Police Funding for Madeleine McCann

I would like to think that if funding is to be made for any investigation it is made taking into account the likelihood of there being a successful outcome. Sadly I think in the case of the McCanns that hasn't been (and possibly still isn't) true. Much has been made of the local police investigations mistakes, arguably the treatment of the parents immediately after the disappearance was part of that. In this country they would have been subject to immediate investigation, there they weren't. Add to that the possibility that she wandered off, the time that has elapsed, and the reality of the situation that had she been abducted, the amount of publicity afterwards might have had terrible results for her, and the odds against a happy ending become huge. I understand that the parents will never recover from her disappearance but personally I think the money would be better used investigating things that have more hope of a solution.

Jennifer I think you are right, I did think at the time, that had the parents been supermarket workers it would have been presented differently.
However sympathetic I feel for the parents, there
Is simply no way I could leave one small child let alone three home alone whilst I went out to dinner.This doesn’t mean that time and money shouldn’t be spent on the case though, it should.Poor child.

Sorry PECS but you can’t say that without providing a link to specific cases of small British children who disappeared without trace abroad - it’s just not true

That could well have happened humptydumpty

Shortly after the disappearance we were on holiday and got chatting to a British couple who lived near the village in Portugal, and they mentioned the new road works, and open holes which were close to the apartment. They said that the holes were filled in a day or so later.

Were they thoroughly checked? We would like to think so, but as the parents were pushing the kidnapped scenario, who knows?

The fact that the parents are middle class and doctors has been mentioned as a reason for the fact that this case was and is so high profile.

I remember reading that when the story first broke, journalists had just received the basics, that a couple had left three children under the age of four alone in a holiday apartment, while they went out to dinner.

Apparently the press were going to tear them to shreds, neglectful parents etc, until they heard that the parents were both doctors.

It was then reported sympathetically.

Annie - I do understand that moving on is beyond hard and that they will never never be the same again. It is a living nightmare for them to lose a child; and worse that they do not know what happened. I just feel that every time it all gets resurrected once more, they relive those days in an acute way and the first horror is before them once more.

I do not think that the media interest is helpful to them, and importantly, their other children.

I do not think anyone will ever know what happened to that poor child and my heart goes out to her parents - but I wish the media would go away and lave them to grieve in peace. I suspect that the parents may be the instigators of the media interest at times, but I do not think it is helpful to them in their quest to lead something resembling a normal life.

Sadly I suspect she did indeed wander out, and maybe fell into one of the areas which were being dug out, and subsequently buried. A terrible tragedy, but I still felt that I couldn't have done that myself - what if she had even only woken from a nightmare to find no-one there to comfort her?

The McCann case has been strange right from the start.

I remember wondering why the parents were so convinced that Madeleine had been kidnapped, rather than, surely, the more logical explanation that she had wondered off looking for them.

After all in Kate's book she fully admitted that the previous morning to her disappearance, Madeleine had asked her parents why they hadn't come to her that night when she had woken and cried for them.

If she had woken the next night when of course they were out again having dinner with friends, the child could easily have slipped out looking for them.

After all my understanding is the patio door had been left slightly open to avoid waking the children when they periodically checked on them, so it would have been perfectly easy for M to wander out.

Alleged victims and the dead cannot be prosecuted

What children have gone missing and not been found since 2007 ?

Annie I suppose it is because the case has been ongoing for a long time now. Not from the parents perspective I understand that. Other children have gone missing and the same resources do not appear to have been put into resolving their cases. How will those parents feel? That their child is worth less than another? There is no right or wrong.. no winners certainly. Just a searingly dreadful situation. With regard to the sexual abuse cases the victims are alive and are no less deserving of a resolution to their situation than Drs McCann.

Delete urge

ab there’s just no logic from many on this thread. Eg my unanswered point that the amount spent on MM should be limited because we didn’t spend as much on BN. And because we don’t spend enough on other areas of policing, we shouldn’t spend on this rather than address this governments utter failure,urge to spend enough on any sort of policing.

