In England the McCanns would be arrested

[LostPuppy]

Off the bat, I of course hope with all my heart that Madeleine is returned safely

But her "parents" are a disgrace. They left Madeleine and two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie sleeping in the apartment ON THEIR OWN. They had taken turns to return from the restaurant to check on their children.

Now hang on! In this country that is illegal, for very good reason.

Even if they 'checked on them' every five minutes that's plenty of time for one of the kids to wake up and try to go to the toilet and crack it's head open slipping on the bathroom floor, or something equally disastrous. They'd never hear the screaming from a bloody restaurant down the road!

Obviously it's unlikely, but I just cant comprehend the mentality of leaving three children under 3 alone on their own, ever, let alone at night in a foreign country!

aimsmum - srah payne's murder got a lot of coverage. they weren't middle class, but it was a similar scenario (stranger abduction)

OK - its not illegal. But would you still do it just cos its legal?

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It's less than 1%. On average it's 6 a year in the UK for children of all ages (or it used to be). the younger children get more media coverage.

OK - all of you be honest for a second.

The moment you first heard about this case and were told that the parents were out having a meal 100 yards away - what was your first thought?

Mine?

What the hell were they doing leaving their kid alone in the first place.

Now - be honest

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Totally 100% agree with you huffpuff as did all of my friends and family

....I thought what were they doing leaving them alone....

There...I've said it...

I wonder if those figures take into account the non-custodial parent abductions?

Not that I am arguing about this at all, IMO missing children should take much higher priority than half of the tosh that is on the news.

Although I do not suppose the theory that Madeleine makes the news because she is pretty, blond and with middle class parents, I have ranted about that on another thread.

"suppose"? I mean 'support'.

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Ainsmum - I will prob get lynched for saying this but I find the media coverage, yellow ribbons, MAdeleine days all a bit distasteful. It reminds me of the grotesque outpouring of 'grief' when Diana died.

It is a horrific horrific thing to happen and I think about her every day praying that she gets found but do I wear a yellow ribbon......erm no

Much of the campaign is down to the McCann family being so proactive.

Wilkie - i agree.

It kind of makes every other child who is missing at the moment pale into insignificance

huffpuff..absolutely...I only saw something about it quite late, as I don't watch the news...and I was at a friends house when they made a statement at a press conference...and once I heard how it happened, my first thought was....wtf...were they doing leaving 3 young children alone to have a flipping meal...it just would never ever ever occur to me....

Have to agree with you there wilkie. If there is some real news, good or bad, I will be delighted to read all about it, but until them no thanks.

Why is this case different? Because the vast, vast majority of missing children are teenage runaways, not tiny children snatched from their beds in the night. As some else said, Sarah Payne's parents were't rich or middle class yet everyone knows that child's name because the circumstances of her disappearance - a random snatch by a stranger - is so rare and so terrifying. Damilola Taylor was another child murdered pretty randomly on his way home from computer club - it's not like he was ignored.

what about everyone else on here - what was your first thought? ALl those who are saying we shouldnt discuss the fact that the child was left alone........

And yes, those big figures for abductions are parents. Not random strangers.

In what way are they more proactive then other familys, Mrs Spoon?
Or could it be that they are more pro active because there si already such a media hype it's easier to be pro active...iykwim...

Aimsmum - Sarah Payne may not have got quite as much coverage but that is only because she was sadly found quite quickly and also because it was a few years ago. each time the coverage grows I think.

and as i say, I do think the coverage is way over the top. It is a good idea to mention it in news bulletins yes, but it doesn;t need quite so much analysis and non news.

Aimsmum, I wee girl being taken from her bed (one place where a child should feel truely safe) when she was sleeping would make me feel sick to the pit of my stomach whatever job her parents did, whatever colour her skin, hair, eyes. IMO it's the nature of the incident that has caught the attention of the media plus the proactive involvement of the family.

This has probably been asked before, but would anyone who is going on holiday and has previously used sitting services/alternatives still do it or not?

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This Mark Warner did not offer listening services, nor did it allow children under 12 in restaurants in the evening. God knows what the company thought people did with their kids in the evening.