Whether the "crime scene" at the lake was fully staged, partially staged, or not staged at, all I have always felt it was the PERFECT location for them to go missing. Whether LE fell for that distraction, or whether they knew right away it was potentially staged, we don't know. We DO know that while the lake was being drained there were definitely other avenues being pursued and protocols followed - ones that had NOTHING to do with the lake.
At the time, and I'm not so sure my position has changed on this, I felt the lake dredging and draining was an ideal distraction for not only the media (to keep them occupied) but also to possibly not lead on that they did NOT believe the girls were in there, and it gave the perp the perception that LE believed they may actually have drowned.
On a side note - as far as "family being involved" with this distraction at the lake - I've also felt that IF they would have had something to do with them going missing they wouldn't have been screaming at LE that they weren't in the lake.
If the intent was to make the perception they'd drowned while they were being held/taken somewhere else, I wouldn't think the family would be doing interviews saying they hadn't ever been there, or that they would NOT go in the lake...kwim?
They would have been saying something like "we have told the girls several times they were NOT to go to the lake, but unfortunately it appears they didn't follow our instructions" Or "we have always feared this would happen, even though we've warned them multiple times to NOT come to the lake without supervision"...something along those lines.
I would think if anyone WANTED LE to think they were there, they would imply they too thought they had drowned. No?
Anyone have any thoughts on that? Maybe I've just not thought of an opposite approach on this...help me out.
I'm not suggesting they haven't been cleared - I'd simply bookmarked the discussion in case it needed updated down the road.
