I am very sorry for everything that the family of this young girl has to go through while searching for their daughter. I cannot even imagine or begin to put myself in their place. However it baffles me that so many people are still not putting any blame on this young woman. If she was as responsible as everyone claims she was then why would she be getting into a car at 1:30 am with people that she has just met on vacation whom she barely knew alone? And all this talk of rape, how are we to know for sure she was raped? I have been to Aruba many times and in that time developed many friendships with the locals and not once have I ever felt threatened by anyone, the fact that people talk about how they will no longer visit the Island or how the people that she met are scumbags or how they blame the Aruban government makes me sick. I feel truly sorry for natalee and her family and I pray that she is found safe and unharmed, but the fact that the investigation isn't focusing more on her and her actions as well as the chaperones who were supposed to be watching her makes me wonder.

CNN- 1:12pm

still searching the area where they have found sunglasses that they believe to be Natalee's and a blood stained security shirt. They are looking into previous security employment on the two detained men as the shirt was not from their current employer..

Haven't read all the posts and if this has been asked before I apologize, but an AP story by a Michael Norton (Saturday, June 4th paper) mentioned quote:
"The students took a commercial flight, while the chaperones arrived on a private jet, said airport ground handler Albert Groeneveld." I find that rather odd if true.

As a local, born and raised, I can only tell you that me and my family feel horrified. As a government employee, I volunteered yesterday, and can't wait for a new call to the woods. As a person who grew up in the countryside, I know how to handle the thornbushes and cacti and I will gladly sacrifice as many days as necessary.

I have never met the girl of course, but I think of her often. I feel so sad, I can't imagine what torture her parents are experiencing. In the meantime, I'll keep praying for her safe return to her loved ones.

This immediately brought to mind the missing Amy Bradley who was in the same vicinity and apparently vanished. The three men who were with Natalie should have been held but hearsay has it one’s father is a local judge. Their vehicle should have been detained and searched for blood. These two lowlifes in custody now appear to be scapegoats by a government who wants to hurry up and hush hush things in order to protect his economy. My bet would have it that she was taken off the island in a boat. Curacao is close proximity. Those with money buy they law enforcement in these countries and crimes are covered up. I pray Natalie is found. I pray in finding Natalie the Americans will also find other young women who have been separated from their families to become some drug lords queen or worse end up in a brothel. You can bet this girl was drugged. Everything she owned was left in her hotel. OH yes, for the lady who wanted to point out the number of murders in America: you really should consider the size of island and the number in population. Your comparison may find many places in America much safer than Aruba. Smells fishy.

I've been watching the news for sometime...and quite frankly, I don't think the Arubian men are soley to blame. Has anyone considered checking into the friend's stories?

Natalee did not return to the hotel...at what point do you as a girlfriend become concerned...why would you let a friend leave with a strange men (3 strange men)

Just speculation, but could something have happened with the friends and they hired the locals to get rid of the evidence?

That is probably the dumbest theory I have ever heard.

Dido to kelly..

But don't stop there....check family background, friends, drug history,
There are stories foing around on the island that she has gone missing before. Apparently she ran away from home in the past, and went missing during a trip to costa rica.....again...thes are just Hear-say stories.....may not be true

why would you use this forum for your own political agenda write for your own paper let this be for what it is intended to let people air their grief.

This was on ABC News page;
The Bradleys, of Virginia, went on a cruise in 1998 and Aruba was one of the stops. That's where their daughter disappeared. Iva Bradley said her 23-year-old daughter, Amy, befriended three men who worked on the cruise ship and they wanted to take her to a bar in Aruba.

"They said they wanted to take her to a bar on Aruba that was called Carlos and Charlie's," said Bradley. "She made a face and said 'I wouldn't get off the ship with any of those guys anyway. That's creepy.'"

Amy Bradley was last seen in her cabin at 5:15 a.m. By 6 a.m., she was nowhere to be found.
Bradley's case remains open with the FBI. WVTM-TV in Birmingham, Ala., spoke with her case manager in Barbados but there wasn't much she could say. However, she did confirm reports of a sighting by a Naval officer one year after the woman disappeared.

The officer told the FBI he went to a brothel in Curac'l on Canal. He said an American girl leaned in and said: "My name is Amy Bradley. I need your help."

Unfortunately he didn't report the sighting for sometime and by then the brothel had burned to the ground. The FBI has released sketches of suspects in her case.