Madeleine McCann: Watching The Parents
MORE no news on the Madeleine McCann case.
It is now a week since the three-year-old girl was snatched from a Portugal holiday resort.
The story has been distressing to watch on our TV screens. What it must like for the parents of Madeleine only a few can know.
BLAME
But their misery is far from complete. With no news of Madeleine, and the Portuguese police having no need to indulge the British tabloids with speculation and theory, Madeleine’s parents are the central characters.
And today’s front-page news, as reported by the caring Mirror, is: “THEY KNOW LEAVING KIDS WAS WRONG.”
Does the Mirror mean to say that Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, now think they did the wrong thing in nipping out for a bite to eat and leaving the children in the apartment on what they thought was a secure resort?
Does the Mirror mean that the McCanns know that popping back regularly to look at their children and checking on their well being was less than perfect?
Does the Mirror mean that the McCanns realise they should not have left their children alone, just like it is wrong to leave a child in a hotel under the auspices of a baby monitoring service, to leave a child in the car while mum goes to pay for petrol, to talk to a neighbour over a garden fence while the children are indoors?
Of course this is not the Mirror’s view. Oh, no. This is Madeleine’s grandmother, Susan Healy, saying: “They know this was a mistake. But it wasn’t child neglect, it wasn’t not caring for your children.”
That she feels the need to say this is wrong. That the Mirror can lead with Madeleine’s grief-worn parents is pathetic and misguided. That the paper can talk of “people are asking why they didn’t make use of the crèche” at the resort or take the children out to dinner with them is wrong.
But the Mirror has news to write. And the police aren’t playing the game.
THEORIES
So the Mirror produces: “THE 6 THEORIES.”
Only six! Why this cautious approach? But it is all the Mirror has. And readers hear of the “PAEDOPHILE GANG”, the “LONE PAEDOPHILE”, the “JEALOUS MOTHER”, Madeleine wandering off and “DROWNED”, the “OPPORTUNIST PAEDOPHILE”, the “CHILDLESS COUPLE”.
But the Sun has more. It has 130 more. As the front-page headline screams: “MADDIE COPS HUNT 130 BRIT PAEDOS.”
The paper says “at least” 130 British paedophiles “might” have taken Madeleine McCann.
In “ALGARVE IS ‘HAVEN’ FOR PERVS”, readers learn that Portugal is a “magnet for sun-seeking perverts from Britain and the rest of Europe”.
Who knew that perverts get off on watching children at the beach?
Us And Them
But help is on its way. The Sun lists the British coppers who will go out there and see to it that justice is done. We, says the paper, are the only country with a sex offenders’ register.
All convicted perverts must inform the police of their desire to go abroad. At least 130 have. And the police are looking for them.
But – and whisper this – might it be that convicted sexual deviants don’t all tell the police what they plan to do? They are not monitored while overseas. And might it be that not all sexual predators are caught and make it to the list?
Among the policemans’ names is Detective Superintendent Graham Hill, attached to theChild Exploitation and Protection Centre. Hill is on the case. He has flown to Portugal.
Hill worked on the case of Milly Dowler. She was snatched from near Walton railway station, Surrey, in 2002. Her body was found six months later. Her killer or killers have never been caught.
Perhaps Hill’s experiences can help. Perhaps he’ll have more luck. Perhaps not.
Meanwhile, a family is distraught, and bearing up incredibly well under the strain and the merciless gaze of the newspapers…
April 20th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Hello, what’s this Carruthers? A secret door? Look, you can move it! Here, help me pull… O My Giddy Aunt! … Shine the storm lantern over here… Ye Gods, look, a treasure trove of early comments on the McCann case! You see, there are comments here going back to 10th May 2007! Look at this one from “Susan”, predicting remarkably accurately the course of the McCann’s future media campaign… and already a few critical, prescient, sceptical, ones amidst the remainder of the “poor parents, it’s awful” variety.
I wonder, who were these original posters, mere names scribbled in the dust… Where are they now? This place is like the Marie Celeste - some of these comments could have been made yesterday, the themes are still warm… Good grief, there are thousands of comments! Anorak could write a terrific book just by editing these (except copyright could be an issue…).
I say, watch out Carruthers, one false move and the ceiling could come down!… you look over there, I’ll try this way, let’s tie a piece of string to this comment so we don’t get lost…
December 4th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
hello can nobody spell nowadays? I read all this shit from idiots who never even learned to spell and yet they are on a forum trying to find out what happened to a child God give me strengh
November 27th, 2007 at 9:06 am
hey iam sending my regrads to the family of Madeleine McCann.. its so sad to hear about your little girl…i feel for you guys.. the guy should be count and put in jail on no bail at all people like that shouldnt get out of jail at all
from becky
November 27th, 2007 at 7:49 am
[...] “Respected” Portuguese newspaper Publico has carried out a “chilling recreation of the supposed chain of events”. In Theory No. 432b the man seen by Jane Tanner is carrying a dead child. This theory is “gaining increasing strength at the centre of the police investigation”. More theories… [...]
