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Finding Madeleine

Kate McCann launched a book today to help raise funds for their continuous search for Madeleine. This story still makes me very sad, my little niece was 2 when Madeleine disappeared and I remember not wanting to let her out of my sight even in the garden.

Also today, the McCanns published an open letter in a newspaper addressed to David Cameron pleading for his intervention in Madeleine’s case (he has). The Portuguese authorities closed the case after 14 months even though it is unsolved and so officially no police authority is looking for Madeleine.  I don’t have children but it is easy to imagine such despair and anguish that any effort going into finding Madeleine is only their own.  Personal and donated funds can only stretch so far, private detectives can only do so much.

There was an article in The Guardian last week in which Kate McCann recalled how during the initial investigation someone senior from the British Foreign Office in Portugal said there were several cases of Brits complaining that Portuguese men had jumped into bed with their children and that Brits in particular seemed to be targeted.  Should this knowledge not be shared more widely? If the Foreign Office website can advise where not to use local tap water to brush our teeth surely they could advise parents with young children about threats that have been documented?

Bubbly

Posted on May 13, 2011 at 9:13 am in Daily Musings & Ponderings   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL

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9 Comments to “Finding Madeleine”

    
  1. Beano
    May 13, 2011 at 1:54 pm

    Ok, here’s an Asian slant to commentary. Would an Asian couple leave their children unattended while they went out to eat and drink?

    Reply
  2. anonymous
    May 13, 2011 at 7:01 pm

    I think that’s a big unanswered question but it’s pointless to keep beating them up on that point. I’m sure the parents keep asking themselves why they left her. To sn extent they are lucky if you can call it that, that the abductors left the twins and didn’t take all three children.

    Reply
  3. Bunty
    May 15, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    Beano, this was a question being asked at a dinner I attended the other night and the outcome at this particular dinner was that Asian kids go everywhere with their parents. They will sleep in buggies, laps etc…
    This is a tragic and sad story but if there is anything it does highlight it never leave your children unattended. I feel these parents needed the “Just Say No Campaign” drummed into them too.
    As for the British Foreign Office. There is no way they would be allowed to issue warnings based on complaints. There would need to be a full investigation and trial. Once again, the most sensible thing to do is keep your children with you all the time. You do not need warnings to teach common sense.

    Reply
  4. Myla
    May 16, 2011 at 9:02 pm

    I’m not beating up the mccanns but I go on holiday with my children and friends and I could not leave them unattended for that length of time.

    And I know this is prob bad to say, but why on earth would she go jogging the next day? Eh? To clear her head?

    Reply
  5. Ash
    May 18, 2011 at 3:06 pm

    I agree most parents wouldn’t leave their children but since it’s too late for the mccanns now and they can only live with their regret I think people should stop rubbing their terrible mistake in their face. I’m glad the case is being re-opened but how helpful can it be since the crime scene was not taped off for long and she has been missing for so long?

    Reply
  6. twinklingstarr
    May 27, 2011 at 10:10 pm

    this case has had a huge amount of publicity and it makes me wonder if this is the reason why madeline hasnt been found.

    Reply
  7. Vakeel Bibi
    May 28, 2011 at 12:16 pm

    ok, i seem to be moaning about my taxes a lot lately but forgive me, the new American owners of my employer now highlight in red for me how much tax I am paying each month so it is a contant toothache.

    So here’s my gripe – why are my taxes being paid to look for some careless middle class parents’ child who has probably changed beyond recognition, unless we are going to comb the continent for children with brown patches in their eye? These parents can afford to search for their child themselves. She can sell her boring story and use the funds to look for her child.

    How many other families have had children taken away from them – I include even those poor mothers whose husbands run away with their children abroad after divorces. I would much rather that police resources were given to them because (a) they might not be able to afford the search themselves; and (b) at least the police know what they are looking for.

    Reply
  8. Bubbly
    May 30, 2011 at 8:45 am

    Vakeel Bibi your comments are valid, there are many parents who could do with support in finding their children. However, I don’t think private money can buy access to police services and crime labs and interpol networks and so on. I have never bought the services of a private detective but I am not sure if they would be given access to evidence and files that are held, would they?

    Reply
  9. Mr Q
    May 30, 2011 at 6:13 pm

    I totally agree. If you can afford it, go out and spend every penny looking for your loved one. However, I don’t believe it’s fair that money and popularity can buy you political support. What about all the families that have lost their children right here in the UK. How much support are they receiving from the Government?

    Reply
    

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