night/early morning? That was a dumb mistake on her part, which unfortunately got her killed. The second is why were there only seven chaperones for the 124 classmates on this graduation trip? It would mean that each chaperone was responsible for 17 students--far too few chaperones to watch impulsive young teens ready to party hard after four years of high school--especially on an island where they are allowed to drink, gamble, and indulge in sexual pleasures. Even if there was one chaperone for one student, that probably would not have been enough if the student was able to sneak away. Perhaps had there been 12 chaperones there--giving a ratio of one chaperone per 10 students--that would have reduced the risk of having foul play occurring against a student.

When you go to these islands for a vacation, it is okay to have fun--to drink, gamble, and have wild sex. But do so in some moderation. You have to make sure you know where you are, and who you are with--especially in a foreign country, no matter how much that country says regarding their safety. When you play, you need to play in a safe manner. Natalee Holloway broke that cardinal rule of common sense. She was the perfect American--tall, thin, young, long-blond haired female--in a foreign country. What young native isn't going to try to take advantage of her? She paid for this lack of common sense with her life.

That is a waste.