Madeleine McCann: Missing Hours, Found Again And A PR Disaster
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann.
THE SUN front page: “MADDIE DAD AGONY. Fiend hid from Gerry. He was already in room he tells cops.”
A source close to the family says: “When Gerry went to check on Madeleine at 9.05pm he realised the bedroom door was open. Gerry is firmly of the view the abductor was already in the apartment.”
It’s another theory.
“When he went in he saw Madeleine was asleep but the bedroom door was slightly open. He thought, ‘That’s odd’ because he had left it firmly closed. But all the children were asleep. So he just went in and closed the door again and came out about 9.10pm.”
Good to hear Gerry McCann joining in the mood of speculation?
“Gerry is convinced the man must have been hiding, and once Gerry went through the patio doors the only way out was through the window. The front door was locked so the kidnapper took Madeleine and climbed out the window.”
DAILY MIRROR front page: “HOW SHE WAS TAKEN. The McCanns’ story.”
“Stolen to order after being spied on for days
Abductor hid in flat as Gerry looked in on kids
He got in through patio doors and out by window”
Gerry is a “heart specialist”.
Says a source: “When Gerry leaves, the man realises he has only a few minutes. He thinks the only way to get out without being seen is through the window.”
And: “Initially he thought Madeleine might have got up and gone to the toilet, or to get a drink or something.”
So what has changed? Why a new theory now, with a new spokesman on hand and the McCanns named as suspects?
DAILY STAR front page: “SEVEN HOURS TO KLILL MADDIE. Police probe her ‘lost’ final afternoon”
DAILY EXPRESS front page: “MADELEINE: THE MISSING SEVEN HOURS.”
Police sources reveal that “despite exhaustive inquiries they cannot confirm the whereabouts of part-time GP Kate, 39, and her daughter after 1.29pm on May 3”. A source said Kate’s movements were “unaccounted for until she sat down to have dinner with friends at a tapas restaurant within their holiday complex at around 8.40pm”.
The last photograph of Madeleine was said to have been taken by Kate at 2.29pm on May 3.
DAILY MAIL: “McCanns: What we really did in the missing six hours.”
“Madeleine had high tea at 5.30pm with staff at the Kids Club. She was picked up shortly before 6pm by Kate and Gerry.”
The friend insisted: “Kate was never alone with Madeleine that afternoon. There were always other witnesses present. These details were all given to detectives during police interviews, so they know what Kate and Gerry said happened that day.”
So no missing hours, then?
THE TIMES front page: “MADELEINE McCANN: Matthew Parris laments a PR disaster.
“The fatal flaw of David Cameron and Kate and Gerry McCann” - Our correspondent looks at the baleful influence of the marketing men.
“Look what they’ve done to Kate and Gerry McCann. Here were two people deserving of the most intense public sympathy. On a superficial level they got it – by the media bucketload. Yet did you not sense from an early stage an undertone of irritation at the couple? I’ve sensed it everywhere I go: not a sign of doubt about their innocence, which most of us take for granted, but a feeling, nevertheless, that they in some way invited trouble – though we banish the thought as brutal and wrong.
“Which it is. So why the ungenerosity? I believe it is because Kate and Gerry McCann have allowed an impression to arise that they and their advisers are marketing their own tragedy. Where we would have expected to see parents distracted and disorganised by grief, we have seen a professionally run campaign to find out what the media want, and give it to them.
“This has been done for a most defensible reason: to enlist the entire European public as amateur detectives in the search for Madeleine. But now her parents have ended up looking like film stars in a Hollywood weepy.”
“Put up or shut up, Madeleine McCann police told” - Friend of McCanns counters claims of ‘lost’ six hours before girl vanished
DAILY TELEGRPAH: “Madeleine McCann: Gerry certain he was in bedroom with kidnapper”
THE GUARDIAN: “From prime suspects to hounded victims - how parents turned the media tide”
Posted: 22nd, September 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,536) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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September 23rd, 2007 at 2:39 pm
1106 - To clarify, I have never heard anyone on here say the McCanns were right to leve their kids.
I have said several times on here that when he time is right, I hope the authorities throw the book at them for neglect.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Maybe this is what happened.
Kate and Gerry cannot have kids.
Kate turns to O’Brien for”comfort ” and one thing led to another. Kate becomes pregnant.
She and O’Brien vow not to tell Gerry or Jane Tanner but then a twist occurs.
Madeleine is born with coloboma and genetic tests are done to look for inherited diseases.
Big shocker for Gerry when it turns out he is not the father(have you noticed the twins look like Gerry but Madeleine doesn’t).
A major row occurs but neither Kate, Gerry, O’Brien or Jane Tanner can afford the scandal that would hit them socially and carreerwise when this comes out.
So they stick together and find a way to live with it.
Then an IVF procedure is done and Kate and gerry have their own kids.
But there’s a cloud darkening their horizon again.
Madeleine turns out to be a very difficult child which Kate cannot handle.
She sobs to O’brien again and he knows a solution:sedating her on a regular basis.
Kate slowly goes mental from having such a dark secret in her family, having a handicapped child plus twins and Gerry not helping her.
