Maddie Kidnapping

[joeSoap]

Just heard on Newstalk that the Portuguese police have arrested three people in connection with the abduction of Maddie and have summoned her parents to a local police station.

A press conference has been called for 6 o'clock.

Hope this is good news, but it doesn't sound like it.:mad:

[joeSoap]

Police hunting for Madeleine McCann are said to be focusing on two men and a woman seen with a girl matching her description.

Madeleine: Missing for one weekOfficers have called a news conference for later today and Madeleine's parents were driven away at speed from their apartment.

Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt, who is in Portugal, says it appears there has been some significant development.

According to reports, officers have examined CCTV footage showing a girl fitting Madeleine's description with a woman and two men at a service station just a few miles from the village of Praia Da Luz, on the road towards Spain.

The Portuguese newspaper, 24 Horas, said the woman was in her 40s, blonde and appeared foreign.

Martin Brunt said police have shown a still from the CCTV to a British tourist who confirmed it showed a man he had to chase off from photographing his daughter.

Kate McCann at the service"Things are happening, they could be important, there could be a big development," he said.

Earlier a special service was held in the village church at Praia Da Luz in Portugal to mark one week since Madeleine McCann was abducted.

The three-year-old's mother, Kate, repeatedly broke down in tears and had to be supported by a friend as she listened to prayers for Madeleine's safe return.

A small picture of the child hung next to the altar and many of the worshippers cried during the service.

The priest, who was British, said: "They are empty and in despair, but Christ knows where Kate and Gerry McCann are, he knows where Madeleine's grand parents are."

The strain of the last seven days was plain to see on Kate McCann's face as she accepted the sacraments.


The email posterFriends of the McCann family have also arranged a service in Merseyside tonight to pray for the little girl's safe return.

The service will be led by Father Paul Seddon, who married the McCanns and baptised Madeleine.

And Everton FC has released a picture of her in a club shirt.

Captain Phil Neville said everyone was "praying for Madeleine's safe return."

A poster campaign has also been launched by Madeleine's family.

More than 23,000 copies of the poster have been downloaded from the Sky News website and the family have now made it available in French and Spanish.

[Erstwhile Bóz]

Absolutely terrifying. I hope she's found.

It really freaks me out, though, when the British media get hold of a story like this and it's "Maddie" this and "Maddie" that on the front pages.

[Risteard]

It really freaks me out that if her parents weren't both doctors, they'd be slaughtered in the press.

[Soper]

It really freaks me out that if her parents weren't both doctors, they'd be slaughtered in the press.

Made that exact point to my Mother the other night and got called a 'sicko'.

[joeSoap]

Perhaps we should all stop having pops at her parents and the press until we know she's alive or not. Theres plenty of time for blame afterwards.

Doctors or not, British or not, these people are human beings that made a huge mistake. Hopefully its not one they'll have to regret for the rest of their lives.

[Erstwhile Bóz]

Yep. Hopefully they get the kid back and we can string them up then.

[drummerboy]

I lost my 4 year old child in Spain for 45 minutes. He was walking beside me and we were looking at a menu. Turned around and he was gone. Not speaking Spanish it was agonising. He had found he was onto the nearby beach. We had just arrived and didn't know where anything was. It was the day of the 2002 world cup final. I will never forget it as long as I live. The most agonising 45 minutes of my life. He had wandered on to a nearby beach. The local police found him. The joy in finding him was unbelievable. I certainly won't be condemning the parents of Madeline.

[the 12 th man]

I think the parents have shipped a fair bit of stick on this tbh,my 4 year old son disappeared from under my nose in a Supermarket in Copenhagen,I was holding his hand and let it go to take out my money to pay for something in the shop and when i looked down to take his hand again,he'd vanished.

He was missing for about 20 mins and I enlisted the help of about 10 shoppers to help me find him,he was found hiding behind a load of crates of beer in the off licence.

That feeling I had for the 20 mins he was missing will be with me for the rest of my life.

