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just popping past and thought i would drop in and say hello. if anyone has a mo, spare a little thought for the mccann family awaiting the dna results. it occured to me that really, today will prove if that little one is alive or not. rights and wrongs aside i wouldnt want this to happen to anyone.
Dorothy: I've had the same feeling from day one. I also have the feeling that this will be the turning point. I don't want to say too much, but a lot of questions have not been asked, that now have been, or are going to be...
Apparently the Belgian DNA test is negative, it wasn't her last week. I'm holding onto the idea that even if the blood in the flat is hers, it doesn't necessarily mean she's dead. I have doubts, as I think many do, about the competence of the local police if they've had to bring in an English sniffer dog and send the results to the UK. How do they normally investigate crimes if they're having to rely on outside sources for basic forensic work on this case? The whole family are in my prayers, whatever the end result.
These crimes are local crimes investigated by local police.
Why not have instant Euro wide alert, TV, Airports,all points of departure, etc?
It is sometimes days/weeks before this happens.
The parents in this case did their best to make this happen but it may have been too late[assuming she was taken away alive - though, often the worst happens within a few hours, a few hundred yards away. I hope this is not the case.]
One cant help feeling that the parents are being bullish and positive to shut out other negative thoughts. What else could they do? It must be desperate when this happens.
There have been so many questions raised in this case that I wouldn't know where to begin to look for the truth. What I have seen is the huge difference between the British press reports and the ones here which tend to echo the Portugese viewpoint. I can't help but think that there's a head-on collison on its way which won't help find that poor girl.
To be honest, I don't think we should slam the Portuguese police too much. For two simple reasons.
1. The Portuguese love their children to the point of doting on them. In fact they can be horribly spoilt so crimes against children are very rare. There was only one cruelty case in the past
2. Thereby, the police are unfamiliar with such crimes.
How I know about this, is because I spent nearly three years in Portugal when my father was the Naval and Air Attache in Lisbon. Ah, not a lot of people on Talkback know that do they?
Looks like this case is going to run and run and never really be cleared up, similar to the case of Billy-Jo and foster-father Sion Jenkins.
At the risk of being beaten to death myself for daring to say this, but I am increasingly asking myself why *this* little girl's disappearance totally dominates the news all the time, while there are many (thousands? millions?) of other children suffering, missing, abused and dying, all over the world. Doesn't the welfare of any other child matter any more?
Helena
(anticipating a thousand sticks about to beat her to a pulp, but exercising her right to an opinion, nevertheless).
No, Helen, no sticks, no pulp. You`re perfectly right about all the other poor kids on this earth, but this particular one has a name and a face and we can identify with her. The others are mostly nameless and faceless...
As a Brit I feel particularly sad about the poor little African kids being sent over to the UK and suffering indescribable things in a "civilised" country, i.e witchcraft rituals and such...
I read an article here, Helena, that asked the same question in the light of similar recent disappearances in the Canaries and elsewhere. The conclusions (as I remember) were that the girl is blond and attractive, the UK tabloid circus got behind it, there's a 'national' element (ie will the Portugese find British girl?) and the parents have worked hard for publicity to help find her.
I've just found a press cutting in my writing file from 1999 that says there are 2000 disappearances a year in Spain.
i read in a quality newspaper that many people think the parents were involved. It's hard to say, but there is one thing I don't understand. Why did they leave the apartment unlocked? It does seem rather odd.
I don't understand why they left three children under the age of three alone at all.
That's all I'm saying. If people knew what I really think, I would probably be bludgeoned to death. Sadly, with these news stories I have a knack of being spot on.
I suppose it could be that they felt that Portugal is a really safe place where you can leave doors unlocked and leave little kids alone. But this has to be tempered with the fact that the McCanns are highly-educated people.
If it turns out that they killed her I for one would not be shocked, although I would be extremely puzzled as to what a sweet little girl could do to deserve that, so I don't think they did.
