Madeleine McCann And Cash For Criminals
AN interesting little twist on the Madeleine McCann story, via AGW in the Anorak Forums.
As the parents Kate and Gerry McCann were in Morocco, finally publicly following up early hints of a sighting there, one of the executives of the Find Madeleine Fund Trust, now standing at around £700,000, says the doctor parents are considering offering cash to criminals to find their daughter.
Another futile throw of the Press dice in another totally non-news day in the hunt for the little girl.
Madeleine’s uncle, John McCann, a Fund Trustee, said 40 days after her disappearance, they think cash may persuade criminals to turn in the four-year-old’s kidnapper. This whizzo suggestion comes only hours after police announced the Argentine lead asking for cash for the youngster’s return was a criminal hoax.
The Find Madeleine Fund has raised £700,000 with business and celebs backing a £2.5m. reward.
The Trustees, including Drs Gerry and Kate McCann, control how the fund’s cash is spent.
Uncle John, of Glasgow, says the Trustees would be reluctant to give the Fund’s money to crooks or paedophiles. But says the Trustees are actively considering paying for information.
Encouraging or What?
The police view on whether any of the Trustees is qualified to enter into direct dealings with the underworld is not revealed.
One version of the story is here:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=we%2Dll-pay-crooks-to-get-back-maddie%26method=full%26objectid=19276728%26siteid=66633-name_page.html
The Daily Mirror’s reporters took a day trip out on the Madeliene Trail.
Again, it only took 40 days to plan.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/06/11/maddy-hunt-leads-to-morocco-89520-19276883/
Meanwhile, get ready for the eerie sight of Madeleine’s distinctive right eye in the O of the Google Search Engine logo. The McCann Machine has struck an agreement with the company and the altered logo should be use by June 22, 50 days after the disappearance.
Posted: 12th, June 2007 | In: Twitterings Comments (36) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- To christ on The Ten Craziest Reasons Why Nidal Malik Hasan Did It
- Elizabeth Peterson on Interview With Survior Of James Arthur Ray’s Sedona Sweat Lodge
- magnetite on The Ten Craziest Reasons Why Nidal Malik Hasan Did It
- june baxyer on X Factor: Jedward Spray Simon Cowell With His Next Tan
- Gary on X Factor Live Blog: Olly Murs Marries And Danyl Johnson Does Prince Over
November 6th, 2007 at 6:55 am
[...] A reward remains on the table [...]
June 19th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Shel. Updating his blog through a web editor might be an easy thing for gerry to do.
Updating the field that shows the amount is probably something that can only be done by the person who controls the webpage, which is one of his sisters old pupils.
June 18th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Why hasn’t the total amount of Madeleine’s Fund been updated???
I find that extremely odd since Gerry McCann regularly updates his blog.
June 18th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Cate:
James Bulger was taken whilst his mother paid for her shopping.
My guess is that your children are still quite young, which may be why you feel so strongly about this, and blame the parents so unsparingly. I think, if mine were still so young, I too might feel the same way - it’s very emotional. But mine are now grown, so I look back with a rather different view.
Mine, now in their early twenties, take great delight in telling me all the life-threatening situations they got into thanks to my letting them have the freedom which I had as a child, and which I thought was essential to children growing up independent and confident, no matter what my own fears - and, believe me, I did have them. I wasn’t actually so very afraid of unknown sickos snatching them really, as it happens so infrequently - more about lethal roads, jumping into rivers, climbing crumbling cliffs, playing chicken, death-defying tricks on rollerblades, drugs etc. etc. And they did it all.
When these rare, but most terrible, crimes happen then I think one has to realize that nothing we, as observers, can say or do can ever approach the life-long regret the parents will have. What we think is totally irrelevant. And we are the lucky ones. Our children are still safe .. though I have to say, I think mine are still doing stupid things.
Balancing the equation of giving children freedom and keeping them safe has never been easy. I said I never left mine alone sleeping, or even out of my sight when they were under 4 - and between 4-7 out of anyone’s sight (not necessarily mine). But children get taken at any age.
