Madeleine Was Here
The documentary reconstructs events surrounding Madeleine's disappearance using actors and based on testimony given to the Portuguese police as part of their investigations.
How do the McCanns deal with the pain of not knowing what has happened to their daughter? And how do they try to create a normal life for the sake of Madeleine's brother and sister, four-year-old twins Sean and Amelie?
With the search now shelved by the Portuguese police - and no officers in Portugal or the UK dedicated to the case - the investigators (former police officers from the UK) speak about their interest in a series of important sightings in and around the Ocean Club complex, Praia da Luz, in the days leading up to May 3rd 2007.
For the first time, Gerry McCann returns to Apartment 5a of the Ocean Club complex, where he last saw his daughter. Also returning to Portugal are Jane Tanner and Matthew Oldfield, two friends from the group known as the Tapas 7, who were on holiday with the McCanns at the time.
just an aside, and primarily to Hilary LInton, (i believe that is the name) No in fact there was not a straight and clear line of site between their apartment and the area where the families were dining....it was very obscured, in fact. I suspect the point here is this, there were on site baby sitting services provided by the resort, why take the chance?
One of the primary comments i would like to make is this...There is such a huge discrepancy, as one woukld expect for their to be, in how Nations react to this kind of story....I remember vividly that here in the United States, within three days of this dear childs disappearence, the talk was widely that the parents were involved. It seems that that was so far from the minds of the European authorities that is is absurd to most Americans. It is strange to me that they were not first among the suspects. At least an investigation to clear the parents, lie detector test...a basic cursory questioning. Perhaps it is just because i am a "jaded" American, it just seems absurd that this did not happen...Especially because their stories changed several times.
Greg Mc comment says it all.
There is no excuse for leaving 3 small children alone in an apartment/home (foreign country or not), whilst you are having dinner and drinks in a nearby restaurant. Checking on them every 30 minutes is an even bigger joke...and then letting a friend carry out one of the checks (which he did poorly)...
Leaving the patio door open! but locking the main door?? Logic?...
What about hiring a babysitter?...or better still one parent stays home! Not end of the world...but this situation did end their world!
Too many parents have kids (no one forces them to) ...but fail to take on the personal sacrifices needed to keep them safe. No excuses here...a child is going through hell (or was) because her parents thought their need for social stimulation was not up for compromise.
My daughter was abducted in 1991 i have finally found her she is in cairo i will be getting reunited after all these painful years
I can't leave the house without wondering if I really did turn off the stove; these two enjoyed drinks and dinner while their kids were left alone - does not compute.
Why no mention in media now.?
This documentary is pure propaganda, told solely from the point of view of the parents.
Someone needs to make a balanced documentary presenting the parents' story vs the conclusions of Goncalo Amaral and Pat Brown's analysis. Unfortunately this will probably never happen, because the McCann's legal team will silence anyone who dares question the parents' version of events.
Wat do u think happened?
I have some ideas on what may have happened but I will keep them to myself because I don't want to play armchair detective.
Initially I found it odd that the mother first said "they have taken her". if you have a sibling or child that age, you know that they wander off easily. This is the first thing you would think of: the little girl went outside in the resort's gardens.
Later on I found it concerning that the parents opened a fund to find their daughter using public money, and then used this fund mostly to pay very expensive lawyers to silence critics. This got me interested in the case and I've watched all the documentaries and read all the books available.
The parents' choice of words and body language in every interview I've watched was disturbing in my opinion. It doesn't necessarily mean they have anything to do with their daughter's disappearance, but I feel that the parents are hiding a big secret.
Sorry, I didn't mean for this comment to be so long!
I agree with you Emily , something has happened.
The portoguese detective said " They will not shut me up " and for legal reasons his book could not be translated in English.
It's impossible to feel sympathy for this couple. I don't want to call them parents because I think they are despicable for leaving their children unattended. It's just unforgivable and I feel they got what they deserved. The poor child never had a chance. They may as well have put her on a turkey platter and served her up to the abductor.
I am a single parent and brought my two children on holiday. I did not leave them out of my sight for a single minute, let alone go dine away from my apartment and leave them asleep alone! At the very least, this couple are guilty of making this holiday about THEM and their FRIENDS (to the detriment of one of their children).....that is not to say they should not enjoy themselves but they should have ensured their children's safety before going out for an evening with friends to enjoy themselves.
Just to give this another point of fact.....if this were a single parent who had left her kids unattended while she/he dined with friends, I feel I would be correct in thinking they would be facing charges of child neglect. In my opinion this checking every 20 mins by various friends and the parents probably did not happen. If a group were going out and knew they were going to have such concerns over the safety of their children, surely the childminding facility (which was available) would be the most logical choice for them?
Under the portuguese law left kids under 12 unattended ( in this case- alone at home) it is in fact a crime. But they weren't prossecuted like they would be if they were portuguese.
All this judgement that falls on these poor parents who are constantly used by other parents who need to tell the world how perfect they are! I don't agree with the fact that Kate and Gerry left their kids alone, but that error of judgement is nothing like as serious as the crime this abductor has committed. Where is the outrage over the real crime? This man will strike again, and next time he could take a child straight out of the home of one of these 'perfect' parents, who will then be condemned for not sitting by their child's bedside all night. For God's sake people, this is not the platform for vitriol and self congratulation. Next time to turn your back on your children for a second in shopping centre- Shame on You!
Why don't you do some research rather than embarrass yourself, Lenton the Armchair Pundit?
For starters, explain if you can the FACT that 2 world class English sniffer dogs, dogs highly sought after because their skills are so great, detected Madeleine McCann's death scent in the boot of the families rental car?
Shame on you that you are so much of a loser that you post your ill informed rot as though it is based in any way on fact.
Very fishy, not just the remains of the child, but the very bizarre parents.
Dear baby, every time I see you face,I want to cry. May God grant you justice in the end.
Charles! is that you? I see you are still doing your God stuff. How have you been?
Assuming that one of the parents (both?) did it. When would they have had the time to kill Maddie and hide her?
Her mother didn´t shed a tear! It´s IMPOSSIBLE.
