Madeleine McCann

[Haskins]

So they dined 50 yards or so from the kids bedroom, went back to check on them now and again, and no they didn't medicate any of the kids at all...is that right?

(I'm not seeking arguments but is that right?)

Dave

Yes pretty much, although the walking distance was actually 130 yards. The firm that ran the holiday apartments offered a children checking service but that was just someone walking around to make sure no children were crying. I think the McCann's and the Tapas 7 thought they could do better than that themselves, so every thirty minutes or so one of them would check their children.

There was a kresh service not too far away and in fact police think it likely now that the suspect seen by one of one of the Tapas 7 at about 9:25, carrying a young child, was probably an innocent parent bringing his child back from that kresh service.

The McCann's should not have left their children alone and I think even their own family have criticised them for that. But then as they say, hindsight is 20/20.

Some allege that the McCann's over- medicated their children and that this was a cause of death which they later covered up. (For example some (including the chief Portugese police investigator at the time- see here -theorised that they used Calpol, but this is not in fact a sedative (it's a painkiller with no soporific effects) and death from overdose of Calpol would not be instantaneous). However there is no evidence for this, just supposition. Also the chief police investigator was removed from the case and is now widely discredited, following a criminal conviction relating to another case.

[Beaufighter]

This article explains the options which were available to the McCanns at the time of their 2007 holiday. It seems that the listening service had been discontinued and the choice was either walking their children to and from the 'dining out club' or paying 15 euros per hour (then the equivalent of £10) for a baby sitter.

[Haskins]

This article explains the options which were available to the McCanns at the time of their 2007 holiday. It seems that the listening service had been discontinued and the choice was either walking their children to and from the 'dining out club' or paying 15 euros per hour (then the equivalent of £10) for a baby sitter.

That article does highlight their dilemma. If they had used the creche then they would have had to ferry their three children there one at a time (there and back again) and also wait until the youngest ones were asleep. Hiring the baby sitter would have cost £30 to £40 a night. That would have been a hefty premium over the whole holiday, although as we now know only too well it would have been a price worth paying.

[caz]

Hi All,

My views have changed a bit over the years and I no longer think the parents had anything to do with Maddie's disappearance, apart from leaving her vulnerable.

I take the point about the difficulties of taking all three children to the night creche, but when my daughter was just a year old we went to Spain, where, like Portugal, they adore babies and children and most bars and restaurants are family friendly. She joined us every evening in her buggy and we must have eaten in at least half a dozen places over the fortnight. If she was tired she just fell asleep, but mostly she just enjoyed being with us.

I do understand why this would not suit everyone, especially those with larger families, if they have set bedtime routines or if the children get miserable when tired. But I'm afraid a holiday can never really be a holiday for parents with tiny tots, unless they are prepared to pay the extra to 'get rid' so they can enjoy themselves in adult company. And of course the McCanns could have afforded it.

The one thing that breaks my heart is the fact that Maddie had asked her mum, only the morning before she went missing, why she hadn't come when she and her baby brother had been crying the previous evening. It is totally beyond me how any mother could then go out again that night, leaving three tiny tots, knowing that any one of them could wake and be crying again for her. Maddie could so easily have become distressed, left the apartment to come and find mummy, and gone straight into the swimming pool between them.

That's what makes me think there may be something in the suggestion that the children were given something to help them sleep. It would make sense that Kate would be worried about the children crying again for her, and it would also make sense of the fact that whatever happened in that apartment, the twins apparently slept soundly throughout, and Maddie herself would have been much easier to take if she too was dead to the world. I have no doubt that she would have screamed and woken the twins had she woken up to find she was being picked up by a stranger, unless she was out cold or physically prevented from making a sound.

It is all so sad, but it seems the McCanns let Maddie become an abductor's dream on that holiday.

Love,

Caz
X

[Nick Spring]

It's a very emotive subject.

I agree with Caz, the children must have been given something for no noise to be heard.

Best

Nick

[pinkmoon]

Hi All,

My views have changed a bit over the years and I no longer think the parents had anything to do with Maddie's disappearance, apart from leaving her vulnerable.

I take the point about the difficulties of taking all three children to the night creche, but when my daughter was just a year old we went to Spain, where, like Portugal, they adore babies and children and most bars and restaurants are family friendly. She joined us every evening in her buggy and we must have eaten in at least half a dozen places over the fortnight. If she was tired she just fell asleep, but mostly she just enjoyed being with us.

I do understand why this would not suit everyone, especially those with larger families, if they have set bedtime routines or if the children get miserable when tired. But I'm afraid a holiday can never really be a holiday for parents with tiny tots, unless they are prepared to pay the extra to 'get rid' so they can enjoy themselves in adult company. And of course the McCanns could have afforded it.

The one thing that breaks my heart is the fact that Maddie had asked her mum, only the morning before she went missing, why she hadn't come when she and her baby brother had been crying the previous evening. It is totally beyond me how any mother could then go out again that night, leaving three tiny tots, knowing that any one of them could wake and be crying again for her. Maddie could so easily have become distressed, left the apartment to come and find mummy, and gone straight into the swimming pool between them.

That's what makes me think there may be something in the suggestion that the children were given something to help them sleep. It would make sense that Kate would be worried about the children crying again for her, and it would also make sense of the fact that whatever happened in that apartment, the twins apparently slept soundly throughout, and Maddie herself would have been much easier to take if she too was dead to the world. I have no doubt that she would have screamed and woken the twins had she woken up to find she was being picked up by a stranger, unless she was out cold or physically prevented from making a sound.

It is all so sad, but it seems the McCanns let Maddie become an abductor's dream on that holiday.

