Madeleine McCann And Shannon Matthews: Pets And Parents, The Sun Raises And A Disco
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann and Shannon Matthews
DAILY MIRROR: “McCanns diver fury”
Always “fury”.
Kate and Gerry McCann reacted with fury yesterday after divers began a second search of a reservoir for Madeleine’s body.
The couple told friends the search - funded by a Portuguese lawyer who they claim is a “fantasist” seeking publicity - is a distraction from the hunt.
Marcos Aragao Correia claims crime contacts told him she was killed and left in the lake two days after going missing.
Says a McCann “source”: “There’s no evidence Madeleine is in that reservoir. They believe she is alive and are concentrating on finding her.”
IRISH INDEPENDENT: “Divers search remote Algarve lake for Maddy.”
Says Mr Aragao: “If I was Madeleine’s parents, I’d want to be helped. It may not be the outcome they want if I find Madeleine, but it’s important for them that they find out what happened to her and recover her body if she is dead. There may be genetic evidence on the corpse that could help the police discover who killed her.”
Indeed. Any more clues? Can the paper help?
A Portuguese lorry driver told Metodo 3 he saw the German girlfriend of Madeleine suspect Robert Murat handing over a child in a blanket to a mystery man in Silves, a five-minute drive from the reservoir, on May 5 last year.
Michaela Walczuch has claimed she is being framed to protect the McCanns and denied any involvement in their daughter’s disappearance. She has never been made an official suspect and has only ever been quizzed as a witness.
So why mention it?
THE SUN: “Stepfather is innocent says Shannon’s dad”
A picture of Craig Meehan, Shannon’s stepfather
Says he: “I’ve never hit Karen (Shannon’s mother) or any of the children. We play about, as you do, but have a brilliant relationship.”
Says Shannon’s father Leon Rose: “I don’t believe it. “I’m horrified anyone would suggest that. They got on really well. I was not around for some years and he has been a real dad to her. If there had been any problems I am sure she would have told me.”
What of mum? “Karen, meanwhile, has told how Shannon’s pet dog Scania is pining for her. She said: ‘Scania won’t keep still.’”
Watching the parents. Watching the family. Watching the pets.
DAILY MIRROR: “I’VE TOLD THE KIDS SHANNON’S GONE AWAY ON HOLIDAY.”
A friend said: “Every time little Courtney sees a picture of Shannon in the paper or on the TV she points at it and says her sister’s name. Karen can’t bear the thought of telling her Shannon has disappeared so she has said she’s on holiday. “She has got so much to worry about already that she just can’t risk upsetting Courtney.”
Watching the parents. Watching the family. Watching the children.
Yesterday, Karen tried going in to Shannon’s bedroom for the first time since the nine-year-old went missing three weeks ago after a school swimming trip in Dewsbury, West Yorks. But she was overcome with emotion.
We are watching the parents. Watching the family. Looking through windows. Looking through walls.
An anonymous donor has given £10,000 to the appeal to find her.
DAILY EXPRESS: “SHANNON REWARD INCREASED TO £50,000”
The Sun has up its reward from £20,000 - to £50,000. But if a reward of £2.5million has not been not enough to find Madeleine McCann, what good is $50,000?
How is the reward amount set? Is consideration given to the victim’s social status, the competition for headlines, exchange rates?
Leon Rose, Shannon’s father: “No-one can imagine the agonies we are going through. She is a wonderful daughter and we need her home. We are desperate to have her back and we thank The Sun for helping.”
An offer from the heart? Or a hollow offer, a PR-induced offer to get the Sun mentioned?
DEWSBURY REPORTER: “SHANNON MATTHEWS LATEST”
4.07pm - A family disco is being held to raise funds for the Shannon Matthews appeal. It will be on Thursday March 13 from 7pm to 10pm at Staincliffe Cricket Club.
A disco for a missing child. Her face at the disco. Her face on the wall.
2.23pm - A sponsored walk to raise money for the Shannon Matthews appeal has been announced. It will begin at 6pm tomorrow (Tuesday) at Moorside Road.
