Britt Lapthorne

The Lapthorne family have had yet another tough week but I hope they are heartened by the fact that people are still trying to piece the story together and find more leads. The newspapers have been more supportive of the trauma the family is going through and articles are written to provide some hope and help. The Lapthornes know so little about the brutal death of their daughter, which has been judged to be non violent, and it must be a heart breaking agony for them to carry. The father and brother are going to stay on to see what else they can find out and the police are still trying to find clues and evidence. At least now they are leaving no stone unturned. You see, it could be your daughter, or my daughter. The Lapthornes represent us all because we often have children overseas. By  showing solidarity and showing some support we are buffering them from something they cannot be buffered from... we are there and we are thinking of them.

Britt Lapthorne

Image via WikipediaImage via WikipediaSometimes we think we shouldn’t be reading things like this. Sometimes we think the news brings us too much. It is up to us whether we want to put it in our thoughts or not. The Lapthornes are in our hearts and thoughts in Australia. I guess most of us think it is better to know than not know because horrible things happen to people and it hurts and traumatises them and it is better to have it out in the open where we can think about it ,deal with it and lend them our support. We are concerned about what is going on and the picture is disturbing and confusing. The only way to help a family like the Lapthornes is to be there for them and listen. Offer help. Do whatever we can. Families have an instinct for things and I know from my own experience that traumatic things take longer to resolve, years sometimes, until you reach the truth. Sometimes you cannot get to the truth because your heart is hurting so much. If Mr. Lapthorne is not convinced the body  identified as his daughter’s is not hers because it wasn’t identified as hers last week, then he probably has good reason for believing that in his heart of hearts.  Yes, why did it take so long for the body to come to the surface. That it is decomposed after 18 days in the water is not surprising. He and his family have been through hell and are trying to make sense of all of this. Any family dealing with that kind of story is going to be in hell and we have to do our best to support them and help them. More test results will come out on Monday and then the father and brother are going to bring the body home to get more DNA tests. I hope we can help them with that because they have to be able to put the picture together  so their hearts can just grieve now. The T Shirt which was found 10km away from the bay is supposed to be Britt’s so another part of the story is starting to unfold.  I’d like to think they can piece the picture together and that DNA tests will be helpful . It is not going to be easy and then you have to question why? They must be torturing themselves with why? Why would this happen to such a normal, happy girl travelling in Europe?

Britt Lapthorne

This story is so profoundly sad but at least the parents know where she is now. It has been heart wrenching to hear the mother having the sheer guts and courage to come on the news to help her family do everything possible to find her 21 year old daughter. I have no idea how they have coped, have no idea how they will cope. So much for a positive outlook. I was just thinking  she was a young girl who had wandered off somewhere in Europe and got lost in the headiness of it all. Not so. The police will concentrate on working out how she came to be in the Adriatic sea and they will try and get to the bottom of it. I hope they can because this must be a frightening story for anyone who has their grown up children overseas. There is nothing I can say to help this family's pain. I am thinking of them. We are all thinking of them. We haven't stopped caring about their situation.