Finding Madeleine McCann’s Body - “Vermoedelijke Vindplaats”
IS Madeleine McCann dead? A letter to a Dutch newspaper. And a map showing where her body can be found. It’s credible:
Police in Portugal are investigating an anonymous letter and a map claiming to show where missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann’s body is buried.
The letter, sent to Dutch paper De Telegraaf, identifies an area 15km (9.3 miles) from where Madeleine vanished.
It strongly resembles another letter sent to the same newspaper last year, accurately pinpointing where two missing Belgian girls were buried.
Ch Insp Olegario de Sousa said officers were “checking the information”.
Next to a cross and two question marks, the sender writes “vermoedelijke vindplaats Madeleine” - this is the place where Madeleine can probably be found.
A murder investigation. And still only one suspect.
One day on and “BURIED UNDER ROCKS,” says the Mirror’s front –page headline.
The paper notes how the handwriting on the letter is the same as that on the paper giving the whereabouts of Stacey Lemmens and her sister Nathalie Mahy who went missing in Belgium last year.
As the Sun reports, the note says Madeleine is buried “north of the road under branches and rocks, around six to seven metres off the road” in an spot near Odiaxere, close to the Algarve resort from where the girl went missing 42 days ago.
The Mail says the author of this letter and, most likely, the one concerning the Belgian sisters, is unknown to police.
A certain Abdullah Ait-Oud, a convicted paedophile, has been charged with their murders. He denies any involvement. Although police believe he acted with an accomplice who has not been traced.
“MADELEINE IS BURIED HERE,” says the Express on its front page. Portuguese police are searching the area…
Mr McCann says:
“We were extremely disappointed in the publication of the anonymous letter in The Telegraaf claiming to know where Madeleine is buried.”Although all information will be taken seriously, we were very upset that the credibility of this letter had not been examined and, more importantly, published before the Portuguese police had an opportunity to investigate the claim, and search the area if appropriate without massive media attention.
“We feel strongly that this was an irresponsible piece of journalism and, even if it were true, is insensitive and cruel.
“One can imagine how upsetting it is for Kate and I to hear of such claims through the media and if every piece of information was published like this there would be nothing else in the newspapers.”
Read the update here - no body found…
Posted: 14th, June 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (274) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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June 14th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
There are so many reasons this letter could have been written, i don’t know why this letter has been given more focus then the many others that have probably been sent. This is what i mean about the huge amount of media attention, as much as i am fascinated by this story i cant help but think it is a mistake by the Mr and Ms McCann to create so much attention which will only lead to hoaxes or worse- the person responsible for kidnapping Madeleine to freak out and do something irrational.
June 14th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
I think that too Jonathan sometimes. If I didn’t have my daughter then maybe I would have.
Then again, if I didn;t have my daughter, maybe I wouldnt have felt so strongly about it. Only when you have a child can you begin to appreciate how it would feel to have them snatched away.
June 14th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Dark Horse: yes it is a gripping story. I sometime get this crazy idea I should get on a plane and go and help…
I do have another thought on motives for hoaxing. The suspect for the Belgian case who is in custody would dearly like to be able to ‘create’ an albeit circumstantial piece of evidence in his favour. Anything that could create doubt?
June 14th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
With regards to possible charges of the parents of Madeline and the twins. Yes, leaving the children alone was a mistake. Everyone, including the McCanns realize this. However, even if the twins are removed from the home, the parents face criminal charges or any other form of punishment, nothing could be worse than knowing that one mistake has led to the abduction of their daughter. There is no worse punishment than what has already happened, and the McCanns’ will have to live with this for the rest of their lives. You and me?? We will probably begin to pay less attention to the Madeline case as the months and years go by. Her parents will live with this forever.
June 14th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Me to Dark Horse. I dont really know why either. I have a young child and I think that since she was born I am much more affecte by stories such as this.
This is the first high profile abduction since I became pregnant, apart from the one where the little girl was stolen from her bath, but was fortunaly found shortly afterwards wandering in the snow.
I feel so sad for little Madeleine and I can’t even begin to image how terrible this must be for the parents. I just desperately want to see an end to all this and wish the abducter would just leave her somewhere safe and do a runner.
