View full sizeDave Holloway is embraced by one of his attorneys, Karen Hennecy after being in court for a hearing on a petition for presumption of death for his daughter, missing Mountain Brook teenager Natalee Holloway in Jefferson County probate court Fri., Sept. 23, 2011 in Birmingham, Ala. (The Birmingham News/Bernard Troncale).
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A Jefferson County judge said he would decide later today
or early next week if a petition to officially declare Natalee Holloway dead
should proceed, after the father tearfully described efforts to find his missing
daughter.
Holloway, who would be 25 next month if she still is alive, disappeared during a 2005 trip to Aruba of graduating seniors from Mountain Brook High School.
The petition to have Natalee officially declared dead was filed in June by her father, Dave Holloway. The father has continued to pay his daughter's insurance and other expenses and wants to transfer to Natalee's brother, Matt, some $2,000 Dave Holloway had set aside for his daughter's college education.
A lawyer for Beth Holloway, Natalee's mother, asked Probate Judge Alan King for a continuance on the initial hearing set for today on the father's petition. King denied the request for a 30-day delay.
was very upset by the petition to declare Natalee dead, and still holds out hope her daughter is alive, said Charles DeBardeleben, who represented her in today's hearing.
Testifying for about 45 minutes Friday morning, Dave Holloway described the months-long search for his missing daughter in Aruba. Based on statements by the prime suspect in the case, Joran van der Sloot, the father believes his daughter is dead, Dave Holloway testified today.
"This is one case we'd like to lose," said Mark White, one of Dave Holloway's lawyers.
"We would like to have someone come forward. You hope to have some closure personally. Our job is to try to get some closure legally.
If King allows the case to proceed, notices will be published seeking proof that Natalee is still alive, and a hearing to review that information will be held, probably in early 2012.
Beth Holloway works with Dutch reporter to find daughter
Aruban authorities say they will meet with Joran van der Sloot to talk about fate of Natalee Holloway