· Parents nearly took children out with them
· Mother hints at offer of deal for her confession
Kate and Gerry McCann considered taking their children out to dinner with them on the night their daughter Madeleine went missing instead of leaving them alone in their Portuguese holiday apartment while they ate tapas nearby, they reveal in a documentary marking the anniversary of her disappearance.
In the two-hour programme, the couple say they talked about going to another restaurant, the Millennium, with the three-year-old and her brother and sister, but decided not to because it was a half-mile walk and they did not have a buggy.
Kate McCann also tells how she has "persecuted" herself for not questioning Madeleine more when the girl mentioned that morning that she had cried the night before in her parents' absence at the Mark Warner resort in Praia da Luz.
Madeleine, One Year On: Campaign For Change, which is on ITV1 at 8pm tonight, shows the McCanns at home in Rothley, Leicestershire, with twins Sean and Amelie, and follows them to Brussels and Washington as they campaign for an EU-wide alert system for missing children.
· Mother hints at offer of deal for her confession
Kate and Gerry McCann considered taking their children out to dinner with them on the night their daughter Madeleine went missing instead of leaving them alone in their Portuguese holiday apartment while they ate tapas nearby, they reveal in a documentary marking the anniversary of her disappearance.
In the two-hour programme, the couple say they talked about going to another restaurant, the Millennium, with the three-year-old and her brother and sister, but decided not to because it was a half-mile walk and they did not have a buggy.
Kate McCann also tells how she has "persecuted" herself for not questioning Madeleine more when the girl mentioned that morning that she had cried the night before in her parents' absence at the Mark Warner resort in Praia da Luz.
Madeleine, One Year On: Campaign For Change, which is on ITV1 at 8pm tonight, shows the McCanns at home in Rothley, Leicestershire, with twins Sean and Amelie, and follows them to Brussels and Washington as they campaign for an EU-wide alert system for missing children.
In extensive interviews Kate McCann's eyes frequently fill with tears as she recounts how she discovered Madeleine was not in her bed and imagines how she might look now, aged nearly five.
Gerry McCann describes their feelings on being made arguidos, or official suspects, in the case by Portuguese police as like being "in the middle of a horror movie" and speaks of still not knowing where Madeleine is as "purgatory".
Kate also hints openly for the first time at a deal reportedly offered to her by police if she admitted accidentally killing her daughter and staging an abduction, telling the programme she was not going to be "railroaded". She later attacks the Portuguese police and accuses them of deliberately leaking details of the investigation to smear the couple.
The couple are banned by Portuguese law from speaking openly about what happened inside the police station, but Kate McCann appears to address the issue of the reported deal, saying: "No, I'd have fought to the death, to be honest, at that point. There was no way I was going to be railroaded into something."
The programme's makers insist the couple had no editorial control. They were not paid, but a £10,000 donation was made to the Find Madeleine fund.
Much of the documentary is shot in the family home, where they are seen returning to everyday life: playing with the twins, preparing meals and hanging up washing. In one scene the couple are shown opening piles of letters, which are divided into labelled boxes. One reads "nutty", another "nasty". There is also a section for "well-wishers" and a receptacle for "psychics, visions, dreams".
Kate McCann estimates that 1% of their post is hate mail, as her husband reads out a Christmas card accusing the couple of being "thieving bastards". "Your brat is dead because of your drunken arrogance," says the writer. "Shame on you. I curse you and your family to suffer forever. Cursed Christmas ... You are scum."
"That's quite nice," Gerry McCann remarks. "Very charming."
Speaking about May 3 last year, the night Madeleine went missing, he says: "The worst thing is we kind of almost thought about not going."
His wife adds: "In fact we were all going to go up to the Millennium again that was with the kids, which is what we did the first night. It was just because the walk was so long and we didn't have a buggy and the kids were tired by that time."
Another problem was that the restaurant did not open until half an hour before the children's 7pm bedtime. With no buggy, they were forced to carry the children home between the two of them on their previous visit.
The McCanns and the seven friends they were on holiday with say they had a system of half-hourly checks on their sleeping children while they dined at the tapas restaurant in the resort each night.
"I think if there'd been one second where someone had said 'Do you think it's going to be OK?' it wouldn't have happened," Kate McCann tells the cameras.
Her husband adds: "We have to live with the fact that we weren't directly there and if we were, then, you know, possibly, probably, it wouldn't have happened."
They believe a Europe-wide alert system, modelled on the US Amber Alert, which allows television broadcasts to be interrupted and notices to be flashed on motorway screens after a child is reported missing, might have found Madeleine.
They need at least 393 MEPs to support their proposal, at which point the European Commission would consider it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/apr/30/madeleinemccann.itv
Picture taken from ITV
125 comments:
Kate and Gerry my heart goes out to you. In my opinion you did everything possible to find your daughter and continue to do so despite being let down and finding out that “they” were never actually looking for her and the errors are unforgivable unbelievable and a disgrace. Your attempt at the amber system was fantastic however the deliberate leak was rather sick. EVERYONE CAN SEE WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND CONTINUE TO DO. You are being bullied and punished because you continue to FIGHT for your daughter. You both deserve a medal for taking this abuse and I admire you both. I hope you get your miracle – your main focus throughout this nightmare your darling little Maddie who was abducted from her bed.
Mandz, I endorse your message. Well said. That doumentary should convince anyone with a sane mind. Many people seem not to have that. They are beyond repair.
Kate and Gerry I admire your strength and fortitude. It is awesome. Stay strong for Madeleine and your adorable, happy, well-loved little twins.
We know you read what is posted on the net. So I want to add my voice to those who believe in you.
Hi Tulip! Nice to see you! I’ve not seen you for a while hope all well and well said!
Kate and Gerry are aware of the blogs and I hope they see ours which supports Maddie and them 100%
Anyone with half a brain can see exactly what has been going on which is an absolute nightmare and disgrace. No one was actually looking for THEIR CHILD? Thank God they took it upon themselves to LOOK FOR HER and went high profile because if they sat back and believed the police were doing “everything” then no one would know what happened and she would be forgotten and the police would have got away with this however Thank God they took the right road.
Yes, and it is their superhuman mental strength, particularly Kate's, that will ensure some kind of positive outcome, even if it is only to expose those who have wronged them. And, of course, to get this Amber alert accepted. Their efforts here are, of course, therapeutic, but if anybody can make an impact, they can.
It is their strength that makes them the target of such venom and that exposes the snakes for what they are.
If ONLY it could be rewarded with the return of Madeleine in good health. I wish I could really believe in a scenario where that is realistically possible.
Hi All,
Tulip, nice to see you, hope you are well. Good posts this morning by you and Mandz.
I'm only popping in, just wanted to say what a truly inspirational couple Gerry & Kate are. It was a sad insight into their journey over the past 12 months.
A journey that was shamelessly hindered by the incompetence of the Portuguese Police.
If anone deserves a miracle they do.
See you all later.
Kate also hints openly for the first time at a deal reportedly offered to her by police if she admitted accidentally killing her daughter and staging an abduction, telling the programme she was not going to be "railroaded". She later attacks the Portuguese police and accuses them of deliberately leaking details of the investigation to smear the couple.
