[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Zee

The bungled burglary is a possibility... couple of guys casing the joint, checking out the affluent families and figuring out who lives where, monitoring their routine and then they go to the McCann apartment, prise open the window after seeing the empty bed (the one next to the window; the twins and Madeleine were further away from the window and they'd only have had a limited view, if any, of the inside) - they force their way in, Madeleine wakes up, they accidentally kill her... OR they go in through the door, walk into the room, are disturbed by Madeleine who is nearest the door, accidentally kill her and go out through the window in a panic... They carry the body off down to the beach and get rid of it, and don't steal anything because they've just accidentally killed a little girl.

There'd be more evidence of a struggle/death surely?
I'm with whoever said why on earth if a burglar was caught by a small child would they take the child with them?

They'd surely think "****" and get the fook out of there as fast as possible.