Missing Now For a Year - Natalee Holloway

Unless you've been living underneath a rock, you've seen something on some news station regarding the disappearance of Alabama teen, Natalee Holloway. Her bright eyes and smile have graced the airways since that fateful May 30th night, when she was last seen at a night club while on her senior trip in Aruba.

In the early stages of Natalee's disappearance, two security guards were detained for possible connection in Natalee's disappearance, but soon were released. Many people thought that the mystery was about to be solved when these two were detained, but soon learned that these guys were not the ones responsible. Their arrest set off a chain of arrests that would follow in the next days and month.
There are four people that are believed involved or have some knowledge of what happened to Natalee the night she vanished. Those people are known as Joran Van Der Sloot, Satish and Depak Kalpoe, and the believed mastermind, Paulus Van Der Sloot. Due to lack of evidence, all four were released.
It is believed that one of the three young men put a date rape drug into Natalee's drink at Carlos N' Charlies. At that point, Natalee became more vunerable to the plan devised by the three. Natalee was taken someplace, possibly the lighthouse, sexually assaulted and then murdered. Some believe that Natalee died accidentially. At what point does an accident become murder? In my opinion, it's when you decide to cover up the crime and change your story three times.

We know that Joran Van Der Sloot initally told authorities that he and the Kalpoe brothers dropped Natalee off at the Holiday Inn where she was staying. It was later found that Natalee never arrived back at the hotel. Only then did Van Der Sloot change the story two more times. He claims that he was indeed with Natalee at the lighthouse that night, but left her there alone at her request. He say's "I now think what an asshole to do that, and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time". Yes, you are indeed an asshole (pardon my French), but for greater reasons. The reason of lieing and witholding information to bring Natalee home.
Natalee's mother and father have been vigilant in the search for Natalee in the last year. They refuse to give up and who can blame them. It's becoming very obvious that tourists are in danger in Aruba. Several states here in the US have started a boycot of Aruba to prove their point. The government there seems to work more so for those who are in a more prestigous standing. An example, is the fact that Paulus Van Der Sloot was a judge in training who has some authority. His statement "no body, no crime" is proof that they believe they are above the law, and so far they have been.

With all the searching and all the publicity, Natalee remains missing without a trace. Whether you believe she was taken into human trafficking or she was a victim of Joran Van Der Sloot, you must at some point think of how you'd be if it were your loved one who simply never came home. It's ridiculous and there is a HUGE cover-up.

I realize that some people are sick of hearing about the Holloway case. I know that not all cases are given the same air time. Dave Holloway tells us in his book "Aruba" that he does not know how Natalee's case became so important to the media, but he's glad. The fact is that her case, although publicized more than some, is the same thing - that of a missing person. At some point the media will probably move away from Natalee's case, but her family will never forget. They'll never give up on locating her. I hope that she can be found and brought home. Natalee, just like the others deserves dignity. So today, if you can, say a prayer that Natalee can be found, and that her family can have some peace of mind. They've been through pure hell in the last year.

Additional Links

Natalee Holloway Website