The father I can understand, being one myself. If my daughter was to be involved in something similar, it would be exceedingly hard for me accept she'd committed suicide, taking all her passengers with her. It is not outside the realm of plausibilty, that I would be in total denial and grasp at any straw trying to prove her innocence. To put it shortly, I do not expect to be acting rationally.
As far as the 'journalist' goes, however, he deserves nothing but utter contempt and ridicule.