The missing young girl

[Le-Chat]

What do you think in your heart of hearts has happened or is happening to Madeline McCann. It is her fourth birthday today and I keep thinking about her and her parents. I have a little boy of 3 and I would rather die than know he was in the hands of perhaps a monsterous paedophile. I want to believe that she has been taken by a sad woman who couldn't have children of her own but inside I can't help thinking the very, very worst.

[mifta]

I was about to post a similar thread when I saw yours.
I am having trouble gettiing this poor girl and her parents out of mind, but feel guilty for even thinking that I should try. I find myself crying periodically through the day, especially when I look at my own two children, aged 9 and 4. I don't know what would be the best outcome, to find her alive, but potentially abused by sick b*****ds, or to discover her body. Some people will say that we should not dwell on it but we have to keep her as a topic of discussion so we can try and determine an outcome, whatever that may be, for her parents. How you could carry on living after this has happened to your child I have no idea, but I think her parents are amazing.

[smudge]

I, like others, am hoping to God Maddie hasn't been harmed & have been trying to imagine her being treated kindly & lovingly with a woman unable to have children. My husband thinks otherwise & I guess by now he's probably right....

I've shed a few tears myself thinking of her, 'specially when with our three granddaughters aged 17, 7 & 4. I just cannot imagine life without them, along with our grandson aged 15. It's something you would never, ever get over.

[smudge]

P.S. I've been watching as many news bulletins as I can, hoping for good news, so God only knows what it's been like for Maddie's parents & family.

Bless her little heart.....

[Neilzulu1]

Please God she will be returned safely. I want to believe she will be, but i think we all know where this is going. So sad as she is a beautiful little girl, i do hope that her parents are hung by a peoples kangaroo court for leaving her in the apartment. They will have enough demons to face in the near future i fear.

[Joe_the_Lion]

Quite a few private detectives and bounty hounters are going from all around the world following 1.5 million quid being offered for her safe return.

I hope this was forseen and she has just be taken by "friendly" (in the loosest sense) con-men or women after a forseen reward.

I was thinking (assuming she has not left the country) how long will it take to search EVERY house??

With a national and indeed international police force, will it really take that long?

[stokeace]

the people who have taken the little one deserve to be hung when they are caught.its a catalouge of errors really and the parents will never forgive themselves and whatever the outcome [and i pray its the right one] their lives will never be the same.it only takes a minute to change someones life forever.im not at all religious but i do pray that she is returned safe and sound.

[ELVIS68]

I`m suprised that they have narrowed down the search after a week,as JTL says, how long would it take them to search every house?
I hope she turns up safe and well, but also hope that this will make parents think strongly about leaving their kids unattended abroad or at home

[IggyB]

i fear she has probably been taken from the country and as the apartment she was taken from is very close to the marina that wouldn't be a very difficult thing to do - presumably the abductor would realise that if they stayed they would be found eventually through searching... very sad and am sorry i think this but i doubt she will ever be found.

[netibiza]

If they thought she was the little girl at the petrol station, why didn't they take a tracker dog there and see if it caught her scent - at least they's have something to go on.

[smudge]

So tragic, but the mind boggles at the latest news - if it is true of course.

Just heard that the window shutters in the apartment hadn't been tampered with, but that the patio doors had been left unlocked by the parents, in case of fire - whilst they dined! So whichever way you look at this, there was always a risk of something awful happening.

If Maddie or the other children had have woken up & managed to slide open the patio doors, they could have ended up falling into the adult swimming pool whilst searching for Mummy or Daddy......

Still hoping upon all hopes, for a happy reunion.....

[missyR]

What if she wandered out through the open patio doors and got lost?

[smudge]

Yes missyR - that's why I wrote "there was always a risk of something awful happening". One of my thoughts were of any of them falling & drowning in the pool, 'specially if it was dimly lit outside - the rest speaks for itself.....

Terrible thoughts.....

[sandbach99]

I realise Portuguese law prevents much being officially said and that the media will therefore print or announce any rumour as fact, but why if it is true that Maddy was taken through unlocked patio doors has it taken over a week for this to come out. Why have we been shown pictures of fingerprinted shutters for a week?

Yesterdays paper printed a rumour that the parents didn't check every half hour.

I hope the reward money brings a result fast and a private detective has better luck than the police.

[Liztiz]

I also, as a parent hope to God little Maddie is safe somewhere and being cared for, maybe by a woman who cant have children of her own. It's the " Unthinkable" and it's happening more and more. I just dont understand how Maddie's parents could have left her and her 2 even younger siblings even it was in the same building. As parents and guardian's you just dont do that! Lets all pray for Maddie's safety.

[smudge]

Yes sandbach - that's why I wrote "If it is true of course" in my post.

One never really knows the complete 'true' facts unless you're there.....

[netibiza]

When I first heard of this tragedy - it was announced that the doors were left unlocked, and when you see the shutters being dusted for fingerprints, you can see that they haven't been forced, we have the same shutters at home.

[Pippa68]

The first thing I thought was that Maddie may have woken up in between the times of the adults checking the children (apparently the party of 9 were all taking it in turns to check) found herself alone, and wandered off.

I am sure that is what one of my children would have done if they were sleepy and in a strange place..they would have gone anywhere to see where I was :o(

[libertie]

It would be a refreshing change if just for once a thread was a llowed to run on here, without people condemming her parents!!! It has been said over and over that her parents made a huge error of judgement and most of us would not have left our children/grandchildren on their own, can we stop labouring the point!! Nobody could possibly fail to notice that they are now paying the price for it...along with their child of course! I hope and pray that Madelaine is found soon, but like you Le-Chat it's hard not to think the very worst!

[smudge]

Over the weekend - I received an email containing a photo, pleading with people to forward it on to everyone they know. I did this & my short message read:

"Hi all, please take the time to pass this email on. If you scroll down, you'll see that it's a plea from a family friend. You just never know - there may just be a chance little Maddie could still be found....bless her little heart. Thanks & love, S & A -xx-"

I rec'd lots of responses, but this one I rec'd this morning, reflects the mood on & off AB:

"Hi S + A, thanks for your e-mail about Maddie. While I feel very sorry for the little girl, I'm afraid I cannot feel the same for her parents. If they hadn't left the three children on their own while they went out for dinner, perhaps the girl wouldn't have gone missing. It's all very well them saying they could see the flat from the resturant, but they were still too far away from their children. Well that's my weekly rant out of the way. I hope you are all keeping well. Love D + J xxxx

It's natural for people to air their views & many have, including me, but it's a good job Maddies parents won't get to read some of them. They're already torturing themselves for leaving their children, so must now be left to look to the future - let's hope it's a positive one....God bless Maddie. -x-

[Bob A Job]

I believe that child was probably already in Africa being sold on by the time her picture got on skynews. there is a HUGE people trade going in the other direction from Morroco-Spain, I know all about it, ive spoken to people that payed their life savings to be given a place on an illegal boat to Europe. this poor child is probably just collateral to these human trafickers, and they probably got a good price for her too.
I hate to state the truth but it is a wicked world we live in, and most people only care about the tax on their fags and petrol.