Whatever happens, one of the Talkback members, Terry, will say it it women's fault. Puzzled? See the thread "Proof Reader Required".
Highly educated doesnt equate to having common sense, though. And Im sure they regret leaving the children now.
I dont think they could have predicted that she would be abducted. It would have been more likely that she might wake up frightened, or have an accident.
Surely its unlikely the blood is Maddys? If she had been killed in the apartment, I dont think there would be any need for blood, as she was so small and helpless.
I would love to know what you think, Stirling. I think your ideas would be very interesting. After all, we are all writers, or aspiring writers, and this is a mystery story. I have been having my own dark thoughts about this case, and some of the comments in newspapers have helped to confirm them.
My thoughts are the same as Helena. Although I'm not quite sure whether it has been accidental or deliberate.
You don't have to try hard to get a blood splatter (crime writer with a lot of books on forensics). Could have just been an accident which has gotten blown out of all proportion.
I don't think for a moment they did it. Remember that little girl who was snatched from a bath recently, but thankfully not murdered.
She turned up, but if she hadn't, no doubt the parents would have been suspected there. After all, who would enter a strange home and snatch a child from under everyone's nose? But someone did.
To me, it seems cruel to speculate as though it were a crime novel. Certainly, if it were a novel, a parent would have done it. However, this is real life.
I have to say that I find it dissbeliving that they left their children alone at such a young age. Yes, we are all entitled to our opinions, that is mine, but I pray with all my heart she remains unharmed.
I, too, am amazed that parents ever leave chidren alone.
I would be unable to relax or sit still knowing that my children were alone.
Some people are obviously able to do this. I dont understand how or why. Either they are too trusting, or their is a hardness in them which I lack. I dont subscribe to the view that parents are ENTITLED to relax and enjoy themselves and not be ruled by the needs of children. If you have children you must always put their needs/safety first. How can you not?
Parents and near relatives/friends are always suspected. I think, too, that it was only a matter of time before this issue was raised. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Let us hope it ends well. Children are very resilient. If she is with some one else, not withstanding abuse, she will adjust.
My daughter told me this morning that the police have named the parents as suspects only because they can ask more penetrating questions than if they were just witnesses. Nothing has been proved yet, so, be careful what you say! They are already suing one paper ...
Hi, I don't think they're on this group so I'm not too bothered abuot being sued! They seem to be a little quick to threaten to sue people considering that they have allegedly lost their daughter. I've always thought the way they've been behaving was rather odd. Their psychology doesn't work.
There are so many questions unanswered about this.
I just can't understand how these two could have killed their little girl and then go travelling around the world looking for her (and a visit to the Pope) I really hope that all this is found to be untrue and that Madeleine is still alive somewhere.
It has been highlighted many times before about how many children go missing in European countries,and it must be considered posible that some of them have been removed by organised abductors.
Because of the Portugese legal system, the secrecy is making the situation worse.
Unfortunately, when murders take place in this country it seems that the family, partner is always considered the prime suspect. So perhaps the Portugese are no different.
i hope against hope and pray that the poor little
girl is still alive and the parents will be shown to be guiltfree. I can't imagine that they would have given her a sedative, which was too strong and caused her death but, if they're guilty, it would probably be the only explanation.
There are so many obvious reasons for not leaving children unattended. They might feel ill. They might wake up and be frightened - especially when they're not at home - if their parents don't respond to their calls.
Parents or a responsible adult should always be within earshot.
Presumably responsible childcare isn't taught at medical schools.
I can't wait for the time (I hope I'm around to see it) when detection of crimes can point to a perpertrator without a shred of doubt. We saw this with the Chamberlain/dingo case in Australia and again in America with Jon-Benet Ramsay - when clues go cold the authorities eventually turn their attention to the parents. Surely they should have crossed those bridges in the first few hours and days?
Comments
Dorothy: I've had the same feeling from day one. I also have the feeling that this will be the turning point. I don't want to say too much, but a lot of questions have not been asked, that now have been, or are going to be...