Or make a ransom appeal or something. It worries me that she has been killed by a lone paedo. If there were a few people involved, the prospect of such a huge reward would probably have tipped one of them over the edge. If it was a group, I’m quite sure they would have been easily motivated by that amount of money.
It’s just so so sad.
June 14th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
I know this is a little bit off the topic of the above article but i am fascinated by the amount of interest this story has generated. I am amazed at my own level of curiosity and concern. Perhaps it is because i have a child of my own but i can say for myself that i have never been so interested in a story like this before- the fact that i actually follow it on the internet is fascinating to me- It is almost addictive. Is anyone else amazed by this?
June 14th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
I wish we lived in a world where we focused on the best interests of others before our own. The appropriate thing to do would have been for the media to give the letter to the authorities and not publish anything about it. Unfortunalty i think the media will do anything for a headline- maybe the paper that published it is the hoaxer…..
June 14th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
I agree Joanne. If this letter had no provenance then it would have to go straight into a file. But given its connection with the previous Belgian case, frankly the area *must* be searched even if it comes to nothing, even if the letter eventually turns out to be a hoax.
I don’t have a problem with journalists or volunteers going to have a look. You just never know…
June 14th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
I agree Joanne. Perhaps if people focused on the facts and the issues surrounding the case instead of placing blame it would lead to a faster resolution. Placing blame gets us nowhere.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Trouble is, we have no idea do we. It could be a complete hoax, the killer him/herself, a well meaning psychic (who is correct), or a well meaning psychic (who is not correct).
With hundreds of these types of claims coming in, it is little wonder the police have their hands full.
I hope the media may learn something from this and not ‘break the stories’ before having the police fully check it out. If this is a hoaxer, the sensationalist reaction from De Telegraaf and other tabloids will be just what they wanted.
I would prefer that hoaxers were not given the time of day by the media, which would hopefully discourage other nutters from making these claims.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I am so bored of the blame/punish McCann brigade.
To behave like this is just plain vindictive and symbolic of the hostile soceity we live in.
I wish we could just stick to the subject without the hijackers.
I’m sorry they have called off the search, simply because I’d like to see every corner of the world searched if possible. I know it isn’t practical.
I have no issues with journalists turning up with dogs. Anyone looking for her is a good thing, irrespective of motive.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
OH sorry i meant police- how embarrassing………
June 14th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
How would the person who wrote this letter know Madeleine is Buried under rocks or branches if they themselves were not involved unless they made it up compleatly. I think the poliece should be focusing on tracing the origines of this letter rather then focusing on it’s claim.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Jean Jones get off your high horse. What does it matter to you how people refer to the McCanns? Just because people don;t know the McCanns doesn;t mean they can’t call them Kate and Gerry. I don;t know Kate Moss, but I don’t refer to her as Miss Moss on a forum or in conversation.
If grammar has affected your interpretation of a sentence, then fair enough, question it. Otherwise stop being so pompous.
You are damaging your subject based arguments by appearing petty, pompous and boring. Nobody will take you seriously if you spend your hours trying to impose your alleged superior knowledge of English conjugation.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I’m just saying, we’re not writing a master piece. It is just a comment on a website- who can really be bothered checking everything and making sure we write everything correctly
June 14th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Manon: I’m not sure if your ‘rational mind’ comment means you don’t believe in pyschic powers? Most of us are curious doubters? I just think that in the Belgian case, 400m from the point of abduction versus some 2km away involves quite a different level of effort. The killer would remember. Guessing the motives of either an abductor or a hoaxer will always be part of the challenge.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Dark Horse: I wish we could focus on the issues raised by this article.
However much of the thread has been hi-jacked by the “blame/punish the McCanns” brigade…
June 14th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I have to say I agree with Jean Jones on how to refer to the McCanns: most definitely NOT ‘Kate’ & ‘Gerry’. Who are these people presuming to *know* them? It’s so presumptuous & such bad taste!
I agree with her on spelling too, I don’t bother to reply to internet peeps who can’t spell.
However, I am guilty of not correcting my typo mis-punctuations on here, because I didn’t imagine there would be any such as Jean who would notice lol.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
No, having my name miss-spelt is not something i think is a big deal.
There are more serious mistakes that we as people can make then spelling mistakes. If someone wants to judge another because of a simple mistake or lack of concern for the way they say or spell something then let them focus on these small and petty things else where- such as in an English class.