November 11th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
What an absolute travisty that Anorak rearranged this blog !, all the old posters have disappeared and no new information. !
November 6th, 2007 at 10:02 am
I watched a reporter a few months ago say to Gerry McCann, “ You realize that in cases like these the parents are usually regarded as suspects.” He calmly said that he fully expected that he and his wife would be investigated by the Portuguese police and if they didn’t they wouldn’t be doing a thorough job. He then added that he and his wife were prepared to answer all questions posed to them in order to move the investigation forward. Well we all know what happened, and now Clarence Mitchell has the nerve to say that the McCann have nothing to hide.
It’s obvious that the McCann regard the police as an opponent and not a means of finding their child. Let me see, Slander your opponent, Cast aspersions on his character, Misinform the public to distract them from your weaknesses, yeah sounds like a political campaign to me.
Here in Canada if a government minister stepped down to represent a couple that is under police investigation and the prime minister spoke of the affair internationally you can be sure that there would be much to be said in the Canadian press, but this appears not to be an issue in Britain. It is this government meddling, which I think is the greatest obstacle to finding out the truth.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
i belive she`s done something and he is covering up for her the reasons i come to this is
A. doctors will call social services to you if you leave the kids alone there both doctors and no the law as its part of there trainning
B. if it was my daughter i wouldent be here at home i would be out there looking for here day and night and wouldent stop to i found her as any loving perant would his wife has the support of the rest of the family at home
C.they look healthy considering the amount of worring there going through,,no bags under the eyes for loss of sleep.not lost loads of waight as to worry
D.say a stranger must have been hiding in the room did they not cheak the room to make sure everything was safe he he thought some one was there why did he not call for help ??
IM SORRY BUT WE CARNT SAY ITS BAD PERATING AS THEY ARE ROLL MODLES FOR US NORMAL BRITISH PEOPLE THAT COULDENT AFFORD A BABBY SITTER ?? WITH ALL THE MONEY THEY EARN COME ON WE AINT DAFT HERE WAKE UP TELL THE TRUTH AS 44% OF THE POLL BELIVES THEY ARE THE ONLY CULPRUTS INVOLED IN THIS SO THAT MUST SAY SOMTHING !!!!!!!!
October 25th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Hi everyone,
In “Watching the Parents”, yesterday we could really watch them. But I did not understand the purpose of the interview, was it to announce the new phone line ? It seemed a long interview for saying that and the rest of what they said simply did not add much. I heard someone mentioning last Tuesday, 2days before the interview, that they would be on spanish TV and Mrs Mccann was supposed to cry ? “Supposed” ? I don’t get it. Could this interview be an “acting” for the cameras ? I heard they tried to hire portuguese companies to take care of their image in the country, they would pay 50.000 euros/month, but none accepted. It seems that only in Spain they found one and the first step for this “image cleaning” was the new phone line and the interview. But if they are innocent…well this really confuses me, since I try not to judge before time and more evidence, but I must confess… many things don’t really make any sense if they are innocent. Which makes me start to turn to the “something is very wrong” and consider after all, not so innocent. The interview seemed to me more like faltering and always searching for the right words, choosing carefully, and the eye’s movements, they are all indirect, except for little moments when she looks to the interviewer. Gerry Mccann looks really controlled, also choosing his words, not spontaneous and with a well prepared speech. Well, I only know….I don’t know anything.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I’m fascinated by all the late arriving details, half-explanations, anomalies, exceptions, and claims (the ‘rubbish’ as Kate puts it). And how these conflict with earlier accounts given to the police by friends about times, whereabouts, and reasons for absence. Then the gap between what tapas bar staff saw and heard, what Najova Chekaya witnessed, what three Mark Warner staff heard Kate say. Then the famous window and shutter. The leaving of two children in an apartment from which a third child had allegedly just been stolen. Then the call to the British Council. Then the dispute over when the police received the call. Then the GMTV window/shutter claim. Then the accusation of Murat by three of the friends. Then the sharp need to chat with God. Then, if the suggestion is true, Gerry’s choice of summer reading. ‘No Stone Unturned’ would be a wise choice for any person faced with the challenge of putting a corpse beyond the reach of science (and I would wager, Gerry is not a ‘reader’ and that book will be his one and only foray into ‘true crime’). Then the bizarre media overkill and spectacle of the ‘Find Madeleine’ campaign. Then the truly bizarre Pope groping. Then the understanding that in the UK doctors do not have to possess vocabulary, grammar, intellectual depth, or any evidence of learning, in return for their certificates. Where am I? They’ve not even got to the airport. We haven’t got to the dogs, and that curious ploy of helping the police investigate by refusing to answer questions, but - as this evening I’m too busy wondering at Kate’s latest brush with the English language, I’m going to stop. Having mentioned what a fatuous arse Clarence Mitchell is. Of course.
