The first week of April 2014, two young Dutch women, Lisanne Froon, 22, and Kris Kremers, 21, embarked on an enthusiastic journey from the Netherlands to the lush tropical paradise of Panama. The intention was to do social work while learning Spanish, however, something went terribly wrong during their adventure. They were never heard from again. Join us as we uncover the details of this puzzling story.
Before the trip to Panama
Lisanne Froon and Kris Kremers became inseparable friends largely because of their common interests. Both worked in a coffee shop in the Netherlands, their homeland, and even moved in together to save money. The intention was to raise money to do social work around the world so they began contacting various associations and, it was in Panama where they received a satisfactory response after six months of preparation.
ADVERTISMENT
The first stop was in Bocas del Toro, where they were impressed by the atmosphere. They were ready to start volunteering.
ADVERTISMENT
A fatal misunderstanding
After 2 weeks in Bocas del Toro, they moved to Boquete where their real social work with the children would begin. However, upon arrival they were told that their work would have to wait another week. There was a mix-up with the calendars, so they were invited to enjoy the extra time.
ADVERTISMENT
The girls didn’t think twice, they decided to take the opportunity to go hiking on the famous El Pianista trail. They took Azul, the dorm dog and a few basic belongings, but their destination was uncertain.
ADVERTISMENT
Kris’ reaction to the change in schedule
According to journalists Jeremy Kryt and Mariana Atencio, Kris kept a diary in which he wrote his impressions about the change of plans. There he unloaded his discontent about the lack of communication in addition to the attitude of the association whose spokesperson he described as “rude and unfriendly.”
ADVERTISMENT
He also added “tomorrow they will try to communicate with the [director]…. This was a real disappointment.” With this change of plans all that was left was to make the most of the trip, so, despite the discontent, it was decided, they would go to Chiriqui.
ADVERTISMENT
Venturing into the Panamanian jungle
The El Pianista trail is one of the most popular trails in Boquete, Chiriqui Province. It is about 5 kilometers long and winds its way through the Panamanian jungle. The views are breathtaking, so it attracts thousands of visitors. However, the route lacks good signage. There have been several reported cases of people getting lost, such as Lisanne and Kris.
ADVERTISMENT
On that day, April 1, 2014, they did not return with their hosts. They assumed they had stayed with some other adventure partner.
ADVERTISMENT
Blue returns home alone
A clue announces that something is out of place. Blue, the hosts’ dog returned home alone.
ADVERTISMENT
The host family began to worry, that didn’t make sense, regardless of whether the girls had decided to extend their adventure in the jungle, they would not send Azul alone. The day ended with the hope that they would show up in the evening or in the morning. However, time passed and the hosts contacted Lisanne’s mother in the Netherlands to let her know the situation.
ADVERTISMENT
Fear for missing tourists grows
The host family decides to report the disappearance to state agencies. On April 2, a woman reported that she had seen the young women out to lunch with a couple of boys, however, details were conspicuous by their absence.
ADVERTISMENT
Local authorities’ protocol establishes a 96-hour window before initiating a search. Time elapsed and Panamanian authorities undertook a search for the young women. But among the dwarf cedar, oak and wild avocado species, no sightings of Lisanne or Kris were seen.
ADVERTISMENT
Tension mounts day by day
Despite search efforts, including helicopters flying overhead and teams scouring the forest, the girls’ whereabouts remained a mystery. They left in an unknown direction. They had an agenda because they had booked some other excursions such as a trip to the Finca las Princesas and the Baru Volcano, but only they knew their complete itineraries.
ADVERTISMENT
Time continued to pass and different theories emerged about their disappearance. A local innkeeper recognized the girls on posters.
ADVERTISMENT
The early challenges
The remote location and inhospitable nature of the Panamanian jungle pose significant challenges for search and rescue teams.
ADVERTISMENT
The rugged terrain, dense forested areas and tropical climate complicate the tracking efforts. In addition, the event took place a few weeks into the rainy season, so rising rivers make it difficult to process and preserve possible clues or evidence. These geographic and climatic challenges add complexity to the investigation and prolong the uncertainty of how to speed up the response process?
ADVERTISMENT
A reward is being offered
An innkeeper reported that the girls had asked him for some directions and he had suggested they return to town by cab, although he did not know what decision they had made. On April 6 the family panics.
ADVERTISMENT
So they decided to move to Panama, but not before offering a $30,000 reward. The networks were abuzz with theories and the press reports only alarmed Kris’ parents Roselie and Hans Kremers that much more. What was the press saying?
ADVERTISMENT
Theories and speculation about Lisanne and Kris’ whereabouts
The family had noticed that hopes were slowly fading, but their arrival in Panama helped to unite forces to increase search efforts. In the absence of clear answers, the press besieged those involved and numerous theories and speculations arise about what happened.