Kate the world is aware keep fighting this enemy. Look at Joana case and alleged beatings and cover up. Thank you for trying to make Europe a safer place for all our children. It looks like people are trying to stop this and one must ask WHY?
Absolutely Tulip!
Maybe they just might get their miracle? Look at Elizabeth Smart’s father who said he heard people whisper “she’s dead” or words to that effect so they just might get their miracle and they deserve one.
Kate appears one tough cookie and is fighting every step of the way for her daughter. Well done Kate and Gerry.
Spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "It's outrageous that Mr Amaral can express such an overtly prejudiced view when he is still formally a member of the Policia Judiciaria.
"This man was intimately involved in the decision to make Kate and Gerry arguidos and it is upsetting that he is now one of several police officers who seem to want to cash in on Madeleine's disappearance. Our lawyers will be reading his book in fine detail."
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Excellent I hope they take him and others to Court for trying to live off Maddie.
Morning Mandz, Tinks and Tulip,
Mandz I have calmed down a bit today re Arsamal lol!
I hope he saw my poem ah ah.
I was so glad they slated that thing with dignity, did a better job than me eh!lol.
If anyone still does not believe Kate and Gerry, they need serious help.
Hope you've all heard the good news from Rosie?
I am out all day today so see you all tonight.x
It was CHRYSTAL CLEAR from the documentary, the Mccanns never stopped cooperating with the PJ, it was the other way around.
When it finally hit home that the PJ were no longer looking for Madeleine, Kate and Gerry had no choice but to go it alone.
They have had NO information or contact with the PJ since they returned to the UK. How can they be accused of not cooperating.
What are they supposed to do, sit waiting for the PJ to call. Not on your nelly, and neither would I. Instead they have worked tirelessly to the point of exhaustion on their campaign to find their daughter.
I pray to god somewhere down the line their efforts are rewarded by the return of their beautiful daughter.
Interviewed for a documentary, Mrs Oldfield said the couple have had no direct contact with Portuguese detective Paulo Rebelo, the man heading the inquiry.
And she accused the Policia Judiciaria (PJ) of "outrageous" leaking and "double standards" over Portugal's strict secrecy laws.
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Double standards indeed….
Christabel
You’re doing better than me! Lol..
Mandz, Tulip, Tinkerbell - good morning all. Very well said and I endorse every word stated.
It's hard to believe that we are approaching a year and we're no closer to finding Madeleine.
I don't understand how anyone CANNOT support systems that may help abducted children unless of course you're a predator..... Well done, Kate and Gerry - keep up the battle.
"I think it's safe to say we're getting very little information," Mr McCann told the programme.
"We haven't had any communication in terms of what's been done in the investigation."
"We would like to know what is being done to find Madeleine.
"We'd like know who has been eliminated from the inquiry and on what grounds and what leads are still being followed.
"We've always said we want to leave no stone unturned and to do that we need to know which stones have already been overturned."
Mr McCann said he believed his daughter was still "probably alive" and he had seen "absolutely zero" evidence to suggest otherwise.
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Yes I want to know why you lot are not co-operating with the McCann’s.
What have you DONE to find this little girl..?
Hi Calcite!
Yes why would anyone want to get in the way of a Europe Amber Alert system which have proven it will save childrens lives?
Hi Tinkiebell
I just say the Sky Today thingie with Kate & Gerry. I was flicking through the news channels and there it was, I watched the whole thing.
The interviewer asked them some hard questions. Including, why wont they return for the re-enactment. Their answer was that if it were going to add something to the search for Madeleine, they would go there. You can tell they were holding something back, such what possible use would it be. They did say that they and their friends have all told the whole truth to the PJ and that the friends were all voluntarily re-interviewed and confirmed their original statements. So what can the re-enactment add. Also, what would it be used for??? The interviewer said it would be publicicised and would put Madeleine's face out there again and they just sort of looked at him. They were very diplomatic and never mentioned that there is no promise from the PJ to publicicise it, broadcast a re-enactment etc.
I felt them to be very credible and honest. They just want to find their daughter. They regret that she was left alone. They were also asked again about Madeleine saying that she had been crying but Kate said, Madeleine asked and then went straight onto something else. They just thought one of the twins had woken up and then gone back to sleep quite quickly. They said that if Madeleine hadnt been abducted, the comment that she made would never have been remembered. Now they wonder is it relevant, did someone disturb her. that is why they told the police. They were only being honest.
I thought they did very well. They are asking for anyone who had come forward previously with info to please do so again, as they are stepping up their investigation. They want to go over everything again, and try to find out what has been going on. I wonder if they have now hired a UK firm as well as M3.
And I might add, that Gerry & Kate were very diplomatic about the bungling of the PJ. About the only thing they said was they dont know what the PJ have done, who was interviewed, who has been eliminated from the investigation and why. And that as the parents, they need to know, they need to find their daughter. That was the worst really. No mention of PJ leaks etc, although the press got a mention or two.
I wish them luck. We all want Madeleine to be found. And I am very sure, not nearly as much as Gerry and Kate do.
Mrs Oldfield made a staunch defence of the couple against any suggestion they might have been involved in their daughter's disappearance.
She said: "I was there on the night - it was agonising. There was just no way that they were involved in anything to do with Madeleine's disappearance.
"Anyone with an ounce of common sense really would be able to see that they couldn't have done it."
In case you dont know, the Skynews Today segment (show ???) in UK just interviewed Gerry and Kate, it only finished 20/25 minutes ago.
that is what my post is about. Thought I better clear it up.
I unfortunately have not seen the documentary that you are talking about but if what I have seen is anything to go by, the McCanns have shown themselves to be very honest and caring people, who are going to keep looking for Madeleine for as long as it takes.
Mandz
The PJ just want to discredit the McCanns, they have no thought for the children that could benefit from the scheme (Amber Alert). Just as they have not thought for Madeleine, because if they had, they would have kept looking for her.
I have finally caught up with a few of you but I have to go. My little boy is having his first night in a big bed (we replaced his cot with a bed today) and he is not playing the game and staying in it. I have put him back in already 8 times and am about to go back upstairs for the 9th. If I stay upstairs, he doesnt get out. But he thinks I cant see him or hear him, if I am downstairs. Not too bright sometimes, my beautiful little boy.
So I am going to turn off this computer and put him back in bed, and stay up there.
By the way, it is 10:11 pm here, so he should have been asleep 2 hours ago. He loves the bed, it has a doona cover with Lightning McQueen (Cars) on it. He just cant sleep because it is different and exciting and he is now such a big boy.
So good night everyone. I will try to catch up in the morning.
Good morning, Diane. We get BBC but haven't seen anything on Madeleine, yet - perhaps tomorrow.
Exactly DianeH,
It's just so heartbreaking.
Good morning Calcite and good night.
Sorry cant stay but as you will read, I am having new bed problems.
Cheers
Teeheee Dianeh!
Good night...
Bye Calcite!
Going out for lunch!
Mandz - it should be noted that Ed Smart and one of his brothers were considered suspects in Elizabeth's disappearance. We now know without any doubts that neither Mr. Smart or his brother were involved in Elizabeth's diappearance.
