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."

carrying her on his back could well be just to keep her a little bit more out of sight and younger looking. you can't see from that picture how long she is.

This article features three versions of the photo and shows why it's so blurred - the original photo was taken quite a distance away through a car window.

That picture doesn't look real. The people don't look as if they belong together. As if it's been air-brushed together to make it look like a group of people but isn't.

I think it really looks like her.....

but surely the only way to know for certain whether it is her would be to track down the group of people in question? And if they're nomads.. well chances are they could be anywhere, they don't have fixed addresses after all, and aren't likely to take an interest in international news... etc.

If it is her, chances of finding her again would be almost impossible surely.

But am very doubtful that it is her.

It might be her, it might not be her.

But we can be forgiven for asking the question: what is a blonde European ('looking') young child, doing with what looks like a group of North Africans?

Yes, the child could be a relative, but given the overall group dynamics and circumstances - i.e pusing cart, dusty road, pedestrians, I would certainly be quizzical and in doubt that the child belonged to anyone in that party.

..again, spy glass and text book back in drawer! LOL

anyone know how the police can make a match of the face? Im guessing they would run the picture through some graphic software, and try to make a facial match with existing photo's.

anyone know anything more technical?

I don't think its her. Just a coincidence. And I wouldn't hold out much hope with the analysis. The picture is too blurred and technology may not be able to focus in.

i think it looks like her too. The person carrying her looks def like a man tho, a very short man too, looks like fake boobs.

Altho i don't understand where are the legs of the child, i cant see them as you would expect to when u carry a child on your back.

That is one weird scenario, its just too odd.

Mmmmm...PG, Im since wondering if its actually a fake, with little Madeleine imposed onto it. I thought you could see her legs, as there is a mass pushing out from the mans side/back - but looking closer it actually looks like part of his skirt/pinny or whatever he/she is wearing. Not legs at all. which then, like you, makes you wonder if its a fake.

But would that woman go on international TV and present to it to high officials in the BE, knowing that it would be scrutinsed with state-of-the-art software! dont think she would be that naive - huh? I dont know.!

In some ways Yes, I want to hear news of progress, sightings etc, but in otherways Im sick of hearing false leads. No wonder the parents wont comment. They must be applauded tbh - having to cope with it all.

I really hope it is her, and that the publication of the picture in every newspaper has not then given rise to the people who have her to move her.

One thing I interpretate from the pic is that she looks relatively happy and looked after, so if it is Madeleine, it seems that somebody is taking care of her.

Sky News on line, quite clearly shows a set of pictures that you can see clearly the legs of the child down the side of the person who is carrying her.
The person carrying her does look like a man although the person in the navy outfit walking at the side looks like a woman to me.

"Detectives are said to have dismissed the sighting saying they believed she was already dead.

Kate and Gerry McCann believe Portuguese police have virtually given up the hunt to find their daughter. The couple have brought in private investigators to search for any trace of her.

But senior police and judicial figures have now warned that the McCanns and their team of ex-SAS advisers could face prosecution if they interfere."

Taken from the this is london page, the opening reference to somebody who was adamant they saw Madeleine and the police dismissed it.

Re the last paragraph I have quoted - even if I thought I would face prosecution for being there, or sending somebody there, you tell me what parent would seriously let that thread get in their way. If that is true (that the police have said they could face prosecution) that is bloody disgusting.

just wanted to say that my friend has a sling that fits children up to 4 years, its just like a big scarf and if you were to carry a 3-4 year in it the sling would fit tight under the bum and then legs would hang straight down the carriers back, not to the side like you might expect.

i do think that this child looks like mm, my own daughter is a small 3 (nearly 4) year old and i imagine this is how she might look carried this way.

it would be to much of a coincidence though if after all the work the police/private investigators have done if she ws to turn up in the back ground of someones holiday snaps.

I suppose that would prove the McCanns thought that keeping this high in the public minds will one day result in SOMEBODY seeing her and her being found (if it is her and they can then track where she is)

Iwish they had investigated this before puttingit to press because if it is her then the abductors might take fright and move her or worse

they said on one of the news channels earlier that due to the quality of the picture it was unlikely they would be able to make a positive identification, also that even if it was her, she appeared to be with a group of nomads, in a remote part of the country, and that in all reality it was unlikely they would be able to find her again.

Tbh the spannish woman seemed strange to me, they played an interview just now and although it was translated she said something like "we saw the girl and both looked at each other and thought of madeleine but never gave it any more thought", sounds like something you would write in a book? Why would you think of Madeleine, especially if you were from a foreign country that hasn't had as much press as here, and why would you think of her and then just forget about the photo until the reported sightings were printed?

I wonder if it's someone after the reward money.

Wannabe your always so negative about this poor child, we all know what you believe, this picture has appeared & it may or may not* be Madeleine all you seem to want to do is prove it is not, they are analysing the picture now if it can't be done then so be it but let them try.

What do you guys think? Could this be Madeleine? This must be such an emotional time for Kate and Gerry. The fact that after nearly 5months without a trace of their daughter they could perhaps be seeing a photo of her.

Message withdrawn

You know the other child in front do you think it is a boy or girl? they are wearing a skirt! i personally think it may be another girl,.

looks like a girl

Lets say it is her, why is she with those people? It seems strange, where are they taking her, will the police be able to find her.

I saw written that another little girl when missing in sicilly i think it was her name is Denise Pipitone she was abducted when she was 4 i think & would now be 7 i will add pics see if you think there is a lickness ..

Look at the 2st 2 pics do you think this is this little girl who would now be 7? here

Personally i don't think so!

Agree with LVT.

I think it looks like her but maybe a bit younger.