ADVERTISMENT
Some suggest the involvement of organized crime, while others point to the possibility of accidents or encounters with dangerous animals in the jungle. These conjectures left investigators with the task of separating fact from fiction.
ADVERTISMENT
Mom and dad arrive with international help
The families decided to fly to Panama accompanied by special Dutch units to intensify the search. Given the international nature of the case, Panamanian authorities are working closely with international authorities.
ADVERTISMENT
Information is cross-checked, data is exchanged, the number of experts is increased and joint efforts are coordinated to address all possible international leads and connections. This international collaboration is essential to explore all possibilities and ensure that no relevant line of inquiry is overlooked. But the absence of the girls persisted.
ADVERTISMENT
Appeals for public sensibility
Coverage of the case was crucial in gaining public cooperation and support. The families are concerned and busy appealing for the empathy and sensitivity of anyone who could help them. The authorities also sought to encourage the participation of key witnesses and to encourage people to provide any relevant information they may have.
ADVERTISMENT
Media, social networks and other channels are used to disseminate details about the case. The dissemination of information kept the case alive and they finally have a valuable lead.
ADVERTISMENT
The first valuable clue
After ten weeks of searching, a crucial find offered a sliver of hope. On June 9, an indigenous woman who is part of the Ngäbe Indian tribe found a backpack as she was passing along the Culebra River, an hour’s plane ride from the girls’ starting point.
ADVERTISMENT
The woman said the find was among the trees. She had seen the missing persons ads and decided to bring the backpack to the authorities.What was in the backpack?
ADVERTISMENT
The contents of the backpack
The backpack turned out to be Lisanne’s backpack. Inside were found two pairs of sunglasses, over $80, the girl’s passport, a camera, a bottle of water, two bras and lastly perhaps most interestingly, two phones.
ADVERTISMENT
This discovery baffles the authorities and raises questions about the situation in which the young women were at the time of their disappearance, as well as possible clues to their whereabouts. What was the real contribution of these clues?
ADVERTISMENT
The contents of the phones
With the equipment in their possession, authorities began a call trace. These inquiries revealed multiple attempted calls to authorities in the Netherlands and to Panamanian authorities. There were seven attempted emergency calls.
ADVERTISMENT
The first outgoing call was logged dated April 01 from Kris’ iPhone at 04:39 pm. 12 minutes later, it was Lisanne who tried to contact the authorities from her Samsung phone, however, everything points to the fact that they were in an area with no coverage.
ADVERTISMENT
What other clue did the backpack yield?
As with the phones, the graphic content of the cameras was analyzed. More than a hundred photographs had apparently been taken during the girls’ twilight moments.
ADVERTISMENT
What other clues did the backpack yield? The first images show the girls happy at the Pianist’s Lookout. Then the pictures have Boquete in the background, meaning they went into the jungle instead of returning. The last photo captures Kris crossing a river on an indigenous trail. Then there are no more records until April 8.
ADVERTISMENT
Is it possible that Kris was injured?
Another of the images appeared to show the back of Kris’ head, with what some have suggested is blood coming from her temple. The identity of the person who took the images, and why they were taken, remains a mystery.
ADVERTISMENT
Is it possible that Kris was injured? The contents of the backpack also provided other clues as to what may have been Kris and Lisanne’s last moments. Their call records showed how they had desperately tried to contact the police.
ADVERTISMENT
Experts weigh in on the photographs
Expert eyes focus on the photographs that emerged from the darkness. Unlike the earlier images, the latter are fuzzy. About 90 photos were taken in the inhospitable jungle after 01:00 am on the fateful April 8.
ADVERTISMENT
Experts, immersed in an unsolved enigma, debate various theories Was it intended to leave a trail? Was the flash a flashing guide or a warning against the beasts? Was the perpetrator a stranger? Those photos left them brimming with questions and then made the situation worse.
ADVERTISMENT
Photos are leaked to the press
Kris and Lisanne’s case captures both national and international attention, generating intense media coverage. The media echo the disappearance of the two young women and closely follow every advance in the investigation, unfortunately in their eagerness to make a truthful report, they leak photographs.
ADVERTISMENT
The images of Kris and Lisanne are widely circulated, contributing to greater awareness of the case, as the number of theories continued their ascent. Then another discovery disturbed the audience.
ADVERTISMENT
A heartbreaking find
With the backpack as a starting point, the field of investigation expands into the jungle where Kris and Lisanne’s trail was lost. Along the way 33 pieces of human skeletal remains turn up which generates concern and leads to the suspicion that the young women may have faced hardship or a tragic outcome.
ADVERTISMENT
The remains undergo extensive forensic analysis. The results reveal the presence of fractures and other signs of trauma. However, no conclusive evidence is found as to the girls’ condition.
