Holiday girl Abducted

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6627605.stm

Not a very nice story at all, and I really hope they find her.

However, although I would not point the finger of blame, I have to say how god damn stupid are her parents for leaving her while they went off for dinner?!? I wouldn't even do that in the UK, never mind another country.

Leaving the kids to sleep while parents go out to dinner on holiday is something my parents did often while my brother and I were growing up. We would always know where they were and have a means of contacting them, and they'd regularly come back just to check on us, just as this little girl's parents say they did.

Then again, my parents wouldn't have done so when I was as young as 3. Always I would have been old enough than to know about dangers and known better than to leave with some stranger. Obviously I don't actually know how she was taken, but its not hard to lure a 3year old into cooperating using food or even toys.


I think its quite sad that even though all along the police have been saying 'we believe she's alive', this morning's headlines take a u-turn on that. Kind of think that marks the beginning of what can only be a downward spiral leading to the inevitable 'body has been found' headline sometime in the future.

It's odd isn't it that nobody has been pointing the finger at the parents for leaving them. And apparently the hotel had a babysitting service but they didn't use it.

I think people do stuff on holiday that they wouldn't do at home. If someone left their kids (that young) unminded in the UK they'd probaly end up in care.

I suspect someone who really wants a child and can't have one has abducted her rather than some weirdo/pervert has taken her to do nasty things.

Quite frankly, I agree. I feel so sorry for the parents but it's seems insane to leave kids in a bedroom on their own like that. I so hope they find her but I fear some perv has done the business...sadly.

I had the very same thought yesterday Koshka. The press seem to be focusing on the Portuguese police rather than the parents decision to leave Maddy on her own.

Why couldnt they take her with them ? Too many parents see their children on holiday as a hindrance to their fun.

And another question. If this was a single mum in the same situation, would the press have gone so lightly ?

Having said that, I hope the parents get her back. The mums plea on TV yesterday was heartbreaking to watch.

Nobody has pointed the finger at the parents because of the nature of the situation I think.

It is fair to say that people often do things on holiday that they would not do at home, but neglecting your child is not one of them, and lets face it, neglect is what this is.

I don't even think I would trust 90% of these babysitting services that these places have. What makes this even worse is that they also left her with her two YOUNGER brothers.

I initially thought (perhaps hoped) that this might be a childless mother, and the child might be safe at least - but more doubt has set in my mind as time has gone on.

I dread the news if the worse does happen, I cannot even begin to imagine how the parents are feeling, it is a truly dreadful situation

WormThatTurned wrote:

I had the very same thought yesterday Koshka. The press seem to be focusing on the Portuguese police rather than the parents decision to leave Maddy on her own.

Why couldnt they take her with them ? Too many parents see their children on holiday as a hindrance to their fun.

And another question. If this was a single mum in the same situation, would the press have gone so lightly ?

Having said that, I hope the parents get her back. The mums plea on TV yesterday was heartbreaking to watch.

I don't think now is the time for criticising the parents, or the police for that matter. Let them get on with their job and after the conclusion to the case (hopefully a happy one) then we can think about mistakes that were made.

I suspect the parents fell guilty enough as it is without being told by newspapers how bad they were for leaving the kids alone in the room!

I think so far the parents have got off bloody lightly, I haven't read one newspaper report that has even picked up on the parents stupidity.

Like what has been said before, if it was a young or single parent or if it was in this country the papers would have a field day with the story.

Yes, this is a really sad case, no doubt about that, but that doesn't take away from the fact that those children should not have been left on there own.

spoilt_little_brat wrote:

I think so far the parents have got off bloody lightly, I haven't read one newspaper report that has even picked up on the parents stupidity.

Like what has been said before, if it was a young or single parent or if it was in this country the papers would have a field day with the story.

Yes, this is a really sad case, no doubt about that, but that doesn't take away from the fact that those children should not have been left on there own.

You might be right but I don't see what it will achieve by debating the right and wrongs of what the parent did in the papers etc at this time when the parents must obviously be going through hell.

There will be a time and place for looking at what happened and dishing out blame (if that is what is needed)...but not now.

I think that the reason they haven't criticised the parents much is that they are nice, respectable middle class people who had gone off only to have a meal. Do you think a young single mum who had gone clubbing for the night would have been let off so lightly by the press?

I even heard one person - a friend of the family - say "They are docotrs, they look after peopel and this is how they get repaid!" Seems some people's children are fair game, others aren't.

And it's the reason that they are such nice and smart people that makes you think they would have more common sence.

If your children are going to 'get in the way' of your holiday then dont take them, or even better dont have kids.

