An American citizen vacationing with her family while aboard a foreign vessel in international waters, Amy was last seen at 5 am sitting out on the balcony of her cabin. One hour later she was gone. Her parents reported her missing to the cruise liner shortly after, pleading with the crew to keep the passengers on board until the ship was searched, yet their request was denied. When the cruise line stated their intent to keep the disappearance a secret so as not to alert the other passengers, the missing girl’s family was shocked with disbelief.
When Amy disappeared she was wearing jeans and a white shirt, and was carrying her room key, cigarettes, and $100 cash in her pocket. Even though she talked about leaving the ship to purchase cigarettes in Curacao, she left the room barefoot, apparently not planning to go far.
This is where the mystery begins. Was Amy going to meet someone, and if so who? It was known that Amy did meet and spend time with a cruise ship band member and three other members of the crew, yet they had no information on her whereabouts. Amy was a certified lifeguard so it is unlikely that she fell overboard and drowned in the shallow waters. Speculations have arisen that she was witness to a criminal act or was coerced to leaving the ship with an acquaintance she believed she could trust.
The Bradley family has spent thousands of dollars on private investigators and trips to the Caribbean in search of Amy. The FBI took over the case, determining that she did not meet the “runaway” profile and that none of her family members were suspect, yet the multi million dollar Caribbean Cruise Lines and the Caribbean government have not assisted in any manner in the investigation.
Tourists often take it for granted that they are protected by the same laws against crime on cruise ships as in the United States, yet most ships, even if they dock in United States ports, are registered in foreign countries and governed by international laws. In their efforts to cut costs and create a “safe” appearance to passengers, they do not employ police officers, nor do they contain holding cells for criminals. If a crime is committed (there is in fact, an alarmingly high rate of theft and rape aboard these “luxury” liners) the perpetrators are rarely caught and official reports are not filed.
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