June 17th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
also i think its time we gave the mccanns the same protection as they give there beloved kids which they waited so long for[none] i mean if everyone keeps sayin its not there fault then what mes does that give to other half wit parents that leave there kids, oh its alright keep doin it. i dare bet that the clever mr and mrs mccann would not av left a £350 vid cam lyin around for fear that someone may take it never mind there ivf kids that they wanted so much. and as for family friendly theres no such thing, sickos who no what there doin would head for them places. and lastly the mccanns say how terrible this is 4 them and how upset they r but im 100% sure that what there feelin is just a drop in the oceon to what that poor girl must av felt
June 17th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
i dont agree with u jan, im a mother and yes i may av given a sicko the chance as most av but im talkin about takin my eye of them for 2 mins while i pay for my shopping. not leaving them alone in a unlocked room while i go out and enjoy myself
June 15th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Thank you Monica. I agree with you on every level. I also I don’t think there is one parent that can honestly say they haven’t given a baby snatcher an opportunity to snatch their child. Not a one.
Everyone is really looking at this the wrong way.
June 15th, 2007 at 10:46 am
95% certain that this child is dead, and has been from less than 12 hours since she was snatched. That’s what statistics tell you.
Who can blame her parents for determindly believing she is alive, and doing everything they can to get her back? They have been pinning their hopes on the fact that she was taken by a demented, but benevolent, person who wanted a child of their own, and would look after her. It’s not likely. If you wanted a child, you’d take the youngest, who was NOT an articulate nearly-four year old, who could speak (English), knew her own name and that of her parents, and where she lived. And there were two much younger children in the same room, who would have been much less of a risk.
And the eye business makes her both more recognizable, and also much more of a risk.
It’s time to stop the useless praying, understand that she may have been a victim of the most terrible crime, stop vilifying her parents, and just hope that she may be found - in order to give her parents a resolution, no matter how awful the outcome. I never did what they did - leave children sleeping unattended - but I did do other things which probably put them in jeopardy, and I think we all have. Luckily, mine survived - so far.
I would not vilify the McCanns, no matter how much I don’t share in their religious beliefs or feel uncomfortable with their public appearances. I sympathize with their terrible regret at the decision to leave those children alone, and I cannot imagine how they feel.
June 15th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Rina, I wholeheartedly support your view. The McCanns are indeed a disgrace, Madeleine did deserve better from her parents.
I believe the flying butterfly at the Vatican was a sign from Madeleine’s spirit.
What the McCanns should do with the cash raised is set up a trust for missing children worldwide. Time will tell.
June 14th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
McCanns are maybe not irresponsible, but seem to have no imagination at all. And what about all this talk of them being doctors? English doctors are crap anyway, especially GP-s, so I am not surprised at all
(BTW I’ve never seen health services so bad than in the UK)
June 14th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
To Rina
You really have a cynical and horrible mind. The Mcanns are trying to ge freebies?? what a load of complete and utter rubbish, The parents are out of their mind with despair and will do anything to get there child back. Fortunately there are some good citizens who have the kindness to help them. I admire there resolution dignity and braveness through this hideous nightmare. And what a load of old rubbish about social services and working class parents. I suggest you get an education and see a counsellor!
June 13th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Rina your thinking is sick. If you have issue with the British justice system then you should take it up with them. MOST child abductions happen like yours….by a family member. These fairly rare stranger abductions are not the same as a custody battle. Sounds like your battle was pretty bitter and it’s left you very jaded….that’s what custody battles do to people. Now it’s time for you to stop being a blood sucker. Stop looking for revenge because of what you went through….leave the McCanns alone.
Sit back where you’ve been and just keep watching.
I just can’t believe how ignorant the world is about this stuff. It’s really easy to sit back and point a finger, from your computer screen, isn’t it? Pathetic!
Oh, and I’m a mother. A damn good one at that!
June 13th, 2007 at 8:53 am
P.S. The Dutch Telegraaf paper just reported that they received a letter with detailed map of where the little Maddie’s body is supposedly buried in Portugal: http://www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/65529721/_Lichaam_van_Maddie_vlakbij_appartement_.html?p=9,1
Last time this paper received a similar tip about 2 Belgian girls, and sadly it was true…. Strange that the British papers didn’t seem to hear of this development yet. Telegraaf is not a tabloid paper, so it might really be important.
