Madeleine McCann suspect

From what I recollect over the years this is about the most serious advance in this case.

Unlike the UK and Portuguese police the Germans don't have a vested interest to solve this crime - they're neutral so to speak.

I can't imagine they would want to be involved in such a high profile case if there was no serious evidence linking him to the child's disappearance.

Owen Jones wrote an article 'Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class'. He compared the press coverage of Madeline McCann's disappearance to that of Shannon Matthews. The former was a middle class child with telegenic parents in the medical profession. Sharon was a working class girl with a dysfunctional family. 2.6 million was offered as a reward for finding Madeline. The Sun newspaper offered £20,000 for finding Shannon. It would seem that a price tag was put on the girls' lives differentiating their worth based upon their socio-economic backgrounds. The article is worth reading.

Songstrss60 I dont remember there ever being speculation about Ben Needhams grandparents having anything to do with his disappearance...despite the fact THEY were the people who were supposed to be looking after him when he went missing .Now why IS that ? Is it only cause the McCanns didn't cry all over TV and the press ? People deal with tragedy in different ways ,losing a child in any way is a tragedy,to lose one and feel guilt for the rest of your life is hell .

but it wasn’t the public that left Maddie alone. In that, Cankle, you're right, but don't you think that her parents would have regretted their decision every single day of their lives? Can you honestly say, that in all your years of parenting your own children, that you never made a decision that you later came to regret? Or were you 100% perfect, 100% of the time? Never made a poor decision? Never did looked back and thought that, if you could go back, you'd do something differently? Having read your posts, I'm struggling to believe that you're a paragon of virtue.

I was in Lagos in 2007 which is near Praia da luz 3 weeks after Madeline McCann went missing. The hotel was full of reporters and I remember the photos of her in the town and the sadness in people’s eyes. I always hoped she’d be found alive for her sake and that of her parents who must have gone through such torment during these past years.

I remember at the time reading a journalist’s account where he said at first they just had the basics of the story - couple leave three children under five alone in apartment while they go out drinking.

Apparently they thought it must be a couple living in some sink estate and were going to tear them to shreads.

They then learned that it was a middle class couple, both doctors, and they changed tack completely and reported sympathetically.

Interesting how the press can manipulate stories, and very unfair of course.

I gather the new suspect, in prison for raping a 72 year old woman, is also a convicted paedophile and has been described as a "child killer"

Chewbacca

Canklekitten your post is horrible to read and I sincerely hope that neither Maddy McCann's parents or grandparents are on this site and read it. They've had enough misery and torture to deal with over the years without being told by you that too much police time and money has been spent in looking for their child.

Really? Perhaps the McCanns should have thought first about the effect leaving the children alone on that fateful night might have.

The reality is that because the McCanns are medical professionals, they have had a comparatively easy ride.

Had Kate McCann been a single mum from Rochdale, I am sure she would have been charged in Portugal with neglect.

A lot of public money is being spent by the Met on hunting for Maddie and on that basis the public are entitled to their view.

That may be painful for the McCanns, but it wasn’t the public that left Maddie alone.

coconut I totally agree with your comments. I am saddened that so many parents feel so righteous in their condemnation of the McCanns whose suffering in continued grief combined with guilt must be so intolerable. How easy it is for some people to be judgemental when not living in another's shoes.

I don't understand how that German didn't become a suspect at the time.
And yes, the McCanns were maybe negligent in leaving the children - but what happened is so rare. I bet there have been plenty of other parents thinking, there but for the grace of God gow we.

Canklekitten to say you 'have no pity for Gerry or Kate' frightens me greatly. I cannot imagine what sort of feelings you have. To be honest I feel very sorry for you to be so lacking in compassion.

I personally think this will be another dead end. I can’t explain, but since watching a special Crimewatch report years ago, I had this strong sense that somehow the friends were involved. I think she may well still be alive, and living with a new adopted family. I’m sure this was all covered in great detail at the time, but I can’t help but feel it. It’s always good to have hope, and many prayers of course.

I always thought the little girl had died straightaway. Logic tells me that it is far easier to hide a dead body than to conceal a living child who might be recognisable even in a distant part of the world. Whether this suspect is the killer remains to be seen.

This has been a very strange sad case right from the start with much speculation about what happened to the child.

Could she have woken up, found her parents missing yet again, and gone out looking for them ?

The Portuguese police though declared Kate as a suspect for a while which shocked everybody.

Let’s hope there is an answer soon as to the fate of the poor child.

I really dont think we need to dredge up the really sad circumstances of the case. I am not a perfect parent. I make mistakes. Others make mistakes. The poor couple have lived through a nightmare situation for such a long time. It will indeed be good if( assuming Madeleine is dead which I'm sure she is) if her body could be recovered and brought home to her own village. May Maddie rest in peace and may her parents also be granted some peace of mind.

I hope that the police find the evidence that will prove this is the man, because that would at least bring closure to her parents. People who accuse her parents, well words fail me! They’re disgusting.

Canklekitten your post is horrible to read and I sincerely hope that neither Maddy McCann's parents or grandparents are on this site and read it. They've had enough misery and torture to deal with over the years without being told by you that too much police time and money has been spent in looking for their child.

But I did not leave my children by themselves when we were on holiday . We took them out to eat with us , we behaved as we would have done at home, we made appropriate arrangements for babysitters if we wanted a night out. We weren't thinking that they might be kidnapped/abducted if left by themselves but thought of all of the other things that could go wrong . that is why we don't leave little ones to their own devices,
The really sad thing is that they could have hired a baby sitter and chose not to do so.

If this man does turn out to have killed Madeleine let.’s hope he will reveal where he put her body so that at least her parents can lay her to rest

#benice

How sad that some still feel the need to bring up the fact that the poor child was left alone, who amongst us were the perfect parents, who didn’t make mistakes ? They thought she was safe, they made a mistake and the parents are paying for that everyday of their lives. My heart has always been broken over this, her poor parents, I don’t know how they’ve survived. The incompetence and vitriol from the Portuguese Police was disgusting and continued with one for years, going to Court etc These vile men who take children should never be allowed to live, they never change, it’s pure evil beyond any comprehension.

Even if Madeline were still alive she would have had such a different life to her family that she would hardly be their child. To return to the family in England would be too traumatic if she has been with another family in another country all these years. Unfortunately though I think she is not alive and was killed soon after kidnap. There was so much press attention that surely if alive would have been found.

My heart bleeds for that little girl and we will never know what she went through on the evening her parents - both well educated intelligent people, left her in that bedroom with her 2 younger siblings.
I can never forgive them for that.

I believe this is just more news pushed to the forefront of the tabloids to take our minds off other issues.

I have no pity for either Gerry or Kate and they will live with their guilt for the rest of their days.

Time softens peoples memories but if you look at some of the news footage and interviews with the parents I believe they know what happened on that fateful night. Kate always appears slightly afraid that she might say something to incriminate them and Gerry is unable to hide his arrogance.

As far as I am concerned far too much police time and money has been spent on this.

May Maddie rest in peace wherever she is

songstress that maybe true but it doesn’t make it any less tragic and it is still unsolved ironically they now know what happened to Ben.

Yes catta5 we know they left their children on their own and without a doubt many do and continue to do and not only when on holiday .