Paul and Anita van der Sloot say, “We are not hiding anything”

In an interview with CBS News Correspondent Kelly Cobiella, Anita says simply, “We want him to go on with his life.” The Van der Sloot’s claim the following: they “dream is to have their son home,” “We are not hiding anything” and their son did not harm Natalee Holloway.

(CBS) Paul and Anita van der Sloot’s dream is to have their son home.

In an exclusive interview with CBS News Correspondent Kelly Cobiella, Anita says simply, “We want him to go on with his life.”

Joran van der Sloot, 18, has been held since early June in the May 30 disappearance from Aruba of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway.

Joran hasn’t been charged, but authorities on the Dutch Caribbean island have named him a suspect in the case.

His parents say the only thing established for sure is that Joran was with Natalee the night she vanished, and they stand by his insistence that he didn’t hurt her.

Of course Joran’s parents are going to stand by their son; however, some of the statements come across as questionable when compared to some of the previous facts in the case. Paul Van der Sloot’s comment to the suspects in jail of “no body no case” is far from providing an appearance of we are not hiding anything. This coupled with the numerous and ever changing statements that Joran has told investigators hardly makes the Van der Sloot’s parents claim that they have taught their son to tell the truth rings rather hollow . Especially when Joran lied from the outset in regards to dropping Natalee Holloway off at the Holiday Inn.

Paul denies it, saying, “We are not hiding anything. We are telling the whole truth, nothing but the truth. And we’ve always told Joran to do tell the truth.”

From the beginning, Cobiella observes, Joran has been the main suspect, and the primary focus of prosecutors and the press.

Anita accuses both of following bad leads and spreading rumors, instead of looking for the truth.

The Van der Sloot’s continue on to blame the US media is proving the appearance that their son’s guilt and is upset with the Holloway’s family for attacking their son and Paul. All this while a desperate search goes on for Natalee Holloway and the Van der Sloot’s son lied from the very beginning of his story.

But she’s most upset with Holloway’s family for attacking her son and husband on television.

“I think what the family is doing is terrible,” Anita complains. “I don’t think it’s their right to do these things like this. I know they must be upset.”

The Van der Sloots have chosen to defend themselves only sporadically until now, because they blame the United States media for making their son look guilty.

However, there is one thing that the Van der Sloot’s seem to agree on with the Holloway’s:

But the Van der Sloots agree with Holloway’s family on this: The investigation was botched from the beginning, and they add that they, too, desperately want the mystery solved.

Maybe they are referring to the fact that if their son and the Kalpoe brothers were brought in and arrested for suspicion of murder and their homes and vehicles searched from the outset as they were the last ones reported with Natalee? Or maybe they are referring to the fact that the investigation was botched because their son initially lied about what transpired that fateful evening? Yes, Paul and Anita Van der Sloot the investigation was botched in the beginning. One is compelled to wonder why Joran lied? However, the real question is, who is responsible for the botched investigation and why? More importantly, where is Natalee Holloway?