Hi Diane, Mandz, Calcite and (nice) lurkers
It seems that the documentary yesterday was well worth watching. Will be able to see it tomorrow with a bit of luck.
Great to see Tulip again!
Re: Amstetten
They are now checking the door to the cellar. It weighed 300 kgs and was supposed to open after a certain period of time if Josef F didn't go down to the cellar. They are just checking if it really would have opened. It must have been quite a long period, because he was away for a month in Thailand - goodness knows after what period of time it was supposed to have opened after!
Hi Sass,
If you are interested in the truth and what has been done to help find Madeleine then it is well worth watching.
I have to laugh, one idiot over on Viles referred to it as 2 hours of theatrical brainwashing. Bit rich dont you think coming from someone that posts on a blog that does nothing but brainwash its posters.
Kate was extremely polite when she referred to them as nasty!
See you later :0)
Hiya Tinks
Nasty? Is that the word she used for them? She can't have seen Vile's then! They'd have been a few superlatives thrown in if she had.
I look at Vile's only very rarely. It is just depressing to see that people actually seem to be enjoying inventing the worst things that Madeleine could have gone through and then patting each other on the back for their gross theories. Then they run down grieving parents and say they are all doing it for Madeleine.
Just watching Tenko. I know I've mentioned this before but something that happened on it reminds me of the Vile blog. The women in Tenko were given postcards to write home and had a compulsory sentence they had to write on their cards.
On Vile's it seems to be the same.
"Hail
I would like to thank you for fighting for truth and justice"
"Hail
I would like to thank you for fighting for truth and justice"
***********************************
Are you having a laugh……?
Fighting? Apart from fighting amongst themselves who are they fighting against and what is it that they have that makes Kate and Gerry guilty of harming Maddie? I think they will find they have 0 on the McCann’s FACT.
In my opinion the police messed up right from the beginning – destroying evidence & failing to follow up leads and now try to manufacture evidence which experts are outraged about.
As for justice? They support police errors they support Maddie’s abductor/s they support anyone who “hates” this couple they support the idea of the twins being taken off their parents with bugger all evidence and they support the idea that the world should stop looking for her because they know what happened.
Mandz, The trouble is they have convinced themselves they know something when in fact they know nothing.
We are now 12 months on and none of the so called evidence has materialised. If it exists, why not put it on the table. Gerry and Kate are not stopping them, in fact they have asked time and time again to see the evidence.
Ribeiro knows they were too hasty, he knows the evidence doesnt exist because these parents are innocent. IMO, the biggest problem the PJ have, is how to get out of this monumental crater they have allowed Gonc to put them in!!
Hi Folks,
Justice! TW and her cronies wouldn't know the meaning of the word. Just read that a keyboard may have more germs than a toilet seat! TW's posters will be in good company then. Visited TWS today and I swear that the posters on there are going the same way as 2345. ROTB being the first contender IMO.
Didn't get to watch the documentary last night, out with visitors. Does anyone know whether they plan to show it again? From the great posts I have read today from you all sounds like the Mccann's are just about holding it all together despite the smear campaign by the PJ and the media. Clearly they picked on the wrong couple.
Tinks, only managed to see the extra time of the game. Bet you are gutted.
Helen -- your first paragraph he he he!!
Hiya Our 'Ell
Will send you a link Christabel sent me where we can watch it (hope your MBs aren't limited!).
I also thought on Vile's a couple more sound like they are losing the plot somewhat.
Hiya Tulip
Our 'Ell has got a way with words, hasn't she!
Hi All,
Sass they are beyond help – send in the men in white……
Mandz
Perhaps they are already writing from a place where the men in white are working!
Maybe Clarence could have a word with the care in the community teams. If the all got their jaggy bum medicine at the same time they'd be a bit more consistant in their inconsistencies:-)
Sorry if this is a repeat post. There is a rumor that posts are being deleted by the host
HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN???? SPANISH REPORTER LIFTING DATA FROM A FICTIONAL BOOK ABOUT THE MCCANNS, THEN PUBLISHING IT IN EL MUNDO NEWSPAPER, USING QUOTES FROM FICTIONAL PORTUGUESE POLICE OFFICERS
THEN THE STORY IS FED TO BRITISH AND OVERSEAS PRESS AS FACTS OF THE MADELEINE MCCANN DISAPPEARANCE.
Aníbal Malvar says that his article in "El Mundo" was misunderstood
The author of the devastating article published in "El Mundo" says there is a misunderstanding... But he apologises
The journalist that wrote an article in "El Mundo" about the PJ inspectors, namely about Gonçalo Amaral, apologises.
"It was never my intention to offend the Portuguese police or Gonçalo Amaral. If I did it, I apologise". These were the words of Aníbal Malvar to the 24 Horas yesterday.
The journalist that will be sued for what he wrote said that he tried to speak with Gonçalo Amaral to clarify any misunderstanding but was not able to.
Aníbal Malvar says he is surprised with the repercussion that his article published last Sunday is having in Portugal. "The article is a literary one and has several sarcasms and it's perhaps because of that that was misunderstood", he claims.
Malvar says that he made critics but to the British police. "What I wanted to denounce was that the PJ of Portimão could not do their work because the British colleagues did not allowed. The influences were several and at a high level", he said to 24 Horas.
"Removed by political reasons"
The Spanish journalist says that the former coordinator of Maddie's case was a person with clear ideas about the disappearance of the little girl". His conviction was that the McCanns were involved", assumes the journalist.
Malvar claims that Amaral, with whom he talked once during more than three hours in September, last year, in Algarve "was removed from the police by political reasons".
In the article it is attributed to Gonçalo Amaral the following sentence about Kate: "You did not see the mother (of Madeleine). You don't know the mother. She is cold. She is cunning. She is an actress". Gonçalo Amaral said that he is going to sue.
______________________________
Quoted by Paulo Pereira Cristovão - AUTHOR of the "A Estrela de Madeleine" (a fictional book)
“This happens for the despair of bringing something new”
ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE ANY MEASURES REGARDING EL MUNDO?
”I thought what happened to be an unbelievable thing. But there is no judicial material that can prevent and punish the silliness. I must say that what shocks me most is if the journalist had infact that conversation with Gonçalo Amaral he decided to reveal it. It is completely dishonest. It is like if I, while a police officer, had an informer and after stopping being a police officer I decided to denounce the informant. That is simply not acceptable.”
HOW DO YOU INTERPRET WHAT OCCURRED?
”We reached a determined point where there is little of new to say about this case and it seems that now everything is allowed. In the despair of bringing something innovative, situations like this one happen, especially at this phase in which everyone thinks that they have to talk about the subject and feel that they have to devise something new.”
So they are all now turning on each other! Press, police, ex-police. How edifying.
Assassin, did you enjoy your bath??
I did thanks Tulip:-) Quick 5 mins blog checking and I shall have to run to collect the little ones from Church club. It is a very good job i am a 'free spirit' [ha ha] and don't mind dashing out with my hair wet;-);-)
Hi everyone,
Have just finished watching the McCanns ITV interview.
