New search for little Maddie

As Princess Catherine, I believe, is never called Kate.

Boz

Yes. We have all done this; especially on holiday.
A mistake was made, I feel, in not locking the door of the apartment. There is a theory that Maddy woke up and trotted off to get her parents and was picked up by a car driven by a cruising abductor.
Nasty to blame parents.

No, we have not! I personally don't know anyone who has ever left their young child or children alone while on holiday - either in the UK or abroad. Can you imagine the outcry if it had been some parents on benefit from a council estate? They'd had been crucified for doing that - but because it was two doctors, it's somehow OK?

Anniebach

Parents always left children in their holiday camp chalets whilst they went dancing ,

No, no, no.

Simply not true.

I don't believe for on moment that this is somehow "special treatment" for poor Madeleine, as some have been moved to suggest. It looks more like an initiative by the German police to widen the investigation into the activities of a serial sex offender who they have already imprisoned for other crimes. If Madeleine's remains are found, their focus will be to bring him to trial, to see that Justice is served, and if found guilty, to hopefully throw the key away. Some sort of closure for the McCann's would simply be a most welcome added bonus.

When Madeleine was reported missing the McCanns didn’t tell Police they were not present, Police assumed they were in the apartment, therefore the first vital hours o the search were for a child that had been sleep walking not an abduction.

They'd had been crucified for doing that

Well, I'm seeing crucifixion happening right now on this thread, and very unpleasant it is, too.

Doodledog

I'm sure that the McCanns have said that her name was Madeleine, not Maddie. Just like Denise Bulger complained when people shortened James' name to Jamie, and 'Suzy' Lamplugh's mum, who said that her daughter was always known as Susannah. It might seem like a small thing, but I think it must be really annoying for the parents to see reports about their missing/dead children where complete strangers use shortened versions of their names that the family never used. It feels very disrespectful. I'm not blaming people on here, as journalists start it, and unless we hear the parents' distress there is no way we can know, but I do wish they (the journos) would stop it.

I agree, so apologies for naming her Maddie.
However, my real name is Madalene (yes really, it just happens to be my middle name) and I chose to call myself Maddy. I genuinely thought that she was named Maddie by her family.

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.
What nasty comments are on this thread. How many of us have made mistakes when bringing up children but maybe we’ve been lucky. The time I was picking up my son from school, I was a couple of minutes late, he spotted me and tried to run into the road to me, only to be caught by the lollipop lady. The time my 2 boys opened an upstairs window that had no window lock and leaned out… I could go on and so could many other parents I’m sure. Compassion costs nothing.

Yes indeed Magsymoo.
I often think that in relation to all sorts of situations.
These parents clearly should never have left their three young children to go out to eat. Do you not all think they have paid for that mistake a thousand times over? They will be the biggest blamers of themselves.
I hope that Madeleine is found because it will bring closure and some sort of peace.

People are discussing 100s of missing children. I don’t think there are any missing four year olds we don’t know about, so that theory doesn’t stand up. The missing ones are normally much older, teenagers and older who choose to go missing. There are not 100s of missing young children. It’s all over the news when a young child goes missing.

Sarah76 What Anniebach says most certainly IS true. I know because I am mortified and ashamed to say that we did it. Our dd was an only child in the 70s. We alway took her to holiday camps so that she could have fun and interact with other children. Most people left their children in the chalets which were patrolled by staff and an announcement would be made in the function room 'Child crying in Chalet 6' or whatever.. Most familoes there did it. Terrible but true.

maddyone - what about Ben Needham? That's just one example. According to the Missing People website, more than 70,000 children go missing in the UK every year. Many of them will only be missing for a few hours or days - but for some, it is much longer, or they have not yet been found.

Kate1949

Sarah76 What Anniebach says most certainly IS true. I know because I am mortified and ashamed to say that we did it. Our dd was an only child in the 70s. We alway took her to holiday camps so that she could have fun and interact with other children. Most people left their children in the chalets which were patrolled by staff and an announcement would be made in the function room 'Child crying in Chalet 6' or whatever.. Most familoes there did it. Terrible but true.

I can remember my parents telling me that when they went to Pontin’s Holiday Camps when I was young that if you tied a white handkerchief on the outside door handle that the chalet patrols would know that there were unattended child/ren inside.

We have certainly left our young children alone in the room while staying in a hotel. Looking back, it's obvious that a similar thing could happen.