ADVERTISMENT
The latest discovery
Forensics were perplexed, in addition to the remains of an ear, they found a boot with bones from the foot and ankle of a foot, which after DNA analysis were found to correspond to Lisanne. Most disconcertingly, human remains of other people were also found nearby, according to The Daily Beast.
ADVERTISMENT
These clues raise more questions and become key points for the investigation. The lack of concrete answers led to a wave of suspicions and, eventually, formal accusations of foul play.
ADVERTISMENT
“All we want is to know the truth.”
Among the human remains found something caught the attention of the forensic doctors, Lisanne’s remains showed signs of natural decomposition while, in Kris’ case, they appeared to have gone through a chemical process.
ADVERTISMENT
“All we want is to know the truth so we know who or what to blame for their deaths,” wrote journalist Jeremy Kryt. And his request was joined by the clamor of the families and the general public. The Panamanian police were under pressure and published the first suspects.
ADVERTISMENT
The first suspects
A profile analysis of the people involved in Kris and Lisanne’s case is conducted. Close associates, acquaintances, employees, and any individuals with a possible relationship or interaction with the victims are thoroughly investigated. Criminal records, possible motivations and any suspicious behavior or inconsistencies in their statements are examined. The innkeeper the girls spoke to claimed they were alone. Then a Facebook post aroused suspicion.
ADVERTISMENT
The girls had been meeting some people before the excursion.
ADVERTISMENT
Lisanne and Kris’s last breakfast
The bittersweet taste of the last breakfast wrapped up Kris and Lisanne’s cold case. The streets were filled with questions as the police questioned the entire town and its visitors, but the mystery persisted.
ADVERTISMENT
A Facebook post revealed a quiet brunch shared with two mysterious Dutchmen before their jungle adventure. However, the shadows obscured any information about these companions, leaving detectives without solid leads. The breakpoints that were intended to be found unfortunately fizzled out. The enigma persisted.
ADVERTISMENT
Search for justice
“We have to set the record straight for the sake of the victims themselves […] The Dutch women deserve to finally have their story told properly,” said local guide Plinio Montenegro.
ADVERTISMENT
Within a year of the disappearance, authorities were ready to issue a judgment. They mentioned that Kris and Lisanne perished in some kind of accident while en route. The experts’ theory is that they fell from a great height in the jungle, which is why they fractured their ankle.
ADVERTISMENT
The responsibility of the Panamanians
“When something like this happens in a small town, its inhabitants feel responsible,” said Plinio Montenegro, – one of the best guides in the area – to journalist Jeremy Kryt.
ADVERTISMENT
“Most tourists go up to the Mirador and take a few selfies. Then they go straight back down the same road to the village, […] We don’t know why the Dutch women didn’t come back down,” stated Montenegro who, in addition to being born in Boquete, led some of the search parties for Kris and Lisanne.
ADVERTISMENT
Final Judgment
Although the court decided that this was an accident, the factual reconstruction was circumstantial and not necessarily factual. In theory Lisanne was supposed to have perished in her attempt to flee the jungle, leaving Kris behind dying. The remains decomposed and washed down the Rio la culebra, inasmuch as they were scattered around the area.
ADVERTISMENT
Many claimed that the Panamanian authorities did not properly investigate the case, and only wanted to offer some kind of solution to get rid of the international tension.
ADVERTISMENT
The press goes on a rampage
Newspapers such as La Estrella de Panama published articles calling the resolution a “disaster,” that no chain of custody had been established for evidence or recovered remains.
ADVERTISMENT
Adela Coriat revealed that 30 prints found on the backpack not only remained unidentified, but that the prints of the indigenous people involved lacked any record. Other media also echoed inside and outside the Central American borders, with MCNBC and The Daily Beast being the press with the most significant data. What could they do?
ADVERTISMENT
“Ignorance or orchestrated plan?”
“Ignorance or orchestrated plan?”, so published the newspaper La estrella de Panamá to refer to the work alleging that the judge, Betzaida Pittí, had not called Criminalistics to make the exhaustive analysis that corresponded, consequently, the police work was insufficient.
ADVERTISMENT
There is no doubt that the lack of damage to the devices was indeed suspicious, and although there was some resolution to the mystery, the police did not investigate this matter. The Kremers family lawyer, Enrique Arrocha, also expressed concern about the handling of the case.
ADVERTISMENT
Jeremy Kryt and Maria Atencio take action
Since no independent media had had access to the complete case files until now, and in hopes of telling the victims’ story as accurately as possible, Jeremy Kryt and Maria Atencio traveled to Panama to follow Kris and Lisanne’s trail.
ADVERTISMENT
Their newspaper, The Daily Beast, managed to get their hands on a leaked copy of all the case files and called on a team of experts including photographers, anthropologists, indigenous guides and others to provide opinions and analysis on this case Result?