I feel sad and very angry.
Sad because of what these people went through to start with, and anger at what these vile posters have put them through over the months.
I have never had a single doubt about their innocence ever.
All the sh*t about Kate being stressed out with the 3 kids, the twins were lovely well adjusted children and I am sure Madeleine is the same. Very mush loved and loving children, with excellent parents.
This is like a nightmare that never ends for them and they have incredible inner strength to keep them going, because they know they have to keep going for Madeleine.
My heart goes out to them and my wish is that something will happen soon to release them from the nightmare.
Tsk, nearly 12 months and no charges brought. Strange, I thought the PJ had sooo much evidence.
Cant keep it up forever PJ!!!!!
Sooner or later these secrecy laws will be lifted, who are you going to blame when it is PROVED you were too hasty!
Hi tinks,
I agree, it is an absolute bloody disgrace that they can get away with this.
They have nothing, but they have leaked so much and got themselves in a hole that they can't get out of.
Hi Joanypony
How are you doing? I haven't see the documentary - am hoping to see it tomorrow.
It is ridiculous what some people have accused the McCanns of. Bloggers/posters/people writing weird letters don't even know any of the facts and they are making up gruesome theories. Get a life, honestly!
We don't know the whole story either of course, but innocent until proven guilty (which I don't think they will be). My gut feeling says they are innocent.
Hi Joanypony,
Heartbreaking isnt it. But by christ, what strength and determination they have.
Their drive to find Madeleine is truly inspirational. You can see the pain underneath is still very raw but they are focused on one thing only and that is doing everything they can to find Madeleine.
There is no doubt they have been let down very badly by the Portuguese authorities and without doubt, there needs to be an urgent enquiry into the handling of this investigation.
I too hope if nothing else this poor family gets closure, but one thing is for sure they are not giving in and I support them more than ever.
Hi sass,
This has dragged on so long now,and the fact that the PJ have not been keeping the McCanns up to date on what is happening speaks volumes because nothing is happening they are not doing anything.
Good news for Rosie, was it a boy or girl, I laughed because she said 'It's a baby', was she exptecting a litter of puppies?!!! lol.
Hi Tinks,
The leaking of the statements that Kate made was no accident and definitely came from someone on the PJ side, done to cause damage to the McCanns Amber Alert Campaign. I have no doubt of that.
Hi Joany,
Wonderful news for Rosie isnt it.
I'm so relieved for them all. I too laughed at the announcement, you could tell she was beside herself, lol.
Tinks,
I don't know where everyone has gone.
Do you know the web address for the candles, if so could you let me have it?
Off now to make the old boy his cup of tea.
Goodnight, take care, and to sass if she is still hovering!!
Just leaving a quick congratulations and very glad all is well for 'Granny Rosie':-):):-)
Joany,
Couldnt you feel the devastation for them when those leaks came out. I could have cried for them, all that effort & preparation to achieve something positive for Madeleine and all children in Europe was overshadowed by what was obviously leaked intentionally to smear them.
As Gerry said, it was a sad indictment (spelling) of a system they have had to put up with.
Joany,
I'm not too good at posting a link but I wil have a go and leave it here for you. BTW, it was a healthy little girl :0)
Bye for now. x
Joany,
here goes:-
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng@gi=maddy
Fingers crossed its worked!
Hi Tinks,
You ok?
Hi Everyone
I just wanted to confirm what I said earlier about Kate & Gerry.
They are truly sorry for leaving the children alone, and they blame themselves for Madeleine going missing. But instead of wallowing in self pity, they are attempting to find her. They are doing everything they can and in addition are trying to make sure this doesnt happen to anymore little children.
I can see the grief and pain they are going through and this makes what they do even more remarkable. I have a lot of admiration for Kate & Gerry.
This coming anniversary must be a terrible time for them and the extended family. No one would ever have thought that 1 year down the track, Madeleine would still be missing.
I saw Martin Brunt on Skynews last night. He is working very hard to be neutral.
Two comments though.
1. He thinks the McCanns should go back and do the re-enactment, not because it will help but because by not going they will fuel the anti's. He was quite forthcoming about how the re-enactment would only be used internally and Kate & Gerry want it to result in a crime watch type of broadcast. Without saying it outright, he was imo criticising the PJ. He doesnt have to put forward what Kate & Gerry are saying.
2. Martin also doesnt think the arguido status will be lifted and he doubts the secrecy law will be lifted from this case. He used the example of the family who are trying to find what happened to their child (gone/dead ??? five years ago) and they have just been refused access to the files under the secrecy provisions.
All in all, Martin was very neutral, trying to show both sides. He does however, not have a good word to say about the PJ. He never once said that the re-enactment would be useful and also never said that the PJ have made any progress, etc etc. He also has no bad words to say about the McCanns.
He did a very good job imo. I bet though that those who watched from the alternate reality would imagine him to be anti. No, he truly is not on the side of the PJ. He better than anyone that posts on the other side, knows what the PJ did or didnt do when he was in Portugal. He also knows how the leaks originated, he has even put it in his blog. No, he is not on the anti side but he is not paid to take sides. he is paid to be neutral and report. And I think this is exactly what he did.
kate & Gerry will continue to have my support. I just wish there was more we could do to help them find Madeleine.
In case you are wondering, I leave my personal good wishes to Kate & Gerry on their website. That way, I know they get to see it.
From the Daily Telegraph
Kate McCann 'Madeleine just feels very close'
Last Updated: 12:02am BST 02/05/2008
Yesterday, the McCanns launched a new appeal to find their daughter. Richard Edwards, who spent four months in Praia da Luz, looks back on their year of torment As her parents use the first anniversary of her disappearance to promote a desperate, last-ditch attempt to find her
One year ago, I watched Kate and Gerry McCann as they stood shivering in the dark in front of the apartment in Praia da Luz from where their daughter Madeleine had disappeared.
Their anguish was so raw that it was painful to watch them. They blinked at the flashbulbs. Kate could not speak; whenever she tried, she wept. She clung on to Gerry, whose eyes were red and tear-filled as he stumbled through the statement written on a notepad, using a cycle light to read the words.
"Please, if you have Madeleine, let her come home to her mummy, daddy, brother and sister," he said.
Yesterday, the McCanns were back in front of the cameras as they embarked on what they see as the "last chance" to raise their daughter's profile again internationally.
From a hotel near Marble Arch, they gave countless media interviews to broadcasters and newspapers from all over the world to mark the anniversary of her disappearance, urging anyone who has spoken to the Portuguese police to contact them via a new hotline. In effect, with their May Day for Madeleine campaign, they were launching their own investigation.
'This is a last chance to capture a lot of information which has gone into the investigation and we are not privy to," Gerry McCann said. ''Clearly, we need to know that everything has been done. What we are asking people to do is, if you have given information to the police, Crimestoppers, the Portuguese police, we are asking you to give it to us as well."
Kate and Gerry are slick media operators now but they battle daily with the trauma of not knowing what happened on the evening of May 3, 2007. There have been almost 8,000 articles in British newspapers mentioning Madeleine's name in the past 12 months.