She becomes obsessed with religion and stumbles on passages in the Bible where a father has to sacrifice his son.
She starts to think about this more often and often especially when sedating Madeleine.
They plan the doomed holiday. Their mariage is now at a point where Gerry thinks divorce to get away from it all but that wouldn’t look good when he wants to make a political carreer. And it wouldn’ look good to put Madeleine in an institution either.( was she even due to go to any school after their return?} So Kate and Gerry start their so-called family vacation in which they store their kids in the creche every day and leave them unattended in the apartment EVERY night.
Noticed the night Madeleine disappeared was the only night the”checked” on their kids?
In my opinion this could suggest premeditated murder.
Kate kills Madeleine in the missing hours.
O’Brien is later manipulated into helping thing cleaned up atter Kate and Gerry.
then at 10 their circus begins.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:36 pm
If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:35 pm
1093
No, I have reason. In this case until the powerful ones of Portugal collaborates.
They protect ones to the others.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:34 pm
my thoughts exactly megz
almost manical
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:34 pm
1044 (1098 by mistake?) 1100
Sorry Carmen I missed your 1044. I went to make a nice cuppa. Any fan of Del Boy is no McCannic ta be sure.I was just fishing for a laugh. I know you better than that and I also know that Freddie Starr is a vegetarian… so there
P.S. got any cheap ciggies?
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:33 pm
1091 - Judith C. You are right and sorry if I sounded naive. You have put it better than me. I think you know what I mean.
and 1093 - Simon. I am yet to hear the McCanns clearly and unequivocally say that they were wrong to leave their children alone. I cannot find the post above regarding the BBC 4 interview between Jenny Murray and Kate McCann, but even when asked directly about this, Kate McCann waffled some half-baked excuse.
As a parent I would be sick with guilt - and I mean consumed with guilt - and to ensure other parents would not make the same mistake and maybe suffer the same consequences I would continuously ADMIT - ‘We were wrong to leave the children alone.’ or ‘If only we hadn’t left Madeleine alone, she would be with us now’ etc.
So when you say that the McCanns have never said it was right to leave the kids alone - please direct me to the articles, videos, interviews etc. where they say they realise it was wrong.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:28 pm
1098. megz.
Did you mean this picture?
http://www.dragondrop.org/clips/orc.jpg
–
Just a joke before I get dropped on for slighting the McCanns in any way.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
1094 simon
Yep maybe but it’s what name they change from and to is be the give-away and that’s where you can spot the link with events.
If my name were McCann I would be very uncomfortable now. I know two US Americans who pretend to be Canadian in the UK. Maple leaf luggage tags and all. I think that’s sad but it’s their choice.
If your comment was suggesting I use more than one name here, sadly I don’t, although I understand some people are into that sort of thing. Maintaining a split personality is a bit too smart for me.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:25 pm
1098 - Carmen, if you question the veracity of Ade’s posts or whether he knows what he is talking about, read themfrom the last 24 hours. It will leave you in no doubt.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:22 pm
1089 - Irish American. Thank you for your response. I really do feel sad today for that poor child - and the twins - who will grow up with all these lingering doubts hanging over their parents, no matter what. It is some comfort to know that there are others out there who feel the same.
I doubt they will even face child neglect charges. I doubt they will be asked to account for all the money they have spent. I think they will get away with it all and worst of all, they will enjoy basking in the continued limelight as each new article, photo and interview takes place. When this initial furore dies down they will then enjoy having their celebrity status re-ignited when the book and film come out. All will be backed by the biased media and will show the McCanns as victims - hounded by cranks and ‘aided’ by an imbecilic police force from some third world little European country - oh yea, it was called Portugal.
Maybe because I too come from a small European country, Ireland, I feel particularly sorry for the Portugese police and the non-stop attacks they have had to face from the McCanns and British media. At every turn, the McCanns seem to hamper rather than help the investigation - and then they cry out ‘why are the PJ not looking for our Madeleine?’ and ‘why are they wasting time investigating us?’.
It would all be laughable except it is so so tragic.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:21 pm
does anyone else think that gerry looks really evil in the pic from the mirror?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/09/22/mccanns-how-madeleine-was-taken-89520-19829472/
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:19 pm
1091 very well put Judith C
That would be a useful passage to introduce the case for the prosecution at the trial, A jury would like that…
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:16 pm
1091 - Exactly my sentiments….JudyC
But I don’t think it’s naiive of Puzzled to state it destroys his faith in mankind.
No matter what, you never want to become jaded in life to the point, where you still can’t trust you fellow human being. The otherside, is total darkness.
I agree with Puzzle completely there. You’ve got to still keep the faith in the midst of all the chaos in the world. For the majority of people and parents are really still good today. We only hear about the bad ones rarely the good.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:16 pm
1093 - Names changes are quite common though, aren’t they Ade?
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:14 pm
1090 Irish American.
You are wrong. There are a number of people on here, including me, who refuse to chastise the McCanns and or insinuating comments.
It doesn’t mean we blindly support the McCanns.