ADVERTISMENT
Jeremy Kryt’s report
The award-winning journalists recounted the case in a 3-part essay titled: “How the Lost Girls of Panama Disappeared”; “The Last Man to See the Lost Girls of Panama Alive” and “The Camera, the Jungle and the Bones”.
ADVERTISMENT
In short, everything pointed to a nonsensical chain of events. Kris and Lisanne were very close why didn’t they come back why wasn’t the last man who saw them investigated thoroughly? Were the tracks of the Indians left out of the case to cover up something disturbing?
ADVERTISMENT
Another line of inquiry
A year after the event, Marja West and Jürgen Snoeren read the research done by Jeremy Kryt in which other scenarios such as third party intervention in the disappearance are shuffled around, but was there enough information to come to a conclusion?
ADVERTISMENT
“That’s when we decided to find out on our own what had really happened,” explain the authors of the book The Mysterious Disappearance of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon in Panama. “We started by searching the Internet, where it was extremely difficult to separate fact from fiction. Then we decided to take it a step further.
ADVERTISMENT
“Kris and Lisanne might be alive.”
As their investigation progressed, they decided to contact a detective from Amsterdam who like West and Snoeren was still investigating the case on his own initiative. The expert’s conclusions stunned them.
ADVERTISMENT
“Kris and Lisanne could be alive,” stated with Dick Steffens, the expert. As if that were not enough, he added that the investigation carried out by the Panamanian authorities had too many gaps and needed to be redone. In Steffens’ opinion, the girls had fallen into trafficking networks and he believed he could free them.
ADVERTISMENT
The mysterious disappearance of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon
The detective’s statements were dismissed by the authorities and the girls’ families so Steffens decided to step aside, in fact, with the book in process, it was demonstrated that the Boquete authorities did do everything possible to rescue Kris and Lisanne, even under international scrutiny. But, the book was still in process.
ADVERTISMENT
For the book, they spoke with behavioral scientists, indigenous people, witnesses, police, lawyers, pathologists, search team members, survival specialists, forensic psychiatrists and photographic specialists.
ADVERTISMENT
When reality surpasses fiction
Originalmente Marja West and Jürgen Snoeren set out to tell Kris and Lisanne’s story with a fictional book. But as they gathered information, they realized that many of the witnesses were adapting the facts to their personal narratives rather than telling the truth, according to pressreader.
ADVERTISMENT
Although the subject matter is heartbreaking, the statements are woven into a vivid plot, with the help also of prosecutor Betzaida Pittí Cerrud to reconstruct the facts with a broad spectrum of perspectives.
ADVERTISMENT
Above all tourism
The veil of tourism shrouds the truth in darkness. Experts intertwined in the case hint at a silence imposed by the authorities for the sake of tourism, a treasure trove of revenue for Panama.
ADVERTISMENT
The image of a dangerous destination may scare off travelers, so it is more convenient to conclude that Kris and Lisanne perished in an accident. Adela Coriat, told The Daily Beast, that she regrets the actions of public authorities who are more interested in tourism than in human lives.
ADVERTISMENT
The struggle of the parents
Kris and Lisanne’s parents do not rest in their quest. Their determination and perseverance are moving testimonies of love and dedication. After all the findings, they remain steadfast in the hope of seeing their daughters again. The remains found correspond to only 2% of the body, in theory, they could still be alive.
ADVERTISMENT
As “Marja West and Jürgen Snoeren” wrote in the book “The Mysterious Disappearance of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon in Panama”, finding the girls is the north.
ADVERTISMENT
Support for Kris and Lisanne’s families
Kris and Lisanne’s families were not alone. Throughout the investigation process the press and especially youtubers and bloggers took it upon themselves to keep the case alive to find a resolution.The public? They even created a book of condolences.
ADVERTISMENT
And not only was it moral support, but they were assigned a team of victim assistance specialists to provide emotional support, counseling and resources to cope with the uncertainty and distress they are experiencing.
ADVERTISMENT
The mystery remains unfinished
The enigma persists in the dark embrace of the jungle. Since the tragic disappearance of Kris and Lisanne, scores of other tourists have succumbed to the same grim fate or have been lost without a trace. Answers elude them, while conspiracy theories intertwine in disturbing whispers. The investigators, captivated by the mystery, decide to unravel the threads again. A serial killer lurks deep in the jungle?
ADVERTISMENT
Even Panamanian authorities become embroiled in the investigation, as online groups band together in search of justice.
ADVERTISMENT
The latest developments, the documentary
In the realm of the unknown, mystery persists. No definitive answers have been yielded. Groups on the Internet continue to be tireless in their search for the truth behind these disappearances.
ADVERTISMENT
Speculations and debates continue: were they victims of a violent act or did they succumb to the whims of nature? The only certainty is that two young college girls full of life embarked on a six-week journey that took them forever. It is hoped that the documentary about Kris and Lisanne will shed light on the facts.