I hate this judgement on people, just because they don't go into hysterical crying fits and self-pity in front of the camera, that makes them guilty? When I have become overwhelmed by the death of a loved one or by the shock of a stillborn I have just been too overwhelmed to cry. I have had to concentrate on doing what had to be until I had a very safe and private place to deal with my grief. We deal with grief differently and judgement should never be made on such individual expressions and coping methods.
Oh man... how can you beliece them? I am Portuguese. I followed this case everyday. Our Intelligence services believe that she was killed by their parents... Just look at who are their relatives... and the power they have in England. Wake up. She wasn´t abducted... she was killed either by accident (what kind of paren drugs his children) or murdered.
Seriously? You are in an easy position to come to your naive conclusion. You must be privy to a lot of facts to be so sure and condemn these people. What EXACTLY do you know to be so sure?Please tell us because you are coming across as pompous i*iot. I live in a small tourist based city and if a girl went missing, the last thing I'd be upset about is my wallet and bad PR! The fact that the billboard was vandalized is disgusting. Whats worse for this town and the Portugese people are comments like yours and how they are portrayed in this film. I wouldn't spend a dime in a town that treats a missing girl case like this. Honestly? Its disgusting that they have more concern for the almighty dollar than a little girl. Oh, and I'm Canadian, and what the hell does the parents relatives have to do with this case Sherlock?
My Opinion:
Its easy to point fingers when something happens to a child, 'they should never do this', 'I always do that'. If we thought about it, we have ALL been careless and put our child in a precarious situation! My only child passed away suddenly this year at 22, my beautiful boy. I remember him as a toddler asleep in the car while I ran in the corner store. I could see the car the whole time, BUT had someone taken him, the fingers would be pointed at me. I'm sure that is not the only mistake I made. We choose to condemn others out of the UNFATHOMABLE FEAR that it actually could be our baby, and we are not perfect parents! Only when we are truly honest do we say, 'there but for the grace of God, go I"...
Reply to Timi Taaffe
I am so sorry to hear about your loss and tragedy. I have a son myself and and I don't think I could survive without him !!!!! -After reading your post I was going to battle with you regarding the McCanns but I will not. I will simply say that I will pray so God eases your pain a little a little bit. What a brave person you are, Timi Taaffe. Good bless you and your beautiful boy.
Nice john good on you respect, its nice to see on Here
I never understand why they involved the press so much.. If the kidnapper had Maddie, he would probably get rid of the evidence of her existance BECAUSE the media has spread her picture across the globe. And if they let her leave, then there is the posibility she would tell on them..
This is what happens when you leave a 3 year old all alone. Now I hear the parents also are having a million dollar world tour and published a book on how hard life is?? Why not use the money to fund a big search?? Sure doesn't seem like they care!! It looks like the best thing that happened to them was poor Maddies kidnapping... This whole thing maked me Sick.
Watching this I really did not get a good feeling for the parents. I wonder if they have undergone hypnosis (to see if they are hiding something) or if they refused such a step. This could clear some of the skeptics. Unfortunatelly I'm one of them.
they show no emotion, any inocent parent would be in bits especially seeing what their child would look like today. They keep up this cherade of'lets find madeline' just as a cover in my opinion. they have guilt written all over their faces, i feel bad for madeline and what happened she had no say over it, the parents drugged their kids so they can go and enjoy a meal and drinks with their friends, what kind of parent does that? If they was working class parents then the tabloids would smear their names and the whole country would dispise them. The Mccans need locking up for neglegence
Meh... Starting with a double-post. That down there was me.
They were both doctors, they wanted to have fun... They figured a doctor's way to leave the kids alone and have no problem with them waking up. They dozed the kids asleep... Heart or respiratory failure. The rest was just panic and all the show, damage-control. Even if it not happen exactly like that, which probably has, they should have faced the consequences of their abandoning the kids alone.
I don't have kids of my own... But as many commentators pointed out, although some would follow their footsteps, no parent leaves a baby unatended... no matter how close they leave, fact is they left.
uhhhhh hellllo! the mother if not both parents had sumthin to do with her dissaperance
not watched this yet and may not as living in uk there was constant news stories and tv shows for a fair while after it happened.
not 100% sure but seem to recall something about the children being given valium by the parents to be sure they would be safe!!
they would know about doses for that age, i guess, being doctors?!?!
@H
What kids did they give valium to and when did they do it?
Their kids keep up dear
Az and Greg: The geese would go outside on the side of house. Crime spikes right before Christmas here (gotta get presents for the kids, ya know, so rob someone---seriously). Our neighbors lactating unchained bi*ch clames our house has her own too and even sleeps on our porch sometimes. Barks at every footstep, so a dog with pups until Chirstmas is fantastic! Never barks even once in the day, but is great at night.
I already saved one neighbor from a "sneaky theif" that was stealing their entire dog fence (while the dog was away)--in the middle of the day (for the metal), so we do watch out for eachother here.
Jada: You're being a bit heartless! I might have done exactly has they did in their situation. A momentary lapse in judgment was all it was.
Last thought: I think the baby is still alive. If they were wanting to molest a child, why not take the other girl too? They wanted the girl as their own--(or to sell) I think they'll find her someday.
@C
Noisy dogs work well too, not as interesting a story a geese though lol.
Stealing a dog fence? Thats like the people who go into old condemned buildings and cut out the copper pipes for scrap money.
Jada may have been a little harsh for you C and that I am sure comes from anger at what happened and how it happened. Can't agree with your momentary lapse of judgement reasoning, a momentary lapse of judgement would be more along the lines of (I am horrible at analogies, so don't expect much from me here) trying to skateboard down some stairs or jumping off your roof into your swimming pool. Leaving your very kids unattended in a first floor apartment in a foriegn country while you went out for dinner is neglect and pure selfishness in my books.
As messed up as the kid would be I too hope that she is alive.
As Jada said if you want to go out alone for dinners, get a sitter or dont bring the kids with you.
Greg: I think I would do just like they did--they were on vacation---they were still in ear and eye-shot of the house (not across town getting drunk) and they were with friends that took turns (every 30 minutes) checking on ALL THEIR kids in a supossedly closed resort complex.
