Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Missing Madeleine McCann: Dad goes US...

The father of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann was today forced to
defend leaving his daughter in a hotel room while he and his wife went for a meal on the night she was snatched.

Our local BBC news in the East Midlands - where the McCanns live - reported tonight that Gerry McCann is in the US on a 'fact-finding mission' to see how the Americans deal with child abduction and exploitation - at the same time as publicising Madeleine's case.

He apparently met senior White House staff - but he was grilled by American TV networks ABC, CNN and CBS about why he and his wife Kate did not hire a babysitter to watch their three children as they dined with friends.

Gerry McCann said:

The kids were sound asleep and they were being checked regularly. We didn't think we needed a babysitter. We are good parents and what we did felt perfectly reasonable at the time.

Hindsight is an incredible thing. Clearly we couldn't have predicted what was to happen.
Dare I say that sounds reasonable to me? Personally, I think talk of prosecuting the McCanns for neglect is less than helpful.

The focus must remain on finding Madeleine and the criminal - or criminals - who took her.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

So if the kids are asleep, that makes a difference does it as to whether a babysitter is needed?

It's not a question of whether a prosecution would be helpful to the McCann's, it's about letting other parents in a similar situation think it's OK to leave babies home alone. It's also about justice for Madeleine, who deserved to have adult supervision 24/7.

The Police investigation into Madeliene's disappearance will continue regardless of what the parents are held accountable for so the focus wouldn't change anyway.

Leaving three small babies home alone to face any mishap or accident that might come their way does NOT sound reasonable to me.

There were other very suitable childcare options on offer and there's also another option of NOT GOING OUT AT ALL.

S.

Anonymous said...

And as you say " dare you say " you damn well know you should not be saying this kind of blatant rubbish that advocates continued neglect.

fairdealphil said...

"it's about letting other parents in a similar situation think it's OK to leave babies home alone."

i think the publicity has delivered that message loud and clear.

the parents have, imho, gone through enough...

fairdealphil said...

anonymous:

as least i put my head above the parapet.

why do you remain anon...?

Anonymous said...

"i think the publicity has delivered that message loud and clear."

No, actually all the publicity so far has been about damage limitation for the parents.

Doris said...

I hear what you say and under other circumstances I'd agree: say, if the parents had admitted they were wrong (not just naive) from the outset; and clearly were seen to be tearing the place apart to find their missing child. But that really doesn't seem to be the case does it?

Of course they couldn't have predicted what was going to happen, however, anything much less serious could have happened and they still were not there nor in the close vicinity.

If their child had been taken whilst they were in the next room then they would have my full sympathy from the start.

The focus certainly has to be on finding Madeleine especially as the parents don't seem to have turned over every stone in their desperate attempt to find her. You just have to read Gerry's blog to wonder how much actual looking they are doing themselves in between all his various airport shuttle trips for his friends that he shares with the world.

Hindsight is a lovely thing.

Anonymous said...

You are entitled to your beliefs Phil just don't expect everyone to agree.
Sadly all this arguing is doing nothing productive to find wee Maddie.
Personally I've reached the point where I've lost interest in the whole situation, I'll concentrate on looking after my Family & as far as I'm concerned whatever everyone else wants to do with/to theirs is their business.
As I figure it, this Country is on the skids anyway so when my youngest finishes her schooling in a couple of years we will sell up & "do one" abroad.
I wish Good fortune to all of you that decide to "tough it out" (Christ knows you're all going to need it when Society finally implodes), including yourself, all the contributors here & yes even Mike Oakeshott..LOL

Unknown said...

