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Madeleine McCann suspect

(197 Posts)
Lilypops Wed 03-Jun-20 23:24:08

The news tonight. A German prisoner has been linked to the disappearance of Madeleine, and is a murder suspect, I felt so upset hearing that , Her parents have always held out hope that she may be found alive after all this time.
This news if proven may bring closure they have needed but it’s just so sad.

TerriBull Thu 04-Jun-20 10:48:42

they

Rosina Thu 04-Jun-20 10:53:11

Almost the worst thing that can happen to parents is to lose a child; the absolutely worst thing is to lose a child and not know what has happened - and that has been the fate of Madeleine's parents every day since she disappeared. The mental torture of blaming yourself, as you would whatever the circumstances, and the terrible nightmares and thoughts must be never ending. I remember Genette Tate, who disappeared and her bike was found with the wheel still turning, and other children who have gone without trace. The worst cruelty that life can inflict, and my heart goes out to them whenever they are shown in the media. Madeleine's siblings will not have had a happy normal life either - let us hope that at least now they can discover what happened and perhaps have the chance to bury their child at home - but how likely is that if the depraved individual 'isn't talking'?

Lulubelle500 Thu 04-Jun-20 10:53:42

Feel very sorry for the parents. The guilt must have been unbearable all these years. Who hasn't been tempted to pop out for something while their child was sleeping? But we don't do we? I hope this whole thing might be resolved at last but I have the feeling it will remain one of those tragic mysteries...

TerriBull Thu 04-Jun-20 10:54:06

In fact I would also add, we have been in hotels where there were baby listening serices which we availed ourselves of in a few places. We were incredibly lucky our first child, he always went out like a light from a few months. We were one of the fortunate couples who got through a meal in the hotel dining room without anyone coming to tell us "your baby is awake and crying" So yes that was common practice, don't know if it still is.

Dareyouto Thu 04-Jun-20 10:54:20

I cannot get it out of my head that when Kate was made a suspect in the case and was interviewed, her only reply was ‘no comment’ all the way through. That is not the normal behaviour for an innocent person. Then, the fact that the first call Gerry made was to Gordon Brown? Kate went off to play tennis the next day? I would have been distraught to even consider doing that for a long, long, time. Maddie crying the previous night because she’d woken up and nobody to comfort her? Yet, they went out again leaving them alone?
Sorry, too many loose threads for me to believe the parent’s innocence.
Poor, poor, Maddie!

Quizzer Thu 04-Jun-20 11:00:27

The McCanns have been and are still going through a traumatic time. However I cannot forget that they left a three year old and even younger toddler twins alone in the apartment while they went out with their friends, without even a baby alarm. Anything could have happened that they would not have known about and sadly it did. They have certainly been punished for this. UK social services would have been very hard on them if they had left their children unattended. They are partly to blame for this tragedy.

Bazza Thu 04-Jun-20 11:00:38

I wonder if he has spoken to a cell mate. Madeline disappeared on my granddaughters second birthday, and I think about her on May 3rd. I would have never left my children on their own, but to have to live with that must be beyond dreadful.

Rosalyn69 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:01:58

There’s a nasty picture doing the rounds of Dom and PM intimating that the McCann news deflects from the Dom issue. I thought it was clever (but probably offensive to regular people)
I still suspect the mother for which I will probably be water boarded.

JenniferEccles Thu 04-Jun-20 11:03:22

I also was completely baffled by Kate’s refusal to answer some police questions.

Wouldn’t she want to do all she could to assist them?

I was also puzzled about why the friends’ version of events that evening didn’t tally.

Jishere Thu 04-Jun-20 11:03:35

I only hope this is closure for a couple that are filled with guilt. Some of these comments are only worthy of the bin.

Coco51 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:05:18

I agree catta5 How could educated people think it was OK to leave three young children by themselves in a strange room in a strange country? I cannot help thinking that if this was a family on benefits or a single parent they would have been prosecuted for neglect - there would have been a lot more censure, and a great deal less effort to solve the case. It was tragic for the family but a tragedy brought about by their own irresponsible behaviour

JenniferEccles Thu 04-Jun-20 11:07:25

I certainly do not accept that it was common to leave small children alone in the evenings in holiday accommodation whilst the parents went out.

I don’t know anyone who did that. We either ate early and took them with us, or used the hotel nanny service.