Ironically, my wife and I left our kids sleeping in a similar situation last month in a resort complex (door ajar) just like in the documentary, in case the baby woke up and cried. Just in our case we were in a totally gated complex with friends, but still vulnerable to a person who really wanted to get in via the wodow that was facing the street (now that I think about it). We wouldn't have known if someone had taken them even 35 feet away by the pool! Nearly an identical situation.
I just don't think they did anything wrong. The kid checks were not expecting an intruder to come in via the widow, but checking for a baby that was awake. No crying; all is well; next house 30 minutes later. But, hey! EVEN if the parents were IN the same house, the baby could have STILL been stolen most likely as she was taken out the window while asleep from her bedroom. This has happened to other parents just in the next room, hasn't it? Let's not blame the parents in this case; they did no wrong.
Lord, please bring this baby back to her parents! Amen.
@C
Someone earlier (if you scroll down it is somewhere) corrected us all in that they were not at a hotel or resort it was actually a rented apartment, not sure how many of the apartments are rented short term for vacationers but some obviously are. So it wasn't a gaurded building like a resort would be.
Also I mentioned before exactly what you said that even if the parents were in the apartment someone easily could have come in through the window and taken the baby without them knowing. It is crazy to think it could happen and what do parents do stay beside their kids 24 hours a day? I have hindsight on my side to think of what I would have done, would I have closed and locked the window? I would say yes now but would I really have?
I know I wouldn't be able to leave my kid/s alone in an apartment while I was out having dinner even if I was just down the street. I am a pretty relaxed parent for the most part, my son's friends have pointed this out before. And while I am the fun dad and due to circumstances here at home he has only had me to physically do things with for many years, he and I are very close and spend a lot of time together I am also a little paranoid about his safety (which is normal for a parent I guess, it isnt like I am a paranoid freak and follow him or keep super close tabs on him. He doesnt get into trouble so I have no basic need to worry) and while this is fading as he gets older I know my paranoia (paranoia is a bit of an extreme term for me, maybe slightly cautious parent is a better way to say it) would not have allowed me to leave him alone the way they did with their kids, I wouldnt have been able to relax and enjoy myself. So because I cannot see how they could leave your kids alone like that, checking every 30 minutes seems a long time to me too, I am always going to feel they didnt do the right thing.
So we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one C
Greg: Understood. Our whole family still co-sleeps like we did from day one my son was born. I can't imagine even putting them all night in a room by themselves anyway. But on vacation, I would do (and I guess I did!) exactly like they did. I really feel sorry for them all.
@C
When on vacation we tend to do things we don't normally do at home because for whatever reason we get this feeling (I call it being in vacation mode) that the world and life is different and the normal rules dont apply. We get this sense of freedom (not the right word but it is close) and trust and possibly befriend total strangers because we are in a more carefree state of mind, but we have to remember that while we are on vacation and feeling and acting different/carefree the people who live where you are on vacation are living their normal lives and not in vacation mode. And some of these people are not nice and good people, they know you are on vacation and are letting your gaurd down a little and may take advantage of that.
Just because I dont agree with what the parents did doesnt mean I think they are terrible people (unless of course it turns out in the end they had something to do with it, which I dont think is the case) or that I dont feel bad for them and their family, especially Madeleine. I do feel bad for them and can't imagine what they are going through, if my son went missing I would go completely crazy.
@ C_and_N
hey C, there hasn't been many comments being made lately, I must not be going to the right doc
Hi, Greg! I teach full-time online and sometimes I just gotta get away from "the box" (the computer). I read that online occupations increase your heart attack risk as your ars just gets fatter and fatter as you sit there doing nothing all day. Two canceled classes tonight means time for a family film: Tiger Spy!!!
I have no sympathy! Except for the child that is. Clearly it doesnt take much brains to figure out that if you leave young children home alone something very bad may happen as a consequence! They are two well educated adults and clearly extremely selfish too, what kind of caring parent would leave young children to go and socialize and have fun? If thats the kind of life they wanted with no responsibilities on holiday they should have thought twice about having children or left them with someone caring at least.
What makes me sick is that because of their social status they have been treated as if they are fit parents who were nieve when the story itself shows what idiots they are! If this happened to a working class family from a poor background the fingers would have been pointed and blame placed completely on bad parenting with any other children being removed into the care of social services as a result.
The fact of the matter is that they made a selfish and ridiculous mistake that can not be fixed and I can not understand what kind of person would do such and thing neither do I want to.
@C
Good idea having people think you have a gun, it may scare some potential problems away. Being Canadian we generally dont feel the same way many Americans do about guns, I know one person who has guns in his house that are for hunting although I have never known him to go hunting but he said he used to when he was younger and thats why he has them. He says one day he wants to take my son and I out to shoot one, I have never shot a gun before so I am a little curious but at the same time I dont really have an interest in doing it. Americans have it in their constitution that they have the right to bear arms (In Canada we have the right to bare arms but that is a ittle different I think) so it is part of their culture, in the country here (which is area wise most of Canada, but population wise most people live in concentrated areas in the southern parts of the country) or rural areas where most of the farms are (and thank god for the farmers who give us our food but barely survive finacially with no real help from our Government) guns are more common and a necessary part of life. But for a suburban schmuck like me there is no need to have a gun, by having a gun and thinking about the things that may come about from it being around I can think of one positive and that would be shooting someone who broke into my house and tried to harm my family. The chances of that happening are almost zero, and if it did happen unless the guy was in the act of actually hurting my son I would more than likely freeze up (possibly piss myself lol) have the gun taken off me and then the bad guy might shoot us all. Anything else I can think of happening with a gun in the house does not have a good outcome.
