Holloways feud over declaring Natalee dead

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The mother of Natalee Holloway said Thursday she will challenge a petition filed by the missing Alabama teen's father to have her declared legally dead.

Beth Holloway said Thursday she will go to a probate court in Birmingham, Ala., Friday to challenge a petition for presumption of death filed in June by her ex-husband, Dave Holloway, ABC News reported.

Natalee Holloway disappeared in Aruba May 30, 2005, at the age of 17. Dave Holloway said there is no reason to believe his daughter is alive and she should be declared dead in the eyes of the law.

Beth Holloway's attorney, John Q. Kelly, called Dave Holloway's petition "inexplicable."

"Beth gave birth to and raised Natalee, and will always hope and pray for Natalee's safe return," Kelly said in a statement. "If Dave seeks closure on such a personal and sensitive matter, it should be respected, but not imposed upon Beth in such an adversarial and public manner."

"I only learned about this when I was handed the citation by a process server while addressing a large audience at a conference in Georgia," Beth Holloway said earlier this month. "I don't know what this is about, or why Dave is taking this action at this time."