[Macy]

Whilst I'd agree it's not the time, I don't think drummerboy and 12th man's examples are really the same circumstances as the current case. They do however, make me make a mental note to put a lead on any kids I'm lucky enough to have in the future!

[micls]

Whilst I'd agree it's not the time, I don't think drummerboy and 12th man's examples are really the same circumstances as the current case. They do however, make me make a mental note to put a lead on any kids I'm lucky enough to have in the future!

Exactly...those were accidents that could happen to anyone. These parents chose to let a 3 year old alone with younger kids. Of course they didnt expect this but anything could have happened a fire, one of the kids getting sick etc.

Saying that all thats important right now is trying to get the girl back safely....

[BohsPartisan]

These parents chose to let a 3 year old alone with younger kids.

But weren't they eating in the restaurant in the same hotel and could see the room door from their table? Also weren't hotel staff meant to be looking in on them. AFAIK this is common enough when people go on holidays.

[joeSoap]

Press conference didn't amount to much. It seems that the police haven't got a clue at all, or else they're very close and keeping their cards very close to their chest. I reckon its the former....:(

[Risteard]

But weren't they eating in the restaurant in the same hotel and could see the room door from their table?
No, i didn't see it myself but it was either the BBC or the Independent showed the area and said there was no way they could have kept an eye on them.

Its completely different from the examples ye have posted above lads, in fairness. They do deserve blame.

Hope the child turns up safe obviously.

[Risteard]

Have they confirmed that she was abducted?
Its highly possible that she went out wandering, being 3 and in a hotel-room alone.
Just speculating but a 3 year old could easily have fallen down a lift shaft, rubbish chute.

I'm just thinking of a case in my area where a very young kid was missing for i think it was two weeks but turned out had committed suicide and was in the body was in the house all along.
Sorry for the grim post.
Was anything said at half 6?

[Raheny Red]

I lost my 4 year old child in Spain for 45 minutes. He was walking beside me and we were looking at a menu. Turned around and he was gone. Not speaking Spanish it was agonising. He had found he was onto the nearby beach. We had just arrived and didn't know where anything was. It was the day of the 2002 world cup final. I will never forget it as long as I live. The most agonising 45 minutes of my life. He had wandered on to a nearby beach. The local police found him. The joy in finding him was unbelievable. I certainly won't be condemning the parents of Madeline.

When I was 11 I went missing in Florida for 2 hours :o :( - scary!

[Dodge]

Reports on the radio saying Portuguese police scaling down their operation. Child is obviously not in the resort anymore

[Dricky]

I'd hate to every have the experience of losing a child even for a short time. What the parents of a child snatched go through I can't even begin to understand or imagine what is going through their mind.

[bennocelt]

I certainly won't be condemning the parents of Madeline.

yeah too right, cant believe people are so ready to be critical of the parents, people make mistakes

[GavinZac]

yeah too right, cant believe people are so ready to be critical of the parents, people make mistakes

uh, a mistake is one thing, but should any parent not be criticised for leaving three under 3 years old children alone in a hotel room? had the child simply wandered off and been found a day later, she would probably be taken from them by child welfare officers.

meanwhile, because the UK press have latched onto the case, there is now a £2.5million reward should someone find her, or to go to the parents should she be dead.

[jebus]

uh, a mistake is one thing, but should any parent not be criticised for leaving three under 3 years old children alone in a hotel room? had the child simply wandered off and been found a day later, she would probably be taken from them by child welfare officers.

You see Gavin there has to be a God, a miracle has just occured as we are actually in agreement! ;)


meanwhile, because the UK press have latched onto the case, there is now a £2.5million reward should someone find her, or to go to the parents should she be dead.

Anyone else get the feeling that the NotW have a man sitting at a desk, waiting for this sort of thing to happen so they can galvanise their sales by putting up rewards for information on these cases? The same guy fills his day by peeking into the computer of the guy who's job it is to tear apart celebrity families by making up strories about straying husbands/wives/dogs/etc.?