Now I dont want any pro gun people jumping all over me about safe storage and other reasons for having guns, if you like guns (and yes I do see the appeal of them, I dont get hunting but I do get the target shooting part of it being a lot of fun and if I ever tried it I may like it. Maybe only as a one time thing but it does look fun and I woud keep my gun stored at the range or wherever you go to shoot if i found I really liked it but I dont see that happening) and are responsible with them in all aspects which I think more gun enthusiasts who register their guns are than arent then I dont have an issue with you. I just dont have an interest in having a gun or see any reason I would need one in my house
Greg: The captain for the neighborhood watch wants to borrow my gun as they only have billy clubs at night. My wife told him we really don't have one--so, now the mystery continutes---Is the American packing or not packing!?! But someone has tried to break in twice but were foiled both times by the bars on our windows. Perhaps I need a goose or two beside the house instead of a gun--they sleep extreemly lightly and nothing gets past them! Incedibly noisy when disturbed. Seriously. Wisdom over firepower I think wins the day here.
P.S. If I did have a gun I wouldn't hesitate to use it if an armed robber entered the house (baring it was a child, which is very common here).
@C
HAHA I have heard of getting a gaurd dog but gaurd Geese? Thats hilarious, cant wait for my son to get out of the shower and down here to tell him. As funny as it sounds it really is an ingenius idea (my son just came down and is laughing, he said he has a kid in his class who is from the Philipines and they call him a Philapation because they all decided calling him a Philipino is too boring lol. They arent being racist toward him he is in on the joke, in Canada most classrooms look like a United Nations school there are so many different nationalities in them. With the exception of the odd bully there is no problem because it is Canada and they have all grown up like this. In fact in grades 1 to about 4 or so they used to do little celebrations or at least acknowledgements of the various religious holidays and events of all the kids in the classes) except if they start squawking all the time and it becomes annoying. I guess in that case they can be made into a free dinner lol.
So nobody really knows if you are armed or not? Its good to keep them on their toes except if a robber or whatever comes to break in they think you have a gun and bring their own. I know there is a ton of crime there but do you get along with your neighbours (I know you said you have neighbourhood watch but not sure how many people are involved, and a neighbourhood watch thats armed is just freaky to me)?
Ok gotta finish watching MTV live and make the kids lunch
a goose at the door...clever! Those buggers are noisy as hell az
very very very sad.... :( brought tears into my eyes.... i have a 5 years old daughter and 4 years old son.... i live in leeds uk these days as i am studying here... i bring them back from school almost every day and i keep holding their hands all the way though i see many parents who let their children walk by them self and running on the road with trafic.... i have so much to say about this story but to be honest it was 100 % parents failure but if u see the other side of the picture no one imagen that such a terible thing could ever happened to him until it do.... in my life many insidents has happened which i never even dreamed about ..... so mishaps happen and you cant really blame anybody for it.. this is how life is ... i wish and pray not only for this couple but for every couple out there who has lost their child that may GOD bless them and help them in finding their loved ones... Amen
@Hassam
I agree it was as you put it "100% parents failure", I wont elaborate because I have stated my views on this already on here.
I like that you hold your childrens hands while walking home from school so they can't run out on the street. Especially if the street is fairly busy with traffic, at the age of 4 and 5 any parent knows that they have little impulse control and if they see something that interests them they are gone from your side before you have a chance to even notice.
Some parents let their kids run all over the place seemingly without a care which can be dangerous but also irratating to everyone else as they bash into you screaming, swearing, lacking manners or any consideration for others as their parent/s walk along talking to other parents ignoring what their little darlings are doing. Oddly the kids who's parents tend to let them do all this are generally not the quiet well behaved ones.
Not saying you have to be totally the other way not giving your kids any space or freedom (age appropriate freedom of course) constantly controlling their every move possibly making them afraid to do anything without a parent saying it is ok ( I know of such kids) and then watching them like a hawk as they do whatever it is they asked to do. That is a disaster waiting to happen once the kid/s become teenagers and want freedom to go out with their friends at which point the kid has no experience with it or self control and you now have a rebelious slightly (hopefully just slightly) out of control kid.
It is a fine line (although I used extreme examples) between being a controlling over cautious parent and allowing to much freedom. I think it depends on the kids natural disposition as to how you raise them.
Although I only have one kid and he has always been good so we let him..... not do what he wanted to all the time but he has never had a ton of rules and as a toddler we let him explore wherever he wanted in the house (after anything dangerous was put out of reach obviously) so he wasnt always going nuts trying to see what was in a certain cupboard or drawer or whatever. I think because he was allowed to do , not whatever he wanted too do, most things he was curious about he didnt feel the need to sneak around and do bad things. Because he knew if he asked me if he could do something slightly dumb and a little dangerous I would let him do it and since he was naturally a cautious kid he would want me with him A) to make sure nothing really bad happened and B) He knew I was a big kid and would enjoy it too plus because of how life has gone for us we have always spent a lot of time together and we are very very close.
So there are my parenting views lol on how to deal with all kids when all I have is one, naturally well behaved good kid who is the way he is in spite of me being his Father lol. So basically if you read it all sorry but you pretty much wasted your time
This is a terribly heart breaking story. I had to skip 15mins after getting 5 mins in - couldn't handle the mums pain. At least I am pretty convinced the parents didnt do it. But leaving your kids alone in a unit is just stupid. Especially that young.
Greetings readers/contributors,
Thinking outside the box, I have a few questions and comments: 1) Since child abductors don't usually travel too far from the point where they removed their victims, during the early police investigations did they conduct a thorough search of basements/cellars/attics (if any) within the holiday complex as well as all external residential dwellings, abandoned buildings and warehouses situated in close proximity to the resort? Did any of the eye-witnesses note the licence plate number of the white van? Are there any on-/off-site surveillance cameras?
2) Two years have elapsed since the abduction of Madeleine would the trail be considered too cold to bring in a missing persons psychic?
What is so striking, sad and scary about this matter is that all of those adults left their children unattended to go and enjoy a night out. That is the essence of selfishness. They should all be charged with child neglect and endangerment. If not the abduction, I can think of a host of terrible things that could have befallen them in the absence of their parents who are suppose to ensure their safety and protection. This world is no longer a safe place, and, unfortunately, everyone has to tread with care and be vigilant at all times - even while on vacation in a much touted child-safe environment.
@nanapeggy
I believe they said they closed off an area around the apartment (not sure exact size but I think it was a fairly good size) but I have no clue as to where specifically they looked. You would think any CCTV cameras in the area had their tapes looked at.
