Natalee Holloway's stepfather seeks divorce

Associated Press ^ | January 5, 2007

[Cecily]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The stepfather of Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teen who disappeared in Aruba in 2005, has filed for divorce from Holloway's mother, Beth Twitty.

George "Jug" Twitty filed divorce papers in Jefferson County Circuit Court on Dec. 29. The court filing said the couple separated Dec. 15 and have "such a complete incompatibility of temperament that the parties can no longer live together."

The Birmingham News reported the court filing Friday.

Jug Twitty declined comment on the divorce proceedings, and a phone message left for Beth Twitty on Friday was not immediately returned.

The couple attracted international attention after Holloway, then 18, disappeared in Aruba on May 30, 2005, while on a graduation trip with fellow students from Mountain Brook High School.

The Twittys appeared together during the early stages of the search. As it dragged on, Jug Twitty returned to Birmingham, and Beth Twitty remained in Aruba for almost three months.

[BamaAndy]

What began as the worst tragedy imaginable has now taken up lesser tragedies. It is something no parent should ever be dealt in life but it is. And when it happens, I for one, can't even come close to knowing how it could feel or be--beyond comprehension, beyond any understanding, and something that makes the rest of life for the parent much less.
God bless the family that's left. I hope all can find some measure of peace in a hateful, dangerous world.

[kitkat]

***Yes. Did you ever see the movie, ORDINARY PEOPLE? It explains this phenomenon exactly. If you haven't seen it, rent it. A beautiful movie***

I haven't seen the movie, so could you please tell me if it illustrates that men and women grieve differently?

[mombonn]

If Natalie had been raised properly she may have never been in the situation that caused her to lose her life. Its sad.

I was raised "properly", and did some incredibly stupid things when I was young. There but by the grace of God go I, as others have pointed out.

Blaming Beth is shameful.

[dmz]

I lost a brother 15 years ago. I can tell you that my folks have moved on, but his death is not behind them.

I hope my sarcasm in the post you responded to was apparent.

[devane617]

"Yea, I'm sure that Beth much prefers her life today in the spotlight over the total anonymity she enjoyed while her daughter was alive."

I did not say her loss was not her first concern. It IS her reason for staying in the spotlight. Just like John Walsh, Beth has only the best intentions. However, it takes a toll on home life. I can see Beth helping many families, as John has, in the future when they face a terrible loss.

[Halls]

that is what I think. I think that their marriage suffered harm due to the situation and I can easily understand how that happend.

[CholeraJoe]

He died alone, in a flea bitten jungle hospital, of malaria

Err, um, there are no immunizations for malaria.

[ZULU]

"Let them hate me - as long as they fear me."

Who said that?

[Ditter]

If ANYTHING could possibly be worse than having your child die, it would be not ever knowing if the child was dead or alive. You would eventually have to give up thinking they were alive somewhere and resign yourself to believing they were dead but to never know anything would be torture. Jug Twitty lost his wife at the same time he lost his step daughter.

[justshutupandtakeit]

No one conservatives should emulate.

[ZULU]

You're right. It was Caligula.

I wonder what his political philosophy would be called today? Probably liberal. I think he believed in free sex, homosexual marriage and big public projects and gory games to keep the plebians satisfied.

[Hildy]

Actually, yes...it does. It's about how the death of a child tore apart an entire family, including the son left behind.

[Xenalyte]

A friend of my little sister used to date a guy whose nickname was Cornbread.

[soccermom]

You're the kind of street preacher we need!

[soccermom]

"I was raised "properly", and did some incredibly stupid things when I was young." My thoughts exactly! When I think of the dumb things I did and how easily I could have been raped or killed, I shudder.

[MHT]

Absolutely avoidable. First, sending your kids off on an island trip with parents who aren't supposed to act as chaperons is foolhardy. Proof of this is the model that youth-oriented travel tours use--and this isn't it. The easiest remedy for them would have been to go down there as parents themselves. They could have afforded it. Secondly, when supervising young people (and that means high school kids), the same rules that the Boy Scouts use are most effective. Where was the buddy system? Who was the "adult in the room" at the night club? Did anybody do bed checks? By the way, did we ever really find out what the ratio of adults to kids was? Lastly, all Americans need to realize that the laws that govern us in the US don't apply when outside our borders. Perhaps a trip to Ocean City or Tampa would have been a better choice.

[DCPatriot]

What mother lets her teenage daughter fly off to another continent all by herself with the express objective of 'having fun' ?

??? Tens of thousands...in this country alone, I'm sure.

[DCPatriot]

Be careful and always wear clean underwear.

And socks with no holes!

[alisasny]

Dr Phil should have had a relationship rescue for these two while he was investigating Natalie's disappearance.

Very sad.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

??? Tens of thousands...in this country alone, I'm sure.

It was a rhetorical question. Fine, actions have consequences. Be prepared to live by them.