I am a bit shaky. I went to check my finances and to put some of my Bolivian cash away in my folder, and found out 200 dollars was missing.

I was sure it was still there yesterday evening, as I had taken out a hundred to get changed. So I went to talk to the owner. She was immediately convinced it was the girl, as she had been alone all morning and is the only one with access to the rooms.

The girl was protesting her innocence at first, but the owner emptied her bag and saw she had about 120 bolivianos, a huge amount for her which she could not possibly have earned. At the mention of the police she caved in and returned the 200 dollars, which was still intact, making the owner convinced the bolivianos were stolen as well.

I felt really horrible, I also felt it was partly my fault, because yesterday she was lingering in the room when I got the money out to pay for the hotel, and I remember thinking I shouldn't do it with her there.

The owner said we were going to the tourist police (we didn't, she wanted to scare her) and we stopped at the house of a friend of hers, a sollicitor. She came with us and both of them were talking to the girl, then went to decide what to do.

The girl came to plead with me, spinning a story about having children and a bad mother but it all sounded a bit fabricated. I had already asked the owner if the girl had problems at home and she didn't know of any. The owner obviously didn't believe her, said she was lying as she had new clothes and other stuff constantly and where did she get the money for them...

I understand the temptation must be great, the girl couldn't have been more than 18, and I felt for her, but it's really the owner's decision and she has decided she won't leave it at this. I understand her point of view as well, as she has a hotel to run and this is very bad publicity...

The owner was visibly shaken and she kept asking me not to tell people it was a bad hotel, the girl had only been working there a short time and she would make sure she herself was there the whole time from now on. Not sure what will happen to the girl, and I feel so bad, which is why I'm rambling on, but what could I do?