I am not even gonna comment on the psychic thing.
As far as the parents leaving the kids alone I couldn't agree with you more, I just shake my head when I think about it. If you scroll down a fair bit someone posted a comment saying what they did was ok. I didn't even bother to reply because the conversation would have either gone no where or escalated into an arguement which I am not interested in doing and we have had enough of that type of thing in here before and nobody wants to revisit that
A couple of people commented on the "hotel" and the "carelessness" of the parents.
As David Rodriguez said below, this was a rental apartment, not a hotel. There's a big difference.
Hotels have security and lobbies with desk clerks.
Vacation rentals in apartment buildings are just that...apartment rentals. No one watches who comes and goes.
I've stayed in several myself, and I'm sure any local would be aware when/which apartments are being used for short-term rentals, especially criminals in a resort town, in a neighborhood where those type of rentals are common. Several witnesses did mention seeing someone watching the building for several nights before the abduction.
In the opening interview, the mother refers to a partially-closed *interior* bedroom door, just like the one in any other apartment. They probably did not consider that the child wandered away if there were deadbolt locks that require keys on the exterior doors. (There was a clip of the father returning to the apartment during the private investigation, but I couldn't tell what type of lock he used the key on.)
The mother also spoke of seeing the bedroom curtains blow when she was checking on the children--which alerted her to something being wrong. That would make sense if she knew she or her husband had closed the window.
They weren't "careless" in that they left the apartment open to the outside. They were having dinner less than a block away, both they and the other parents were checking on all their children regularly, and all the parents probably thought they were being careful.
Sadly, they were wrong, but it doesn't mean they're guilty.
I also doubt they will ever find that child. She's either dead or someplace where no one would ever connect her to the case. But miracles do happen, rarely.
The only good news is that stranger abductions are very rare. Which might explain why the parents thought they were being careful enough.
When i look back at my life as a mother, i can see many times where things COULD have gone wrong but i was lucky it didn't. When i look at my daughter as a mom, i can feel many times worried, even more then when i was a mom myself (one of the roles of a grand-ma is to try to stay detached from being too involved ) but we all do our best in the moment, and sometimes life will catch you and sometimes it won't.
I am sure this story has many angles that are not covered by this doc or even were never covered by any disclosure.
The little girl may be alive and will never know this story.
az
Okay so I remember reading about this story a couple years ago.. I'm sorry you guys I watched like 15 mins of this Doc and I turned it off..Like I feel like there is something wrong with the way the parents reacted about their child being missing..The mother gives me the creeps when she explained what she thought happened she Automatically Knew Someone Abducted her child WTH..Okay you Leave your child in a room and Leave out of the Hotel Room to go have Dinner and Come Back find the little girl Missing and you think Someone Abducted Her???
Why didn't she say well since I have 3 children I left by themselves two of them babies, One of them is old enough to walk maybe the child got up in the middle of the night and walked around looking for her momma she could not find her because she is down the street eating dinner?? NO Someone Abducted her this made me upset. If Abduction was the case why didn't the Person Take All three of the children they all were there alone. I mean what parent is gonna go on vacation in another country and feel soo comfortable that they leave their children in a hotel room by themselves sleeping while they go out to eat?? I think they did something to the child and then opened up that window to make it look like someone came on the balcony looked through a closed curtain saw a little girl sleeping opening an unlocked window in a hotel room and kidnapped their child???.The whole thing does not make sense to me They Know What Happened its Sad and Upsets Me.
hey guys im Portuguese they didnt were in a resorte they were in a rent flat and that day the left the kids sleeping and went dinner like 50 metres from the flat the y could see the windows from teh flat not the door of the building it self and there was treas and bushes covering the sight has well they were recless yes but they thout they were in a smal vilage etc but Portugal has lots of abdutions pedophiles etc this is starting to be everything but not the country i've born...here lots of people think they kill'd the litle girl by acident and try to couver it up i really dont know some people think they exploit a lot the case to make money as well and employ the guy that work'd for pinochet i think it was'nt very smart
I do not know the parents or much about the case other than this doc and little bits from the news when it was on but the parents are both Doctors and they have a nice house so I believe they are financially well off. But hiring detectives and doing other things does cost a lot of money (they get most of it I am sure from donations).
I guess it could look like they are exploiting the case because of all the TV and news coverage they get but I would think they are doing all that for no other reason than to try and get their daughter back. But my view of it all from Canada is going to be different possibly than someone who sctually lives there.
I cannot see hiring anyone who used to work for Pinochet as being a good move just for how it looks as we all know Pinochet was not a good person. I don't know what the guy did for Pinochet and for all i know even if he did some bad things he could have just been doing whatever he had to so he could survive. The mother did say in the doc she no longer cares what other people say or think about her, she just wants her daughter back.
You can take my money, take my house, take anything you want from me (even my life) as long as you don't take my wife or my babies! There have been multiple child abductions in my neighborhood and sometimes they find them later without certain organs but the last two or three not at all. I think a situation like this would be one of the few times that I could "kill" another human being defending my children's lives. I do hope they find little Madeleine someday alive. Every parent's worst nightmare is a missing child.
@C_and_N
when it comes to protecting your kids you would do whatever was necessary (and maybe a bit more) to keep them safe. I agree with everything you said except maybe the wife part lol it is still up for debate how far I would go to protect her.
With all that going on in your neighbourhood (ever thought about moving? It isnt always an option though, which I can understand) I would never let my family out of my site. Don't know how old your kids are but are they aware of what goes on? Probably impossible to keep them from finding out some of it unless they are really young.
The thought of anything bad happening to your kid/s IS every parents worst nightmare which is one reason I hate (and at times avoid) watching docs like this.
That's the reason I'm not watching it this time. Stuff like this SEVERELY upsets and depresses me. And... it's a little easier for me to cope with a story like this in print...
When my children were babies (and on rare occasions even now), I used to be jolted awake at night from the thought of something happening to them, when I was on the threshold of sleep and my defenses were down.
