WESTERN BUREAU:
THE parents of missing American travel writer, Claudia Kirschhoch, while still grasping the hope that their daughter is still alive, are not satisfied that all efforts have been exhausted in trying to find her.
In an article in this month's edition of the United States-based "Cosmopolitan" magazine, entitled "Murder in paradise", and also in an appearance on the NBC television's "Today Show", Mary-Ann and Fred Kirschhoch said that although they were happy with some aspects of the investigation being carried out by Jamaican police, they believed that not enough of the many leads the authorities have were followed.
According to them, despite the many tips that kept pouring in about their daughter, the police, after a series of investigations, prematurely concluded that none of the sightings was the travel writer. The Kirschhochs' spoke of what they said was the police's near reluctance to pursue the case even though there were some strong leads that could have been followed.
"As far as the police are concerned, out of sight, out of mind," Mr. Kirschhoch said. "We don't know what to think, how could she have just disappeared."
But Inspector Artel Collie, of the Negril police, disputes the Kirschhochs' assertions.
"This case is still open," he declared. "We might not have the same number of police personnel involved as before but we are still actively pursuing leads. Even up to last week we had someone who identified herself as a psychic called and told us that she knew where we could find the missing girl. We went and as you can see nothing panned out. So to say that we have abandoned the case is simply not true."
