http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,431865,00.html

Hostel Owner's Son Arrested in Case of Australian Woman's
Disappearance

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Police have arrested the son of a hostel owner in Croatia over the
disappearance of Australian backpacker Britt Lapthorne, the Nine
network reported.

Ivica Perkovic, whose father owns the backpackers’ hostel where
Lapthorne, 21, was staying, has denied any involvement but was being
held in cells at police headquarters in Dubrovnik.

Investigators aren't yet naming him as a suspect, Nine reported.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
said he could not confirm whether an arrest had been made.

"I can't confirm that as it is a matter for Croatian authorities," the
spokesman said.

An earlier statement from DFAT said consular staff were in close
contact with the Australian Federal Police, with whom Lapthorne had
been registered by her family as a missing person.

Perkovic said he saw Lapthorne on the night she was last seen.

"I was not the last person she saw. The only time I saw her was just
for a few minutes. This was around the table at around 10 p.m. that
night," he said.

Police asked him about a phone call Lapthorne made to his mobile
phone, he said.

"There was one call and police interviewed me. There was one call
found on her mobile phone, which is the official phone of the
backpackers' hostel, so everyone ... has that phone."

Lapthorne’s father, Dale, began the journey to Croatia from Melbourne
today to join the search.

On Sep 30, 4:15 pm, "CroRadio.net" <iv...@cyberdude.com> wrote:
> From Ivan <astroboy1...@com.au>

> To <iv...@cyberdude.com>
> CC
> Subject Hi Ivica
> Date Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:24:08 +1000
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>

> Thanks for the good interview re:BrittLapthorne, our Croatian

> community in Melbourne and its organisations should put pressure on
> the Cro consulate here in Melbourne to put pressure on the authorities
> in Croatia
>
> Ivan
>
> CroRadio.net wrote:
> > MISSING PERSON
> > DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
> >BRITTLAPTHORNE
> > Missing Since: 18th September
> > 2008
> > Age: 21
> > Missing From: Dubrovnik
> > ?: Female
> > Height: 152 cms
> > Weight: 47kgs
> > Eye Color: Hazel
> > Hair Color: Blond
> > Race: White
> > Complexion: Light Olive
> > fs
> > Distinguishing Marks: Nose Piercing - small diamonte stud.
> > Clothing Description: Last seen wearing summer clothing with black
> > leggings.

> >Brittis an 21 year-old from Eden Park, Northern Melbourne, Australia

> > has been missing for
> > more than a week from Dubrovnik - Croatia. She was last seen in the
> > early hours of the 18th
> > September at the Latin nightclub "Club Fuego" just outside the gates
> > of the Old Town in

> > Dubrovik.Britthad been staying at the Dubrovnik backpackers hostel
> > when she disappeared.
> > The landlady of the hostel confirmed thatBrittdid not sleep at the

> > hostel on the night of the

> > 18th September.Britt'scamera a Canon Powershot G9 is also missing.
> > Serial number:
> > 6571300350Britt'sTravel documents and other personal effects were

> > left at the hostelBrittis
> > described as a being a well travelled and worldly person, independant
> > and sensible, friendly and
> > talkative, and someone who makes friends easily.
> > If Anyone knows any information at all please call our program tonight

> > on+61 3 99 19 8087or please call
> > Please call the DFAT at # Switchboard:+61 2 6261 1111Fax: +61 2 6261

> > 3111 Web Site:www.foreversearching.comRecovery Effort E-mail:
>

> > CENTRE.CON...@DFAT.GOV.AU

> > ________________________________________
>
> > URGENT Attention of all Croatian Media and Associations worldwide.
> > Tonight on Croatian Radio Melbourne Interview with the father of
> > Missing woman in CroatiaBrittLapthorne.

> > Mr DaleLapthornewill be on air tonight from about 10:15 pm Live, to

> > speak about his daughter and events leading to her dissapearance. In
> > the effort to help findBrittLapthorne.