@Pysmythe
While no doc like this is easy to watch this one is not to bad to watch as it isnt done in an overly dramatic way where they go out of their way to make it depressing (the whole thing is depressing but they don't overplay that part). The parents are very controlled and have their emotions in check (how they talk about it and stay in control like they do is beyond me but maybe they have had enough time since it happened that they can talk about it without totally losing it) which may be because the other kids are in the house with them so they have to stay controlled so they dont upset them. I am sure behind closed doors and every night when they go to bed and close their eyes it hits them full on. Some people who think the parents were involved ( not knowing much about the case I cannot say one way or another how I feel about that) may point to their calmness as a sign of their guilt but they have a child to find and to get out the info the want to and keep the awareness out there they can't be on camera crying out of control because then the doc and their other efforts wouldnt be as effective in relaying what they need to
I understand what you're saying. I may watch it, after all. I think what would really depress me is seeing a lot of footage of that baby running around happy. Is there a lot of that?
@Pysmythe
Considering your previous comments I would have to answer your question by saying I think it is a very good possibility that there is enough footage of her running around happy that it will bother you. There isn't a ton of it but there is more than just a clip or two and I would not feel comfortable telling you to watch it.
There is nothing for you to gain from watching it that you wont see mentioned in the comments, but in my opinion when the doc is over you will probably wish you had chosen not to watch it.
That's good enough for me, Greg. I think I'd probably better pass on this one for now, for the sake of what serenity I have.
@Pysmythe
Taking your concerns into consideration I couldn't in good conscience recommend you watched the doc. Plus you don't want to mess with serenity
Thanks for your concern. I do have reasons other than just "serenity," or the other things I've mentioned, but it would be insensitive to bring them up.
(quick question- You've been here a while, man. Don't you want to get yourself an avatar?)
@ Greg_Mc, i agree with the avatar suggestion. I bet one of your kids can suggest something something!
az
LOL az I just said that to Pysmythe then scrolled up and read your comment. I only have one kid it just seems like I have more because I have always been the Dad who lets all the kids come in the house.
@Pysmythe
I figured there was a story that hits close to home behind your caution in watching the doc, thats why I erred a little more on the side of caution when you started asking questions about the content.
This is the first putting an avatar with my name has even crossed my mind. I just asked my son and he says he can figure out how to do it, I just need to know where to find one.
Lol he just said to me that he would hate to be an internet friend of mine because if he asked me a simple question requiring a short answer he would have to sit and read a 4 paragraph answer. I do tend to have an issue with short answers. I will stop now but I could go on for another 5 minutes on nothing lol
Greg: You can add nearly anything saved on your computer as an avatar. Just fiddle with the Discus profile under "edit profile" until you find the avatar option and download from your computer.
I will have to go to my sons side of the computer because I dont have any pictures or logos or things of that type on mine
Just do an images search on Google for any subject you're interested in (funny pics, fractals, etc.) and save your favs to your pc, or if you're on facebook, you could use your profile pic. There are other ways, of course, but those are what I did.
and did a lot!...lololol
...
@Pysmythe
I will find something somewhere, I will wait till my son gets home from school and band practice and maybe church if he goes there tonight too (Wednesdays are busy for him, worse if he has homework. man I am glad I am not a kid and in school still because they work them pretty hard) because he likes to help me find stuff like that.
Greg: We just built a nice house here in the Philippines, but yes, I feel "itchy feet" as I've never stayed in one place for very long. A 23 woman was raped and killed about 2 blocks away on Friday. They caught the punks and they said they were going to do a holdup in Agape (which is my small neighborhood),but raped the girl first.
Unfortunately, my 4 year old did see the pictures of the mutilated little boy where they took his organs and left the body with some money that said "Sorry, but it's only a job". I just don't understand that, as don't you have to "match" organs or they will be rejected?
A sixteen-year-old was snatched from her mother's side as they walked to the market, and they took her kidneys, and she died also. It was on the news here a few months ago.
Everyone: Please please please don't get organs from 3rd world countries! No matter what they tell you, there's a good chance they killed the person to get them. This is not a joke.
@C_and_N
Just read some of your comment to my 13 year old son and along with the totally shocked look on his face he asked, why the &*(^( would that guy live there? I explained that sometimes moving is not always an immediate option.
You and I live in two different worlds, I would not be mentally tough enough to live where you do. Not that the vast majority of your fellow countrymen are not good people but the ones that are not good are at a violence level that is incomprehensible to me. There are I am sure a lot of reasons people can bring up as to why and how these people become like they are, but thats a discussion for a different doc. I only mentioned it because as I said I am sure most people there are very nice and good people and my main point is you are clearly an intelligent guy, and the impression I get is you are a Father who's main priority in life is your family. At the end of the day no matter where you live, how much money you make (people who make a lot of money in my experience tend to do so at the expense of time spent with their family, ok not all I have a friend who makes a sickening amount of money but in his contract it is written that he leaves work at a certain time so that he is home every night to have dinner with his wife and kids) or whatever when your kids are standing beside your coffin (sorry kind of morbid) would you rather them say "Dad sure worked hard and bought us a lot of expensive stuff" or "Dad was great and gave us the best gift a Father could, his time, attention and love" ?
Back to the other things you mentioned, if just one of those things happened in my city it would be front page news for a very long time. The people who live here would be beyond shocked and there would be a huge police investigation, public meetings, they would increase the police presence with more patrol cars out driving around, the police would be keeping a closer eye on people etc it would be crazy.
As for the organs yes they need to be a match to work and even then you have to take a ton of medicine that helps your body accept the new organ, and still your body could reject it. I haven't heard anything about black market organs being a problem here but that doesn't mean they aren't available.
Greg: There's a reason why the Philippines is considered one of the most utterly corrupt nations on earth--because it is! My wife happened to live in Habitat for Humanity housing (bless Jimmy Carter's heart!). I like our house actually as we've put a lot of time and money into it and it's paid off.
With it all said and done, I don't loose sleep at night here. But, I do plan to get a baseball bat for our bedroom and for our nanny's room--just in case! I think we'll have the opportunity to move next year after we finish our house so we can rent it out. If you're a Christian, prayer is always welcome. Seriously.