[Erstwhile Bóz]

Anyone else get the feeling that the NotW have a man sitting at a desk, waiting for this sort of thing to happen so they can galvanise their sales by putting up rewards for information on these cases? The same guy fills his day by peeking into the computer of the guy who's job it is to tear apart celebrity families by making up strories about straying husbands/wives/dogs/etc.?
More than likely they are one and the same unscrupulous character. Who also probably writes the hysterical drug-culture exposés while not fully come down off all the coke he did the night before with all his other hypocritical hack mates.

[Risteard]

cant believe people are so ready to be critical of the parents, people make mistakes
Can't believe people get so upset about the whole thing, kids get kidnapped.




My statement is exactly as stupid as yours.
I'm definately a believer in forgiveness and learning your mistakes.

But you can recover from drug abuse and you can reform yourself after a spell locked up.

Ain't no bringing back L'il Baby Maddie at this stage though.
They're just going to have to live with it.

[dahamsta]

Don't call people [or their opinions] 'stupid' on Foot.ie please. It's as ignorant as the comment you're trying to highlight.

[joeSoap]

My statement is exactly as stupid as yours.
I'm definately a believer in forgiveness and learning your mistakes.
In fairness I don't think he called him stupid, moreso the post that he put up.

[dahamsta]

See edit. As far as I'm concerned, calling someone's opinion stupid is the same as calling them stupid. There are far better ways to debate a topic.

[Raheny Red]

uh, a mistake is one thing, but should any parent not be criticised for leaving three under 3 years old children alone in a hotel room? had the child simply wandered off and been found a day later, she would probably be taken from them by child welfare officers.


Agreed!

[Poor Student]

Is anyone finding this prize fund for information leading to her safe return cringeworthy? Celebrities coming forward with named amounts and the Sun (I think) bragging about the kitty they've assembled. It's all well and good when the sad likelihood is that the poor girl will probably not be found alive. What kind of self respecting individual would require a £2m ever increasing lottery roll over fund to persuade them to come forth with such pertinent information? If anything it's just leading to desperate bogus information claims.

[micls]

What kind of self respecting individual would require a £2m ever increasing lottery roll over fund to persuade them to come forth with such pertinent information? If anything it's just leading to desperate bogus information claims.

I think the the best hope would be whoever took her (if shes still alive) would try to claim the money by leaving her somewhere and then 'finding' her...........2million is a lot of money and someone might take the risk for it

Highly unlikely but anthing is worth a try at this stage

[finlma]

I think the the best hope would be whoever took her (if shes still alive) would try to claim the money by leaving her somewhere and then 'finding' her...........2million is a lot of money and someone might take the risk for it


You've been watching too many movies. That would never happen. If someone claims the money they would be investigated thoroughly - DNA, etc. They'd be caught out.

I've a feeling it will be another Ben Needham type case - we'll never know what happened to her.

[Matchman]

This is just too depressing
Now I know what the Catholic Church means by evil
I wouldn't blame the British press. At least it's now in everyone's mind- if the Portuguese had their way nobody would know anything
btw What was Beckham doing going on tele

[Ringo]

One would imagine that its because ,he's a big star in Spain, a country she could easily be in.

[Matchman]

The latest from Newstalk this morning is that there was no abduction from the apartment.
Madeleine woke up and went out looking for her parents
She became disorientated and ended up walking to the local sweetshop which she knew. The shop was closed and it was there she was picked up by a predator or a someone with the mind of a child.
She is not far away from the holiday complex- she was unlucky to come across maybe the one person in that area that would abduct a child

[joeSoap]

The latest from Newstalk this morning is that there was no abduction from the apartment.
Madeleine woke up and went out looking for her parents
She became disorientated and ended up walking to the local sweetshop which she knew. The shop was closed and it was there she was picked up by a predator or a someone with the mind of a child.
She is not far away from the holiday complex- she was unlucky to come across maybe the one person in that area that would abduct a childCan't see it being as simple as that. I reckon this was planned, probably by people who watched the behaviour patterns of her parents and had a good escape route.

