Natalee's Mom Upset Over Release

Natalee Holloway's mother calls the release from custody of the father of one of the suspects "a huge step backwards" in the investigation of Natalee's disappearance.

A judge ruled over the weekend that there was not enough evidence to hold Paul van der Sloot, 52, a high-ranking judicial official on the island whose son, Joran, was among the last people seen with 18-year-old Natalee the night she vanished. Joran is among three suspects still being detained.

"I felt like we took a huge step backwards," Beth Holloway Twitty told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm Tuesday. "I felt like we were progressing and moving in the right direction. Obviously, the interrogators have not been able to get anything out of Joran. And he seems to be only toying with the interrogators at this point.

"We were really hoping that Paul – we don't know what his involvement is. (We) don't have any idea that he does have information and can help us solve this. (But) I feel that Mr. van der Sloot has some information that can be instrumental in solving this."

Asked if she feels the van der Sloot family is hiding something, Twitty answered, "Oh, definitely."

Twitty says she doesn't think "we can believe any of (Joran's) stories. He's had so many that have unfolded over the month. How would we know which one (to believe)? There's no way."

Interrogations still offer the most promise for finding out about Natalee's fate, Twitty asserts, but authorities aren't telling the Holloway family much about the progress of their probe.

She notes that Joran has been in custody more than two weeks, "and still we have no additional information. You know … maybe they are obtaining some (information), but as far as us, the family, you know, we really do not know where we are in this investigation anymore. We do not know."

Still, "We're just really more determined now. …I want to make sure this island is turned upside down. I mean, that is a must. And it just gives me more hope day by day that we're ruling out possibilities and that Natalee is alive."