Detectives, reporters, commentators, politicians, the public - everyone has had an opinion, and yet there is just one incontrovertible fact: a four-year-old girl is missing.
Kate, 40, said yesterday that she "senses" that Madeleine is alive. She still looks frail and seems permanently on the verge of tears. "Madeleine just feels very close. It's more of a kind of sensation that she's there. You try to be objective and you think it is because I am her Mum and I want to believe, but it has not changed."
Gerry was as personable as ever and, as ever, more pragmatic in his comments. ''Today is about Madeleine and today is about us stating our absolute categoric belief that there's no evidence Madeleine has been seriously harmed."
He said he and his wife were taking advice from experts. ''They are saying there is a strong chance Madeleine is out there. We need to address the situation of who took her."
He added: ''People want to help. They must want to help. She's a completely innocent four-year- old girl. Surely we can find her if everyone pulls together..."
Asked again whether they felt guilty for leaving Madeleine and the twins alone that night, Kate sighed "yes" and added: "We have said the same thing over and over. We can't change it. We have to live with that."
Critics accuse them of enjoying the limelight, but Kate, last year's most photographed woman, hated it from the start and still does. While privately Gerry, 39, is approachable and chatty with reporters, Kate is shy, quiet and cannot bear the fact that while her daughter is missing, the story has focused so intently on her and her feelings.
"It is like walking a tightrope," she told me once. "I do not like talking about this publicly but you've got to put your own feelings aside. I think in my head if we can be strong, strong for Madeleine, that will help get her back."
When I interviewed Gerry last August, before he and his wife were named suspects ("arguidos") we had argued about the press coverage.
"We didn't ask for the media attention," he said then. "When we came back from the police station on day one there must have been 150 journalists there. That was without us doing anything.
"We were faced with a decision, an instantaneous decision, that we could either interact, or hide away. The gut reaction was that I did not want to face any of this. But it came back to 'What can we do to help find Madeleine?'. We chose to speak to the media, but what were our options?"
In the four months I spent in Praia da Luz last summer, I came to have the greatest respect for the way Kate and Gerry handled themselves and the media. They gave themselves totally to the campaign to find Madeleine.
I have spent enough time with them to know that any suggestion that they had any role in Madeleine's disappearance is preposterous. The emotion was too real, the pain too much. I have looked again at the interviews they gave in the first desperate days and every word they spoke then is as true now.
At first we saw little of them, hidden away in an apartment, but soon we got to know them. Gerry sought to include journalists, even describing us all as being on this journey with them. In the early days, he said he hated waking up, because it meant that there had been no call in the middle of the night telling them the good news.
"At first it was as though Madeleine had died," he told me. "It was anguish, despair, guilt, helplessness, all falling into one.
"But then you realise it is different from a death, where you can grieve and try to move on. We were thrown into an ongoing trauma, an ongoing crisis of the unknown."
The couple took strength from Kate's strong Catholic faith. She said a prayer every morning as she got up - it was sometimes the only way she could face getting out of bed. The priest at the local church taught them three words which became their mantra: "esperança, força, coragem" - "hope, strength, courage". Meanwhile they clung to their close family and to the twins, Sean and Amelie.
I think that without them it would have been so much harder to bear.
Gerry, a consultant cardiologist at a hospital in Leicester, immersed himself in the launch of a campaign to find Madeleine, so much so that it became his day job, his way of coping. He would sit in an improvised office, tapping away at a laptop and drawing charts of action plans.
His language changed, and he started to use soundbite phrases. He praised the Portuguese police despite his private fears that their initial blunders had jeopardised chances of finding Madeleine.
Kate, however, wore her heart on her sleeve. She was always more direct and less diplomatic. During a series of hoax tip-offs she demanded that the perpetrators should be found and jailed for hindering the search.
At other times, Kate McCann demonstrated an inner strength when her husband seemed to falter. During their meeting with the Pope at the Vatican in May, nerves almost overcame Gerry. Kate took over, talking in a quiet, determined manner to the Pontiff, asking him for his prayers and blessing.
She sought relief from torment through exercise, on punishing runs on the beach and up mountains. One day she was sitting on a rock looking out to sea. She said she felt like jumping in and just wanted to "swim and swim and swim", until the pain went away.
There were also lighter moments, when she would tease her husband for his constant organising and control - his "McCann" characteristics - and joke with him about the Scottish, more extrovert side of the family.
She was only truly animated when talking about Madeleine, the twins and her love for them. But always eating away at her was the guilt of not being there for her daughter. "Whenever I laugh with the twins or eat something nice, it's always there in the back of my mind - 'Madeleine would love this'," she told me.
Yesterday, Gerry said that Sean and Amelie still miss and talk about their big sister endlessly.
"They say heart-breaking things like 'I'm going to find Madeleine and bring her home'," he said. If only someone could.
• The new hotline number for anyone with information on where Madeleine might be is 0845 838 4699
We now have our own case of a missing little 3 yo boy. His father picked him up for a custody visit and didnt return him. The father and boy were seen in various outback towns (and we are talking way outback, in the desert) and the father has now been arrested in Western Australia witout the boy. The last time the boy was seen was in Coober Pedy. The father will not say where the boy is, so the police hold 'Grave fears' for his safety.
I can only hope he has given the boy to friends to hide him from his wife and hasnt done anything stupid to the boy. Initially, the press were reporting that the father had abandoned the boy in bush but I cant imagine anyone would leave their little boy to suffer a horrible death that way. No, if the boy has come to harm, the father would have made it quick and then disposed of the body in the bush. But I still hope he is being hidden around Coober Pedy. As do the police.
In some cultures, the father believes he should be given custody when a marriage breaks up, so it is possible that there are people from that culture that will assist him in hiding the child.
I hope this little boy (his name in Imran) is OK and gets back to his mother.
Hi there
A couple of people have said that there is no point in changing the story on the front until there is some real news, so this will be here for a couple of days probably.
Diane
Will put the story of Imran on the forum.
Hi Chinadoll thanks for the article. Nice to see you.
I despair over people who seem to want the Mccann's to permanently beat themselves daily, in public. They will be demanding that they wear a 'hairshirt' next. Kate Mccann's answer to the journalist when asked if they feel guilty for leaving Madeleine, reminds me very much how the 'pro's' had to similarly answer to the 'anti's' regarding the neglect issue. Just how many times do they have to say it?
Burglar Snatches Madeleine Sermon Notes.
http://skynews4.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/05/burglar-snatche.html
What lovely people they have in Luz NOT!.
What sicko would rob a priest? wonder how long it took the PJ to arrive? and look for the culprit ah ah!
Hi All,
Chinadoll thanks for that article! My heart breaks for Maddie and her family and I pray someone comes forward and tells where she is.
Bye for now..
Not more burglaries in PDL ?.
IMO, there is a lot more behind this particular theft than meets the eye!
I hope the resort warns its tourists this year of the unsavoury characters that lurk in their midst.
To the stupid people that think these latest rounds of interviews are to try and prove the McCs are innocent, you just dont get it do you.
There is one reason and one reason only, MADELEINE. The anniversary will raise massive media interest, therefore they are hoping to capitalise on it in the hope someone out there will still come forward with that vital piece of information.