Having those parents prosecuted would be the best thing to happen for all children. A great message to all parents who can't be bothered to look after their children and think it's perfectly acceptable to just leave them dumped somewhere and off out for a good old jolly up.
And they want to become some kind of child welfare ambassodors? Ha! You have GOT to be kidding me? They couldn't even organize adequate care for their OWN childrena nd I'm supposed to take advice from...them? You are not expecting decent parents to actually believe that are you?
If it wasn't neglect I don't know what it was....because it damn well wasn't good parental care was it? All the white wash so far will not fool people. The press have tried to make these people into some kind of victims of evil circumstances - well nothing could be further from the truth. Had they actually bothered about their children they would have been there. The only victim is Madeleine herself and now we have to watch those two getting fame and fortune because they lost their child....how utterly sad and pathetic. madeleine deserves justice - the justice that the press over here are so far making sure she does not get. That child trusted her parents to do their best for her, she trusted that they would protect her. And whee were they when she needed them? They were out eating a meal with their friends while she was left alone with two even younger children. And people like the McCanns try to tell us it's acceptable. What utter rot. had they put their children first that poor child would still bw with them.
It's a great defence for irrisposible and selfish parents to use in the future, eh? Oh but we were checking regularly and we were near by. Well it will be if they get away with it. Lets hope they don't. Lets hope some of that out pouring of sympathy for the "poor suffering" parents can be recycled toward an innocent four year old little girl who was left alone and defenseless.....

fairdealphil said...

doris:

it certainly appears to me that Gerry and Kate McCann have 'turned the place upside down' to find their daughter.

i haven't read Gerry's blog, but assume it's been started as one tool in the hunt for Madeleine.

fairdealphil said...

johnno:

have you told your daughter you're planning to flit abroad...?

wouldn't want to think you were neglecting her.

Doris said...

Here is a copy and paste from just one entry in Gerry's blog on www.findmadeleine.com

This is a typical entry and how it was published and how it stayed for three days, with his missing daughter's misspelled name uncorrected. This was written when the chief suspect had once again been taken into the police station for questioning. As a whole it really doesn't seem to me to be a tool in the search. The blog doesn't even give the basic details of when Madeleine disappeared!

As for turning the place upside down, I'm pretty sure that I remember when Sarah Payne went missing some years ago, seeing her parents and family out on daily searches scouring local woods. It is up to the media what they show but I don't recall seeing anything other than so-called "noble" interviews with the press from the McCanns.




Latest Update - Gerry's Blog/Diary

Day 68 - 10/07/2007

Kate and I both managed early morning runs today- it is definitely the time of day to it with the high temperatures in the middle of summer. Getting some aerobic exercise certainly helps us feel better physically and psychologically which helps maintain our positive attitude.

The investigation into Madelienes disapperance remains very active and we note that the Portuguese police are conducting a series of interviews today and tomorrow.

fairdealphil said...

pete

"The press have tried to make these people into some kind of victims of evil circumstances - well nothing could be further from the truth."

Personally, I can't think of any circumstances that could be more evil than to have a child adbucted.

fairdealphil said...

doris:

The parents went for a run...?

Definitely guilty then eh?

Doris said...

So.... Gerry mentioning his going for a run is, in your words:


i haven't read Gerry's blog, but assume it's been started as one tool in the hunt for Madeleine.


Please get over your prejudices about "us" and think about this one a bit more. Look through the Find Madeleine site and ask yourself where a million quid is going and why they are still raising money.

I don't think they are guilty of despatching with their own child but they are guilty of neglecting their children that night, as were all the other adults in that party.

Anonymous said...

Johnno(if I can say such a ridiculous name without laughing): FYO Michael Oakeshott has long since given up on the UK and moved abroad. If I ever have any doubts, speaking to the likes of "Doris", you and the other myopics here convinces me I did the right thing. No seriously, the UK is made for people like you, "enjoy"!

Anonymous said...

Ummmm....is anyone else unnervingly reminded of the Jonbenet Ramsay case?

The parents faked an 'abduction' and used the media to steamroller people into supporting them. They were never convicted despite strong evidence of their guilt.

Unknown said...

A mother whose 22-month-old daughter died in a house fire after being left home alone has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years, for "causing or allowing" her death and perverting the course of justice.

This may or may not be justified - to me it seems a little harsh; but it makes me wonder why the McCanns were not similarly arrested and charged for "causing or allowing" their daughter Madeleine to be kidnapped, when they left not one, but three young children alone in a strange place.

Maybe it was because they were middle-class and white.

Anonymous said...

Are you a Freemason, by any chance Phil...?

Anonymous said...

Are you a Freemason by any chance, Phil..?