A thread to discuss DEVELOPMENTS regarding Maddie McCann

[jampot]

We can discuss parenting styles in a few weeks

homemama, I don't like the 'true crime' site. The author is not a journalist, just a joe-public blogger (see his profile here with a seemingly unhealthy (but who am I to say) interest in crime. But the info did seem relevant to the discussion here of Madeleine's name.

Though I think it's getting way off-topic.

Oh I wasn't blaming you, Franch. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I was just thinking that although it's a public forum (F.R), it's still intended for his friends IYKWIM, rather than the general public.
Imagine if someone had posted on here about uncertainty over a pregnancy scan or whatever, then 3 years later, something happened to that child. Would the world really need to know that the mother had had doubts over continuing with the pregnancy?
I know it happens. I just think it's one intrusion too far, that's all.

PLEASE,PLEAE,PLEASE can we stick to DEVELOPMENTS on thi scase ONLY.
THe prtty arguing has overshadowed such a heartbreaking situation for someone who may well be a Mumsnetter.

Stop teh squabling-hug your kids and be gald they are safe!

just found

this

could just be sensationalist I guess, I know the brittish media do like to shout paedophile at the earliest opportunity, so it's possible the nz media are the same, but if it's not been sensationalized it doesn't bear thinking about.

I do agree with you homemama.

And with you Whooosh.

I feel a more accurate title for this thread would be 'A thread to discuss DEVELOPMENTS on mumsnet regarding Maddie McCann. And that's a bad thing, not a good thing IMO.

I am so sorry for the family - we all are. What more really is there to say?

dear god, why are people arguing!, i dont personally think the parents WILL read this thread, but for gods sake, we all have opinions and beliefs, but why dopeople keep saying things to wind eachother up ?on a thread like this i think its very very sad.
the main concern is if there is any news

wannabe - the same thing has been reported in many of the Sunday papers today, sadly

Truly heartbreaking for the parents to feel so powerless.

oh no oh no I just keep praying they want a ransom and will give her back unharmed

quietmouse no I don't think the threads should be pulled. not only because I think it's wrong to sensor the thoughts of people - and believe me far, far worse have
been written on this subject on many other sites and will most likely be published in the media, but if you pull the threads, then not only the comments
you wouldn't want the family to see will be gone, but also the comments you would want the family to see.

Personally I think it's highly unlikely they would ever come on to the internet looking for threads about this, and if they ever did, it won't be for a
very long time, but imagine if they came on to mn, the top parenting site in the UK, and found no threads, no discussion, good or bad, about what happened
to their little girl? what message will that send to them do you think? it sends the message that a group of mums weren't interested enough in their situation
to have a discussion about it, because they wouldn't be any the wiser as to the threads having been pulled.

we will have to agree to disagree wannabee. I put the feelings of these parents above complete strangers rights to have an opinion on their parenting, sorry.

To answer CaptainUnderpants' question: Yes, someone who did not speak very good English would know that "Maddy" is the abbreviation for "Madeleine".

Johnny for Jonathan, Kathy for Katherine, etc... It does not take a great leap of the imagination to go from there to Maddy for Madeleine, although Madeleine would not be a common name for a foreigner.

[English is a second language for me, so I think I can see it with the eyes of a "foreigner".]

Still no news. surely there will be developments soon

Small community. They will know who is into either child trafficking or worse. I think they'll find her but we'll see.

i live in the Algarve, and I cannot get this horror out of my mind. The sun has been shining all day, it's Mother's Day here in Portugal, and I cannot begin to imagine the pain those poor parents are feeling.

The Portuguese love children and, judging by the national tv news here, the sadness and sympathy for this poor family goes very deep.

I haven't prayed for a long time but for Madeleine and her parents I do.

may be having a moment, but wonder if whether rather than debating who did what, who has said what and who thinks what could be paused for just a while and perhaps we could all just take some time away to hope that this little girl is returned to her parents.
And am not for one minute suggesting that anybody hasn't wanted this,this is a story that has hit a huge chord for most. This is one of the very basic fears parents have that we will lose our children in whatever way, and that is why it strikes this chord.

Have a sense that parents and family won't give a toss what has been said by anyone really,they have more important things I think to worry about.

Has ANY news come out from Portugal today ?

no

fingers crossed that no news really is good news

OMG

Praying and praying for little Madeleine and her family. Saw the video with her mother coming out of the church and she seemed so nice, just broke my heart to see her, she's obvously going through hell.

BBC says police DON't have a particular suspect, news vacuum and they're continuing the search.

bbc said this morning that police are playing down talk of a suspect. said that photo fit was based purely on witness statements and was from the back not facial iykwim.

they had a local journalist on this morning as well who said that statements from the police are unheard of over there as investigations like this are normally shrowded in secrecy, so them giving a statement was probably in response to huge amounts of pressure from international media. similarly appeals from family are not the norm in portugal.

phone-in on 5 live about this now.

I could shake the woman on at the moment - well done, holier than thou Geraldine - sit back and judge smugly......

Good point, Justine, about how negative comments are being made as a sort of defence mechanism, parents trying to convince themselves that it could never happen to them.