A thread to discuss DEVELOPMENTS regarding Maddie McCann

[jampot]

We can discuss parenting styles in a few weeks

I am sorely tempted to ring. Am sitting on my hands.

Could I just say that I think all the squabbling over the rights or wrongs of the children being left in the room is sad, Some of us may have left or been willing to leave our children alone some of us never have and never would, there but for the grace of god is all I can say on that.
I think if this was a discussion on another thread on another day it would of caused just as much controversy but it would have been in a little better taste.
Also the fact this little girl's name has been the subject of such strong feelings, none of us (as far as we know) know this little girl or her family or what name she likes to be called by, I think to mention other tragic cases of missing children is unhelpful if anyone connected to the little girl read this (although I would think whatever the outcome of this the last thing her family will be doing is rushing to use mumsnet) it could be very upsetting for them.
Also people saying it is ghoulish and over identifying and to some extent trying to get in on someone else's grief that so much had been talked about on this, all I can say is we are parents and this is our worst nightmare, so I think it will be talked about a lot, and I for one saw the photos in yesterdays papers and thought how they could be photos from my or most of the family's I knows photo albums.
I also agree with whoever said that is this was a mumsnetter then it would have been handled in a better way.
Really the only thing we should be saying is we hope with all our hearts that the little girl is found soon and safe.

You may now all shoot my down in flames.

I can't get through - which is probably just as well.

is it on playback on t'internet?

I hope you weren't Geraldine hattrick

Justine defended the risk taken by the parents and said had done the same herself in a mw resort.

Phew hatrick. I can't get through.

£100,000 reward.

I went to bed before the youngest children last night as they had a sleep over. I went in to see them just now thinking what if they'd been taken in the night. (They haven't).

The longer someone is missing the less likely they are found, usually. It's terrible. I wonder at what point you return to England and work and life? That must be so hard to do. How could you leave the child but then the child might be in Africa or elsewhere by now anyway. I think I would hire locals or the best investigator in Portugal.

I agree, Xenia, think I'd hire my own team, too.

The police have really cocked things up.

is it a MN on now?

I agree, that the police don't seem to know what they are doing and IMO have given the family false hope when they had nothing concrete to go on.

None of us know how the police work there do we.

Have the English police gone over yet?

yes, English police over there.

I can only begin to imagine the sheer agony of having to return home without my child.

I think of Ben Needhams mum constantly in that respect

I would imagine that this is receiving a lot of air time in Portugal but does anyone know if they are also reporting throughout the rest of mainland Europe?

just heard the reports about a man being seen dragging a girl to the marina near the resort.

In some ways this is such awful news - if it is true then she could be anywhere.

zenia I was thinking the same this morning - at what point do they return to england?

police are apparently now investigating claims that a girl was seen being dragged towards a marina. OMG a marina . and have played down talk of a suspect.

What about Amber alerts???
Do they have that?

Also, were there no CCTV cameras around the resort. Seems odd when you think of potential security issues.

No, they don't have Amber Alerts. Those do work!

I'm with Xenia on this, I think she's still alive and hopefully the £100,000 reward will be enough for whoever this is to return the girl.

the english police aren't there to help with the investigation though - they are family liaison officers over to support the family and keep them up to date.

sadly my first thought at a marina wasn't one of her being taken out of the country.