[Bigbrotherin]

Aparantly alot of portugeise press are blaming her parents for her disapperance. Because they left her alone in a ground floor apartment that wasn't locked, because of their lack of interest in the case and because they've had open patio doors. So.. are they right? wrong? or a bit of both?

Personally I don't know, I'd like to think it wasn't them. But.. who knows?

[Billy]

Apparently the police were blaming them aswell, they found blood on the wall that had been scraped off

[Bigbrotherin]

Originally posted by OfficialSuperstar
Apparently the police were blaming them aswell, they found blood on the wall that had been scraped off

Do you agree though?

[spitfire]

Originally posted by Bigbrotherin

Do you agree though?

TBH i kind of suspected that all along.I really,really hope im wrong.
Im hoping that they are terrible parents and she gets found safe and sound.

[Wasted]

If the parents were more sensible and didn't take it for granted that their children were perfectly safe, then Madeline never would have disappeared. So the parents are to blame because they left their children alone, and unsupervised. I'm not being mean, but that was a seriously idiotic thing to do. Anything could've happened, and it did.

I just hope that now, Madeline will be found safe and sound, because that's the important thing.

[sarahtheangel]

as a parent my self i would not have left my babies alone let alone a 3 year old going on 4 , what if one of the babies had choked or suddenly had a fit through a high tempreture ie: febrile convultion , they should not have left them alone . as they were offered a baby sitting service when they booked the hols . they will have to live with that quit now untill maddie is found . i just pray that she will be found safe and well . unfortuntaly we are living in a very sick society , and untll the goverments get tougher on pedophiles . ie castrate them or put them on an island away from society we will here about more and more children being abused . bt i do not belive people should be sending them hate mail if there inocent then imagine how they must feel , i just hope they are only they will no.

[Loukas]

well what they did was wrong leaving there kid but i see where there coming from...

the hotel they were staying was a good hotel and very respectful hotel

but was still wrong i dont think you shoulde't blame the parents they know they did wrong and there being punished enouf with maddie gone

but the main thing is that they find her safe and healthy.

[~Kizwiz~]

Ok, I think blaming them is not an opinion at this stage. The tourture that both parents are feeling is more that we could ever know and pointing the blame just makes its worse.

They have to live with the fact that she was left, even if they had dinner on the patio someone could have still sneeked in the front and took her.

They have lost their daughter and that is a just incomprehendable.

They have to live with that mistake and that is punishment enough

[Ruth]

To be honest, I do think they were careless in leaving the children. I can't imagine that they had anything deliberate to do with Madeleine's disappearance though. But placing blame is not going to help them now, and it's certainly not going to help that little girl - besides which they will no doubt be blaming themselves for the rest of their lives.

I truly hope that she will be found safe and sound, but sadly, I don't see it happening...I hate to say it, but I think she is probably dead.

[spacebandit]

I suspect that there are a lot of people, especially parents, who found the McCanns story "iffy" - but would never say so for fear of being attacked, as those who did raise such suspicions initially were.

Personally I found something "wrong" about them leaving their other children with babysitters, in a foreign country, near to where their sibling was "abducted" while they jetted off to rome and madrid are anywhere a foregin "leader" would be willing to meet them.

but for me the real eye-opener was the alleged sighting of the kid in Belgium - where the police even DNA tested a glass held by the child - came back negative but the police are not sure they tested the right glass -but what struck me was that whilst all the newspapers here in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, inluding Portugal, focussed on that as a real possibility while the results of the test were being waited for - the McCanns didn't exactly rush there did they ?,
rush off to see the police investigation for themselves, in fact they didn't go at all.

the only sighting of any voracity - and despite them jetting off to every other city that would have them just to shake a few hands - they show no interest at all in that sighting.

and I'm sorry but you have to ask - why ??
Would it be too cynical to suggest that - why bother going to Belgium, perhaps Rome and Madrid are much more exciting [they went there, not for a sighting - just to shake some hands] , and if you know already the sighting is false....why bother ?