June 13th, 2007 at 8:21 am
I am sure if Mccanns were not of the middle class background, but of the working class, they would be already under investigation by the British social services for leaving their kids alone. It’s all class justice in Britain, as usual. There were babysitter services available in that resort, the McCanns also had friends staying there - why not ask somebody to babysit? Why not bring a takeaway to the apartment and eat there? It IS sheer irresponsibility to leave 3 (!) such young children on their own in a house. How many times have they done it before, at home in Britain? The social services should really look into this, if everybody in Britain is supposed to receive equal treatment. It doesn’t matter that they are “punished enough”. I am speaking as a parent who knows what a kidnapping of the child is like (mine was kidnapped by her own father; luckily I got her back months later). I do feel enormously for the little girl, but I have no kind words for these parents. Yes, I know that people react in different ways when they are under stress, but I cant help getting impression that they are now just trying to get everything they can from this situation, for themselves: freebie holidays in different countries, cash etc. 99% of parents - who would also do anything to find their children! - would not hop around the world while there is no any relevant connection in these countries to their missing child. Especially leaving their 2 other children behind. Next thing they’ll go to Jamaica for a week claiming that somebody saw a blond little girl with an Afro-Caribbean man. To be honest, I think McCanns are a disgrace.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:33 am
The McCanns are not above the law. Judges in Portugal will decide about Mccanns, not us.
June 13th, 2007 at 5:29 am
I remembered the name…..The third child was Danielle Nicole Van Dam. She was abducted from her home. From her room after she was put to bed for the night. Her father was in the house. Mom went to check on her and discovered she was gone.
Her 50 year old next door neighbor was charged with her murder. He raped and killed her.
Petitioning to punish the McCanns is barbaric. It’s like watching someone stand at the top of a roof about to jump and chanting “JUMP, JUMP, JUMP”….just looking for blood.
June 13th, 2007 at 4:47 am
Dale,
I don’t agree with you. Reve Walsh, John Walsh’ wife, Adam Walsh’ mother left Adam Walsh unattended at age 7 in a major department store playing video games. She was never punished for leaving her 7 year old unsupervised/unattended in a store. She did what other parents have done. Some sick freak spotted Adam and snatched him. That’s how it happens. They see and they take. Now John Walsh has devoted his life to finding criminals that abuse and abduct children and others.
Granted kids left in a home can die in a matter of minutes; fire, drowning, falling out of windows etc. It’s neglectful to leave uneraged children home alone especially for these reasons. The likelyhood of someone breaking into a home and snatching a child is very slim. But when a freak decides he’s going to snatch a kid there is very little anyone can do when he’s bent on doing it.
Here in the US we have had three landmark cases where the children were abducted from their beds while their parents or grandparents slept in the same home; Elizabeth Smart, Jessica Lunsford and I forget the other one. I’m sure there are more. None of these people were punished for falling asleep. Elizabteh Smart was found a year later, alive because her parents kept her in the publics eye.
I do not condone what the McCanns did, I don’t. I believe that the McCanns as well as the others that reassured them it was okay to leave their children (there were many others I’m sure) are paying a huge price. The McCanns have altered their lives for what has happened. These two people are doctors. They are held at an even higer standard than most, and instead of looking to keep out of the publics eye they jeopordized everything they had left by putting themselves front and center. They openly admitted what they’ve done. They are trying to make it right.
The media will eventually let go of this story. You and I will eventually forget about Madeleine. The McCanns will never ever forget. They will suffer every waking moment of their lives with guilt and hideous thoughts of what may have happaend to Madeleine. Short of taking their other two children away from them forever, there really is nothing else that anyone can do to punishment these two parents. Leave them alone already. Fight another battle. Fight the battle for a safer world for our children. One that helps to rid the world of sick people who steal babies.
June 13th, 2007 at 3:46 am
Mccanns left 3 defenceless childs alone. In a foreign country. In the ground floor. Door unloaked. At night. Every day in a week. To eat in peace?