Why not have instant Euro wide alert, TV, Airports,all points of departure, etc?
It is sometimes days/weeks before this happens.
The parents in this case did their best to make this happen but it may have been too late[assuming she was taken away alive - though, often the worst happens within a few hours, a few hundred yards away. I hope this is not the case.]
One cant help feeling that the parents are being bullish and positive to shut out other negative thoughts. What else could they do? It must be desperate when this happens.
1. The Portuguese love their children to the point of doting on them. In fact they can be horribly spoilt so crimes against children are very rare. There was only one cruelty case in the past
2. Thereby, the police are unfamiliar with such crimes.
How I know about this, is because I spent nearly three years in Portugal when my father was the Naval and Air Attache in Lisbon. Ah, not a lot of people on Talkback know that do they?
At the risk of being beaten to death myself for daring to say this, but I am increasingly asking myself why *this* little girl's disappearance totally dominates the news all the time, while there are many (thousands? millions?) of other children suffering, missing, abused and dying, all over the world. Doesn't the welfare of any other child matter any more?
Helena
(anticipating a thousand sticks about to beat her to a pulp, but exercising her right to an opinion, nevertheless).
As a Brit I feel particularly sad about the poor little African kids being sent over to the UK and suffering indescribable things in a "civilised" country, i.e witchcraft rituals and such...
Eeek- I am displacing again! Unplug that router someone, please!
I've just found a press cutting in my writing file from 1999 that says there are 2000 disappearances a year in Spain.
What a sad world we live in.
"For the UK as a whole, over 77,000 children go missing every year."
That's all I'm saying. If people knew what I really think, I would probably be bludgeoned to death. Sadly, with these news stories I have a knack of being spot on.
If it turns out that they killed her I for one would not be shocked, although I would be extremely puzzled as to what a sweet little girl could do to deserve that, so I don't think they did.
Whatever happens, one of the Talkback members, Terry, will say it it women's fault. Puzzled? See the thread "Proof Reader Required".
I dont think they could have predicted that she would be abducted. It would have been more likely that she might wake up frightened, or have an accident.
Surely its unlikely the blood is Maddys? If she had been killed in the apartment, I dont think there would be any need for blood, as she was so small and helpless.
You don't have to try hard to get a blood splatter (crime writer with a lot of books on forensics). Could have just been an accident which has gotten blown out of all proportion.
She turned up, but if she hadn't, no doubt the parents would have been suspected there. After all, who would enter a strange home and snatch a child from under everyone's nose? But someone did.
To me, it seems cruel to speculate as though it were a crime novel. Certainly, if it were a novel, a parent would have done it. However, this is real life.
I would be unable to relax or sit still knowing that my children were alone.
Some people are obviously able to do this. I dont understand how or why. Either they are too trusting, or their is a hardness in them which I lack. I dont subscribe to the view that parents are ENTITLED to relax and enjoy themselves and not be ruled by the needs of children. If you have children you must always put their needs/safety first. How can you not?
Parents and near relatives/friends are always suspected. I think, too, that it was only a matter of time before this issue was raised. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Let us hope it ends well. Children are very resilient. If she is with some one else, not withstanding abuse, she will adjust.
I just can't understand how these two could have killed their little girl and then go travelling around the world looking for her (and a visit to the Pope) I really hope that all this is found to be untrue and that Madeleine is still alive somewhere.
Because of the Portugese legal system, the secrecy is making the situation worse.
Unfortunately, when murders take place in this country it seems that the family, partner is always considered the prime suspect. So perhaps the Portugese are no different.
girl is still alive and the parents will be shown to be guiltfree. I can't imagine that they would have given her a sedative, which was too strong and caused her death but, if they're guilty, it would probably be the only explanation.
Parents or a responsible adult should always be within earshot.
Presumably responsible childcare isn't taught at medical schools.
Can you imagine how awful it must have been for them to return to their home and the bedroom of their missing child?