> > If Anyone knows any information at all please call our program tonight

> > on+61 3 99 19 8087or please call
> > Please call the DFAT at # Switchboard:+61 2 6261 1111Fax: +61 2 6261

> > 3111 Web Site:www.foreversearching.comRecovery Effort E-mail:
>

> > CENTRE.CON...@DFAT.GOV.AU

CroRadio.net

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Oct 3, 2008, 7:54:38 PM10/3/08

unread,

Oct 6, 2008, 7:43:34 AM10/6/08

to Croatian News

http://www.smh.com.au

Body found in Dubrovnik

Paola Totaro in Dubrovnik
October 6, 2008 - 10:01PM

Dubrovnik Water police have reported finding a body in a small inlet
at the back of the ancient walled town almost in front of two major
resorts.

It is not known yet whether the body is male or female but the find
comes just an hour after Britt Lapthorne's father Dale reported that
specialist detectives from Zagreb had said "they were still
searching''.

Mr Lapthorne said he had been hopeful of finding a live girl not a
body.

Earlier, Mr Lapthorne met with a specialist criminal investigator sent
from Zagreb late last night and says he feels reassured that a faint
hope remains of finding his daughter alive and someone "is on top of
the case".

Fighting tears outside the Dubrovnik police station, Dale Lapthorne,
said the detective had not provided him with specific detail on new
leads but that information was still flowing in and he was not walking
out with a "knot in my stomach."

"I am not saying he said anything specific, it was the body language
of this detective. In discussion, when I asked questions, he seemed
fully on top of the case, he knew the detail," he said.

"I asked him if he wanted access to all Britt's emails, she booked all
her accommodation in advance, except Dubrovnik.. . .and we believe we
understand why. He was totally on top of that," Mr Lapthorne said that
when he had asked specific questions, details of certain events of the
officer he had indicated he was fully aware ". . .he didn't say 'I
know', he gave me words that showed me he was fully aware"

Mr Lapthorne denied that the family had hired a private investigator
saying he did not know where that information had come from and said
that he did not know where ABC reports that an arrest was imminent had
come from.

"I wish it was," he said. "We are missing our daughter and we are
desperate, absolutely desperate to get her back, and media have helped
us. We want to report facts as we get them."

He said the family's fears that the investigation into her
disappearance is being hampered by a pall of "community silence"
designed to protect the ancient town's reputation as a tourist
destination remained very real.

Just hours before the family was due to meet with the specialist
investigative detective, known only as Detective Antonio, Mr Lapthorne
anxiety that national pride – and small town values – were hampering
efforts to tease out information from locals about what might have
happened to Britt on the fateful night of September 18.

Mr Lapthorne said an anonymous tip off to his hotel in Dubrovnik, made
by a local in Croatian, alleged that the owner of the hostel from
which Britt disappeared had attempted to post her Austrailan passport
in the days following her disappearance.

He said the information was not a casebreaker but provided details of
"things that someone has known for a long time" but the Herald/Age now
understands that Mr Lapthorne is not sure if it related to Britt's
passport or another left behind by a fellow backpacker.

Mr Lapthorne also said he had a message for anyone holding his
daughter captive - if they wanted money she must be returned safely:
"They may have ulterior motives, they may see some monetary value in
it," Mr Lapthorne said.

"I'm interested in getting my daughter and if they're looking for a
reward, it will only be after the safe delivery of my daughter, the
return of my daughter. It will not be beforehand."

Mr Lapthorne said he was becoming increasingly frustrated with both
the Australian authorities and Interpol for leaving the family in a
vacuum of information.

He said local people had told him that they believed that if there was
a body to be found ,this would have happened by now but that people
needed to talk and were afraid to.

"There is a fear that everyone knows everone and close down to protect
the community.. . .my feeling is that if it's a foreigner involved,
it's one thing. . .but if it's a Croation national then that's another
and they don't want to be put in a situation. . . ."

"I am not suggesting the perpetrator is Croatian, all the backpackers
involved should be able to shed some light. No, I don't want to say a
conspiracy of silence. . .I don't want to use those words but there is
a fear they all want to protect the community."

Mr Lapthorne said he knew he was being a squeaky wheel and that the
Department of Foreign Affairs may not be enjoying that but that the
Australian people would understand his situation.

"Prime Minister Rudd says every stone is being turned but I want to
know what that actually means. . .I don't want to bash the Croatian
authorities but I am targeting the Australian authorities. This AFP
officer, he is a phantom. Mr Lapthorne has expressed increasing
frustration at the invisibility of the AFP officer assigned to liaise
on the case and said Interpol has provided no contact points nor
information.