Oldwoman70 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:07:44

Just a thought but perhaps she refused to answer questions because she was aware the police thought she was responsible. The local police handled the whole thing very badly, allowing anyone to enter the apartment before checking for forensic evidence etc. I think they chose to try to try to blame Kate as a cover up for their own incompetence.

craftyone Thu 04-Jun-20 11:08:55

all these holier than thou, have you never made a mistake? They will die with regret, they should not be trolled. They have suffered enough, let them be

Grammaretto Thu 04-Jun-20 11:14:41

Why do so many people blame the victims in every situation, not just this one?

If anything we have been made aware about stranger danger so thank you McCanns.

Although I yearn for a more trusting innocent childhood for our DGC.

When my DC were babies, nobody ever thought about kidnap. I left them in their prams outside shops. I left them asleep outside the house. I was much more concerned that a cat might jump in the pram and suffocate them.
They walked to school by themselves from about the age of 5. Don't give me that about your being perfect parents rubbish!. angry

Back to the investigation: I can't understand why the change of the car number plates the day after she went missing wasn't clocked immediately.

Romola Thu 04-Jun-20 11:15:07

And, by the way, I think it's horrible the way that nearly all the papers are running this story all over their front pages. And it's been headline news on the BBC as well.
This is a tragic story, almost in the classical sense (fatal error leading to awful retribution) but truly it has no relevance to the urgent situation brought about by the pandemic.
With honorable exceptions, the press and media as usual pander to our worst tastes.

Framilode Thu 04-Jun-20 11:20:11

I hope that this latest news may bring an answer as to what happened to Maddie. However, I think there are still too many unanswered questions from that night. I thought then and still think now that the behaviour of the parents was strange to say the least.

Jess20 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:20:37

My son made the comment that others have made, that Maddie and her sibiling shouldn't have been left alone but I reminded him that we used to sit in our garden when he was a baby, and that was no closer in terms of distance. We didn't think anyone would steal our child and trusted the world. As babies, many of my generation were parked outside in the pram for a sleep, either in the garden or outside a shop (there are stories of Mums coming home with the shopping and only then remembering the pram is still outside the butchers) personally never gone that far and have a different style of childrearing, but it wasn't uncommon!

Annaram1 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:20:42

How can anyone possibly think that the MCanns would have been responsible for their daughter's death?
The whole idea is beyond weird. I remember people at the time even criticised Kate for wearing different tops every time she was shown on TV. And they also thought she was not looking too upset considering that her little daughter was missing.
No matter what they did after that someone was always pointing the finger. It must have been very difficult for them to see patients at work. Poor couple, poor little girl.
I just hope the German admits to doing it.

tickingbird Thu 04-Jun-20 11:24:51

I have a good friend who lives in the same village as the McCanns and has occasionally spoken to Kate and sees her driving sometimes. She said she looks haunted.

I do hope, after all the false leads, that this one brings some closure, regardless of what that means. Apart from the unbearable loss, the not knowing has been torture for them.

Jishere Thu 04-Jun-20 11:31:56

Romola did you say that about George Floyd as well when that made and with demonstrations following, headline news. News is news.

What is equally sad is how many people will and are coming out of the wood work and putting in their two pence worth in...when fingers crossed this family are getting closer to finding out what happened. Speculation! And now maybe at last they have some hard facts about this evil person responsible.

Nannan2 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:34:26

For some good news for a change- smilethe family of a boy in china who went missing when he was 2, has been found aged 29 and reunited with his family recently! And his mum still works for the organisation who helps search for missing children the world over.Apparently its a regular occurrence in China that children are taken in this way.hmm

Kandinsky Thu 04-Jun-20 11:35:47

I hope this poor family eventually find some peace & closure. xx

Gwenisgreat1 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:38:18

I agree with Grammaretto - Why did it take so long????
My heart bleeds for the parents for the suffering they have had. Now we can only hope Madeleine has been held somewhere and looked after (which I doubt), then there can be a happy ending.

Jane10 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:41:32

Either way it's not going to be good news. I was surprised to hear that the enquiry was still going on. There are bad people in this world.
I'm absolutely certain that the McCanns are not guilty. That's nasty tabloid speculation fired up by that incompetent Portuguese policeman who made such a mess of initial enquiries.