A Lost Child

[Anneski]

Im sorry guys but I have to point out that this story is getting far too publicised now. I actually do not know anyone that thinks otherwise. And whats the pope gonna do ?

How many british teenagers have been killed in combat this year alone ... i would commend anyone that knew without looking it up

What about their moms and dads , they have all lost a baby too.

 

 

Well, the Pope is going to offer the couple comfort I guess, as they are Catholics and so presumably would take some comfort from his concern?

 

As to those killed in combat, I really feel for their families, but although I agree it's still a child lost to the family, it's not the same as children who are lost and could be undergoing goodness knows what abuse, is it? Not saying it's less horrific or sad, don't get me wrong, but with Maddie - and anyone who is missing of course - there is always the element of wondering what is happening to them, and how are they suffering The 'not knowing' always makes things worse I think

 

I can understand why people get annoyed at perhaps this one case taking so much airtime whilst other children suffer without the public even knowing their names, but I also think that were she my daughter I too would take any and every opportunity to keep her name and picture in the public eye, in an attempt to prod someone, somewhere, into action.

[Sheplover]

Im sorry guys but I have to point out that this story is getting far too publicised now. I actually do not know anyone that thinks otherwise. And whats the pope gonna do ?

How many british teenagers have been killed in combat this year alone ... i would commend anyone that knew without looking it up

What about their moms and dads , they have all lost a baby too.

I agree to a point about your first part, I think there has been some overkill in the coverage of this esp on the 24 hour news channels, such as when Maddy's parents went to Church, or anywhere, it was very much 'and Maddy's mom is now blowing her nose, holding the bear of her daughter, and now she is crying, and now she is looking away from the Vicar" etc, etc I didn't like that at all, that's not news, that's just wrong.

 

I agree with Mrs Mop however, that anything the parents do to keep her in the news, and thus in people's minds can only be a good thing for helping find her, surely?

 

I disagree with the comparison with British troops and a lost toddler - soldiers sign up knowing they MAY die, the loss of which you are speaking is not the same as actually loosing a child.

[Kathyw]

The soldier may sign up knowing there was a chance he could die - his parents didn't and were probably filled with fear when he signed up.

 

But losing a child is losing a child forever and it matters not to the parents whether that child is a baby or adult. To parents spec Mum's a child, whatever age, is their baby forever.

[Sheplover]

The soldier may sign up knowing there was a chance he could die - his parents didn't and were probably filled with fear when he signed up.

 

But losing a child is losing a child forever and it matters not to the parents whether that child is a baby or adult. To parents spec Mum's a child, whatever age, is their baby forever.

I meant loss as in opposite to find.

 

No the parents don't sign up, I agree that their child will always be a child to them, but the comparison is still inadequate IMO.

[mooandboo]

I meant loss as in opposite to find.

 

No the parents don't sign up, I agree that their child will always be a child to them, but the comparison is still inadequate IMO.

I agree with you, a just turned four year old snatched from their bed by a complete stranger cannot be compared to a soldier trained for combat.

 

Which doesn't diminish the fact that a lost child is just that, whatever their age, to the parents

 

If I was in Madeleine's parents situation I would go to the ends of the earth and do whatever I could - including using the media for all they're worth - and I wouldn't give a toss who thought what as long as I felt I was doing all I could to find my child.

 

I do think that the family have encouraged media coverage in this case, they seem to be in a position to whereas some may not or may not want to for whatever reason, but who the hell can blame them?

[Kats inc]

Not me.I've thought about this long and hard and realised that if I were in their shoes I would move heaven and earth to get every ounce of publicity I could that might help.

I guess in some small way it may allay some of the awful feeling of knowing they made such a horrible mistake leaving her unsupervised.

 

Hardly a comparison but when Tilly went missing I tried to get an article in my local paper about her being brain damaged and lost as I thought it would make it more likely that people would look for her or return her,I was like a woman demented in my quest so it helps me realise when I think back to that why the McCanns are doing what they're doing.Blooming good on them

[Ingrid]

In a sad comparison, a friend of mine is doing voluntary work in Uganda, a few days ago he rang his wife and spoke to her while holding a young baby found abandoned in a field.

 

How sad is it that whilst Madeleine's parents are trying so hard to trace her, in another country someone, for whatever reason, has just left their child to it's fate, not knowing or seemingly caring if it was found

[lazydaisy]

We all know Maddies Story.

 

My point is (and I imagine criticism is going to follow)

 

The world is full of lost children, Are the press elevating Maddies story for their own gain ? I hate the way they papers grab one thing and forget the rest of humanity, At the end of the day why are so many people following Maddies tale yet turning off child abuse/ neglect adverts because they are so distressing? How many people worrying about Maddie reguarly donate to the NSPCC ?

 

She is lost !

In africa one child starves to death every 2 seconds!

Another provides care for an alcohol or drug dependent parent

Yet another is deprived of their childhood by an older relative, in so many ways!

And most controversial yet ! another is "bred" by a mother that sees having a child as an alternative option to going out to work (they exist)

 

So why is Maddies hell so different to any of these other kids ?

