If I was the parents, I would be extremely upset with the continuous news coverage, which may be true or not. Media today will report anything on anybody whether it is true or not.

If I was her parent, I would absolutely NOT be upset by the coverage. If anything good at all is to come from this horrible tragedy, it may be to teach others that their personal safety has to be their number one concern--especially when travelling in other countries where the culture, legal system and practices are so very different from our own. I've never once heard anyone in her family lament that there's too much coverage. Maybe they have, and I haven't heard it. But--again, if I were among Natalee's family--I'd want this case covered until 2 things happened--I got answers, AND the legal system in Aruba was revamped so that it actually protects the people they're living off.

Just think about it--if this were your daughter's disappearance we were discussing, would you want anyone to forget? I know I wouldn't.

As to the jawbone? It's definitely the bone of a young, white woman (so say the experts, at least). It's either Natalee or it isn't. If it isn't--then there's another young woman whose death needs to be investigated. Either way, I hope the Arubans don't muck things up further than they already have.

This story just makes me so sad and angry. A beautiful, talented, intelligent young woman with a bright future will never get to fulfill her promise. The young man who is most likely involved with whatever happened to her has never been made to give any truthful answers--and is getting away with something (lying to police, possibly kidnapping, possibly murder, possibly transporting/hiding a body). A country that relies on tourism and offshore banking to support itself made a decision NOT to bother to put much importance on, nor resources into solving this disappearance--hoping it would go away, and they could quickly get back to business as usual. And there's every possibily that another beautiful young woman is dead (and possibly a few others are missing) directly BECAUSE of the way the Arubans dropped the ball on Natalee's investigation.

Remember Natalee AND remember how shabbily her family and the investigation into her disappearance were treated. Truly, this is a story none of us should ever forget, and no amount of coverage is too much, IMO

I guess I have mixed feelings about the coverage on this case. I agree with you, Azzalea, that the Arubans dropped the ball from the beginning, starting with trying to give preferential treatment to Joran's father, who was a man of some influence (he has since passed away, I think).
Natalee's mother has worked tirelessly to keep this case front and center so the Arubans would not be allowed to give up on it and it wouldn't be swept under the rug. She is evidently a woman who had the finances to devote her life to finding out what happened to her daughter, and others were donating money, hotel accommodations, etc. to help her too. The only headlines I really want to see about this case is... 1. Natalee has been found, either dead or alive. And 2. Joran has been sentenced to the full extent of punishment for what he did.

this story makes me so sad. My daughter was in Aruba around the same time. She went with her best friend's family. She never left her friend's side.

I think it'd do other girls a favor if the story stays on the news. I went to Mexico when I graduated from high school. We ditched the chaperones a few times and went to the clubs. There were guys trying to buy us drinks. I didn't know anything about people slipping drugs in drinks at that time. I remember getting a drink and it was so strong that I felt something after a couple of sips. I set it down and didn't drink any more. Most people wouldn't do that. I also went with a group and stayed with the group. I don't think Natalie did that.

I googled this story....a whole body was found by a snorkeler. It's the remains of somebody.....and the skeleton is being held down with rocks....? WOW!

It might not be Natalie....?

Here is a link that might be useful: Body found in Aruba...

I agree about keep her name on the news. If I was the mother (and I thank God I'm not), I wouldn't be satisfied to let her memory disappear without some kind of closure. It would be crueler than death itself to lose a young daughter especially so far away from home and have everyone forget.

What I meant, was, wait to put some things public until the fact is proven.

I agree Van der Sloot should be kept public, etc.

But like the bone, wait. And then if it is Natalee then announce it.

Don't give the mother false hope.

I totally agree to NOT let Natalee's memory disappear.

I live very close to Natalee's home community, so the whole area has been unsettled about the whole thing.

That story is from March of this year. I'm sure if it were her, we would have known by now. If I remember correctly it turned out not to be a skeleton.

Is the jawbone discovery new? I can't find any info on it at all.

A forensic scientist in Aruba, however, has said that the bone is from a human female, Dave Holloway told the AP. Holloway said he received the information from a friend who spoke to the scientist. He did not identify either the friend or the scientist, and did not say whether the scientist is involved in the investigation or how he or she is otherwise in a position to know details of the case.

What I posted was from November 17, 2010 by Michael Paterr.

The jawbone was supposedly found last Friday.

Her mother was making the morning news this week. I would never let it reat until there was a resolution if I were the parent. Supposedly there is also a tooth in the jaw bone and they have all of the dental records so I would think it would be know yes or no quickly.

It was on our local news tonite, that her dental records have been asked for.