My kids are mixed race--extremely hard to match genetically from what I've read. That makes them either totally "unusable" for organ matching for most people, or exceedingly valuable if you are a match.
I read where mixed Asian/White individuals actually have a database where you can register and donate a kidney, or bone marrow etc and then if you ever needed anything, you could also use the database to look for matches. I thought about it . . . . but I'm fearful that if my kids "matched" someone that needed a heart or liver for example, then some rich man with a dying kid would find a way to deprive me of mine! What a sad world we live in today isn't it? God help us all. I think I'd rather stay off the grid.
C@N
Charles, why would the philippines be so corrupt with all the fundamentalists there, probably making it worse Eh?
You sure have an impotent uncaring god if you have to resort to sleeping with a baseball bat beside you.
Your omnipotent? all-knowing? gods do not seem to care or help anyone, if they did, would not allow abductions as in "Madeleine was here" to begin with, or do they only help old women to find their nylons, or help people find parking spots?
uh, oh...could be we're in for a long declamation on the consequences of freewill...
oh, Mr. Razor: The Philippine government is soooo corrupt from the mayors to the police to the congress, to the presidents (but perhaps President Noy Noy is honest --- he's trying at least).
My wife's brother was attacked by a drunk man with a machete (and was nearly killed). I helped pay for hospital bills. When the police came to ask questons, I made the mistake of coming outside and they saw I was American. They demanded a bribe to investigate the attempted murder. No bribe--no arrest--no justice! The machete man still lives down the road about 100 yards away.
Google "election violence in the Philippines" and even you will be SHOCKED at the numbers! Every election year, the deaths are in the HUNDREDS! No exageration. About 18 months ago, one governor killed about 80 or 90 at one time--including the journalists that were with his rival's family at the time. Look up "Maguindanao Massacre" for the details.
My wife made me laugh and then nearly cry when we were talking about the rape and murder last Friday near my house and I said, "Why would they do away with the death penalty? It's needed for situations like this!" She said the government did away with the death penalty so that none of them could be put to death for thier own crimes"--murder, bribery and plunder. I laughed until I realized she was serious, and she was right! So sad.
But, President Noy Noy I like. He's rooting out corruption and several high-level people have killed themselves rather than stand trial lately.
Mr. Razor: P.S. As for God's protecton and the baseball bat---perhaps if I walked in absolute unshakable faith I wouldn't worry about anything like crime or violence against myself or my family and just take one day at a time, come what may. There's a good chance that God HAS protected us and we may not even know it. Love God; be innocent of evil; take one day at a time leaving the rest up to God---but I still think the baseball bats are a good idea in this case.
@C
If I lived where you do I would have a lot more than a baseball bat for protection.
Canada is far from perfect but I wouldn't live anywhere else. The worst thing that has happened in my neigbourhood (that I am aware of anyway) is that a family moved in about 8 months ago just behind us and around the corner (I live in a townhouse complex, so I guess you will get the odd family that are i*****, but 99% of the people are great) and the kids steal and are basically bad but the Father is a complete i****. Basically it is that they did something, blamed my son and the father goes around bad mouthing my son to all the neigbours , it isnt much and nothing compared to where you live
Greg: Rumor has it I DO have a gun in the house. I don't. The Mrs. and I think that would be a bad idea as I think my son would get it even if hidden. I wish I also lived in Canada. Alas, I will have to console myself with fresh papayas and bananas now. ;-)
Finally! Good on you His Forever. This is a passionate and compassionate response from someone who has enough heart to put themselves in the shoes of these poor parents.
If this precious child's ethnicity had been anything other than WHITE, I'm afraid we'd never have heard very much about her.
Sorry, but that's a sad reality about media exposure in cases like this.
You are right, but also if this had happened at home it wouldn't have made it much further than national news. The fact that it happened on foreign soil brought more attention to it.
az
@pysmythe
I wish I could argue your point but the unfortunate thing is you are right. It is pathetic that you are right (lol not on a personal level as you are sometimes right in your comments. Sorry I shouldnt joke but it is a defense mechanism) and that in 2011 the colour of someones skin still makes a difference on how they are seen and treated.
Here in Canada we are very multicultural and it is something we as a nation are proud of, well most of us are we still have far to many racial problems. In my sons school and our neighbourhood there are many different nationalities and religions that you would think the kids would be so used to it they wouldnt even notice it or notice it (because you would have to be blind not to) and respect the differences as I know most of them are taught to do by their parents and teachers. But there are still kids who are around 10 years old give or take a couple of years who are racist and call each other terrible names and racism like so many other things like basic manners etc are a learned behaviour and it is pretty clear where they must have learned it from because i doubt it is something they teach at school. I have actually thrown kids out of my house for using racial slurs either in jokes or when talking about other kids. I generally give them one chance and while it pisses off some parents (they dont like other parents talking to their kids about their bad behaviour and/or trying to correct it. Which I can see to a point because the other parents may not know or agree with your views) I will tell the kid why what they said was wrong and it isnt acceptable to talk like that in my house. If it is a close friend's kid or a neighbourhood kid who's parents I know well enough that they trust me I am allowed to talk to the kid about their choice of words or behaviour. My house has always been where the kids all come to hang out and you get to know some of the kids pretty well and they trust me so we have some interesting conversations and no matter what kind of front the kids put on to be cool they all want approval and a little guidance from grown ups. It goes both ways as there are other parents I know that I feel comfortable allowing them to talk to and discipline (verbally and in a nice way though) my son if he is out of line.
Not sure how I feel about this. Kate says right at the start 'the door was open further than we'd left it'. If you were going to leave your kids alone in a hotel room surely you'd lock the door?
whats the point of locking the bedroom door when you are on the first floor, while I dont remember it being mentioned, and you leave the window either open or unlocked. Or was the window broken into? As I said I dont remember if they mentioned it or not.
Most resorts do not have door lock on bedrooms other than the main bedroom in a suite.
az
but the windows lock I am sure, if they even open. Been to hotels where the windows wont open but that is usually in Canada and in the winter you dont want to open them anyway except maybe when I was younger and I wanted to clear the room of a certain odour that comes with a particular recreational habit, in a warm place you need the windows to open.