My only wish now is that she was taken by someone who is slightly mentally unbalanced by something like they can't have their own kids and decided to abduct one to make them a member of their own family. At least that way, in my mind, she won't have been subjected to whatever horror she would go through if taken by a paedophile.

[Matchman]

There was no sign of a break-in which is why the police spent most of the first few hours looking for her

A sniffer dog picked up the scent of the child to as far as the shop which is where the scent disappears so it looks as if this is where she was taken.

It would also explain why the police keep bringing in people for questioning

[bellavistaman]

Can't see it being as simple as that. I reckon this was planned, probably by people who watched the behaviour patterns of her parents and had a good escape route.

My only wish now is that she was taken by someone who is slightly mentally unbalanced by something like they can't have their own kids and decided to abduct one to make them a member of their own family. At least that way, in my mind, she won't have been subjected to whatever horror she would go through if taken by a paedophile.

good thread boy, totally agree with that.

[the 12 th man]

Can't see it being as simple as that. I reckon this was planned, probably by people who watched the behaviour patterns of her parents and had a good escape route.

My only wish now is that she was taken by someone who is slightly mentally unbalanced by something like they can't have their own kids and decided to abduct one to make them a member of their own family. At least that way, in my mind, she won't have been subjected to whatever horror she would go through if taken by a paedophile.



Heart agrees with your wish but the head says its a planned thing.
What the parents are feeling now must be the most pain any human can endure.

Anybody know whats the maximum sentence for this offence?,if its not life it should be.

[galwayhoop]

Heart agrees with your wish but the head says its a planned thing.
What the parents are feeling now must be the most pain any human can endure.

Anybody know whats the maximum sentence for this offence?,if its not life it should be.

maximum sentence for what exactly:
abducting a child - long pison term
leaving your children alone so they can wander out in the middle of the night - life sentence of guilt

obviouly hope that the little girl is found safe and well, although the longer this goes on the less likely this becomes.

[the 12 th man]

maximum sentence for what exactly:

Abducting the child.
What's the point of continually castigating the parents,do you not think they realise they made a catastrophic blunder by leaving the child unattended.

Theirs (the parents) is indeed a life sentence of guilt/shame and imo to be pitied.

[galwayhoop]

Abducting the child.
What's the point of continually castigating the parents,do you not think they realise they made a catastrophic blunder by leaving the child unattended.

Theirs (the parents) is indeed a life sentence of guilt/shame and imo are to be pitied.

sorry my post wasn't clear. i agree with you. the parents have the guilt to carry around - a life sentence. its like any mistake a person makes - the what only and what ifs would drive you nuts on top of the actual problem.

[Lim till i die]

if the Portuguese had their way nobody would know anything


Ya shur those darned foreigners are all evil, just look at Sky News :rolleyes:

Can't believe the condescending attitudes within the British media, imagine if the shoe was on the other foot..........


Theirs (the parents) is indeed a life sentence of guilt/shame and imo to be pitied.

Tis the child I feel sorry for :rolleyes:

The parents should be locked somewhere very, very dark for a very, very long time

[republicofwhite]

Sky News are getting very excited about a potential suspect called Robert Murat, who lived in a house 150 Yards away. Apparently he had been very co-operative and "helping out" the Police with all their efforts through translating etc, before skulking into the shadows a few days ago. Basically, a bit of suspicious behaviour. Personally, I think this smacks of that syndrome where the perpetrator blends in with the crowd in the immediate aftermath a la Ian Huntley, or even Wayne O'Donoghue. Although, it could be just a huge false alarm as he's the first suspect they can put a name or face on, hence the hysteria. Watch this space either way.

[republicofwhite]

By the way, Evertonian's were giving it all with their support yesterday, which was nice to see, a very good gesture.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Given when he (Murat) was reported to police for his suspicious behaviour they seemed to have acted very slowly on the matter.

