The measurements are important as an example of the misinformation which is being posted. It seems to me that somewhere along the line, "feet" got turned into "yards". I'm done with discussing this. The parents aren't suspects and I think they are already suffering enough. Sabrina - the apartment can be seen unobstructed from the tapas bar. They showed it on TV. The building you see in the photo is the "inside/covered" part of the restaurant but there are tables and chairs on the large area of patio outside.
This reminds me of a story that had been told countless times since I was a child When I was 3 years old, (a long, long, time ago), I naturally, awoke at a very early hour and was bored. Everyone else in the house was still asleep and I, already a genius , took a chair, while everyone was sleeping and unlocked the door and left to go outside. When the family awoke and found me missing, all hell broke loose with searching, etc. The police were called and lo and behold, they found me in an alleyway behind the buildings playing with the stray cats (even then LOL) The story was told then as just the "damndest and cutest thing" I ever did, including by the police department as back then, things were quite different I guess. After many years of retelling that story, the "cuteness" aspect of the story dwindled and realization of what might have been set in and the story was then told as a warning rather than an amusing anecdote of my childhood. You see, even back then, there were bad guys and pedophiles, and all sorts of horrible people who just missed an opportunity, although those things and media outlets were much smaller. I shudder to think that had this story been told as something that happened today, my mother would have been in deep trouble and possibly charged with a crime. So, times change, but children NEVER change and they just should ALWAYS be in the surroundings of an adult, as they need no help to get into trouble. They are quite capable all by themselves
You must have an amazing memory! I can't remember the names of the resorts I stayed in 30 years ago let alone remember what the door handles/locks were like in the rooms!
Did each apartment have an entrance or was there one main doorway with an inside hallway? Did they release info that they thought the abductor left through the window facing the parking lot/outside or is that a rumor?
With all due respect, I must disagree. I don't think for one minute the parents are involved with her disappearace nor foul play However, I don't think honest criticism of the choice they made equates to venom or bashing. Had Maddie somehow awoken and somehow wandered off, or did something totally on her own, causing a tragedy (fire, etc), the conversation here would be much much different. Either way, however this tragedy came to pass, those children should not have been left alone. The circumstances of the tragedy are different of course, but the principle remains the same. I don't think criticism of the parents' actions equates to "attacking" them. I don't think anyone here wishes the parents any more heartache and everyone understands how terrible and heartbreaking it is for them, but the fact remains that their decision was a poor one. I don't think that's bashing, I think it is just observation and a fair analysis We all pray for her safe return, but still think the parents made a bad choice. Again, had Maddie wandered off on her own and gotten into an accident, I do believe the parents would have been bashed all around the world for leaving them alone. Because Maddie was taken by someone ELSE doesn't change the principle My heart aches for these parents, but I stand by my critique nonetheless.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6715943.stm Sunday, 3 June 2007, 15:14 GMT 16:14 UK Madeleine parents need 'one call' Mr and Mrs McCann attended an emotional church service The parents of missing Madeleine McCann have said it could take "just one phone call" for the four-year-old to be found and returned to them. In a statement to mark a calendar month since Madeleine disappeared in Portugal, Gerry and Kate McCann said they believed she was still alive.
(Hummm That sounds familiar.) The information about the restaurant being 2 football fields away from the apartment was a direct quote from both tv news and print media. I will find a source and post it. http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/14/abduction.conference.ap/index.html
Just a reminder - football in the US is not "football" in the rest of the world. 2 completely different-sized fields. Is it an issue of pointy-ended football field v. soccer pitch?
Not to nitpick or anything, but the distance is a moot point; does it really matter? If children of that age are out of earshot or eyeshot it is too far IMO
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...tml?in_article_id=453049&in_page_id=1770&ct=5 snippet from the above article: http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article1762734.ece
Thanks for saying that heymom. Yep, that's how I view it too. 2 year old twins and their 3 yr old sister are simply too young to be left unattended....doesn't matter what country they're in, imo.
The below picture can be found at this link. (Crimeshots has an excellent collection of articles about this case.) http://crimeshots.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6188&page=4
Tylin, I've never seen a faceless sketch like this one shown in the Daily Mail, before, but still, it does seem an unusual shaped head, doesn't it? Someone just might recognize the odd shaped face and the hair style. It's better than having nothing to work on. Thanks for the information. Sincerely hope this little girl will be returned to her family.
Thank you for the map. Interesting I want to clarify once again: I do not think the parents are involved in any way with Maddie's disappearance. What has caused my annoyance is the annoyance with honest and FAIR IMO, criticism of the parents for leaving them alone. My heart aches for them and I can't imagine the pain and the guilt. What irks me is that had they left the kids alone while having dinner and a fire had broken out, killing one of the children, I do not believe ANYONE would have given them a pass, let alone garner the kind of defensiveness that has been shown. And the immediate comparison to what is done in America re: child abductions, etc. upset me as well Last time I checked, the John Mark Karr's of the world LEFT AMERICA to go to other countries for their child fantasies. Maybe I'm just in a mood today but it bothered me
Elle_1, At first I thought the sketch was a joke. That sketch was shown to people in the town. How could they even identify a suspect if the eye, nose and lip shapes were missing? Then again, as you pointed out, the head is oddly shaped. I too hope she is found. I pray for her everyday, but the longer she's missing the less hopeful I become. Statistics prove she'll most likely never be found.
Barbara, Another post that is spot on. Believe me the defensiveness found here is on other forums too. This case is releasing lots of emotions. Just an fyi-I've never said I don't feel for the parents because I do. They're suffering, it's apparent by the looks on their faces.
Just read the crimeshots article, tylin. They are even suspecting the British translator, Robert Murat, who lives with his mother, since splitting with his wife. who offered to help the police. Apparently his own little girl resembles Madeleine McCann. Oh my goodness, this will not help this young man one bit, but every stone has to be turned, hasn't it? According to Murat's mother, he had dinner with her that same night Madeleine went missing.
I understand completely Tylin. I don't think anyone DOESN'T feel for the parents. It's a horrific incident and as such, gets people very emotional on so many levels. It is polarizing at best We all pray for her safe return. That's something everyone can agree on
I do think the issue of door handle height is rather a moot point because if Madeleine had really wanted to go out the door for some reason, she would have found a way such as you did - by pulling up a chair to stand on, or whatever. What I think is interesting is the theory that she might have wandered out vs. being taken from the room. That was all I was saying.
