Regarding “Student charged with harboring runaway” (Oct. 23): I am confused. The runaway was missing for four days. This length of time seems too short to charge a person and imprison them. Why didn’t the parents negotiate with the girl and the student better? Of course, I’m assuming they at least called the guy’s dorm before getting the police involved.

As far as the quote from Capt. Gene Deisinger, saying the student provided alcohol and marijuana to the delinquent, where is the proof of this? Is it based on the guardians’ allegations, the girl’s comments, a confession from the accused, or were the substances actually found in the room at the time of arrest?

It seems hard to prove that he provided those substances without direct evidence, or a confession of some sort.

This situation was seemingly handled inappropriately. Whether it was by the guardians, the police or the student isn’t evident. But it seems to me that the guardians are very pissed off that their girl ran away to get drunk and/or stoned with this student at Iowa State. I don’t know if things have changed since I was 16 four years ago, but crossing state lines isn’t required to possess these substances.

Andy J. Robinson

Junior

Transportation and Logistics and Principles of Management