Young Sailor Laura Dekker Flies Home

But may soon be taken out of father's custody
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Dec 22, 2009 11:21 AM CST
Young Sailor Laura Dekker Flies Home
Laura Dekker arrives accompanied by local authorities to board a flight at the Princess Juliana International Airport on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles, Dec. 21, 2009.   (AP Photo/Gromyko Wilson)

Teenage Dutch sailor Laura Dekker faces the possibility of being removed from her father's custody today after returning to the Netherlands. Dekker, 14, disappeared from home Friday and flew to the Caribbean. Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported that the Bureau of Youth Care wants to remove her from her father's home, where she lives. "We didn't publicize this," said a bureau spokesman who would not comment on the report. "We first want to see how Laura is."

Dekker was interviewed by police at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport this morning before being turned over to child care authorities. A police spokesman wouldn't reveal what was said in the interview. "We asked her a lot of questions; she spoke to us," he said. "I can't yet say anything about how she made the trip." Police want to know how she managed to fly to the island of St. Maarten and whether anybody helped her. (More Laura Dekker stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X