 

 

I agree with your comments. I am upset by the way this story has been reported by the press, ie if the parents (or single mother) had been working class the whole attitidue would have been different. When I first read about the report about the kidnapping and the fact that the three chldrdren had been left on there own I assumed (and I feel really awful about this ) that the parents were uneducated people.!! Then I discovered that the parents were not uneducated and my thoughts were "why have people who can afford babysitters left their children?? Initally I thought that the parents had taken the only opportunity to have some time on their own.

 

IMO (as a single parent who never left my daughter for a second) my sympathies lie with the child because of the terrible situation she is in. The parents brought it on themselves, they should not have left three children on their own. End of story. As for going to see the pope, what good will that do, apart from soothing thieir conscienes??

[mooandboo]

IMO (as a single parent who never left my daughter for a second) my sympathies lie with the child because of the terrible situation she is in. The parents brought it on themselves, they should not have left three children on their own. End of story. As for going to see the pope, what good will that do, apart from soothing thieir conscienes??

It will be well publicised throughout the Catholic population of the world which can only help Madeleine who is completely innocent in all of this. Her parents it seems would be damned if they did & damned if they didn't publicise their situation - that's irrelevant as I'm sure they realise. As a parent myself who has never left my child alone I don't care how much publicity this case gets if just one child is returned safely to her parents.

[Brenda]

Although I am personally quite fed up with all the media coverage, especially the visit to the pope, I can understand why Madeleines parents are doing this. If Madeleine were my daughter I would do everything in my power and do whatever it took to try and get her found. They must be beside themselves, not knowing must be terrible.

 

I don't agree with the comparison between a soldier and a child. A soldier signs up knowing the risks, a parent has to respect this decision. But a child snatched from her room is an altogether different scenario.

[Kathyw]

I have been told that Maddie's parents have been offered help by well known (and tried and tested) psychic's and have refused their help.

 

Fair enough as Catholics this would be going against the teachings but so is ivf treatment.

 

Whatever your feelings about psychics leaving no stone unturned would include them in my book because I would do anything I could to find her.

 

I actually contacted a well-known psychic and asked her about helping to find Maddie and her answer was, as I knew it would be, she is more than willing to help but the request for that help must come from the family and no-one else.

 

There is another senario - suppose Maddie awoke and couldnt find her parents and went out of the open door looking for them, anything could have happened, someone could have knocked her down, not seeing her soon enough, pannicked and disposed of her. She may not have been snatched from the room.

Things are not always as they seem.

 

I agree with Lazydaisy. If this had been a single mother or an uneducated family would they be still in Portugal, have a private jet at their disposal and no worries about paying hotel bills etc? I think not. They would have had no choice but to come home to probably horrendus publicity and possibly even arrested for child neglect, because that is exactly what this was.

 

I pray that Maddie is alive and being cared for but I fear the opposite is true.

[Mrs Mop]

They are able to stay out there to look for Maddy because of other peoples generousity, they are asking for donations to help find their daughter and have a web site now.

[mooandboo]

I have been told that Maddie's parents have been offered help by well known (and tried and tested) psychic's and have refused their help.

 

Fair enough as Catholics this would be going against the teachings but so is ivf treatment.

 

Whatever your feelings about psychics leaving no stone unturned would include them in my book because I would do anything I could to find her.

Portuguese Police are following up leads from psychics - it said on the news this morning that they believe that Madeleine's abductor may contact them about her whereabouts pretending to be a psychic. Whether they are making their actions *legit* by saying that I don't know but it doesn't matter, at least they are considering the information.

[Ruby1Nic]

Just leaving aside the issue of Maddie and her brother and sister being alone at the time of Maddie's disappearence, I have a question for those who feel the media coverage is too much or that the parents are receiving 'preferential treatment' (for want of a better expression).

 

If you were in this position wouldn't you do the same as they are, regardless of how you came by the opportunities to do so ? Wouldn't you try and move mountains to find your missing child ?

 

I don't think it's fair to criticise the amount of publicity this case is getting if it means getting Maddie back or finding out what has happened to her (and ultimately bringing those responsible to justice).

 

Clearly the parents have made a decision that they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

 

For now, they are concentrating on their efforts to find out what has happened to Maddie - IF the apporopriate authorities deem that any parental neglect is to be dealt with, let that be done at a later date and fuel all efforts at this time into finding Maddie.

 

IMHO whether or not hotel bills etc are being paid by the family or as a result of fund raising or by the supportive hotelier is all subjective on our part.

 

I also heard on this am's news that the Portugese police had 2 large dossiers with information supplied by psychics both in Portugal and the UK - apparently leading to an address in London being investigated, sadly to no end.

 

I would imagine that the parents, even if they would chose not to accept help from such people, would not be able to influence the police in their decision.

 

It's all just so desperately sad for everyone involved.

[blackmagic]

There is another senario - suppose Maddie awoke and couldnt find her parents and went out of the open door looking for them, anything could have happened, someone could have knocked her down, not seeing her soon enough, pannicked and disposed of her. She may not have been snatched from the room.

Things are not always as they seem.

 

 

I heard a report that police dogs had tracked Maddie's scent from the flat to the local supermarket, where they lost it , suggesting that she was carried from there or taken in a vehicle.

 

I can understand that keeping it in the public eye may help to find Maddie by keeping her 'hot', but I do think the type of reporting is somewhat lacking. But then there probably isn't anything else to report.