Madeleine McCann - new suspect

[KatherineJaneway]

A 43-year-old German prisoner who travelled around Portugal in a camper van is now the focus of Scotland Yard's investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52914016]

I think we all agree that it was foolish for intelligent people to leave their children unattended. However, nobody deserves to lose a child and my heart goes out to the family.
I haven’t read the article but why after all this time have they got this suspect?

*JingsMah
*
How unfortunate for you. I understand that you would, if MN wasn't so likely to attack you, seeing as you raised it.

Porpentia

Interesting, poor sod. I think you're right, he had 'proof' he was a worthy bereaved parent

I really hope this is the final set of steps to a resolution for them and not another dead end.

@TheFairyCaravan

Every thread on MM brings out the nasty bastards. What do you gain from being such vile bitches? Does it make you feel better about yourselves?

I hope this new lead brings closure for Kate and Gerry. They've just said on the BBC news that the German police are treating it as a murder inquiry which is very sad but probably to be expected.

I think what is most telling about this is that the Portuguese police also believe that this is a very strong suspect and are working in conjunction with the German and British police.

As they haven't been too happy at engaging with our police force in the past, this must be a significant lead.

endofthelinefinally

I'm surprised this thread is still up.

I didn't think mn allowed MM to be discussed.

Closure is needed for those poor parents. And an end to the hateful speculation on threads like this.

endoftheline so so sorry to hear that, I can't imagine how awful that must be

Shannon Matthews’ mum did manage to squeeze out a few tears in between smirking like a halfwit and mumbling.

But he’s hardly likely to confess even if he is guilty. It will be very difficult to prove his guilt surely? I mean I’d doubt there will be any forensic evidence.
There was a lead for Katrice Lee about 6 months ago, sadly that didn’t come to anything.

Itoldyouiwasill and endofthelinefinally

I am also appalled by the thousands of people who appear to gave decided she's guilty because she didn't cry on camera. I've experienced a couple of horrendously traumatic events. It was many months before I could cry. Shannon Matthew's mum cried.

This. I worked in A&E for many years and had to break bad news to families hundreds - maybe thousands - of times. Hardly any of them behaved in the way you might expect. Most people did not cry, they were quiet and withdrawn - very like Kate McCann, in fact.

Like everyone else on this thread, I have no idea what happened to Maddie. But I do know that anyone who judges her parents on how much they cried on camera is ignorant, unimaginative and cruel.

Would you leAve "it" alone if heaven forbid it were your child.
I'd still be ripping the earth up with my bear hands.

Yep, me too. Although I always thought it strange they didn't go out looking for her initially, strangers went out searching but her parents never did

Would somebody be able to post the full text if the Telegraph article please? The one located here www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/03/madeleine-mccann-appeal-british-police-identify-german-prime/

It seems to have more details than the BBC article but I can’t access it. Please and thanks!

Regardless of what anyone thinks of the McCanns' parenting decision to leave their children in the apartment, they did not deserve what happened. Saying they brought it upon themselves is the worst kind of victim blaming. The person at fault here is the person who took the child.

It wasn't too long ago here in the UK that it was acceptable to leave children overnight in holiday apartments at camps such as Butlins where the offered a baby listening service as recently as 2005, if I remember rightly from a visit we made at the time. The baby listening service is basically you leave your children in your locked apartment, notify guest services of your contact details, and then if staff patrolling the grounds hear your child crying from inside the apartment they radio guest services who in turn contact you for you to return to the apartment. Given that the staff aren't say outside one apartment all night and are roaming, there will be times when no one is listening. Even as recently as 2017 Centre Parcs was still offering this service. It's okay to sit there and say "I would never...!" but obviously people did and it was far more commonplace at that point in time given that there were actually services dedicated to it and the parents were doing exactly the same thing a listening service does - locking the children in and checking on them periodically.

Wasn't the McCann apartment unlocked?

Plus there was a listening service offered by the complex which they declined to use.

Totally agree about the crying. When I'm most shocked and fraught, I can't cry, I get hysterical but can't cry. I usually cry very easily.

Yes Mrs Noah, that's been my experience too.

I was in Australia at the time of the Azaria Chamberlain case. Her mother was sentenced to life in prison for murder because she didn't behave the way people thought a bereaved mother should. All sorts of nonsense was being said about her.

She didn't do it. A dingo did.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Azaria_Chamberlain

I think they have some new information because this guy has been in their sights for ten years. They’re very specific about carmes and have even given out his phone numbers. I too hope so much that there will be closure. My dd was six months younger than Madeleine when she disappeared. I was haunted by her disappearance.

There is no right or wrong way to react in extremis. Not behaving in the way you would imagine someone would do in a certain situation is absolutely no indication of their innocence or guilt. To judge a parent for not crying or not saying the things you’d expect they’d say is grossly unfair.

This latest lead looks the strongest there’s been and I hope Madeleine’s family will finally know what happened to their daughter. Even if the outcome is the worst, at least they will not be in limbo which has to be the ultimate torture.

Plus there was a listening service offered by the complex which they declined to use.

Because they were doing it themselves. Why ask staff to wander past the room periodically when you can all just take it in turns to do it yourself and at least then you know the kids are getting checked on. Plus, as there was a listening service, they will have presumed there would be staff roaming around anyway checking on the rooms who had signed up for it so if anything was to happen they'd be contacted regardless.

Point is, it was not considered unacceptable to leave children in a hotel room and have them checked on at intervals.

I hope that the family can find out what happened to her. It is dreadfully sad and the not knowing must be so hard to bear.

No need for anyone to be nasty.

Boreofwhabylon, I remember that story and the film too.

@MrsNoah2020

This. I worked in A&E for many years and had to break bad news to families hundreds - maybe thousands - of times. Hardly any of them behaved in the way you might expect. Most people did not cry, they were quiet and withdrawn - very like Kate McCann, in fact

Like everyone else on this thread, I have no idea what happened to Maddie. But I do know that anyone who judges her parents on how much they cried on camera is ignorant, unimaginative and cruel

THIS. with knobs on. So true.