Madeleine McCann

[morningpaper]

Instead of starting lots of new posts about Madeleine, could I politely request that anyone who wants to post on the subject please post on this one thread? (N.B. Duplicate threads may be flamed hysterically.)

Please note that this thread is not to criticise Madeleine's parents or family, as this is not in the spirit of Mumsnet.

Please can I take the liberty to quote from this article:

"This is the real life of Kate and Gerry McCann, and it must now have become a place of agony beyond all understanding. Pity them, if you have any compassion at all, and demonstrate the minimum of grace: the ability to desist from judgment."

I don't think you have to be a thrid worls country run by "cowboys" to have some corruption in your government / police force. Is is reasonable to think that their interpretation of the evidence could be influenced by their desire to solve the case.

chickenmama on Wed at 10:42:03 You're absolutely right! You summed it up for me as well.
And that's a clear, indisputable fact. No speculation whatsoever.

Do you know - I was looking for a post about MPs then clicked was Morning Paper

I feel something bad is going to happen soon i.e. the truth will come out/hopefully she will be found and we will all have to step back and take stock of our values and curb the urge to be cruel.

Hulababy - I thought it was? At least that's what I heard on BBC news yesterday when they were talking about SS contacting the family about the welfare of the twins... forgive me if I'm mistaken...

The reporter who flew back with the McCanns (a sky reporter I think) said as the plane took off, Kate McCann sobbed quietly for a long while. It nearly broke my heart imagining that

thats not speculation btw about what happened - just a feeling that whatever happens it will be very saddening.

Hulababy - it is an offence to leave children home alone if by doing so you expose them to risks.

Clearly they were exposed to risks by being left alone. You may say that the risk of abduction could not have been foreseen - and I would agree with that. Unfortunately they were exposed to a number of other risks (fire, choking, wandering out of the apartment, tripping) by being left home alone. So I do not consider their behaviour to have been reasonable.

But boy have they been punished.

americantrish & MiuMau - I'm glad you agree, I was starting to think I'd said something terrible

I agree with you too, chicken.

Does anyone think Madeleine is still alive??

I would like to think so but I don't think she is. It said in the paper yesterday that the Portugese police were 'looking for a body'.

and I agree with chickenmama too about responsibility.

sadly not

chickenmamam - The law here. There is no legal minimum age. There is advise and recommendations, but no legal restrictions however regarding age and length of time. Action can be taken if a child is put at risk, but this would be dependent on someone else's definition of risk and/or negligence. Also there is no legal minimum age for babysitters.

Chickenmama, you're wrong; it's not an offence.

I think she is, not sure why, I dont have a sixth sense or anything, I just really do think she is alive.

Piggy: I haven't commented either way, have I? I haven't said I think they're guilty or I think they're innocent.

It is only an offence if something happens and there was negligence involved.

It's all a question of degree and judgement.

Leaving an irresponsible 14 year old might be deemed to be more negligent than leaving a highly responsible 7 year old.

(prettybird shuffles off annoyed at herself as she had sworn not to get sucked in to these disucssions.....)

No, you didn't say anything terrible. It was a posting that shows your values and morals are in place.
I think the McCanns should take responsibility for their neglectful actions, morally and legally.
THAT I would respect utterly.

Miumau, you are coming across as a complete twonk. Leave the poor people alone. They've lost their daughter, fgs.

Well something did happen - Madeleine was abducted or killed. No-one knows what actually happened, although I would eat my hat if the parents had anything to do with it.

Negligence clearly was involved - who leaves tots that age alone?

I understand that this is no time for recriminations, but it is simply not reasonable to say that it's okay to leave children alone.

Ok, on the age issue I take back the word 'offence' but I still stand by my statement that letting your child play on swings, and leaving them alone while you go out for the evening, is a totally different thing and the latter should be deemed irresponsible and/or negligent.

not just one child but three - even riskier I would say - having 3 myself.

Hula is right. I have recently attended a Child Protection course. It is not an offence to leave a child alone at any age however if something happens to them while they are left alone the parents are responsible and can prosecuted.

And not only in one occasion, but six evenings in a row. And if risk implies offense, it was clearly an offense, just merely looking at the end result. A non-brainer, really.

McDreamy, the parents CAN be responsible. It is all dependant on the facts of the situation.