Posted: 11th, March 2008 | In: Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (980) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- eggman on Daily Mail Scuppers BBC’s Wrong Shipping Forecast
- agw on Daily Mail Scuppers BBC’s Wrong Shipping Forecast
- Bat E Bird on I’m A Celebrity: Samantha Fox Is Shrinking As ‘Lesbian’ Lover Katie Price Quits
- Bat E Bird on In Photos: Susan Boyle Sings Rockefeller Center Plaza In New York City
- yampster on Daily Mail And Tax Payers’ Alliance Attacks BBC Over Its Free Trees For A Better Planet
March 11th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
858 ian
If maddie and her brother and sister had died in the apartment due to fire, and they were on their own, would the mccs have been allowed to preach about inadequate fire alarms in europe, or would they have been arrested for child neglect?
March 11th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
851
WTF
Susan Smith looked distraught too…
I think we [at least I] can’t draw conclusions by the lack or appearance of emotions.
Let’s wait and see what the police finds out.
As I said, I hope she’s found safe and sound. But I doubt it, because how could a child of that age get food or drinks without money? Stealing is no option, she would have been caught or on a cctv.
Have to go for now. MrT arrived..
March 11th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
857 eringena
Her face is very stony, always surrounded by all her other children, who all look equally impassive, could be the shock perhaps, but yes very kate like!
March 11th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Are the McCanns still trying to become the voice of missing children?
Indeed they are. But is it appropriate for suspects in a missing child case to be involved in such ‘initiatives’? Is the voice of there own child, suspected by some as having the status ‘missing’ at their hands, going to be heard?
The McCanns have remained in the UK since they were accused of involvement - the cloud of suspicion hanging heavily around them. Unable to be effective in the search, they might, some say, have cleared the air by risking their own freedom for the sake of their daughter - yet they choose not to. Of course the case of Madeleine and her parents has raised the issue of child protection - but perhaps not in the way the McCanns would have liked. The question we could ask is this, is the focus on missing children the most effective response, or would a focus on the cause of missing children be more effective? Should the McCanns highlight their own failure, or would this, like remaining in Portugal to clear their names, not deliver what these sad parents really want?
Is this a search for missing children or a search for a new career path? Only they know.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
847 WTF.
I haven’t seen a photo of Fiona McKeown. I heard her on the radio some days ago, when she first complained that the Goa police were covering-up. She sounded cool, calm, collected, and I have to say with reluctance, chillingly unbereaved.
Reminded me of someone else I may know about, now who could that be, will have to think…
March 11th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
840
WTF Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
839 chatelaine
I read that she was getting the stepdad to go into the bedroom. But obviously went in for the benefit of sky. Poor shannon, noticed how the stepdad was leading karen by the hand, very forcefully in one shot. No mention of suing anybody though, given the claims about him being involved in the press etc!
***
I haven’t seen or read it. But always value Petermac’s observations.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I suddenly got a shiver when I counted a 1 and 1 together…
The taxi driver spoke a about a very silent girl with a twitching chin
The underworld person told the dam searching lawyer about the girl being raped, murdered and thrown into the water
Just imagine the latter to be true
a dead silence and a twitching chin would have been the minimal reaction to the trauma
OMG
March 11th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
MICHAEL TODD Born in 1957 1976 Trains with Essex Police, moves to Met 1995: Assistant Chief Constable, Notts 1998 Dep Assistant Commissioner, Met 2000: Assistant Commissioner, Met 2001: Queen’s Police Medal2002 Chief Constable, Manchester 2006: Vice chairman, ACPO
He had been a police officer for more than 30 years, having joined Essex Police in 1976, and was tipped to become Britain’s highest-ranking officer - a future Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Mr Todd’s most high-profile media appearance was when he allowed himself to be hit by a Taser stun gun to prove they were a safe alternative to firearms.
- BBC Online.
I wonder if Mr. Todd had a belated epiphany, and realised that Tasers, having killed more than 300 people in the USA over recent years, and having been approved here in the UK for use on children and (potentially) pregnant women, were not perhaps as safe as he had at first claimed.
I wonder if Mr. Todd, being vice-chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers, had encountered hostility in any new-found opposition to the use of Tasers by British police.
I wonder if I am having a Dr. David Kelly “suicided” moment.
What has this to do with the Holy McCows? You may well ask.
M and A
Welcome to Anorak Eringena
Now isn’t that odd when I heard about Mr Todds death I wondered if he had been suicided
March 11th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
just scanning the posts so trying to keep up..is it true the PJ might be here for 2 months?