This is the last time I would imagine they will have an opportunity for a global appeal and they are maximising it to its fullest and I dont blame them one iota!
Madeleine is still out there somewhere and she needs to be found. Everything else is irrelevant right now.
Tinks
Right on! This is pretty much the last chance (at least for a long time) where they can get the media interested in everything. The next chance I suppose would be her birthday, but seeing as it's so near the date she went missing, there won't be much more interest, I imagine.
Hi Sass,
Hope you are well, I'm looking forward to a lovely looong weekend ahead! forecast isnt too bad either.
How on earth can people criticise K & G for making the most of the anniversary. Instead of criticising they should be questioning the PJ as to what they are doing to find this little girl.
Its obvious they are no further forward than they were 12 months ago. IMO they should lift the McCs status and let them concentrate on doing what the PJ have failed consistently to do and that is focus on finding Madeleine.
Hiya Tinks
I have the world's shortest weekend! We had our bank holiday yesterday and this evening I was working till 21:30 and tomorrow, which is half an hour away, I am teaching from 08:00 and my whole morning is mucked up. Sunday I'll be at the dogs' home - none of that annoying free time for me!
I don't think anyone has really been looking for Madeleine for a while now. Not sure what Metodo3 is doing, but they have gone very quiet.
To anyone still around, Nite.
To the PJ, just like to remind you, we are still waiting for ALL this evidence you are supposed to have.
Who are you blaming for the delays now ???? cant wait to see what lame excuses you come up with next!
There is a report (from Portuguese press and TV) that the McCanns will be released from arguido status in two weeks.
I don't know how much this can be relied on. But for what it is worth ...
Hi Everyone
Hopefully I will be around to post tomorrow.
Sad day tomorrow one year on and the Portuguese police are still clueless.
I saw on the news today that Kate and Gerry are asking all those that have reported information to the police to contact them and given them the information again and every lead will be followed up.
Hardly what two people that have supposed to have harmed their child would do is it?
i have also had a chance to watch a little of the documentary, I notice that Kate talked about the nasty things written in blogs and forums, she is a very dignified woman, I think I would have said something a lot stronger than that!
Like perverted narrow minded dullards with sadistic tendencies.
And they call that Justice for Madeleine? Those bloody people need certifying!
Tulip thanks for that info. let's hope it is true! Don't trust newspapers, especially the Portuguese rags, but let's just hope this is true for one!
The moderators must be off tonight otherwise the last comment by What I believe should NOT be allowed to stay on. Please read the title of this blog - Justice for ALL the Family - we are not here to condemn the family.
What I Believe is that you are best going to Auntie Viv's site to make a comment as you have.
Absolutely Tinks what is their excuse now and who are they blaming it on this time…..? Funny no more leaks about (in my opinion) manufactured evidence so does that mean they can’t think up any or need more time? Perhaps they should ask the fictional writer ex police guy for a plot..? Pathetic.
Top Conservative calls for Europe-wide missing children alert
McMillan-Scott MEP calls for review of law relating to child abduction across EU
Mr McMillan-Scott, a father and grandfather, who has been campaigning for years for higher standards in child cases across Europe, said: "Each case of child abduction, whether by parents or others is a tragedy. Some are made worse by the way they are handled by countries, courts or public agencies. We also need to look at the principles of child law across Europe. The Conservative Government brought in the Children Act in 1989. This provided for independent legal representation for children among other measures, which are barely known elsewhere in the EU, let alone internationally."
McCanns' campaign needs 'political will'
Even then it has no legal force - but a European Parliament resolution would put serious political and moral pressure on the European Commission and EU governments to adopt legally-binding measures to increase the chances of finding missing children.
So far the declaration has attracted 127 names, but needs at least 393 by the end of June.
A similar initiative failed to attract sufficient signatures two years ago - but the case of Madeleine McCann is expected to tip the balance this time.
Conservative MEP and European Parliament Vice-President Edward McMillan-Scott, who helped organise the McCanns' visit to Brussels, said: "I support the McCanns completely. Out of the agony of Madeleine's disappearance they are adding the voice of their terrible experience. What is needed is political will. The Amber Alert would cost nothing but would save children's lives."
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Thank you Kate and Gerry for thinking about OUR CHILDREN and making EUROPE a safer place.
Children Deserve Protection:
But she did not drink poison or choke and how do you know the abductor/s would not have broken into the flat. There were reports of break in to MW Flats which people have said it was strange - because there was NO forced entry to the flats where they were staying in and said “they must have used KEYS”.
Any opinion on the abductor or is it just the parents as usual and oh how wonderful you are with your kids? And spare me you would never dream of doing this..
My thoughts and prayers at this time are with Maddie and her family. I hope someone comes forward and gives Kate and Gerry and Met3 the vital information they so desperately need. One can only imagine what pain they and Maddie are in and extended family.
Today must be particularly difficult for them and I hope they get the help they need to get through this day and night. This is truly a sad and emotional time and I hope something good comes out of this tragedy. My light will be on tonight for Maddie.
Hiya Mandz,
My candle will be burning brightly too.
Its nice to see some of the family have travelled out to PDL for the anniversary, I think Gerry & Kate will take some comfort that there is family out there on their behalf at this very sad time.
I have done nothing but think of them all today, I so much want their prayers to be answered.
C.D.P
I am deleting your posts. This blog supports Madeleine and ALL the family. Today of all days, please show some respect.
There is no point in people going on about the parents leaving the children etc it was a mistake it’s done and it’s now sadly a year on – no one unfortunately can change that not even the tormented parents. I would never leave my children however I will not point the finger at this heartbroken couple and it is not going to bring her back is it? I fear for Maddie and I feel terrible sick to my stomach for her however as a parent myself I sympathise for the McCanns and extended family. No one can guarantee 100% that if the parents were in she would not have been taken. Yes being in would have perhaps reduced the risk but no guarantees so no point going on about the past the future is what’s important what people are doing day in and night to find this child. Also people seem to forget the police errors and if they did their job properly them they might have found her however never a mention of this??
Mandz,
I totally agree with you. Keep blaming the parents is not going to bring Madeleine back.
People should be more interested in asking what are the PJ doing to find Madeleine.
CDP
Lowest standards in “child well being” I don’t think so dear however I fear for the child prostitutes and street children all over the world… Brazil in particular and Portugal.
Hi Tinks!
Yes Tinks when are we going to have another police force take over surely Scotland Yard has a right to take over this case? Because in Britain WE CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND WANT TO KNOW WHERE OUR GIRL IS....
Hey Mandz,
I'd dearly love this case to be taken away from the PJ and given to Scotland Yard. I believe in the best interests of Madeleine this needs to be done with immediate effect, but in reality I dont know if it is possible.
Hi Tinks
I thought we have a right if a crime is unsolved and she is British.
What a sad day Tinks. Am I in the wrong article?
Mandz,
Lets hope you are right, because Madeleine has no chance if it is left with the Keystones.
There is another article running, its just under the poem on front page which is titled one year on.
C.D.P
We do not condone children being left on their own, we have discussed this until we are blue in the face.