"I think they want me to know as little as possible. I am a squeaky
wheel for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade but I think
people understand why." Mr Lapthorne said an Australian Federal Police
officer sent to Croatia had not been in contact after being in the
country for five days.

"The 'phantom AFP officer' has made no attempt to contact us,

absolutely," he told the Herald/Age last night. "We've been told by

Croatian police that he's around. In five days he has not attempted to
contact us ... it's unbelievable."

The AFP today disputed Mr Lapthorne's claims. A spokeswoman for the
AFP said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was providing
consular assistance to the Lapthorne family via the AFP's liaison
officer's daily meetings with Croatian police officers.

> ...
>
> read more »

CroRadio.net

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Oct 6, 2008, 5:20:01 PM10/6/08

to Croatian News

http://news.theage.com.au

Britt's father to provide DNA to police

October 7, 2008 - 5:54AM

Britt Lapthorne's father will provide Croatian police with a DNA
sample and the Australian backpacker's dental records in a bid to
determine whether a body found in the sea off Dubrovnik is his
daughter.

An autopsy is due to be carried out at 10am on Tuesday (1900 AEDT
Tuesday) after human remains were recovered on Monday.

Police say the remains are unlikely to be those of the 21-year-old,
who has been missing since the early hours of September 18, because
they are too badly decomposed.

But the family faces a hellish wait for confirmation one way or
another.

"The body is quite badly decomposed which appears to be inconsistent
with somebody who has been missing for the time Britt has," Ms
Lapthorne's father Dale said.

"We have been asked to provide a dental history of Britt and I will
give a DNA sample tomorrow as well.

"A very quick and easy ID for Britt is her teeth. Her teeth are
perfect, she's had them straightened, she's never had a filling, and
that's reasonably unusual for people so that's a very quick ID for
Britt."

Mr Lapthorne revealed he found out a body had been discovered through
the media but when he contacted police, he was told there was nothing
to report.

The only information the family had received from police was that the
autopsy was to take place, he said.

"I'm totally numb ... it's just the weirdest sensation," Mr Lapthorne
told reporters while son Darren looked on.

"We're just totally drained and exhausted.

"People say I've been quite strong and, compared to how I feel now, I
imagine I have been."

The pair woke Ms Lapthorne's mother Elke in Melbourne at about 3am and
told her there was a possibility the body was not her daughter.

"We have to live on some hope," Mr Lapthorne said.

Police spokesman Ivan Kukrika told an earlier press conference: "For
sure we can almost tell that it's not Britt because it's in a high
state of decomposition.

"We can't even tell if it's male or female.

"What we know from our knowledge of decomposition of a body after it
has been in the sea, we can tell it's not her, but we cannot tell
anything for sure before the autopsy gives a result."

A local fisherman alerted police just after 11am local time (2000 AEDT
Monday) when he saw the body floating in the Bay of Boninovo, just
around a point from the walled town centre where Ms Lapthorne was last
seen at a nightclub.

Police recovered the remains near a popular local swimming spot and in
front of two five-star resorts a short time later.

They then took the body to the local morgue.

The discovery came just an hour after Ms Lapthorne's father emerged
from a meeting with police expressing hope that his daughter would be
found alive.

Mr Lapthorne flew into Dubrovnik from Melbourne on Friday with his
daughter's boyfriend, Simon Imberger.

Darren Lapthorne arrived about a week earlier.

After meeting the senior detective investigating the disappearance, Mr
Lapthorne, who has vowed not to return to Australia without her, said
he had confidence in the specialist officer.

© 2008 AAP

> ...
>
> read more »

CroRadio.net

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Oct 6, 2008, 5:23:51 PM10/6/08

to Croatian News

http://www.news.com.au

Body 'unlikely' to be Britt's

From correspondents in Dubrovnik

October 07, 2008 05:07am
Article from: AAP

Font size: + -

Send this article: Print Email

CROATIAN police said a body recovered from a Dubrovnik cove is
unlikely to be that of missing Australian backpacker Britt Lapthorne.