March 11th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
850 clouseau
March 11th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
849 totje
I dont know if the mother works, but the stepdad does. My house also not immaculate, but this just looked really run down. I know the last thing you would feel like doing is housework if your daughter was missing. the mother does look genuinely distraught though
March 11th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
the itv thing is going to be a fly on the wall thing called behind these four walls
March 11th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
845
WTF
No I haven’t seen any coverage today. Just read an article about the search.
Dogs, cats, rainy weather… and a cream coloured tile floor don’t go together! Still no new cleaning lady found.
To be honest my floor isn’t spic and span either
BUT regarding Shannon’s house. Does the mother work too? I can’t remember that. May be because of the stress of missing Shannon she doesn’t feel like cleaning or doesn’t mind how it looks? People react different to things.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
News
Media
ITV
McCanns mull ITV documentary offer
Leigh Holmwood
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday March 11 2008 Article history
The parents of Madeleine McCann are in discussions with ITV about appearing in a documentary about missing children.
MediaGuardian.co.uk has learnt that discussions have been held between representatives of Kate and Gerry McCann and the commercial broadcaster about a long-form documentary.
It is thought that while the film would feature the McCann’s own experience, it would have a greater focus on how different countries treat missing children. The documentary would examine initiatives such as Project Amber in the US, which sees alerts posted on electronic roadside billboards as soon as a child is reported missing.
The McCanns had been in discussions with Channel 4 and independent production company Darlow Smithson, the company behind Touching the Void that is part of the IMG Group, about an observational documentary about Madeleine, but this is now not going ahead.
Clarence Mitchell, the McCann’s spokesman, confirmed discussions had taken place with ITV.
“We have talked to one or two companies and have a number of proposals and we are moving forward with those proposals,” he said.
“It more than likely it would be with ITV at this stage, but I am not at liberty to go into details.”
Mitchell added that the McCanns were keen to highlight different initiatives that help look for missing children.
“We are looking at a long form documentary surrounding some of the wider issues Kate and Gerry want to highlight like the creation of an Amber alert system in Europe,” he said.
“There is nothing like it in Europe. Each country has its own systems but they don’t talk to each other.
“Kate and Gerry are keen to discuss that part of improvement with [non government organisations] and we may well do a documentary looking at that aspect.”
Mitchell added that the McCanns did not want to do another film about how they felt about the disappearance of Madeleine, who vanished from a Portugese holiday apartment in May last year.
“They don’t want to do anything about ‘woe is us a year on’,” Mitchell added. “That is what the tabloids would like but we are not following their agenda, we are following our own agenda.”
He said the McCann’s would not profit from any new film themselves.
An ITV spokesman declined to comment.
The McCann’s have previously worked with the BBC on a controversial Panorama special.
The Panorama programme, which pulled in 5.3 million viewers in November on BBC1, was hit by controversy after its original producer David Mills walked out, claiming criticism of the media and Portugese police was toned down for the version eventually transmitted.
Last week, it was confirmed the McCanns had made formal complaints to Express Newspapers over a series of what Mitchell claimed were “wildly and grossly defamatory” articles in the group’s titles’ coverage of Madeleine and were considering taking legal action.
They have instructed London law firm Carter Ruck, which specialises in high profile libel cases, to push for a settlement.
Mods and Admin
Just read this. Sorry if it’s already been posted. Please just remove it if it has. Got to go out now.
Thanks.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
846 eringena
Will the mother now get full british political protection. Again she looks middle class, therefore seems to be ok to neglect your kids if you have a bit of dosh imo! Arent they the class that palm them off to boarding school, while they continue their lifestyles. It is all so wrong
March 11th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
‘Mrs McKeown said she had left her daughter in the care of a 25-year-old tour guide that Miss Keeling had befriended in the resort of Anjuna. She and her six other children then went to the neighbouring state of Karnataka.
‘JP Singh, chief secretary to the government of Goa, told the BBC the case had been blown out of proportion.’ - BBC Online.
Absolutely, Mr. Singh. We have experience of such cases here, blown out of proportion.