Ocean club have babysitting service. They refused.
Ocean club had offered to lend them walkie talkies, the Mccanns said: “no thanks, they still fine”
Other persons saw them in Tapas, eating, drinking too much and laughing high with friends.
The checks were not even visual, just hearing behind the door.
For all this, I don’t care about Mccanns. Just Madeleine. She is the only innocent victim. Parents must protect their childrens. Not leaving them to luck, on the dark, as perfect gift to paedophiles. If she is alive, she is suffering now, because their parents leaved her. I will never accept that. Doesn’t matter if they are suffering, that don’t erase what they made. What matter is Madeleine.
“oh Madeleine was abducted, poor Mccans” She is not an object, neither a jewel. But I really think if it was a valuable jewel, they would at least loaked the door….
June 13th, 2007 at 1:49 am
Mother Nature never intended for them to have children. Mother Nature was right.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
agreed - too much time has passed - the cash would have drawn out any information … either the girl was abducted & killed, or abducted & sold which is not likely for a child already 4 years old.
No lesson to be learned here - it’s common parenting rule not to leave children as YOUNG AS FOUR FREAKING YEARS OLD unattended …. and PLEASE stop playing this down by trying to say the parents were only “meters away” … they were half of an american football field away!!
These children could have suffered any number of accidents or mishaps and it wouldn’t have been discovered until the parents next 1/2 check-in
These parents should be held accountable for endangering their childrens’ lives - they can’t suffer enough for what they have brought on a defenseless 4-year-old because they couldn’t “trust” a babysitter and were so consumed with having a night out without the children ….
Having dinner 50 meters away ? excuse me, but isn’t dinner something families do together ?
I suppose these “parents” also leave their children unattended in an automobile as long as they are sleeping (like as if children don’t ever wake up in the middle of the night !)
These idiots don’t deserve children.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Yes, this is the right thing to do. Money is what will break there silence. There are other children to be found in this too.
June 12th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Sadly, I agree with you Phil. Too much time has passed. If it were my child I would need closure anyway I could get it…..
June 12th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Money talks! I think this is a great idea. I’d do it in a heartbeat if it were my child.
June 12th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Yes, we’re all so good at giving our different smart comments on this issue via Internet. Yet none of it will bring back this girl or any other children! Neither our comments nor our prayers will do any good! Perhaps we should just keep our comments to ourselves, if we’re not able to help!
June 12th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
i really do hope that you will find madeleine soon she was tha best little girl in the world and i think that some day or some where you will be able to find her soon i hope googd luck to the Mc Canns
June 12th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
What crisis ?
June 12th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
This silly little piece like all the others on here, in striving to distance itself from the crowd, ends up cliched. Oh poor you, how are you managing to get through this crisis? Oh you must be suffering in this age of inappropriate media coverage.
June 12th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
“It seems the McCanns were a perfect family in every way and fate just struck them”
Must have missed the bit about leaving your children alone whilst going out for a meal in my parenting manual.
“Pay the crims and get your daughter back” If you can’t trust a criminal who can you trust.
June 12th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Criminals and non-criminals alike would’ve been motivated by the huge reward for Madeline’s safe return well before now, and given Madeline’s location for the cash. 6 weeks without any real leads or results. More than likely Madeline was abducted by a paedophile and murdered.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
I think it is great they pay the criminals for information, lets face it they know we don’t get her back. Little Maddie is never going to be the same again and she needs to get home ASAP. Get the bike gangs in there for money they will get her back they have ways of finding information out that at this stage is a must. The police are useless and I wouldn’t trust them. Pay the crims and get your daughter back, I would do anything to get my child back and what the McCann’s have done is inspiring to us all “never give up on Maddie”. Show these people we will not accept this anymore and never stop fighting for her saftey.. God bless Maddie and her family they need our support.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
Well done for the McCanns! I would too do everything and anything, I wouldn’t have dreamt of to get my child back. I somehow am superstitious about things. It seems the McCanns were a perfect family in every way and fate just struck them. I know it’s horrible to think that! Still I’m always hopeful.