And I am yet to read anyone say the McCanns were right to leave their kids alone. If you have read this, show me where.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:12 pm
1080 Emma
You missed the point emma. This was a different Rosemary West who could not bear to have the same name as Fred’s wife… Fred’s wife didn’t change her name, I beliuve.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:11 pm
(1074) Puzzled:
“I can actually understand those who cling to the belief that the McCanns are ‘100% innocent’. Why? Because to doubt them would shake our basic beliefs in all that is good, honest and decent in society. How could any parent be guilty of ANY of the things we doubters suggest? ”
I can understand from what I read on your postings that you are a decent, civilised and sympathetic person but isn’t it a little naive to say what you’ve said above?
Of course parents can, have been and are guilty of the most despicable acts towards their children. We all know, or should know, that fact. Just becoming a parent does not change the essence of a person in any way whatsoever.
What will destroy my faith in all that is good, honest and decent in society will be if (and I repeat IF) the perpetrator of this crime - and it could be the McCanns as well as anyone else - gets off scot free (no pun intended)just because they have managed to harness the forces of spin, deceit, illusion, brainwashing and manipulation. If this happens, then my last shred of faith - at least in all that is good, honest and decent in the society which now controls us - is lost.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:10 pm
From this case any English citizen can ask for to equal treatment and support.
A precedent was opened.
The McCann and friends never will be considered guilty.
Nothing more to conclude. It is a shame for UK people .
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
1074 - It is sadness and despondence I feel today because the parents of Madeleine McCann and their avid supporters can still not bring themselves to admit at least one small truth - they left their children alone. They are responsible for the whole ball starting to roll.
I completely agree with you on all that you’ve laid out for us here Puzzeled.
The only thing I’d like to add is, for those of us who do believe the McCanns played a role in the fate of Madeleleine (if you believeit was an accidental overdose or a planned death)) is that leaving the children in the room of their hotel villa was not the problem. She was already gone by that point. Before they even headed out to dinner.
No, I see it as complete negligent parenting on many levels, not just leaving the kids in the room by themselves - that’s just the most obvious error. For all of their academic achievement and scholastic honors, they failed themselves big time.
Unable to conceive, getting IVF treatments, raising a child til nearly her fourth birthday, then throwing it all away in one night? All of that work, effort, expense, never mind commitment to the child, is completely down the drain. No pun intended there, sorry for that but for lack of a better phrase. There you go.
If as you say, the big guns will get them off the hook, and you’re probably right on that, at that point, they should have to face child neglect charges. That’s the least they should have to do here. The Portuguese have been put through an unbearable situation in their tiny country by these people who have yet to make any apologies for their actions.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Aerial view of Ocean Club
http://mycroftholmes.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/aerial_photo_ocean_club_eng.gif
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:08 pm
1087 - I agree.
and if the police drop their aguido status, more efforts and resources would no doubt be put into finding Madeleine.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:06 pm
1075. Simon.
Maybe things appear differently to me here in Spain, I don’t know. All I have to go on are the articles that appear online and since the McCanns were named as suspects all I have read is how they are innocent.
I remember someone from the McCann camp saying that by making the parents suspects it meant that focus was taken off the search for Madeleine. Surely now would be a good time to get the focus back onto the search.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:05 pm
1082 Brian Kennedy, a different person, is the great uncle of Maddie, a trustee of the fund and retired schoolteacher.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Judith C Says:
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
“Brian Kennedy” the doubling-glazing multi-millionaire paying Clarence Mitchell’s fee? Isn’t there already a Kennedy either on the Madeleine Fund panel or connected in some other close way with the McCanns?”
There IS another Brian Kennedy - “Gerry McCann’s sister Philomena lobbied Prime Minister Gordon Brown, while Kate McCann’s uncle, Brian Kennedy, who lives in the same village as the couple, chairs the fund to help find Madeleine.” I doubt it is the same person. As long as its not that hopeless singer from Belfast - that’s all this farce needs.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:03 pm
For those who may have missed it before and are interested in layouts:
Apartment floor plan layout
Someone was asking for this and I stumbled on it… the window was unlocked and I just went in and took a copy m’lud
http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/news/2007/09/21/fall-madeleine/imagemap/imagemap,geo=2533040.html
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:01 pm
1079 Sorry for appearing thick, but what’s your point?
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:00 pm
“Brian Kennedy” the doubling-glazing multi-millionaire paying Clarence Mitchell’s fee? Isn’t there already a Kennedy either on the Madeleine Fund panel or connected in some other close way with the McCanns? It’s a familiar name (and I don’t mean because of the deceased President).
And the other thing I must say is, re “Sun” headline “Fiend in Gerrys bedroom” - surely they’ve missed the ‘r’ out of the word “Fiend”!
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:59 pm
1073 - Ade Rosemary West can call herself whatever she wants but she was still tried by jury, convicted, and sent to prison where she still is as far as I am aware. What is you point?
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
“Brian Kennedy” the doubling-glazing multi-millionaire paying Clarence Mitchell’s fee? Isn’t there already a Kennedy either on the Madeleine Fund panel or connected in some other close way with the McCanns? It’s a familiar name (and I don’t mean because of the deceased President).