Love,

Caz
X

Every time Mrs mccan opens her mouth Mr Mccans eyes seem to bore into her.

[Abby Normal]

Hi All,

My views have changed a bit over the years and I no longer think the parents had anything to do with Maddie's disappearance, apart from leaving her vulnerable.

I take the point about the difficulties of taking all three children to the night creche, but when my daughter was just a year old we went to Spain, where, like Portugal, they adore babies and children and most bars and restaurants are family friendly. She joined us every evening in her buggy and we must have eaten in at least half a dozen places over the fortnight. If she was tired she just fell asleep, but mostly she just enjoyed being with us.

I do understand why this would not suit everyone, especially those with larger families, if they have set bedtime routines or if the children get miserable when tired. But I'm afraid a holiday can never really be a holiday for parents with tiny tots, unless they are prepared to pay the extra to 'get rid' so they can enjoy themselves in adult company. And of course the McCanns could have afforded it.

The one thing that breaks my heart is the fact that Maddie had asked her mum, only the morning before she went missing, why she hadn't come when she and her baby brother had been crying the previous evening. It is totally beyond me how any mother could then go out again that night, leaving three tiny tots, knowing that any one of them could wake and be crying again for her. Maddie could so easily have become distressed, left the apartment to come and find mummy, and gone straight into the swimming pool between them.

That's what makes me think there may be something in the suggestion that the children were given something to help them sleep. It would make sense that Kate would be worried about the children crying again for her, and it would also make sense of the fact that whatever happened in that apartment, the twins apparently slept soundly throughout, and Maddie herself would have been much easier to take if she too was dead to the world. I have no doubt that she would have screamed and woken the twins had she woken up to find she was being picked up by a stranger, unless she was out cold or physically prevented from making a sound.

It is all so sad, but it seems the McCanns let Maddie become an abductor's dream on that holiday.

Love,

Caz
X

Great post caz. Totally agree.

I just want to add because it seems to be missed constantly. Along with all the other dumb ****, irresponsible and unsafe things the parents did, they left the sliding glass doors open while they were gone and the kids were inside.

[Nick Spring]

Every time Mrs mccan opens her mouth Mr Mccans eyes seem to bore into her.

Hi Pinkmoon,

Yes I've noticed that, they are an odd pair that's for sure.

cheers

Nick

[pinkmoon]

Hi Pinkmoon,

Yes I've noticed that, they are an odd pair that's for sure.

cheers

Nick

I think he certainly runs the whole show I don't think they have deliberately harmed their daughter but there is something not right about the way he acts when around his wife then again how would we act if our child was missing.

[Nick Spring]

I think he certainly runs the whole show I don't think they have deliberately harmed their daughter but there is something not right about the way he acts when around his wife then again how would we act if our child was missing.

Yes but the child is missing because of their negligence.

I have certainly never left my two children alone.

You don't do it.

cheers

Nick

[pinkmoon]

Yes but the child is missing because of their negligence.

I have certainly never left my two children alone.

You don't do it.

cheers

Nick

I took my four little loves away last year and my two youngest this year and at no stage were they left unattended by me and the wife .

[caz]

Great post caz. Totally agree.

I just want to add because it seems to be missed constantly. Along with all the other dumb ****, irresponsible and unsafe things the parents did, they left the sliding glass doors open while they were gone and the kids were inside.

Cheers Abby.

I'm not sure what would have been worse though: leaving the place unlocked so Maddie could have wandered out to look for them, or locking the children in against intruders but risking a fire. Mind you, the twins were too young to have saved themselves in any situation, while Maddie was effectively left to babysit for them at the tender age of three. The mind boggles.

Of course, anyone determined to abduct a child or burgle an apartment would probably have succeeded that night regardless of locks and bolts, with all those parents at the tapas bar. But I bet you anything you like that their passports, cash and bank cards were all safely locked away out of sight.

Love,

Caz
X

[Abby Normal]

Cheers Abby.

I'm not sure what would have been worse though: leaving the place unlocked so Maddie could have wandered out to look for them, or locking the children in against intruders but risking a fire. Mind you, the twins were too young to have saved themselves in any situation, while Maddie was effectively left to babysit for them at the tender age of three. The mind boggles.

Of course, anyone determined to abduct a child or burgle an apartment would probably have succeeded that night regardless of locks and bolts, with all those parents at the tapas bar. But I bet you anything you like that their passports, cash and bank cards were all safely locked away out of sight.

Love,

Caz
X

either that or they had them safely with them, unlike their children.

[Haskins]

Yep no question that the McCann's were badly at fault for the way they left Madeleine and the twins, night after night. Even Kate McCann's own mother has criticised them for that.

There has never been any evidence that the children were given any soporific drugs though. Just speculation. Although there has been enough of that to fill the craters of Mars.

But I think the main thing is look forward and not back. The McCann's behaved as they did, and nothing can change that. All they can do is try and keep the case alive and hopefully earn some kind of redemption. Now that the Portuguese police are re-opening the case there is still a shred of hope, and that's important. It is just possibly still not too late to bring this mystery to a successful conclusion. Success to me will mean finding Maddie alive and well, even if they never find out who abducted her.

[I'veBeenToMitreSquare]

Hmm, well not being an expert in these matters..... What are we talking about here? Something to knock the kids out? Would such a thing be available "over the counter"? Yes, of course they (the parents) are doctors but could they easily have bought such a thing?

I'm asking because I honestly have no idea. Surely they couldn't have brought it with them without questions.

I HONESTLY believe that "we" are reading too much into this. This is a simple tragedy. A tragedy however, that I have a feeling will be solved sooner rather than later. I HOPE that this is the end game. I believe, that this is the end game. I believe and hope, with all my heart, that this WILL be solved soon.