Can we now focus on the real issues such as the subject of this article.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Jonathan:
I don’t know if we can assume that the innacuracy of the cross means it was not based on real knowledge. It is possible that the sender was somehow involved (though perhaps not that likely). There is a third person’s dna involved in the Belgian murders who hasn’t been identified by police.
It may be second hand knowledge, either from within the criminal network, or a sleuth, in which case it’s highly likely not to be exact. It’s actually harder than you’d think to pin-point on a map, a real place, particularly if you’re doing if from memory, unless you visit the actual place with the map: it depends how the land lies & what the surrounding land-marks are.
I find it hard to believe it’s from a psychic, being of a rational turn of mind.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
“Jean Jones - she is not “our Maddy”. The story as public spectacle in which you are made to believe that wearing a yellow ribbon and listeing to a charity record will help bring back a little girl. We are invited to share in the grief. It’s as if the yellow ribbon is this year’s anti-poverty bracelet. And no this does not make me unfeeling. The crime is hideous. But I am not the victim…”
I think you’re talking to the wrong person there, Anorak - I didn’t say anything about ‘our Maddy’ or criticise anything you said.
And to those who say spelling etc doesn’t matter - spelling always matters, whatever the context. There are still a lot of people around who don’t rate the arguments of someone who can’t spell properly. And so, to me and many others, do the way people are referred to and addressed. Doesn’t everyone hate having their name misspelt?
June 14th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Jean Jones- Do you have to be so on edge? No one really cares about spelling and grammar and the appropriate way to refer to people in an everyday context. Loosen up a little!
June 14th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
If you want to play the media as “Team McCanns” had, be prepared to be played with as well. I am delighted that the European media has no been as forgiving as the British press (except Anorax of course) who has so far treated them as royalty.
They had it coming and I have no pity for them, only the children.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Jean Jones: thanks for your input? Most people commenting here are sharing their thoughts and feelings about this case rather than providing formal English lessons. Their informality is representative of their ‘closeness’ to this case.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Jean Jones - she is not “our Maddy”. The story as public spectacle in which you are made to believe that wearing a yellow ribbon and listeing to a charity record will help bring back a little girl. We are invited to share in the grief. It’s as if the yellow ribbon is this year’s anti-poverty bracelet. And no this does not make me unfeeling. The crime is hideous. But I am not the victim…
June 14th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Manon: given the relative inaccuracy of the Belgian letter’s cross on the map, I can only assume it was not based on real knowledge. So conclusion is psychic, amateur sleuth or hoaxer. I did see an article which also claimed it was a possible psychic. Usually though, they aren’t so annonymous?
Dark horse: I agree. It took me only a few minutes to find a image of the Belgian map.
Jane: given the implications, thats superb news. I hope the PJ have good grounds for discounting this letter.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
A little spelling lesson:
PAEDOPHILE if you’re British. PEDOPHILE if you’re American. ‘Pedo’ is not a meaningful word.
The child’s name is MADELEINE. Not ‘Maddy’, ‘Maddie’ or ‘Madeline’.
Her parents, unless you are personal friends of the family, are Mr and Mrs McCann. Or indeed Dr and Dr McCann. Or ‘the McCanns’. Not ‘Kate and Gerry’ and definitely not ‘the McCann’s’. If you want to say ‘of the McCanns’, as in ‘the suffering of the McCanns’, then it’s ‘the McCanns’ suffering’.
Please note I am stating no opinion about any aspect of the case.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Quote from three other web forums
“How strange, the McCann family [ minus the kids] went to the very spot where the police are lookling into now, on the first day of their holiday……………………….why, the area is very barren with nothing to see! Well, not for the tourists anyway!”
anyone heard anything about this???
June 14th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Just a thought- why is it so significant that this letter resembled a past letter pinpointing two other girls bodies. Could it not be possible that who ever wrote this letter copied the similarities from the past letter to make a believable hoax?
June 14th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Joanne - I reckon there are a whole lot of people on here & elsewhere who are enjoying the McCann’s suffering way to much.
I’m shocked at people’s inhumanity, I really didn’t know there were so many awful people in the world. However, it helps me understand how Germany fell pray to Nazism: ie how ordinary people are happy to take delight in other’s suffering, given the chance.