Police spokesman Ivan Kukrika said indications were the body was not
that of the 21-year-old, who went missing from the coastal town in the
early hours of September 18, because it was too badly decomposed.

"For sure we can almost tell that it's not Britt because it's in a

high state of decomposition," he said.

"We can't even tell if it's male or female.

"What we know from our knowledge of decomposition of a body after it
has been in the sea, we can tell it's not her, but we cannot tell
anything for sure before the autopsy gives a result."

An autopsy was due to be carried out at 10am tomorrow (7pm AEDT
Tuesday).

Asked if the police had had any contact with Ms Lapthorne's family, Mr
Kukrika said they would only speak to them when they knew the identity
of the remains.

"We have rules that we are not contacting the family until we have
something for sure," he said.

Medical examiners were expected to conduct DNA analysis in a bid to
determine the identity of the remains.

Mr Kukrika said it was not unusual for the bodies of refugees to turn
up in waters off Dubrovnik from Albania and Macedonia.

A local fisherman alerted police just after 11am local time (8pm AEDT

Monday) when he saw the body floating in the Bay of Boninovo, just
around a point from the walled town centre where Ms Lapthorne was last
seen at a nightclub.

Police recovered the remains near a popular local swimming spot and in
front of two five-star resorts a short time later.

A police boat transported the body to the main port of Gruz, where
they loaded a stretcher with a body bag on it into a van that then
went to the local morgue.

The discovery came just an hour after Ms Lapthorne's father Dale

emerged from a meeting with police expressing hope that his daughter
would be found alive.

Mr Lapthorne flew into Dubrovnik from Melbourne on Friday with Ms
Lapthorne's boyfriend, Simon Imberger.

They joined Ms Lapthorne's older brother Darren to search for her.

After meeting the senior detective investigating his daughter's

disappearance, Mr Lapthorne, who has vowed not to return to Australia

without her, said he had a lot of confidence in the specialist
officer.

> > anxiety that national pride - and small town values - were hampering

> > > DUBROVNIK, CROATIA - Although Australian backpacker Britt Lapthorne

> > > went missing in Dubrovnik more than two weeks ago, the search for her
> > > has not been successful.
>

> ...
>
> read more >>

CroRadio.net

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Oct 6, 2008, 7:29:59 PM10/6/08

to Croatian News

http://www.news.com.au

Accused hostel owner speaks on Britt Lapthorne passport

Article from: The Daily Telegraph

October 07, 2008 12:00am

A HOSTEL owner has denied attempting to post missing backpacker Britt
Lapthorne's passport on the day she vanished.

Milka Perkovic said she did post a passport - but it was about 20 days
before Britt disappeared and belonged to a New Zealand man who left it
behind at the hostel.

"He had a second British passport so he was not too worried about it,"
she said last night.

An anonymous call to a hotel where Britt's father, Dale, is staying
claimed a woman matching Mrs Perkovic's description tried to send a
woman's passport to Australia. Mr Lapthorne yesterday said police were
yet to investigate the claim.

"It's not certain that it's the mother," Mr Lapthorne said.

"It was an Australian passport, that's all we know. It was said it was
done on the 18th.

"It was passed on to the police on Saturday but because they were on
their weekend I don't think they've done any interviews."

In another development, the Lapthorne family was forced to abruptly
shut down the Facebook site dedicated to finding Britt for an
unidentified reason.

"All I can say is we had to close it down. Hopefully only
temporarily," he said, adding that he had sought the advice of the
lead detective on the case. The detective had been in Zagreb but met
Mr Lapthorne as soon as he returned yesterday and was due to provide a
briefing last night.

The Lapthorne family has been buoyed by his personal devotion to the
case amid mounting concerns about the rest of the investigation.

An Australian Federal Police liaison officer who arrived in Dubrovnik
last Wednesday is still yet to make contact with the family and has
been dubbed "the phantom". "I don't even know whether I can believe
somebody is here," Mr Lapthorne said.

An AFP spokesperson said the officer was holding daily meetings with
Croatian police.

Also yesterday, a Russian traveller came forward to say she was
sharing a room with Britt on the day she vanished.

Maria Surkova said she did not go out to club Fuego on the night the
21-year old Victorian went missing.