Today is not about that, today is about a little girl that has been missing for 12 months. There is a chance against all the odds she is still out there somewhere and she needs to be found.
Everybody should be uniting in asking what the PJ are doing about this! Right now its all about finding this child and returning her to her loving family.
Basically, I agree with a lot of the things said in this blog. I agree that the PJ should keep looking for Madeleine, and I agree in campaigning for Amber Alerts and the like.
But one thing I simply can't get past is how the issue of parental neglect is repeatedly denied or simply ignored here. The initial neglect of the children is the key to this entire tragedy. To ignore the parental neglect in this case and put all the focus on things that happened after the fact (like the police, or Amber Alerts, or the MW complex) is like pumping a patient full of chemo-therapy without stopping to investigate what caused the cancer in the first place!
Well what ARE the PJ doing about looking for her? Are they doing anything? I get the impression they have stopped completely??
CDP
My door is not locked right now and I feel safe in my own home & I always leave my bedroom window open at night as do lots of people that I know.
It was not that long ago that people left their doors open and children were left outside in prams alone unsupervised and way before that children were sent out to work however it did not mean that these people were bad parents it was accepted in our society – a cultural thing.
Who is responsible for maddie not being here well that is obvious the ABDUCTOR. Of course all children need protecting however we do not live our lives 24/7 in constant fear we do let our guard down and we do go on holiday and relax and feel safe and we are all flawed hence they made a BIG MISTAKE but as I said I feel for them.
As for the PJ ring search satisfactory standards are you having a laugh! I saw with my own eyes how close the journalist was standing at the flat door and when are they going to be made accountable for their failings and where is their code of conduct and responsibility in all of this. They could have saved a little girls life if only “they” did their job properly and acted promptly.
"They could have saved a little girls life if only “they” did their job properly and acted promptly."
- [quoting Mandz]
But Mandz, how do you know this for sure?? What makes you think they definitely would have found her?? The abductor could be anywhere - any country - anywhere!
Well Mandz, you are obviously a particular kind of person and nothing can change that. But I know older people of many different cultures (including English) that have ALWAYS locked their doors and protected their children 24/7! In fact, I remember telling my great-grandma once that I feared ghosts, and I always remember her telling me "Love, it's not the dead ones you have to watch your back for, it's the buggers that are alive!"
It's no hassle to lock a door so why not just lock it if it keeps your children safe?? Like I've mentioned before, I saw an interview with a known CHILD-KILLER once on Australian Sixty Minutes, and at one point they asked him "what, if anything, would stop you from abducting a child?". His answer was simple .. "deadlocks".
No one says it was alright what they did however as said many times what good is it going to do now that she is gone? It won’t bring her back will it? I doubt prison would even touch the surface of their pain – they have their punishment life without their daughter.
It would not be good to punish the other two children and who is going to keep searching if these two were to be put in prison and if they were then all parents who left their children should be called into this and the ones who use MW nanny listening service world wide who do this every year
Mandz,
Again I agree with you. Mark55 once said, if you leave your window open and someone comes in and commits rape, is that your fault for leaving the window open!
I along with every other poster on here does not condone child neglect or abuse. However there are varying degrees that are usually judged on every day life where in particular there is history.
Not usually when one is on holiday in a relaxed holiday environment and made a decision whether we agree or not, that they felt safe enough to dine 89 steps away.
Jesus, people have done worse and still have their children. I'm sorry I do not believe Madeleine or Kate and Gerrys punishment fits the crime. It is a complete and utter tragedy.
Now I'm going off for a cuppa because I've been drawn on the neglect issue and it just detracts away again from the fact Madeleine is still missing and what is being done to find her.
"They could have saved a little girls life if only “they” did their job properly and acted promptly."
**********************************
I don’t know this for 100% but it “could have”. Everyone knows borders wer not alerted in time or road block set up and I have watched this for myself on CNN when they police sat in their cars whilst it was raining when they should have been stopping cars.
As for locking the doors
I’m sure you do know lots of people who do lock their doors however where I live you don’t and same whilst driving in cars we never lock our car doors whilst driving however when my friend was in the USA they were horrified she did not lock her car door whilst driving but I guess that is the difference from one Country to another - same with children.
I don't actually advocate the McCanns being put in prison (although I have done in the past).
Nor do I think the twins should be taken in by social services.
I think the McCanns have learned a terrible lesson, and while I obviously don't know them personally, I doubt they'd leave the kids on their own again.
However, there are still some very important principles at stake here, and as I say, we as a society have to address the issue of child neglect above and beyond what's actually happening in this case at the moment. Again - two separate issues.
I feel the McCanns need to use the word "neglect", rather than "mistake", and I also think they owe both Madeleine AND the public an apology. The public sent in money they thought would be used to help look for Madeleine, but instead, it was used on a personal mortgage. This is not just rumour but the truth - it was confirmed by Clarence Mitchell at a press conference that made news around the world, including in Australia.
Absolutely Tinks I agree with you 100%
Mandz,
Well I know in Canada people do not lock their doors (according to the "Bowling for Columbine" documentary anyway!) and apparently, they have a very low crime rate over there.
Yes, it probably does vary from country to country. But like I say, when your child or loved one's life could be at stake why not simply lock the door to be on the safe-side?? One click of a lock - is that really so hard? We know it is preventative of serious crime and even the police (ALL over the world) tell people to do it (example; the famous cry of the British Bobby "lock it up or lose it!") so why ignore this professional advice?
Like I say - even a lioness knows to protect her den. It's instinct.
We can keep looking for Madeleine AND educate people on child safety issues. Isn't it better to try and PREVENT more tragedies, rather than ignoring what causes them??
It my opinion it was not neglect it was a mistake they made whilst on holiday and if you call on this family for neglect them call on all parents who have done the same and still do. It was not that long ago people went to caravan sites and left their children so call on them also.
No they gave money for the McCann’s to "stay" in Portugal and look for Maddie. I gave money and I do not expect a thank you my understanding was that it was to be used for them to “stay” and look for their child and paying the mortgage was fine by me and others I know. They have said and said again we let Maddie down however they do not owe the public anything in my opinion.
A poll was conducted by GMTV, that said more parents than ever were more safety conscious with there children now than they were before the mcCs made their mistake. So the message has got across!!
And while we know it to be fact they paid their mortgage, we also know it to be fact they paid it back when they were made Arguidos, end of!
Now I'm off for a while.
I don’t live my life thinking well I better not get in my car the chances of having a crash according to statistics are..?? We don’t simple live our lives like that – if we did we would be like robots and nothing would get done.
"Again I agree with you. Mark55 once said, if you leave your window open and someone comes in and commits rape, is that your fault for leaving the window open!" -[quoting Tinkerbell]
No it's not your "FAULT" in the moralistic sense Tinkerbell, but can't you see that rape is an incredibly violent, heinous, life-altering crime, and if you could have prevented this crime by simply locking a window, then it is your "fault" in the practical sense for not doing your bit to adequately protecting yourself?