I'd like to know why a proper crime scene investigation team didn't go over that room from top to bottom and collect and scrape everything that may be needed at the time.

IMO I think that the reason the room was trace checked now was after the Belgium episode, I cannot be the only one who noticed that they showed no interest in that "sighting".

I hope my suspicions turn out to be unfounded - as that is the most sad and disturbing end to a childs life imaginable, at the hands of its own parents.

I'd like to know why the finger of suspicion was pointed elsewhere without any questions- after all if your wife is murdered or goes "missing" the husband is ALWAYS considered as suspect no.1 until there is cast iron certainty of his innocence, and vice versa on the case of a murdered/"missing" husband.

Why when it comes to murdered children, or as in this case, probably murdered, do the police get a politically correct hamstringing if they dare even suggest the parents "may" be responsible ?

The police should have gone in there and collected everything if only to rule out the parents for certain instead of letting speculation fester.

In a survey of murder cases carried out in 1998 16% of murder victims were members of the murderers family and 64% where friends and acquaintances - strangers accounted for the remaining 20%.

Why were family members ruled out so conclusively in this case ?, except to appease the newspapers who did not want to run with that story.

[Sunny_01]

great post spacebandit. I have been one of those that have long felt that something just doesnt feel right about this whole mess surrounding Madeline's dissapearance.

The investigation from beginning to end has focused on someone other than the Mcanns being responsible. Why is that? Now I am not saying they are responsible I just wonder why they were never formally ruled out by means of investigation.

I could not believe that the Mcanns jetted off to meet the pope at the beginning of this nightmare. I could no sooner have left them twins after losing one child already.

As for them and responsibility, well when you look at the ariel views of where they were staying compared to where they were the night Madeline went missing it was certainly further than being in their own back garden as some have suggested. I have NEVER left my children alone on holiday. When they were toddlers they came with us on an evening in their buggies, we only went places we could take them with us.

As for the sighting in Belgium, well nothing would have kept me away from there, I would have had to go even if it meant dragging my backside all over the world, if someone thought they had spotted my missing child I would HAVE to be there. I do question why they felt it ok to leave their 3 young children in a strange country without supervision.

As a mother I do feel for them, I just dont understand them if that makes sense. I will continue to pray for the safe return of Madeline but sadly I just cant see them ever finding her, but this is one of those times I would so love to be wrong.

[xSammyx]

I don't think you can blame the parents at all about how Madeleine dissapeared that evening, although leaving Madieleine and the twins alone that night was a big mistake and the McCann's have to live with that guilt for the rest of their life.

I think it is wrong how after all the pain and guilt the McCann's have been though already, that they are now being possible blamed as the supects of Madeleine's dissapearance.

[~Kizwiz~]

Originally posted by Sunny_01

I could not believe that the Mcanns jetted off to meet the pope at the beginning of this nightmare. I could no sooner have left them twins after losing one child already.

I have to admit that I agree with you, if any of my children had been taken from me, god forbid, but you wouldnt be able to drag the others away from me. I would find comfort being near them and making sure they were safe and keep them close.

As for the sighting in Belgium, well nothing would have kept me away from there, I would have had to go even if it meant dragging my backside all over the world, if someone thought they had spotted my missing child I would HAVE to be there.

Again, I feel the same, just the thought of maybe being closer to my child would make a difference. I wouldnt be able to keep away. I understand that there are sitings everywhere BUT you wouldnt be able to stop me from going

I just hope that she is safe somwhere but sadly, I dont think she will be returned to her parents

[Emilee]

Absolutley!! Since when do you leave a 4 year old child alone with siblings younger than them, even coming to check on them every 30 mins.. anything could have happened!

[Ruth]

Let's face it - the press have given them an easy ride, because they are a respectable, middle class couple, with white collar jobs. If it was a single parent, or unemployed parents, the press would have torn them to shreds.