And, there was the time we let our 5 year old go on a different path in the park. We knew where that it rejoined our path a little further on. He didn't appear. We looked for a while and then talked to a park ranger who promptly jumped into his van with dh and raced round the park. They found him holding hands with a man who was going to make sure he got home safely.

MaizieD

^They'd had been crucified for doing that^

Well, I'm seeing crucifixion happening right now on this thread, and very unpleasant it is, too.

No, simply stating a fact. However you want to dress it up or excuse it, it is a fact that if the McCanns had not left their three very young children alone, Madeleine would not have gone missing. That's not crucifying anyone - it's the simple facts of the case. And it wasn't the first time they had done it either.

I agree, so apologies for naming her Maddie.
Honestly, I was not blaming people on this thread. Journalists so often use diminutives when talking about missing people - maybe in the hope of making them seem more immediate - but I do wish they wouldn't. People do start to assume that James was Jamie and so on, and I always remember his mum tearfully saying in an interview that this upset her so much as his name was James.

As for the McCanns - assuming that all the (countless) scurrilous accusations about them online are not true, and all they did was go out to eat without their children, I'm sure they would turn the clock back if they possibly could. Talk about paying the ultimate price for a mistake. The blame lies 100% with the person who took the poor child, and shaming the parents isn't going to bring her back.

Blondiescot

maddyone - what about Ben Needham? That's just one example. According to the Missing People website, more than 70,000 children go missing in the UK every year. Many of them will only be missing for a few hours or days - but for some, it is much longer, or they have not yet been found.

What about Ben Needham? Countless searches were done for him and we all knew about them. He wasn’t a child who disappeared and no one knew he’d disappeared. He’s a bad example to choose actually. Because everyone knew about him, it was widely reported.

I believe evidence was found and a confession made a few years ago. A farmer accidentally knocked him down and buried him in the field near to his grandparent’s house, as I understood it. The son admitted this after his father died. It was reported in the news.

70,000 children go missing in the UK every year? I find that extremely difficult to believe! As you say, most are found fairly soon, or they decide to return home themselves. Most missing children are much older, teenagers who choose to go missing. It’s simply not the same.

We hear about all young children who disappear in suspicious circumstances. The police let us know in order to gather evidence.

Yes, I know that, maddyone, but his mother is one record as saying she didn't get a fraction of the help the McCanns did in trying to get closure for her son. The fact still remains that many children and young people go missing every year and don't get a fraction of the publicity the McCanns do. Sadly it seems as if Madeleine is the one who paid the ultimate price for their 'mistake', if that's what you want to call it. I personally would call it something else...

maddyone

70,000 children go missing in the UK every year? I find that extremely difficult to believe! As you say, most are found fairly soon, or they decide to return home themselves. Most missing children are much older, teenagers who choose to go missing. It’s simply not the same.

We hear about all young children who disappear in suspicious circumstances. The police let us know in order to gather evidence.

I didn't just pluck that figure out of thin air, you know. The statistics are there for anyone to see. Obviously not all of those missing children will be as young as Madeleine - does that mean they are not worthy of the same amount of publicity? Even if they are older and 'choose' to go missing, does that lessen the heartache caused to their families?

And so would I Blondiescot, unpopular though that view is here.

I too have never left my children alone whist on holiday and neither have my daughter left hers. They were with us all the time even if that sometimes meant they slept in a pushchair whilst we ate a meal. If they were asleep in bed in a hotel room an adult took it in turns to be with them whilst the other adults had a drink. So no we do not all do it and as far as I am concerned it was neglect to leave three small children alone and don’t pretend that it is only less wealthy parents who are neglectful. We can all make mistakes as parents by accident , this was not accidental .

Squiffy

I feel sorry for Maddie’s siblings. Have they been able to lead a ‘normal’ life?

I've been wondering about them too, Squffy.

I never left my children alone when on holiday and never considered doing so.

However that doesn't stop me having huge sympathy for the McCanns who clearly made a mistake and have lived with the consequences ever since, as have their other children

Frankly I am astounded at the vindictive comments about "meeting celebrities", raisng money in their charity and making it a business etc etc! The assumption/implication of something untoward within this context is frankly gob smacking. Dear dear me!!

Blondiescot simply stating a fact. However you want to dress it up or excuse it, it is a fact that if the McCanns had not left their three very young children alone, Madeleine would not have gone missing. That's not crucifying anyone - it's the simple facts of the case.

I'm sorry for whatever happened to Madeleine - however, she was left unattended, something abhorrent to many adults.

The parents have certainly had some nice trips and met a few celebrities and heads of state on the backs of whatever happened.

Nice trips?