Madeleine McCann

[Sly]

I hope this doesn't prompt a epidemic of kidnapping, no longer do the parents have to be rich to get the loot, the wealthy have shown that they will pay.

You've made a very valid point there.

[Katy]

The difference now is that news can be transmitted globally in such a short space of time, most children are found with 24 hours.

Having a daughter myself that has only just turned 4, it chokes me to watch it. Everytime I see/hear about her I can feel my eyes start to water.

If the facts are correct her parents have made a mistake. All that matters now though is that Madeleine is returned to them, alive. Any charges they'll face for neglect purely pails into insignificance compared to the torment that they have had to live with for over a week now.

The longer it goes without any signs of information, the more you start to think, thet they'll never find here.

I have cried buckets over this when I think about my little one's forth birthday I can't imagine her not being with me for it.

This whole thing must have been planned, no doubt about it. If this CCTV footage is of Madeleine and some woman then she would have been in her jarmers and to me that would be most odd if I was serving that night, particularly if the child was looking reluctant as she apparently was. So they must have had some clothes already sorted to change her into.

They can change her appearance, hair etc but they cant change her most distinguishing feature which is the pupil of her eye that sort of runs into her iris in one of her eyes. If she is to be found then this will certainly help.

[BigGibbo]

no it isn't, it's a thread for discussing the issue. maybe i should delete all of allens posts? my post was not having a go at the family, it was having a go at the people who would care a lot less if it wasn't a pretty middle class girl.

i haven't got a clue who alan is or what he's written, but i haven't got time for reading peoples opinions on what they know nothing about & i dont pay attention to the b@ll@x that the tabloids have written that people on here are probably taking for gospel! ive just came to this thread to post my best wishes for the young girl & her family, so we'll have to agree to disagree!

[Thracian]

I hope this doesn't prompt a epidemic of kidnapping, no longer do the parents have to be rich to get the loot, the wealthy have shown that they will pay.

Your're right and anyway I think the whole idea of huge monetary reward for helping find a youngster is tasteless.

Accomplices who might be tempted to shop the perpetrators wouldn't get the money and surely any ordinary member of the public would help in any way they could, whatever.

[Guest]

Children all over the world are taken every day, for a variety of reasons, and as we (don't) see, many of those never make the news. Perhaps the money should be donated to some cause or agency that helps the parents, if there is one?

[Finnegan]

I'm forced to partly, gasp, agree with Thracian. I've never liked the celebrity culture that gets behind these things. There's a fine line between honest well-wishing, and trying to look like a saint for your own good. Stupid things like people sending MSN messages saying "Put a star on your username this week for Madeleine" always grate with me. I feel sort of soulless for grumbling about it, but it's tacky faux sentimentalism and really gets my goat.

Part of me understands that pleas like David Beckham's probably DO actually do something for some people, but as a cynic I just can't see it as more than something to boost his profile. Same as the reward monies, really. And I certainly don't see why the reward monies couldn't have been given anonymously by Branson, Madjeski, Rooney and co'.

[Webbo]

I'm forced to partly, gasp, agree with Thracian. I've never liked the celebrity culture that gets behind these things. There's a fine line between honest well-wishing, and trying to look like a saint for your own good. Stupid things like people sending MSN messages saying "Put a star on your username this week for Madeleine" always grate with me. I feel sort of soulless for grumbling about it, but it's tacky faux sentimentalism and really gets my goat.

Part of me understands that pleas like David Beckham's probably DO actually do something for some people, but as a cynic I just can't see it as more than something to boost his profile. Same as the reward monies, really. And I certainly don't see why the reward monies couldn't have been given anonymously by Branson, Madjeski, Rooney and co'.

I've wanted to post something like that for a while now but didn't have the nerve, totally agree.

[Daggers]

They used to exterminate homeless children while I was in Colombia...I don't remember any celebrities running to the News Of The World with a cheque book then.

[sdb]

Your're right and anyway I think the whole idea of huge monetary reward for helping find a youngster is tasteless.

Accomplices who might be tempted to shop the perpetrators wouldn't get the money and surely any ordinary member of the public would help in any way they could, whatever.

exactly. maybe i'm too cynical put when papers do this sort of thing (i haven't read the whole thread but i'm guessing it's yesterdays NOTW) it stinks of them using horrible events like this to increase sales and enhance this chosen image of caring when they don't. i know this is a horrible thing to say but tabloids love these stories so they can play on peoples emotons and sell more copies (imo)

[Bryn]

Children all over the world are taken every day, for a variety of reasons, and as we (don't) see, many of those never make the news. Perhaps the money should be donated to some cause or agency that helps the parents, if there is one?

I agree.

I also have to say that I really don't believe that Madeleine McCann is still alive. I think that as soon as the culprit knew he or she was being pursued they'll have killed and dumped. No ransom demands = her being dead in my eyes. The only hope is it's some mental women who's lost her own child and took this one to care for it as a "replacement".

