Today in Aruba

There have been a number of new developments in Aruba.ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- After spending nearly two months in Aruba searching for clues and offering rewards, the mother of a missing teen has left the island and returned home to Alabama.

According to a relative, it was "very difficult" for Beth Holloway Twitty to leave without knowing her daughter's fate, and she plans to return soon to keep the investigation alive.

I think Beth Holloway Twitty is an incredible woman--without a doubt, the mother of the year. She has worked so tirelessly to find her daughter.

Although she just left the island, now there are reports that she may be returning to Aruba. If that's the case it certainly would indicate that something significant has happened or is about to happen.

Then, there is the matter of the size 14 K Swiss tennis shoe.

Police are searching for this piece of evidence. If found, it could place Joran at the scene of the crime.

Probably the most significant of today's developments is a statement that Joran van der Sloot made to police. It was obtanined by Diario, Aruba's largest newspaper.

According to Diario, Joran told police that Deepak raped Natalee and murdered her.

Given that charge, it seems odd that Aruban authorities would have chosen to release Deepak weeks ago, while detaining Joran. I would think they would want to keep Deepak in custody until they are certain that Joran’s statement is a lie.

Do authorities have concrete evidence that exonerates Deepak? If they don't, why would they have released him, while continuing to detain Joran?

In another development, Tim Miller of EquuSearch is putting pressure on Paul van der Sloot, Joran’s father.

Yesterday, Miller asked van der Sloot for permission to search his property.

Miller said, “If he has nothing to hide, he should let us in there.” He described van der Sloot as sweating profusely, agitated, and on the verge of a complete meltdown.

Miller said, “We’re going to make his life as miserable as possible. That’s not a threat. That’s a promise.”

TJ Ward, the private investigator working for Natalee's family, said that he is certain that Paul van der Sloot has been untruthful. After examining various tapes and other information available to him, Ward believes that Paul van der Sloot knows much more than he has revealed to authorities. Moreover, Ward concludes that what he has said about Natalee's disappearance is false.

Other leads that Ward is following include e-mails and phone calls.

The developments in Aruba today are encouraging. It appears that some significant strides have been made in the case.

What must be unbearable for Natalee's family is the knowledge that this situation would have played out so differently had American officials been allowed to handle it. If not for all the blunders made by Aruban authorities, it's possible murder charges would have already been filed.

American authorities would have combed through every inch of van der Sloot's property. It would have been thoroughly searched weeks and weeks ago.

Suspects Joran van der Sloot, Deepak Kalpoe, and Satish Kalpoe would not have been released and given ten days to cover their tracks and coordinate their stories, with Paul van der Sloot acting as their adviser.

DNA tests would have been done promptly and properly.

Instead, the Aruban incompetents seem to have mishandled the case in every conceivable way.

It's horrible that Natalee's family has had to deal with her disappearance and come to terms with the likelihood that she has been murdered.

On top of that, their pain has been compounded by being forced to battle Aruban authorities in order to see justice done in Natalee's disappearance.

It's really unforgivable.