That last comment is disgusting, any child who is abducted is disgusting and wrong, and makes no difference the place the parents hold in the community.

fizzywizzy wrote:

gone off only to have a meal.

Doesnt matter how frivolous the situation was they were in (having a meal).

Dont take that chance !!!

I am sure these parents dont need to be reminded of that and don't need our judgements at this time.

It happens and hindsight is 20/20 (and I work in hospitality and see this kind of thing regularly)

My parents took far greater risks when we were kids, I remember being left alone sometimes from the age of 8 or so, and I have two younger siblings.

WormThatTurned wrote:

fizzywizzy wrote:

gone off only to have a meal.

Doesnt matter how frivolous the situation was they were in (having a meal).

Dont take that chance !!!

I am merely giving my view on why people haven't been quite as finger -pointing as you might expect.

I was saying that there would have been MORE criticism had they been out clubbing. Or if it had been the child of a single mother.....

Quite a lot of the press have been focusing on paedophiles whilst noone has mentioned that this child could have been 'stolen to order'.

I remember a couple of cases a few years ago when babies were taken and I seem to recall one turning up again a couple of years later.

Does anyone think this guy is guilty of anything that has been arrested. Im doubtful.

Something really odd is going on. About 30 mins ago a colleague got a text from her sister saying she'd heard on Radio 2 that Madeline had been found alive in the cellar or Murat's house. Then apparently the news went dead and nobody is saying ANYTHING at all.

Is it a press blackout or were the initial reports just plain wrong? Seems very bizarre.

This might sound a bit callous, but I simply cannot understand why it has gotten SO much coverage. I wouldn't say kids go missing all the time, but this is feeling like she is the only kid in the world.

koshkha wrote:

Something really odd is going on. About 30 mins ago a colleague got a text from her sister saying she'd heard on Radio 2 that Madeline had been found alive in the cellar or Murat's house. Then apparently the news went dead and nobody is saying ANYTHING at all.

Is it a press blackout or were the initial reports just plain wrong? Seems very bizarre.

I hope it is correct. (I haven't caught up on the news today yet however) I cannot imagine how these parents can be feeling...

drewboy wrote:

This might sound a bit callous, but I simply cannot understand why it has gotten SO much coverage. I wouldn't say kids go missing all the time, but this is feeling like she is the only kid in the world.

I haven't seen hysteria like this since Diana died. To me, it's just got totally out of control. 2.5mn quid reward = indicator to folk that if you want to steal a kid, go for a Brit because the money's better.

And as for the 'fighting fund', I'm just disgusted by the idea that two very well off people, undoubtedly on compassionate leave on full pay from their very well paid jobs would accept money from the public.

OK, you can all tell me I'm heartless now but I just think it's getting silly.

Oops.............I think that's what they call 'compassion fatigue'.

It is a dificult situation. (very comparable to Soham, in terms of this "suspect" - except several years on, and very comparable in terms of the media frenzy).

Media is just more and more intense...she is a little girl, 4 years of age, born to a couple via IVF, a beautiful little girl who has captured hearts (including mine).

Where i think it gets silly is when Celtic (for example) are giving out photos - like she is going to be in Glasgow for crying out loud...that kind of news is just distracting. Meanwhile, the point about her pupil is pretty key...and that doesnt make the news for a week. Or this suspect who has been playing interpreter...

Money isn't likely to fix/influence this..i dont think..she has been taken by one of two types of people...and if it is the paedophile type..then there isn't a lot of hope no matter how much money there is.

koshkha wrote:

And as for the 'fighting fund', I'm just disgusted by the idea that two very well off people, undoubtedly on compassionate leave on full pay from their very well paid jobs would accept money from the public.

OK, you can all tell me I'm heartless now but I just think it's getting silly.

I dont understand the relevance of the fund (i.e. what is it being used for.)...however I dont know any employer that would not grant compassionate leave and pay under the circumstances or indeed that even that having a well paid job is going to help matters at all.

I happened to see two right-wing newspapers at work the day the British guy was outed as a suspect. Both were saying stuff that (while typical of the rubbish these papers print) seemed to be way over the top about what you could say about someone without saying they were guilty.

The Star boldly announced that he had "sex secrets" - clearly not a secret since they were emblazoned on the front of their paper. If you have sex with a woman and her husband likes to watch, does that make you a paedophile capable of abducting and murdering a child?

I find it bizarre that a paper like the Star would make such blatant implications while on the next page show you a picture of some topless lovely with a few barely-disguised words about how she's a goer and likes it all ways.

Time and more investigation will tell whether this guy has anything to do with Maddy's disappearance but I believe the papers have behaved dreadfully.