Missing 4 yr old Madeleine McCann, do her parents deserve support?

[Welsh-Angel]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6641899.stm

Click on the link above to read the story.

Once you have read the story tell us what you think....

[Gantidge]

Forgive my apparent cynicism/harshness, but why is this in the news so much? I understand for the parents it's devestating, but children go missing all the time, don't they? Is it because it's a British family abroad?

I genuinely don't know. Somone please clue me in!

[theworldsucks]

I see you point, its like when some one dies in a house fire or somthing and then everyone is like its really tragic, but people die everyday so whats the big?

im in two minds, yes they do deserve support coz the little kid is innocent, but on the other hand what the hell were they thinking leaving thier kids on thier own in a hotel room in a place they dont know that well justt to go to a bar down the road, correct me if im wrong but thats just damn irrisponsible? 

[Ryan]

Of course they deserve support. If you are in a car accident, you would expect to be accepted into a hospital. If someone broke into your house, you would expect a criminal investigation. The same applies here, regardless that the family are foreign nationals.
What I disagree with, however, is the parents' attempts to keep this in the media spotlight for as long as possible. They're just playing the sympathy card too much. That said, I'm not as naive as to think that there are no benefits to media attention. There is probably a greater chance that Madeline will be found if there is a media buzz around the case.
On a sadder note; not to be pessimistic, but there's very little chance that she will be found. Disappearing with a three year old is not difficult. It's not like she can find help. Her identity will be changed and she'll probably be sold somewhere in eastern Europe or Russia.

[Gantidge]

Portugals' problem is: when do they decide that the search is becoming futile? Putting so much attention on the case can turn around and bite you on your glutius maximus (if you know what I mean). Yes people become more aware, and stay on the alert, but if they don't find the child, then the police force and Portugal looks stupid for not acheiving results, whether or not they could actually have found her, as you say Ryan.

Of course I'm sympatheic towards any family who has to face that kind of unjustifiable tourment. But do we need to have 10 minutes every night on the news devoted to them saying 'nothing has changed'?

[Welsh-Angel]

Putting so much attention on the case can turn around and bite you on your glutius maximus

Rofl. I feel sympathy but i don't aswell because at the end of the day, children shouldn't have been left unattended these days with pedofiles (don't know if i spelt it right, probably) and being in a foreign country etc. I think it is the parents making a big deal, they are getting people to help then search and asking the media for an appeal to send a message to the public and Madeleine's kidnapper(s). When in a foreign you are meant to be more cautious because portugal don't have CCTV and it seems these days a lot of british people have been kidnapped in a foreign country like the british reporter for example.

Even though the parent were irresponsible we can't just say "ahwell it's your own fault" because the little girl's life maybe at stake, the girl doesn't deserve violence, abuse, r*pe and everything else that is considered immoral. I am sure the parent would have learned their lesson and realise that it can dangerous for any child to be left alone with no one watching over them.

[Philosobassist]

Is it because it's a British family abroad?

Pretty much, yes, and also because it was such irresponsible actions by the parents. As legionreturns rightly observed in another debate (I can't remember which though, lol) the British media is generally biased towards British incidents, wherever they may be, and you can understand why, I guess.

My spin on it: yes of course they deserve support, but then, for me who doesn't? Mistakes are made; if teachers condemned you and didn't offer support when you made mistakes you'd be suicidal by the age of 7! To me this is the same principle on a grander scale.

[Philosobassist]

Also, check out the people who have pledged money toward a reward for information:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6653307.stm

Why can't these people throw this sort of money around to other big issues? I know this will sound really harsh but this is only one girl. What about the masses of poverty? You rarely hear of celebs throwing a few million their way, at least I don't.

[Gantidge]

I understand you can continually plea to have her returned, but if her kidnappers haven't returned by now, after people like Beckham, the Portuguese football team, and numerous other celebrities, are they really going to give her up. The people who do this sort of thing do it for the attention. Had they wanted money out of it, they would have said so by now. So basically they are the sort of people who want to create tension and chaos.

I hate to be pessemistic, but the probablility is that she is dead by now, isn't it?