"What surprised me in the morning was that Britt's bed was empty and
looked like she didn't come to the hostel," she wrote on Facebook.

"But nobody looked suspicious or acted strange. So I thought that she
had a long night.

"I found out about her disappearance only today. I couldn't believe
when saw her picture in the news. I remember chatting with her that
evening. That is horrible! I am shocked!"

She had not been contacted by police, but immediately notified
Australian Federal Police.

"They have asked me a number of questions. They will pass my contact
details on to the Dubrovnik police. But nobody has called me yet."

A network of locals has been conducting their own unofficial
investigations and feeding information to Mr Lapthorne and son Darren.

Mr Lapthorne has also hired a private investigator to hunt down
further leads.

"There's a feeling now more and more by the local people that there's
more likelihood of an abduction," Mr Lapthorne said.

"Everybody's saying they should have found a body."

> ...
>
> read more »

CroRadio.net

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Oct 6, 2008, 7:32:17 PM10/6/08

to Croatian News

http://www.streem.com.au

Someone 'keeping quiet' on Lapthorne: boyfriend
Published by Streem -- Oct 07, 2008 7:02am
Updated Oct 07, 2008 9:10am AEST

The boyfriend of missing Australian tourist Britt Lapthorne says he
believes someone knows something more about her disappearance.

Ms Lapthorne has been missing for almost three weeks in the seaside
Croatian village of Dubrovnik.

Local police have been heavily criticized for their investigations so
far, including by Ms Lapthorne's father who arrived in Croatia last
week.

Boyfriend Simon Imberger told the ABC that Ms Lapthorne was a "level
headed" individual.

"She's a very, very sensible person... she's very mature and she's
very level headed, very street smart. She doesn't trust anyone or take
up with anyone," he said.

"I believe someone either at the hostel and or the club, someone knows
something and they're not coming forward. I just don't trust anyone
that knows about this. But I think the police are just in full
denial."

It comes as Croatian police located a body in the waters off the
seaside village.

However the group who found the body say it may not be Ms Lapthorne as
it is badly decomposed and appears to have been in the water longer
than the time she has been missing.

It will be examined later today.

> ...
>
> read more »

CroRadio.net

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Oct 6, 2008, 9:15:19 PM10/6/08

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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au

Britt's mum 'emotionally exhausted'

October 07, 2008

THE mother of missing Australian backpacker Britt Lapthorne says she
is "emotionally and physically exhausted" after a body was found in
the sea off Dubrovnik last night.

Police say the remains are unlikely to be those of the 21-year-old,

who has been missing since September 18, but her father will provide
Croatian police with a DNA sample and his daughter's dental records to
determine if the body is hers.

"I am emotionally and physically exhausted after a very distressing
night with the news out of ubrovnik," Mrs Lapthorne said in a
statement.

"My family and I simply need to sleep and regroup for what we know
will be a difficult next 24 hours.

"Thank you again for all your support and the recognition that Britt
is a young Australian person in trouble. Without your help, our search
would be so much more difficult.

"We have not given up hope and will not cease our search for out
beloved daughter."

An autopsy is due to be carried out at 7pm (AEDT) today.

Police believe the body is too badly decomposed to be Britt Lapthorne,
who was last seen in the Croatian coastal resort's Fuego nightclub.

But the family faces a difficult wait for confirmation.

"The body is quite badly decomposed which appears to be inconsistent
with somebody who has been missing for the time Britt has," Ms

Lapthorne's father Dale, who has flown to Dubrovnik, said.

unread,

> Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty for failing to
> answer questions about his daughter's disappearance at a Senate
> committee hearing.
>

> DaleLapthornedescribed as "quite disgusting" the decision by a

> Senate estimates committee late on Monday night to terminate hearings,
> despite committee members saying they had more questions to put to Mr
> Keelty.
>
> "Obviously the kitchen was getting too hot and they just decided to
> close it; that was really quite disgusting," MrLapthornetold The
> Australian last night.
>