Does it matter what floor your on? I was thinking more about the pool or one of them waking up and going looking for their parents. You wouldn't do it at home, why do it somewhere unfamiliar?
@fifty
The floor only mattered because of the possibilty of someone coming in through the window is higher if you are on the first floor as compared to say the thenth floor.
To me leaving kids that age alone, especially somewhere unfamiliar no matter what anyone else says is poor parenting. If the parents were in the apartment they probably would still have their daughter,
Another way of thinking is that even if the parents were in the apartment and their friends were with them and they were drinking and partying they might have closed the bedroom door so they wouldn't wake up the sleeping kids. It would have been more risky but the ugly dude (if in fact he was the one who kidnapped her) could still have snuck in the window and taken her.
Ok, good point and I'm with you on the poor parenting thing. That's something most people tend to avoid mentioning though I expect they think it. If it had happened here in England they would have been in a world of trouble. I have mixed feelings about this story, my heart breaks for them but at the same time they have to take some responsibility for what happened. I kind of feel bad for thinking that way, they messed up in the worst way possible and they must know it. I get a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach when I imagine how they must feel.
A few years back i participated in a series of art classes. In the group there was a woman who's child was abducted in Quebec 7 years before. The child was found in a nearby forest, the case was never solved.
The woman had regained a certain sense of happiness but her paintings could not hide the sorrow and pain.
The reason it is so puplicised is because of the dedication this woman has in finding her alive and also because the media loves these kind of wrenching events.
Not surprising that hotel and business owners would come and yell for money lost. MOney Money MOney...
As a mom and grand-ma...i feel for these people.
az
Az? The Quebec child was found? I'm assuming not alive, otherwise that would be a good thing. Even if you abduct them, whey kill them? I just don't understand such evil heartedness.
I know from TV (docs, news type programs so nothing official) or should I say I am under the impression that a lot of kidnapped kids are killed within a pretty short period of time. Some i know are sold for various reasons we dont need to get into and there is also what C_and_N mentioned below.
There is no understanding the type of person who would kidnap a child and hurt them, there is however plenty of things we could,but dont, do to them once they are caught.
It is probably a good thing that you cant.
What I don't get and nobody seems to mention as anything out of the ordinary, but what parents leave their little kids (in one case a 4 year old and 2 infants) alone in an apartment in a foriegn country let alone at home while they are out having dinner? They checked on them every half an hour, left alone for half an hour there are so many things that could go wrong. And the worst possible thing did happen and one of the kids was taken. One of the kids could have woken and wandered around and got hurt or scared they were alone or any number of things could have happened. It freaking amazes me that not one but a few sets of parents seem to feel this type of thing was ok, it is beyond irresponsible. When my son was young like that (the twins were just babies really werent they?) I wouldnt even sit in the back or front yard without a baby monitor on so i could hear him in case he woke and called for me or if he started choking on something. These people were actually around the corner in a bloody cafe or whatever it was eating dinner, that alone would be considered neglect here but nobody even mentions it as an issue. Even though they had nothing to do with the kidnapping the parents are totally at fault for this happening, it really pisses me off. And because of their stupid selfish actions of leaving little kids alone a poor little girl is now god knows where.
I see your point and i am sure they do too now.
What mistakes we can make in life and have to pay the price for ever after!
az
@az
As batman used to say in the old TV show, hindsight is 20/20. You are annoyingly correct again az lol, we all make mistakes in life we have to pay for later, not all of us make mistakes we have to pay for for ever but many people do.
They were on vacation with friends and this is not an excuse (because I am obviously not looking for excuses for them as I already made that point pretty clear, maybe a bit harsh but when it comes to little kids and neglect,my term and view, it is a sore spot with parents as I am positive you fully understand) but I am sure they were in vacation mode, maybe had a few drinks as those on vacation will do whether you have kids with you or not (in my opinion you dont fully appreciate the value of alcohol until you have a kid or 3 lol) and the other parents were doing the same thing and I am sure it was something they did on previous nights too. If they did it on previous nights i am sure that freaky dude noticed it and got their timing of when they checked on the kids down.
Bottom line is I/we all can give our opinions till the cows comes home but there is a little girl who is missing. Hopefully still just missing and god knows where in the world she could be now or what she has been told, taught or had done to her.
Totally agree Greg! What gets me is that they would have never done it in their own country i.e. mine because leaving children of that age alone would have put them in court, also as doctors they should have been well aware of the kind of things that can happen to kids if left on their own for just a few minutes, or just while the parents attention is on something else for a few minutes.
They neglected their children by leaving them and it disgusts me that the media still keep portraying them as decent parents!
They were not around the corner in a cafe! They were in the same grounds as the apartment which they could see from where they were sitting.
The whole story here really stinks. I do not believe this child's abduction was a mystery to her parents and between them and the media, a right dog's dinner was made of the case which remains unsolved. I can never figure out why a smattering of such cases receive uprecedented (and futile) publicity, whilst hundreds of thousands of others slip unnoticed into the mists.
white, well educated and presentable. Maddies picture also had a great impact on her media exposure. I cant stop thinking the parents are lying.. there was blood found in a rental car.
900 cases of chilren who have been missing for more than 2 years is very encouraging. I am glad to have watched this, especially so that I could see the age progression photograph of Madeline. She still has those eyes, a definite advantage. In her mother's eyes, I see such sadness. My heart goes out to her and to Jerry. I believe this little girl is alive and that one day she will return--- soon, I hope.
Being Portuguese i do know blood was found by dogs inside a rented car and in some walls inside the apartment, draw your conclusions... I do hope she is okay, but i dont believe that she is.
Portuguese Portugal or Portuguese Brazil?
One is Portuguese or Brazilian although both speak Portuguese. He says he is Portuguese not that he speaks Portuguese. So my guess is, he is from Portugal.
az
Thanks for clarifying that Az.
That is not quite true. Many Brazilians consider themselves Portuguese. As a matter of fact Rio de Janeiro was at one time the capitol of Portugal.