October 25th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Not as happy since the disappearance of our beautiful child who we have not seen since she was four .What kind of talk is this ?
/
October 25th, 2007 at 7:39 am
[...] Says Mrs McCann: “Somebody knows something. It is not about us. It is about Madeleine.” Is it? We are watching the parents [...]
October 21st, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Xhris,
I think you’re right, we’ll still be here at Christmas with the search no further forward.
The police have apparently called in the McCanns’ friends for further questioning, although I wonder what evidence can be gained, from anywhere or anyone, at such a late stage. It’s now over 5 months since Madeleine disappeared.
October 21st, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Hi everyone !
I was lost too, I had to add this page to my Favorites, and maybe the other posters, Andrew, Star, Anonymous, etc, will find theit way in. And powder monkey, thanks for your words! I try to practice my english and I hope you all excuse me for the mistakes. I have to use english on a daily basis in my job. “Talking” to you here is a great help too!
About the “Watching the Parents”, not much news, it is all very quiet for the moment, I only read that the new police investigators are taking a long time to review the thousands of pages in the process and they have a team ready to leave to England this starting week, to interrogate the friends.
About Anne Enright I do not know her, but I read her article. I found it astonishing, how she could be so clear about what she feels about the case. One one hand it is hard to read, but basically she just said what was on her mind, and for that, we have to admit, she had courage. The reasons why she does not like the Mccanns, well, maybe her feelings tell her that, I just think she could “speak” out she does not like them but not say “of course they did it”. This is a kind of judgement that cannot be done, at least yet.
I am not pro or against, I keep myself on the “watch”, I may say “I suspect”, because I keep thinking they know more that they are telling. I just don’t get why they are not telling it all. But they are innocent until guilt is made clear. While there are so many things that don’t add up in this story, and most of those things come from the parents and friends, I have been trying to keep my thoughts away from the worst scenario. But I must confess, it has crossed my mind. Anyway, I agree with someone (can’t remember who) who said before, they would win all the oscars and grammies, and etc prizes in the world, if in the end they had something to do with their daughter disappearance. I’m affraid this will still take too long to clear, I almost can bet that within some time we will be ending our post with “Merry Xmas” and the all case will be at the same point.
Take care and be happy
October 19th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Isnt Anne Enright the one that wrote a essay about hating the McCanns for publishing?
Cant understand why anyone would want to write about that but thats what she wanted to do.
I think that people have not got used to this yet powder monkey i can only find this forum by loggin in on the website then finding the link to watching the parents from my favourites bar im sure Andrew will find his way back soon and Star.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Rosemary, yes, I was aware of other threads on different aspects of Madeleine’s disappearance. This one was ‘Watching the Parents’ as opposed to threads about the McCanns’ computers or if the Russian mafia were involved etc etc. That’s why I keep returning to this thread.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Wow, didn’t realise people still post on the old threads.
Did you see the nes ones?
http://www.anorak.co.uk/news/madeleine-mccann
October 18th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Xhris, if you hadn’t said that you were from Brazil, I would never have guessed that English was not your native language, you are very good.
Speaking of the regular posters mentioned by Jac, where has everyone gone . .Andrew, Anonymous, Star, A Person . .have they given up on this forum or has something happened that I’m not aware of?
There seems to be little in the news about any progress towards either finding Madeleine or proving her parents killed her. There have been searches and comments on the DNA found in the boot of their hire car, but it seems to be repeats of theings the police have claimed before.
Whilst I am neither for nor against the McCanns, I find the comments by Anne Enright somewhat distasteful. She admits to hating the McCanns. Why? Not because she thinks they killed Madeleine but because , in her words, “In fact, I was angry at their failure to accept that their daughter was probably dead.” Although the McCanns have recently admitted that they do fear that Madeleine is dead, surely one cannot blame them for holding on to hope, even when others have given up hope. Who is Anne Enright? She is an Irish novellist who has won the Mann Booker Prize for her book The Gathering. No, I’d never heard of her either. She doesn’t explain why she thinks the McCanns should accept their daughter is dead; she doesn’t say that she thinks they killed Madeleine and she seems to have a greater dislike for Gerry McCann than she does for Kate McCann. I won’t be as cynical as to suggest that she has one eye on her book sales.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Hi again,
You are right Jac, but the only ones maybe knowing something that is not public yet are the police forces. Basically here we “watch” the news and compare what is written everywhere and in conclusion, many things don’t match and are pure speculation. The papers need to sell, Tvs need audience…
As there are people here from different corners of the world it is interesting to observe how the media works in each country. There are people from England, Scotland, New Zealand, USA, I am from Brazil and others from other countries I think.
I participate sometimes also as a good way to practice my english, so sorry for the mistakes..
Keep Smiling