And of course, for Fiona McKeown to take her other six children to the neighbouring state of Kernata, is no more than a hop, skip and jump away from where she abandoned Scarlett. Just like being at the end of the back garden, in fact.
The bereaved mother has said she was ‘naive’ (copyright: K. McCann), so there’s nothing more to be said or done, obviously.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
844 totje
I agree, i dont know if you have seen any coverage today, but i was struck by how dirty the house was, i know you shouldnt comment on that, but lots of hard looking people coming and going. poor girl, i think she was crying out for help
March 11th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
838
WTF
I’m hoping that she’s found alive and unharmed too.
She got bullied at school too, isn’t it? And to say the least a peculiar household where she’s living. Some of the children with the mother and others with their fathers. Separation must have been hard on the children too, I guess.
BUT returning to that household, I wonder if that’s the best that could happen to her?
Why do people only want to adopt young children or baby’s?
Why are there so few foster parents?
March 11th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
woof
March 11th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
841 clouseau
Evening
March 11th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
evening all
March 11th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
839 chatelaine
I read that she was getting the stepdad to go into the bedroom. But obviously went in for the benefit of sky. Poor shannon, noticed how the stepdad was leading karen by the hand, very forcefully in one shot. No mention of suing anybody though, given the claims about him being involved in the press etc!
March 11th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
179
PeterMac Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 10:43 am
“Yesterday, Karen tried going in to Shannon’s bedroom for the first time since the nine-year-old went missing three weeks ago after a school swimming trip in Dewsbury, West Yorks. But she was overcome with emotion.”
But did I not see the report from Karen herself that the bed was made up with NEW bedclothes, and we discussed whether that meant new, or newly washed. So who made the bed ? And picked up the clothes from the floor, and dusted, and cleaned.
Or are we supposed to think that these things do not happen in a council house.
And did I not also see on TV that the rooms has bunk beds. (4 children in a 3 bedroom house). So has or have not the other bunk or bunks, or bed or beds, been made, changed, or cleaned for the past 3 weeks ?
And was not the camera man already in the room when Karen came in and got all emotional (Nive one Luvvie, can we just do that again but hold the pose for a couple of seconds longer , and try not to look at the camera, and >> Roll.)
So apart from the fact that it is all all made up and therefore untrue, why do we have to be treated to all this mawkish sentimentality.
*****
Good evening PeterMac, am trying to catch up with posts and can only 103% agree with yours.
Will try and find other ones
Bear with me …
March 11th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
837 totje
Was watching coverage of shannon mathews on sky when i came in from work. the sky reporter asked the stepfather directlyif he had harmed shannon, of course he said no, felt that the reporter wasnt as easy on them as they were on the mccs. Im hoping she is found, its such a shame, she doesnt seem to have been a very happy child
March 11th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
836
WTF
Well that dog is a bit silly you know. He doesn’t listen to the female boss and often walks his own block in stead of going with her and the other dogs. Or he just stays at the parking lot. But when strangers approach him, he goes with them!
Lots of rabbits, squirrels, cats, even deers though! We live at this place for 9 years now and our dogs also sometimes ran away in that forest to hunt some animal. But they [fortunatually] returned each and every time within an hour. Untill they got to old to do that any more.
**************
Isn’t it sad that Shannon still isn’t found? But it’s encouraging that even after three weeks [is it already three weeks!?!] they still are searching for her. The cops over there obviously don’t give up that easy!
March 11th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
835 totje
Im fine thankyou, hubby sat down watching liverpool, so im free to tap away, without feeling guilty, think sometimes he feels a tad neglected. Wierd goings on in the woods near your home, possible dog abductors?
March 11th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
834
WTF
Hi wtf, I’m fine thank you. MrT still at work, so I’m free to do as I like [on second thoughts I do that even when he's home].
I admit I completely forgot to ask the neighbours about their dog.
How are you doing?
March 11th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
832 totje
Hello totje, how are you this evening?
March 11th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
827 dave
Ooh, wouldnt dare tell hubby that about the precious boys!
March 11th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Hello everybody, that is, if there’s still anybody left?
I do hope agw has put them in seperate chill rooms
Coco, sorry I can’t remember that I ever heard her say that. I’ve been googling for a while, but the only things that show up are the “friend” who said something like that and a lawyer or investigator.
And that stupid jeep also is still bugging me