[Thracian]

exactly. maybe i'm too cynical put when papers do this sort of thing (i haven't read the whole thread but i'm guessing it's yesterdays NOTW) it stinks of them using horrible events like this to increase sales and enhance this chosen image of caring when they don't. i know this is a horrible thing to say but tabloids love these stories so they can play on peoples emotons and sell more copies (imo)

Yes, they also do it by inserting emotive adjectives like "pretty" into the description as if Madeleine being pretty or otherwise has any relevence to the desperate need to find her.

[Mort]

Police searching a villa, group of people being questioned... hope they find her and she's ok and what ever bastard's responsible get to experiance the delights of the portugese penal system!

[Sly]

Police searching a villa, group of people being questioned... hope they find her and she's ok and what ever bastard's responsible get to experiance the delights of the portugese penal system!

Link

[Alexikokopops]

Children all over the world are taken every day, for a variety of reasons, and as we (don't) see, many of those never make the news. Perhaps the money should be donated to some cause or agency that helps the parents, if there is one?

I'm forced to partly, gasp, agree with Thracian. I've never liked the celebrity culture that gets behind these things. There's a fine line between honest well-wishing, and trying to look like a saint for your own good. Stupid things like people sending MSN messages saying "Put a star on your username this week for Madeleine" always grate with me. I feel sort of soulless for grumbling about it, but it's tacky faux sentimentalism and really gets my goat.

Part of me understands that pleas like David Beckham's probably DO actually do something for some people, but as a cynic I just can't see it as more than something to boost his profile. Same as the reward monies, really. And I certainly don't see why the reward monies couldn't have been given anonymously by Branson, Madjeski, Rooney and co'.

I agree with both those sentiments so very very much.

[martyn]

Unbelievable, all the news channels have named and shown the picture of a man who the police are merely questioning, not even arrested. Still, maybe the press don't feel that they have blood on their hands after wrongly identifying the killer of those prostitutes in Ipswich who then went on to hang himself after all the hounding and subsequent grief he got off the press.

Also, I agree with the sentiments echoed recently, although of course this is a terribly sad event, I've no idea how it has become such big news and the overtly sentimentalistic reporting which has garnered such pace as a result of celebrity rewards/NOTW crap and cringeworthy Sky News coverage.

Still lets hope she's found safe and well, although the longer time goes on, it looks less and less optimistic.

Edited 14 May 2007 by martyn

[Geo V]

Unbelievable, all the news channels have named and shown the picture of a man who the police are merely questioning, not even arrested. Still, maybe the press don't feel that they have blood on their hands after wrongly identifying the killer of those prostitutes in Ipswich who then went on to hang himself after all the hounding and subsequent grief he got off the press.

Also, I agree with the sentiments echoed recently, although of course this is a terribly sad event, I've no idea how it has become such big news and the overtly sentimentalistic reporting which has garnered such pace as a result of celebrity rewards/NOTW crap and cringeworthy Sky News coverage.

Still lets hope she's found safe and well, although the longer time goes on, it looks less and less optimistic.

Yeah I saw that, very starnge. His mum was on ot too and these news teams need to realise that mud sticks and if he has nothing to do with the situation you will allows get some prats (local kids in his area etc) who will make his life a misery.

[Guest]

Yes, they also do it by inserting emotive adjectives like "pretty" into the description as if Madeleine being pretty or otherwise has any relevence to the desperate need to find her.

Of course it does, who would want to spend time looking for an ugly child?

Unbelievable, all the news channels have named and shown the picture of a man who the police are merely questioning, not even arrested. Still, maybe the press don't feel that they have blood on their hands after wrongly identifying the killer of those prostitutes in Ipswich who then went on to hang himself after all the hounding and subsequent grief he got off the press.

Which is why countries like Portugal stop their police from reporting things like this. There has to be a balance between informing the public and protecting privacy, and in the UK, we err more on the side of freedom of the press, unless you have money.

I intend to write that in my exam; bound to get me at least a 2:1.

[David O'Leary]

i feel so sorry for the parents they must be distraught

[Leicester Lass]

Press conference to start at 6 o'clock.

[Father Ted]

She was unlucky, average of something like 5-9 kids a year are kidnapped Heard it on the radio this morning

Edited 15 May 2007 by UpTheFoxes

[Simi]

They now have a named suspect.

[Katy]

Apparently, there is a fund to be set up to help find her (private detectives etc) if there is any monies left over from this it will go towards finding missing children from the UK and Portugal. I assume this includes ugly kids as well

[Daggers]

They now have a named suspect.

Means nothing without any evidence.

Apparently, there is a fund to be set up to help find her

Have I fallen asleep and suddenly woken up in a Hollywood film? Madness.

[Jon the Hat]

Means nothing without any evidence.

Have I fallen asleep and suddenly woken up in a Hollywood film? Madness.

Nothing wrong with a fund to manage the donations people send in to help them stay in Portugal and look for her.

[Daggers]

Nothing wrong with a fund to manage the donations people send in to help them stay in Portugal and look for her.

That's not what Katie said.

Police are professional people, skilled in the areas required.

Katie said the money is going to pay for a load of amateurs to be running all over the shop doing their little Magnum PI thing.

I can't see how this is going to help anyone - least of all the child or any future prosecution.