> BrittLapthornedisappeared on September 18 while on holiday in

> Dubrovnik. Her body was found in waters off the Croatian coastal town
> on October 6.
>
> Her family has been critical of the role the AFP played in the affair,
> accusing the agency of failing to make contact with the family.
>
> The AFP has said its role was to support the local investigation and
> that consular services were the responsibility of the Department of
> Foreign Affairs.
>
> Monday night's committee hearing broke up at 11pm, as scheduled,
> cutting short the questioning of Mr Keelty, who was being forced to

> defend the AFP's handling of theLapthornecase. Mr Keelty provoked

> the ire of Opposition legal affairs spokesman George Brandis and
> Family First senator Steve Fielding after he declined to pass judgment
> on the Croatian police's handling of the case.
>
> The police chief said the AFP needed to maintain the co-operation of
> the Croatian police.
> He went on to say many of the criticisms levelled at the AFP had been
> unfair.
>
> He said that, contrary to reporting, Croatian authorities had
> expressed no qualms over the AFP's decision to send a liaison officer
> with a Serbian background.
>
> He also brushed aside criticisms that journalists covering the story
> had interviewed witnesses before investigators, saying the media were
> not subject to the same strict protocols as police.
>
> Mr Keelty justified his reluctance to speak on the case by saying it

> would be insensitive to do so at a time when MsLapthorne'sbody had
> only just been repatriated.
>
> MrLapthornerejected that. He said that although his family was not

> insulted by Mr Keelty's performance, they would have preferred him to
> simply answer questions.
>
> "I think he didn't particularly answer the questions very well and the
> early closure was disgraceful," MrLapthornesaid.
>
> "That was just appalling. We've taken enough and we've taken it on the
> chin most of the time. He would have been better off just answering."
>
> On Oct 15, 5:36 pm, "CroRadio.net" <iv...@cyberdude.com> wrote:
>
> >http://www.smh.com.au
>
> > Family pledge not to return withoutBritt
>
> > Paola Totaro in Dubrovnik
> > October 15, 2008 - 8:10AM
>
> > This is going to be the most stressful time of our lives
>

> >BrittLapthorne, and inset, her brother Darren, top, and father Dale.
>
> >BrittLapthorne, and inset, her brother Darren, top, and father Dale.
> > Advertisement
>
> >BrittLapthorne'sfather and brother are battling to make the

> > candlelight vigil for the 21-year-old in Melbourne on Saturday night,
> > having yet to finalise a flight that will allow them to accompany her
> > remains on the long journey home.
>

> > DaleLapthorneand his son, Darren, had pledged they would not return
> > to Australia without MsLapthorne'sbody and have refused to fly

> > separately from her remains.
>
> > The body, which will be delivered to the Victorian coroner on arrival
> > in Australia, requires specialised treatment as it cannot undergo
> > normal funeral arrangements and preparation.
>
> > The logistics of the body's repatriation are complex and have required
> > the co-operation of several Australian government departments,
> > including Customs, Quarantine and Foreign Affairs.
>

> > MrLapthornesaid the family had been asked to ensure that no

> > embalmment was done to the body and "that has been agreed to".
>
> > "There are a lot of formalities to undertake in Australia because that
> > is not normally the allowable case. There is a lot of paperwork to be
> > undertaken to get such a body into Australia," he said.
>
> > "Departments such as AQIS [Quarantine], Customs, Immigration ...

> > everyone has to be involved to ensure thatBritt'sbody can be

> > returned and we have a second opinion.
>
> > "I am not doubting the Croatian assessment, not doubting at all, but
> > as a parent I am entitled to a second opinion," he said.
>
> > However, the logistics and protracted negotiations with air carriers,
> > including Qantas and Malaysia Airlines, means that the body and Ms

> >Lapthorne'sfamily might not be able to leave Croatia until Friday.
>
> > This means MsLapthorne'sfamily will struggle to make the vigil in

> > Melbourne on Saturday.
>
> > Friends on Facebook have organised a purple ribbon - purple being Ms

> >Lapthorne'sfavourite colour - to be worn in her memory.