If the police receive a lead that they feel in their professional judgement they should follow, are some people on here saying they should just ignore it ? Also if you do believe that sadly she may have been abducted/trafficked, who knows that one of these leads might result in one of these gangs being found and that could help prevent future abductions.

But if investigating the abduction of a missing child is a waste of resources why investigate alleged abuse allegations against the dead . No one has said these are a waste of resources.

Parents cope with the loss of children differently. The manner of the loss may also have an impact on how parents grieve or cope. When estate agent Suzy Lamplugh went missing , I know she was adult, but her family coped differently to the parent of Julie Ward , missing in Kenya, for example. Neither was right or wrong. .just different. It was clear that the media kept the McCann's tragic story going.. it caught the public interest.. probably because so many felt "there but for the grace.... " or were judgemental " I would never do that..it is their fault" attitudes. The child was lovely to look at and , rightly or wrongly, makes a difference in keeping stories 'live'.

But in answer to the OP it does rally feel disproportionate. If the money is to investigate child abduction/ trafficking generally, of which the Mc Cann child is possibly involved, then it is different than sinking that much money into one investigation.

To those saying 'but if it was your child?' what if the money spent on that cause was preventing help for my child?

Luckygirl, how can they move on ? To lose your child is hell , not knowing how the child died, if The child is dead these parents have been accused of bringing about their child’s death through neglect of accused of killing her themselves , how can a parent move on with all this.

The parents made the wrong decision so let them suffer? oh To be perfect

Grannyactivist I agree, there is not unlimited funds for the police and it is ridiculous that this amount has been spent looking for a child that is almost certainly dead. It is time to put this case to bed, and yes I know everyone will be saying I would feel differently if it was my child, however it would have been impossible for this to happen to any of my children as I would never have left them sleeping in a house while I was out having dinner. Not in this country or abroad. I am sorry for the parents but they have to accept that they made a wrong decision, which had terrible consequences, and it is absolutely ludicrous that we, as a country, are still paying for this mistake.

I do agree that the persistence of the investigations is probably at the instigation of the parents - and who can blame them? I am still left wondering if this prolongation of the investigations is really helpful to them personally; and if they might be better helped to have advice as to how best to let this go (I know - that sounds awful) and try and move on with their lives. They will never ever get over the trauma of this awful loss, but every time it is on the news again it is just another turn of the knife.

What an appalling business.

I understand Grannyactivist but bringing one child into it ? Why not the money spent on police investigating allegations against the dead ?

Sorry Riverwalk I forgot to answer your question. No, I most definitely would not have started this thread if it was my granddaughter who was missing; I would most likely be setting up a petition to raise funds.

I have every sympathy for Madeleine's family, but I am also aware that the consequence of continuing to fund this particular investigation is that there is less money available for other crimes - ones that may prevent further harm being done to child victims.

There is a whole other debate to be had about why our police are so under-funded.

As I implied in the OP, if I were Madeleine's parent I would move heaven and earth to do everything I could to find her and yes, I would lobby the government, the police and anyone else who might help me.

My question was about the effective use of limited police resources. The number of police officers in England and Wales has fallen by over 20,000 between March 2010 and March 2018. The number of police officers in England and Wales is the lowest recorded level since the early 1980s. (Full Fact) What happened to Madeleine we shall likely never know, but we do know that if £11 million were focused on crime reduction that many more little girls (and boys) might escape dreadful fates (c.f. Rotherham et al ). It is not for the McCanns to ask the police to 'stand down' the investigation, but it is, in my view, a matter for those who audit police expenditure to look at what is cost effective.

Riverwalk, my reference to GA's posts wasn't to say we shouldn't challenge people if they're usually kind. I was clumsily trying to suggest that her question wasn't posed in a way that raised historical criticisms of the family involved.

I don't support the austerity agenda. I do believe its appropriate to discuss where resources should be targeted and money spent.

When little Ben disappeared there was no internet . When little Madeline disappeared her parents were able to appeal for funds on the internet .

The press gave more publicity to the little girl’s disappearance than to the little boy’s because her parents were doctors and many of the public wanted them hanged within weeks

Exactly ab and if we limit it to very young
British children disappearing abroad are there any others? It’s hardly as though we are opening the floodgates.