[Ryan]

I understand you can continually plea to have her returned, but if her kidnappers haven't returned by now, after people like Beckham, the Portuguese football team, and numerous other celebrities, are they really going to give her up. The people who do this sort of thing do it for the attention. Had they wanted money out of it, they would have said so by now. So basically they are the sort of people who want to create tension and chaos.

I hate to be pessemistic, but the probablility is that she is dead by now, isn't it?

This isn't a ransom. The people who kidnapped the girl would be prosecuted if they came forward. Surely the money is for those who give information leading to the return of Madeleine?

[Philosobassist]

The people who do this sort of thing do it for the attention. Had they wanted money out of it, they would have said so by now.

Wrong. If you wanted money you put a fair time delay in. If you suddenly came forward with info as soon as a reward was offered it would look a tad suspicious, n'est-ce pas?

I hate to be pessemistic, but the probablility is that she is dead by now, isn't it?

Difficult one. With my limited detective skills I would conclude not, and I will tell you why.

Basically there is no real evidence of an internal and intricate plan; no videos, demands, snippets of hair in the mail (that is serious btw) etc., and also it can't have been too pre-planned, because how far ahead, when on holiday, do you plan to eat and where and when.

A 'real' (I suppose) criminal in this field couldn't possibly have had much time to find out that this would be the 'best' time to strike, ergo I conclude (feel free to disagree) that this was somewhat an impulse act, therefore likely to be the act of a somewhat inexperienced criminal, therefore (finally) they would not make the situation as bad as possible for themselves by adding murder to the list of charges. They just wouldn't.

[/CSI]

[Welsh-Angel]

i think if the kidnapper wanted money i thought they would leave the parents a letter saying "you will have your daughter back if you give me $2million". Also i think the kidnapper mayhave kept an eye on the hotel, waited for the parents to be out of the hotel room out of sight because it seems coincidence otherwise the the kidnapper just walked in and took Madeleine.

The police's are now suspecting their british interpreter Robert Murat, it's strange because he offered to help the police search for Madeleine.

[Philosobassist]

i think if the kidnapper wanted money i thought they would leave the parents a letter saying "you will have your daughter back if you give me $2million".

lol not to be picky but that would confirm my theory. A letter is the most risky form of demand I believe. Much better to use a video (for more credibility too), or maybe skywriting...

Also I think if they were after money it would be much safer not to demand it, rather to have an apprentice claim the reward and split it, or something like that. Otherwise the ploice know what the guy is after (money) and can track or paintbomb the booty. But hey, that's just me

Also i think the kidnapper mayhave kept an eye on the hotel, waited for the parents to be out of the hotel room out of sight because it seems coincidence otherwise the the kidnapper just walked in and took Madeleine.

But yet again I say how would s/he have known that there was that possibility? I'm sure you wouldn't expect thwo parents to leave their three year old chile alone?

The police's are now suspecting their british interpreter Robert Murat, it's strange because he offered to help the police search for Madeleine.

True. This is I suppose what I meant when I said that the kidnapper wouldn't come forward with 'information' immediately; too obvious.

[danty]

The one thing that really gets to me in this is - yes, the parents must feel terriblke that such an incident happened, however, I think that if/when Madeline is found, she should be put in care: here's why.

Her parents are both doctors. High earners in the Brittish world, with plenty of money behind them, to afford a fancy holiday to Portugal, and a fancy dinner down the road. Ther were nursery and babysitting services available on the mremesis, of which, as doctors, they could obviously afford, but chose not to, because 'they know what's right' and they'll check on them every 5 minutes. It is DOCTORS in the UK that report parents for leaving their kids at home/leaving things happen to their kids outside their attention. It's DOCTORS who normally initiate the process of social services taking the child away b/c of neglect. NEGLECT?! They're no better than the average parent, and who the hell are they to preach about neglect, when they can go to a strange, unsecuure place and leave their children unattended.

Yeah, we can all say "oh but I went back every five minutes, honest", all it takes is your back to be turned for one second. To sum it up: irresponsible moronic retards. They don't deserve their daughter back. Their daughter deserves a better life with more caring parents, sorry.

[Philosobassist]

They're no better than the average parent

They don't deserve their daughter back.

So the majority of parents don't deserve their children either?