>
> > The family also wanted to thank the backpackers and supporters who
> > have used the networking site to try to energise the Croatian police's
> > investigation into her disappearance from a Dubrovnik nightclub on
> > September 18.
>
> > Memorial plans
>
> > The memorial was set down for 7.30pm in Melbourne's Flagstaff Gardens.
>

> > MrLapthornesaid that, while the body was released and MsLapthorne's

> > passport was returned to the family, it was imperative that they
> > travel together on her "final journey".
>
> > He asked for privacy on arrival in Melbourne.
>
> > "This is going to be the most stressful time of our lives, not just

> > the announcement that it'sBritt, but I'll meet [my wife] Elke [and]
> > Darren, and hopefully [Britt'sboyfriend Simon Imberger] will be able

> > to be there at the same time, and it will be the most stressful time
> > of our lives."
>
> > He said the family did not wish to address the media at that time.
>
> > "We have asked for government assistance in every way to minimise the
> > stressful impact on our family and we are being assured that will be
> > done.
>
> > "So although the media has been so helpful in helping us findBritt
> > and you've been great, but at this one particular time, on our arrival
> > back to Australia, we will have to exclude you," he said.
> > On Oct 14, 6:10 pm, "CroRadio.net" <iv...@cyberdude.com> wrote:
>
> > >http://www.theage.com.au
>
> > > Victorian Coroner called in to provide answers onBritt'sdeath
>
> > > * Paola Totaro
> > > * October 14, 2008
>

> > > THE body ofBrittLapthorneis to be handed to the Victorian Coroner

> > > after a Croatian autopsy failed to provide any new information on how
> > > the 21-year-old died.
>
> > > The deputy police chief of Dubrovnik, Ivan Kukrika, said in a
> > > statement that there was "no evidence of violence found on the body".
>
> > > Despite that, he told a press conference that a criminal investigation
> > > into the case was continuing.
>

> > >Britt'sfather, Dale, said the report provided only a description of
> > > the state ofBritt'sbody and there was no information on how she

> > > might have died.
>
> > > "It is purely descriptive and it says there is no visible sign of an
> > > act of death or how she might have died because the body is in such
> > > poor condition," he said.
>
> > > "There is nothing in the report translated to us that says accidental
> > > death or death by other means. They cannot determine it."
>

> > > MrLapthornesaid he was seriously concerned that the delay might

> > > hamper the Victorian coroner's investigations, but that he had been
> > > assured of a technical, thorough assessment.
>
> > > "I have been assured that any investigation carried out by the
> > > coroner's department in Victoria will be a thorough scientific
> > > investigation at a very high level," he said.
>
> > > It is believed that the body's lower jaw is missing and many teeth
> > > from the upper jaw are missing. The collarbone is intact, but the
> > > corpse is severely damaged and incomplete. The body has been cleared

> > > for return to Melbourne as soon as possible. MrLapthornesaid the

> > > Victorian Coroner would collect it at the airport.
>
> > > "We did not achieve our main objective, which was to bring her home
> > > alive, but we have the consolation that we are taking her home," he
> > > said.
>

> > > MrLapthornesaid he was frustrated and upset by the lack of

> > > information in the report, which he described as almost "childish" in
> > > its content.
>

> > > TheLapthornefamily has made it clear it does not accept suggestions
> > > thatBrittdied accidentally or jumped off a cliff.
>
> > > The family's doubts about the investigation ofBritt'slast hours are

> > > exacerbated by fresh questions about the Dubrovnik police's claims
> > > that security TV footage inside the Club Fuego nightclub where she was
> > > last seen were wiped by an electrical blackout. The Age has been told
> > > by club sources that although one camera, positioned in the foyer of
> > > the club, had lost signal over a period of weeks, there were no power
> > > problems on the nights of September 16, 17 or 18, as alleged by
> > > Dubrovnik police.
>
> > > It is believed that all CCTV equipment, including a hard drive that
> > > stored images from the internal cameras, was provided to police two
> > > weeks ago.
>
> > > "Everything was handed to police immediately. I do not know of any
> > > power failure or blackout. I have never heard of that," a club
> > > official said.
>
> > > It is believed that senior club staff log on to the internet to check
> > > the cameras intermittently and no problems were encountered or
> > > remembered on the night of September 17 or the early hours of

> > > September 18, whenBrittwas last seen.

>
> > > On Sunday, an Australian backpacker, Tim Connell, also questioned
> > > whether a separate camera - which beamed video
>

> ...
>
> read more »

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