The Haunting Disappearance of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon

A dream trip to Panama turns into a chilling mystery

In April 2014, the world watched in horror as two Dutch women vanished in Panama’s dense jungle. What began as an adventurous hike ended in tragedy, with more questions than answers still lingering.

A Hike Into Darkness

On April 1, 2014, Kris Kremers (21) and Lisanne Froon (22) left their host family’s home in Boquete, Panama. Dressed in shorts and tank tops, the two set out for the El Pianista trail, aiming to reach the Mirador viewpoint. They carried only a small backpack with a camera, two phones, a water bottle, and basic essentials.

Before leaving, they assured their host they’d return before dark. But they never did.

Two Young Women, One Big Dream

The girls had saved for months. This trip was a graduation gift to Lisanne and a shared goal to learn Spanish and volunteer with children. Kris, a creative cultural studies graduate, and Lisanne, an optimistic psychology student, had recently moved in together and worked at a local café in Amersfoort.

They arrived in Panama on March 15 and settled in Boquete on March 29 to begin their volunteer work.

Vanished Without a Trace

That morning, the girls hiked out with the host family’s dog. Later that evening, the dog returned alone. Concerned, the family waited until morning. When the girls still hadn’t come back, they contacted local authorities.

Search teams quickly mobilized, joined by the girls’ families who flew in from the Netherlands. Despite intense efforts, no trace of Kris or Lisanne emerged—until nearly two months later.

A Backpack and a Breakthrough

In late June, a local woman discovered a blue backpack near a riverbank. Inside were sunglasses, a water bottle, cash, Lisanne’s passport, two bras—and their phones and camera.

The phones told a chilling story. Starting just hours after the hike, the girls tried to call emergency numbers—77 times in total. None of the calls connected except one, which lasted just two seconds before cutting off. On April 6, someone repeatedly tried unlocking Kris’s phone using the wrong PIN. By April 11, both phones had gone silent.

The Photos That Haunt

The camera revealed even more disturbing clues. The first images showed a joyful hike—smiling faces, lush surroundings. Then came photos taken in pitch darkness, between 1 and 4 a.m. on April 8.

These night images showed strange scenes: belongings stacked on rocks, plastic bags and wrappers arranged oddly, mounds of dirt, and possibly a close-up of Kris’s bloodied head. In one photo, what appears to be blonde hair lies in the frame’s corner, with what some believe is blood.

One particularly eerie photo shows Kris slumped forward, her expression pained, her hands seemingly bound behind her back.

Bone-Chilling Discoveries

In the following months, search teams found more unsettling evidence. Kris’s clothes were neatly folded by a river. Later, they discovered a boot with a foot inside and a pelvic bone nearby.

Lisanne’s bones showed signs of natural decomposition. But Kris’s bones appeared unnaturally bleached. Forensic experts found no marks—no scratches, no signs of trauma or animal damage.

Only 10% of Lisanne’s bones and 5% of Kris’s were ever recovered.

Theories and Questions

Authorities considered the possibility of a tragic fall. Dutch and Panamanian investigators speculated the girls may have gotten lost and fallen from a cliff. Still, no solid evidence confirmed this theory.

Why were no photos taken between April 1 and April 8? Why did the girls not leave a message for their families? What triggered the strange burst of photos in the middle of the night? Did someone else access their phones?

A Mystery That Still Echoes

Today, no one knows exactly what happened to Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon. Their disappearance left a trail of disturbing clues but no clear answers.

Was it a terrible accident? Or did something far more sinister unfold deep in the jungle?

Their families continue to search for the truth, clinging to fragments of evidence and memories of two bright young women who set off on an adventure—and never returned.