If you locked all the doors and windows and turned the burglar alarm on and had a gun at your side and you STILL got raped, well then it's not your "fault" in any, possible, conceivable way. But if you are a woman on your own with no man in the house, and you leave yourself vulnerable to predators by leaving the windows wide open, then certainly you not deserve rape (nobody EVER "deserves" rape!), but certainly, you are at fault for being an air-head and incredibly naive and not doing a single thing to guard yourself and your body from this kind of violent violation!
We don't leave the oven on overnight, because we know it will burn the house down. So why leave the windows and doors open, when you know there's a damn good chance somebody may get in and hurt you or one of your loved ones??
Well that is good Tinks - at least people will think twice and perhaps I should lock my door -CDP!
We don't leave the oven on overnight, because we know it will burn the house down. So why leave the windows and doors open, when you know there's a damn good chance somebody may get in and hurt you or one of your loved ones??
***********************************
Don't we? I know people who use slow cookers when they are out of the house. Also people put on wash machines when out and dishwashers etc.
The way I look at it is this:
We put cockroach baits down to PREVENT cockroaches.
We vaccinate our children to PREVENT disease.
Predators are no different to cockroaches or to disease, so why not PREVENT them? Prevention is better than cure, and SO MUCH BETTER when a child's life is saved!
Lock windows. Lock doors, Guard your children. They are worth it. They are worth protecting from serious criminal offenses, such as rape and murder.
PREVENT. Don't wait for a tragedy to occur and THEN get on the case. What good is that?
You may pride yourself on a free and easy and relaxed lifestyle, but there people out there who pride themselves on kidnap and rape. And what's more, they are always looking for opportunities. A deadlock will halt them in their path but an open door is basically an invitation.
The horror is that even if Maddy had been found alive, she still may have been tortured or sexually interfered with. Even if the PJ DID bring her back to her mum and dad within a matter of days, she may have been permanently psychologically damaged. Now, this is still the better option to this little girl being completely gone, but still, isn't it worth trying to prevent sexual molestation of our children, even IF there is a chance the child may be eventually given back?? Isn't it better that these grubby dogs do not get their hands on a child in the first place??
This is certainly the way I see it.
I do not live in fear either. I am strong-minded and forthright. However, I am just too aware of the world to live in what I see as "Holly Hobby" land. Maybe when you are single you can do this a bit more. But when you have children, it is absolutely imperative that you are sensible and live in reality!
About the fund: my opinion is that no matter which way you look at it,
"paying off a house" sounds very different to "looking for a missing child". Whatever reason the McCanns have given, I still think they have been misleading toward the public here.
No it's not your "FAULT" in the moralistic sense Tinkerbell, but can't you see that rape is an incredibly violent, heinous, life-altering crime, and if you could have prevented this crime by simply locking a window, then it is your "fault" in the practical sense for not doing your bit to adequately protecting yourself?
***********************************
I disagree if someone wants in they will get in regardless if ones window is locked or not. It is not the person’s fault because they left a window open on “latched locked” to let air in – the person who is at FAULT is the rapist. I open my windows during the day for air to get into the house and my GAS MAN advised you should always have a window open to allow air into the room so if someone comes in then it is their FAULT not MINE.
Mandz, obviously a "slow-cooker" or a washing machine will not burn the house down!
I think you know the point I was making and you are just being silly!
Okay - would you leave a hot iron face down on the ironing board then??
Sorry Mandz, but you knew the point I was making and you are just bringing up irrelevancies for the sake of it!
About the fund: my opinion is that no matter which way you look at it,
"paying off a house" sounds very different to "looking for a missing child". Whatever reason the McCanns have given, I still think they have been misleading toward the public here.
03 May 2008 17:41
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But as you have say you look what started something which in this case (Fund) was they needed to stay in Portugal to look for their child therefore needed to use this money and they did put it back however IMO not misleading it was my understanding and others I know however if people feel so strongly then why has no one asked for THEIR money back?
"Not all parents get their child vaccinated." - Mandz
Well no Mandz, but the ones that don't just end up with very sick children!
So aren't you just proving my point that prevention is better than cure??
There's a reason that people vaccinate their children in developed nations, because prevention is better than cure. Then again, I suppose we could all stop vaccinating and bring back polio, and rickets, and life-threatening measles??
But see - now you have gotten ME discussing irrelevancies! My issues are about child-protection Mandz.
What are yours??
Leaving a wash machine on is dangerous and has CAUSED FIRES including my sister in laws along with mobile phone adaptors. Also people leave their ovens on at night at christmas time for their Turkey.
"I disagree if someone wants in they will get in regardless if ones window is locked or not. It is not the person’s fault because they left a window open on “latched locked” to let air in – the person who is at FAULT is the rapist. I open my windows during the day for air to get into the house and my GAS MAN advised you should always have a window open to allow air into the room so if someone comes in then it is their FAULT not MINE." - [Mandz]
But doesn't common sense ever come into this? I mean, let's just say you have to keep the house aired out to allow for adequate dispersal of gas fumes. Okay, so if there are other people in the house (your husband, your friends, whatever) then leave the windows on "latch-lock" like the gas man advised. However, if you are the only one in the house, then close all the windows but open the front and back doors to the house and just keep the screened doors locked. This way, the air still gets in and out (through the screened, barred doors) but nobody can get in through a hole in the wall (i.e; an open window).
What is so hard about that?? Where is the common sense??
Well no Mandz, but the ones that don't just end up with very sick children!
**************
No they don't because every other child has been vaccinated!
C.D.P
Your issues are with child protection ?, well can I suggest you take your thoughts and opinions to the appropriate authorities.
This blog is about Justice for Madeleine and ALL the family, unlike other blogs we have allowed you to debate, but enough is enough, out of respect for Gerry, Kate and Madeleine, could I please ask you to refrain from posting anymore, if you do post I will delete them.
How can you say where is the common sense when you do not know the type of house I live in? Like I said the gas man has advised that we do this which I do. I have heard many policemen say that if someone wants in they will get in and I believe that.
Lets get back to some reality!
What have the PJ done today to find Madeleine Mccann, 12 months to the day since she was taken from her bed.
Mr. Ribeiro, you KNOW the PJ were too hasty, please, do the right thing, release these parents from their status and let them concentrate on trying to find their daughter.
What are yours??
Where and what has happened to Maddie McCann…? What are the PJ doing to find her..? When will they take the McCann status away…..? Is Met3 any further forward….?
CDP
If you look back and read your posts you will see that it was YOU that brought up the subjects not me I only expanded on them..!
Well done the McCann family for going to PDL!!!! Show them!
Madeleine's Prayer
Father God, We Pray for Madeleine McCann:
Keep her safe and take away her fear and anxiety;
May your holy angels guard and protect her;
We pray that she may be reunited with those who love her;
Give hope to all her loved ones;
And hear our cry for her safe return;
We offer our prayers in the name of the Good Shepherd;
Jesus Christ, your son and our Lord. Amen
Archbishop of York
Hi Rosie,
Yes we are all wishing that Madeleine is safe and will be returned to her parents.
I was hoping the PJ would have cleared everything today because they have absolutely nothing on the McCanns.
One whole year.
How sad, I really hope this will end soon and end well.
To the McCann family: We are all thinking of you and praying for Madeleine's return.
Regards
ST
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