I never thought that the parents themselves had anything to do with disappearance of Madelaine - and I hope that they didn't, but somehow I doubt we will ever know. I do find it odd that they went jetting off to Rome to meet the Pope - sorry, but whether they are Catholic or not, there's no way I would want to leave my other two children, in their situation.

And would a single parent, or working class parents have received the same treatment? Highly unlikely.

[Sunny_01]

Thats so true Ruth, how vilified would some single parent have been had she been in this tragic position, or some not quite as high on the social scale as the Mcanns.

I think that people forget like spacebandit says so many children are victims at the hands of their own parents, so why shouldnt we discuss the possibility that they could be involved. Is it purely because of their class that they should not be investigated? is it because they look so sad they should not be investigated? do they not look the type? well I remind you all to look at many cases in the UK where parents have been involved in exactly this type of thing.

I am not for one minute saying they are involved I am just questioning why people think it couldnt possibly have been them, I just think a more thorough investigation at the very beginning might well have shed more light onto this case.

I still like I said pray for Madelines safe return home to her family.

[Billy]

I dont think seh is dead, if she was dead they would have found her by now surely

[Sunny_01]

not necessarily, they may never find a body, the longer she is gone the more likely it is she is dead. Most abductors would by now be panicking as it is still so full on in the media surrounding her, but that said abducted children have turned up after years and years so lets all hope and pray she is alive.

[InTheFade]

Originally posted by spacebandit
I suspect that there are a lot of people, especially parents, who found the McCanns story "iffy" - but would never say so for fear of being attacked, as those who did raise such suspicions initially were.

Personally I found something "wrong" about them leaving their other children with babysitters, in a foreign country, near to where their sibling was "abducted" while they jetted off to rome and madrid are anywhere a foregin "leader" would be willing to meet them.

but for me the real eye-opener was the alleged sighting of the kid in Belgium - where the police even DNA tested a glass held by the child - came back negative but the police are not sure they tested the right glass -but what struck me was that whilst all the newspapers here in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, inluding Portugal, focussed on that as a real possibility while the results of the test were being waited for - the McCanns didn't exactly rush there did they ?,
rush off to see the police investigation for themselves, in fact they didn't go at all.

the only sighting of any voracity - and despite them jetting off to every other city that would have them just to shake a few hands - they show no interest at all in that sighting.

and I'm sorry but you have to ask - why ??
Would it be too cynical to suggest that - why bother going to Belgium, perhaps Rome and Madrid are much more exciting [they went there, not for a sighting - just to shake some hands] , and if you know already the sighting is false....why bother ?

I'd like to know why a proper crime scene investigation team didn't go over that room from top to bottom and collect and scrape everything that may be needed at the time.

IMO I think that the reason the room was trace checked now was after the Belgium episode, I cannot be the only one who noticed that they showed no interest in that "sighting".

I hope my suspicions turn out to be unfounded - as that is the most sad and disturbing end to a childs life imaginable, at the hands of its own parents.

I'd like to know why the finger of suspicion was pointed elsewhere without any questions- after all if your wife is murdered or goes "missing" the husband is ALWAYS considered as suspect no.1 until there is cast iron certainty of his innocence, and vice versa on the case of a murdered/"missing" husband.

Why when it comes to murdered children, or as in this case, probably murdered, do the police get a politically correct hamstringing if they dare even suggest the parents "may" be responsible ?

The police should have gone in there and collected everything if only to rule out the parents for certain instead of letting speculation fester.

In a survey of murder cases carried out in 1998 16% of murder victims were members of the murderers family and 64% where friends and acquaintances - strangers accounted for the remaining 20%.

Why were family members ruled out so conclusively in this case ?, except to appease the newspapers who did not want to run with that story.

That's kind of what I thought about the whole thing, I think you just worded it better than I would have. Maybe it's because everyone reacts to shock in different ways but if my child was abducted, god forbid, I'd be so distraught, I'd be on the police force's case 24/7. It seems awful to make this speculation but from what I have seen of them on TV and what-not, something seems weird.