[the 12 th man]

[QUOTE=Lim till i die;685557]


Tis the child I feel sorry for :rolleyes:

/QUOTE]

Thats a given.There was a legal advisor on Sky last night saying that its dangerous saying so much in public regarding this guy (whose house is being searched) due to the fact that it might effect any possible trial if he's charged.

[endabob1]

Thats a given.There was a legal advisor on Sky last night saying that its dangerous saying so much in public regarding this guy (whose house is being searched) due to the fact that it might effect any possible trial if he's charged.

It seems to be finally sinking in with Sky & the BBC that the reason the police aren't saying a lot is because it would potentially destroy any prosecution case under Portugese law.

[Dodge]

It seems to be finally sinking in with Sky & the BBC that the reason the police aren't saying a lot is because it would potentially destroy any prosecution case under Portugese law.
BTW there's a massive difference in the way BBC and Sky are treating the case. I probably don't have to tell you which one is the more sensationalist

[joeSoap]

Update from Sky News.

British Man Released By Madeleine Cops
Updated: 09:48, Tuesday May 15, 2007

A British man questioned in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been released by police in Portugal, Sky News has learnt.

Robert MuratCrime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "I've spoken to Robert Murat's mother. She says he was released some time over night.

"He is now staying with friends. She has advised him not to go back to their villa at Praia da Luz..

"She spoke to him by phone briefly and he is very upset. He believes the police are trying to find an Englishman to blame."

The Murats' villa is 100 metres from where four-year-old Madeleine was abducted. Forensic officers and sniffer dogs began examining the property on Monday morning.

Mrs Murat told Brunt that computer and communications equipment had been removed.

Brunt said: "There is nothing to suggest this morning that police are any closer to finding Madeleine.

"But I do say that from other police sources we got the impression that there is - and I don't know where this stems from - a growing confidence that they will still find Madeleine alive."


The Murats' villaRobert Murat is one of many people who have been interviewed over the disappearance of Madeleine. He has not been arrested or charged.

Brunt said: "We know from our own sources that Robert Murat has been under some kind of electronic surveillance by police, probably for more than a week.

"So it looks as though police had been waiting to swoop on the villa and talk to Mr Murat."

As well as Mr Murat, a German woman and a Portuguese man were also interviewed until late on Monday night.

A source close to the investigation said they were not under arrest but questioned as potential witnesses.

Mr Murat had become familiar to journalists in Praia da Luz since Madeleine was snatched from her family's holiday flat 12 days ago.

He told reporters he had a daughter the same age as the missing girl who looked very similar to her.

He lives with his mother Jenny, who is believed to own the villa being searched.

She has been running a stall on the seafront appealing for information about Madeleine's disappearance.

Mr Murat, who described himself as half-Portuguese, said he was helping the McCanns as a translator.

But journalists became suspicious and went to the Portuguese police with their concerns last week.

Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell reported Mr Murat to local officers as well as to the British Embassy and Leicestershire Police.

She said: "Basically, he surfaced on Friday afternoon last week and was walking around as if he was somebody official.

"But when questioned about it, he was very vague about his position. He said he just volunteered to help the police with their investigation."

[joeSoap]

Given when he (Murat) was reported to police for his suspicious behaviour they seemed to have acted very slowly on the matter. Funny that he was reported to the police for suspicious behaviour by a sensationalist, egotistical, parasite hack form a tabloid rag....Its a no win situation for this guy. If he was involved he deserves to die and probably will, one way or the other and it will be the Sunday Mirror who cracked the case, not the Portuguese police. On the other hand, if he's innocent, he now has been unfairly dragged through the mire, and we all know that mud sticks.

[jebus]

BTW there's a massive difference in the way BBC and Sky are treating the case. I probably don't have to tell you which one is the more sensationalist

Anyone else think that Sky go very tabloid with these stories? As in dedicating half of their one hour bulletin to this case? I understand why it's the lead story but jesus christ can we got some other news too! Oh wait I forgot it's Sky News we are talking about