Dutch authorities sue parents of 13 year-old to stop solo sail trip around the world

[dutchfire]

The boat is still in the harbour, a newspaper claims the girl has used her debitcard to take €3500 from her bank account, and the weather currently is so horrible it'd be a bit stupid to leave now.

Interesting developments.

 

[J-man]

The Dutch 'de Volkskrant' newspaper reported that she has withdrawn 3500 euro from her bank account but the police won't confirm it. Her boat is still in the harbor so hasn't left with that.

A few things amaze me: 1) Apparently her going missing is international news. 2) How can 14 year old withdraw 3500 euro. I didn't that amount of many when I was her age and it puzzles that 14 year olds are able withdraw it in a single take.

Edit: Aaarrgghhh! Dutchfire beat me to it!

 

[tycoonist]

she could become a pirate and fulfill all her dreams! (or are they my dreams? i forget.)

 

[woody60707]

yeah, if an 11 year old wants to have sex with a 30 year old, she should be allowed to.

what has age to do with anything?

Well if she was born on a 30yr old, rode one all her life with her parents instructions (who are experts at having sex with 30 yr olds), and has been riding one solo for the past 4 years; then yes, I would think she should be allowed to.

Also, oddly enough, I think it would be criminal to let just any 30yr old sail solo, fly a plane, or drive a car. As you noted "what has age to do with anything?"

 

[Fëanor]

Laura Dekker, 14, is in police custody on the Dutch Antilles island of St Maarten, three days after relatives in the Netherlands reported her missing.

Good thing that the state stopped her parents from letting her go on that solo sail trip around the world, this kid is clearly lacks the mental capabilities to make sound decisions.

 

[Jan H]

She has been found at the Island of Sint Maarten in the Dutch Antilles.
There was no mention what she was doing there.

 

[Formaldehyde]

She was probably getting set to take off in a friend's sailboat. Or her family was in the process of buying one. That is primo sailboat territory. She should have gone to the British Virgin Islands, Martinique, or any island that doesn't have Dutch affiliation.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I hope she does effing sail off never to be heard from again. Some newsbroadcasts even started with this 'story'.

 

[J-man]

New developments: Yesterday morning Laura Dekker returned to Holland. She was immediately questioned by the police. They wanted to know how she got there and if someone helped her (Minors aren't allowed to travel by plane to a non schengen land.)

The reason she eloped was that the child welfare agency wanted her to be taken into care (removing the father from custody.) The court has denied this, so she can spend the Christmas with her father.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8428399.stm

I think that the child welfare agency (called jeugdzorg) has gone too far here. I think it's a good thing the court stopped them.

 

[Cato the Elder]

I agree, putting her into custody would be a completely disproportionate reaction. To be honest I can't really do anything but support Laura in her endeavours.

 

[JohnRM]

We should all be so lucky to have lived so much by that age.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Spending most your life on a tiny sailboat as a child isn't exactly what I would call a wonderful experience. Imagine living out of a camper with your parents as they occasionally drove from campsite to campsite when they got bored, instead of having a real home where you could go to the same school and develop relationships with kids your own age.

You could probably make a very good case that it is actually abusive to expose a child to a life like that, especially if you had the resources to do otherwise.

 

[Newbunkle]

Dutch government's next campaign message: "No you can't!"

 

[JohnRM]

Spending most your life on a tiny sailboat as a child isn't exactly what I would call a wonderful experience. Imagine living out of a camper with your parents as they occasionally drove from campsite to campsite when they got bored, instead of having a real home where you could go to the same school and develop relationships with kids your own age.

You could probably make a very good case that it is actually abusive to expose a child to a life like that, especially if you had the resources to do otherwise.

If she is happy, then what business is it of yours?

 

[Formaldehyde]

None whatsoever. I'm certainly glad it isn't up to me to determine what should be done in this matter.

I'm merely pointing out that your comment about "we should be so lucky" is quite likely erroneous. She is quite probably not lucky at all to have had such selfish parents.

Don't get me wrong. I almost decided to try to singlehand a sailboat around the world myself. Doing so as an adult would be a blast, although the risks are incredible. The first rule of basic seamanship is to always stand a watch. You can't do that sailing alone.

But I would never try to raise a child under such conditions. I personally think it is simply not fair to the child. YMMV.

 

[Bei1052]

If she wants to go, and her parents have no problems with it, then for the love of *insert deity here*, let the kid go.

 

[Cutlass]

Spending most your life on a tiny sailboat as a child isn't exactly what I would call a wonderful experience. Imagine living out of a camper with your parents as they occasionally drove from campsite to campsite when they got bored, instead of having a real home where you could go to the same school and develop relationships with kids your own age.

You could probably make a very good case that it is actually abusive to expose a child to a life like that, especially if you had the resources to do otherwise.

There was a surfer family where a dozen of them grew up in a camper like that.

 

[aelf]

Now I think that they should let her go provided they make her sign a waiver or something that stipulates that the Netherlands will not take any responsibility for any mishaps or negative consequences arising from the trip and that countries that spend resources to save her will not be able to make claims on the Netherlands but will have to settle it with her family if anything.

If people want to be that individualistic then they shouldn't socialise the costs. Simple.

 

[Agent327]

Some update on recent events:

Apparently Youth Care (the service that is supposed to oversee children from disfunctional families) have sued for Laura to be removed from her father's care and to be placed into a foster family. (Because obviously we don't want 14-year olds with such an independent state of mind; that can't possibly be good for Dutch society - and obviously removing a child from a caring parent and into an alien home will do her a world of good.) The court, however, decided that Laura, who reportedly ran away as a result of all the interference into her personal life, should properly prepare for her sailing trip and remain living at her father. So everybody's happy again. (Except probably Youth Care, which saw another attempt at meddling into other people's private affairs foiled.)

 

[otago]

If she wants to go, and her parents have no problems with it, then for the love of *insert deity here*, let the kid go.

I have pulled too many amateur idiots out of trouble with the S&R to believe a fourteen year old girl should be in the roaring forties on her bloody own.
So do you believe the girl and her parents should sign a waiver saying they expect NO countries navy to go to her aid ?
Do other countries owe her anything ?