[InTheFade]

Originally posted by Ruth
Let's face it - the press have given them an easy ride, because they are a respectable, middle class couple, with white collar jobs. If it was a single parent, or unemployed parents, the press would have torn them to shreds.

I never thought that the parents themselves had anything to do with disappearance of Madelaine - and I hope that they didn't, but somehow I doubt we will ever know. I do find it odd that they went jetting off to Rome to meet the Pope - sorry, but whether they are Catholic or not, there's no way I would want to leave my other two children, in their situation.

And would a single parent, or working class parents have received the same treatment? Highly unlikely.

Definitely not. If the child of a single parent or working class parents has a simple accident and goes to A&E, health workers will speculate...

[Freddy111]

It's odd to me how the mother has done an interview for Grazia and how the parents have been jetsetting to all the nice parts of Europe to meet and greet people unrelated to the case, and that a whole specially designed site was set up in less than two days with pictures, videos, audio, and pages upon pages of content for the girl.That they have never been suspected and that they have shown little interest in the investigation. It kind of makes me suspicious as to whether this isn't their doing or a scam to make them some extra dosh (the site has raised 900 odd thousand, but what's it going towards? You cannot donate to the police? They are not paying the searchers. How do we know they are not keeping it? How do we know that once they've made a few million that she won't just magically reappear. It's just so odd how the night that they decided to leave their kids alone was in an apartment in portugal that was not locked properly and without taking up the hotel on their offer of free baby-sitting and how her siblings weren't also kidnapped. I'm not saying they did it, but it's looking more and more suspicious and the more I research it the more suspicious I grow.

[sexy_leigh]

the parents should not have left the children by themselves regardless if they were sleeping or not, some one should have been looking after them whether it's a parent or another member of the family i would NEVER leave my child/children ALONE in a foreign country even if i was in the hotel but not in the room, and to make it seem even more stupid is that there were other people on the trip too such as aunties and cousins(don't know who exactly) who could've looked after the children while the parents have a little me time, OR the parents could've used room service so it makes me wonder did they have something to do with this??? as when you look at them you don't see a shed of tear cos i know if that were my child i would be all over the place i would be crying until there's no more tears left for me to cry AND the parents are roaming across countries like noone's business they should be with their other children

yes definitely if they weren't so stingy to not put her in a nursery that was just a couple of yards down the road then she wouldn't have been abducted

[Jackie]

Originally posted by kizwiz
Ok, I think blaming them is not an opinion at this stage. The tourture that both parents are feeling is more that we could ever know and pointing the blame just makes its worse.

They have to live with the fact that she was left, even if they had dinner on the patio someone could have still sneeked in the front and took her.

They have lost their daughter and that is a just incomprehendable.

They have to live with that mistake and that is punishment enough

yes i agree no one knows what it feels like to lose a daughter we losted our daughter in a road accident she was 15 at least the mccanns have hope on their side of turning up alive.

[Sunny_01]

jackie I feel so terrible for you, it must be so hard.

I dont think that your terrible experience can be compared to that of the Mcanns though. Yours was a tragedy that could not have found you guilty in an investigation, they are still in my opinion under suspicion as no-one knows what happened to their little girl.

I think that the money raised is funding the Mcanns stay in Portugal while the search for Madeline continues, so they dont have to return to their jobs while they wait.

All these weeks down the line I would be now looking to return home and try to get some kind of normal routine established for my other 2 children who need to live a normal life also.

I hate the fact that I question their behaviour, it makes me feel judgmental which is not something I generally consider myself to be but I just cant help it. I never think I am a perfect parent but I do consider myself to have common sense and parental instincts and all of them senses and instincts would have stopped me leaving 3 young children alone while I sat and enjoyed a meal away from them. A holiday is a family thing after all.