Portugal missing girl

[prcscct]

I hate to put this in Foo as it's not. This is a sad, sad thing. These things happen more often than we see in the news. This one has hit a nerve worldwide and has extreme coverage. Even here in Thailand and on HHAD we have been talking about abductions. I hope things turn out well but I have my doubts. So sad and so much anger in me about this Pete
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PRAIA DA LUZ (Reuters) - A girl kidnapped in Portugal spent her fourth birthday still missing on Saturday, prompting a call from her parents for redoubled efforts to find her.

Madeleine McCann disappeared nine days earlier from her bed in a resort hotel where she had been on holiday with her parents in the Algarve. Police say all evidence points to an abduction.

"Today is our daughter Madeleine's fourth birthday," said Alex Woolfall, a representative for the holiday company used by parents Gerry and Kate McCann, speaking on their behalf.

"We would like to mark it by asking people to redouble their efforts to help find Madeleine."

Police ended a physical search for Madeleine in the area immediately around the Praia da Luz resort this week but hundreds of investigators are still working on the case.

Portuguese daily Correio de Manha reported that police are now looking for two men and a woman who were filmed on security cameras with a young girl at a petrol station not far from the resort where Madeleine disappeared.

Newspapers and television have reported the same trio may have been at the same beach as the McCanns a few days before the kidnapping, taking pictures of Madeleine. One witness near the beach had reportedly complained of his child being photographed.

On Friday, David Beckham made a televised appeal for her release, and a British millionaire has offered 1 million pounds to anyone who finds Madeleine.

Woolfall said such offers had given the McCanns hope.

"On Madeleine's birthday, please keep looking, please keep praying, please help bring Madeleine home," he said in a televised statement.

In the UK, Madeleine's aunt, Philomena McCann, told BBC television on Saturday the girl's parents were having a family day to mark their daughter's birthday.

"We are going to have small celebrations, not of Maddy's birthday, but of her life so far," she said.

[Lev]

I'll move this to news Pete, we all hope Madeleine is found soon.
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[Randy Cornhole]

I feel for the parents of course and I hope they get their little girl back. But the consensus among people in my local area, is that - you dont leave a 3 year old alone for 30 seconds let alone 30 mins. EVER, And there are no excuses!!! You just don't do it if you are a mother....
I know this is not a popular view and indeed they have played this down in the British press. I have many friends in the newspaper profession and they say that fair percentage of people feel the same way, but its not PC to put it out as the 'public feeling' as it is not what sells papers...
A friend has just told me that the news or the world (the paper he works for) has just put up 1.5 million for the return of the girl, but he says that it is not for the girl's return as such, but it will generate sufficiant sales to cover the reward and more, so the money is to make profit and not for the return of the little girl. Sad but real life...
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Why drink and drive when you can smoke and fly!
www.thaidave.blogspot.com
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[DawnHRD]

She was photographed earlier? That sounds like stealing to order. Poor wee thing.

What do you mean about her being left alone, Randy? There's no mention of that in Pete's report. Weren't the parents in the hotel room/apartment when she went missing?
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"The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham, philosopher, 1748-1832

Make a dog's life better, today!

[webmaster]

No Dawn, they weren't with the poor girl at the time, instead, the parents were having a "romantic" dinner at a close resaturant and left the girl on her own in the house.

At least that was how the BBC reported it for the very first time as in their breaking news, when this event happened a few days ago.

"Last night (3rd May 2007) Kate and Gerry went for a meal at a tapas restaurant, checking on Madeleine in their nearby apartment every half hour or so. When they returned at around 9:45pm GMT, a window was open and Madeleine was gone. Staff and guests searched the holiday complex into the early hours of the morning, but failed to find the missing toddler."
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Say mai penrai live longer!

[Randy Cornhole]

Apparently they were eating tapas if you please 50 - 100 yards (varies depending which parer you read) away, and were checking on their 3 children every 30 mins or so... It beggars belief!!! And there was a hotel crech and baby sitting service availiable.
I have recently watched a training film in which a room was litrally melting and filled with smoke in 38 seconds, so thank god there wasan't a fire involved or they would have lost all 3 kids!
Anyway I hope they had a nice meal as it may prove to be very expensive indeed.
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Why drink and drive when you can smoke and fly!
www.thaidave.blogspot.com
www.thaidelights.blogspot.com

[DawnHRD]

There was a babysitting service available, but they still left the kids alone, checking every half hour? Oh my God! What a horrible way to "learn a lesson". I hope the little girl does turn up safe. Awful.
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"The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham, philosopher, 1748-1832

Make a dog's life better, today!

[caller]

I think it was "stealing to order", as their younger twins were left alone. Just the one girl taken.

One of the difficulties is that the Police, unlike in the UK, aren't able to give any details of their investigation, not even suspects, which has led to speculation, rumour and counter rumour.

I think there's more to come out of this and it won't be good.
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I know nothing

[nevets]

Randy, you are absolutely right kids are never left alone for a moment i have 2boys and 2girls 32 to 26 ,but these days are different it seems society has gone mad. And the trafficking in children and laws protecting paedophiles doesnt help stop this dreadful crime.

[redzonerocker]

i too agree with randy.
my sympathy is with the poor little girl & what she has been going through.
the police in portugal have been called incompetent & there may be a point there. they were slow to react & their methods are a little lapse compared to the uk.
the bottom line is, a 3 year old (now 4) & 18 month old twins were left in their apartment while their parents dined out! in my opinion thats irresponsible for any parents & i think the media & general public have been very lenient towards the parents actions.
its now been 10 days since she was taken & that is distressing for all involved. i just hope the sad story has a happy ending & maddy is found safe & sound.

[Guess]

[prcscct]

Briton suspect in Madeleine hunt

The sealed off single-storey building is known as Casa Liliana
A British man questioned over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal is being treated as a suspect.
He is believed to be Robert Murat, who shares a villa with his mother Jenny in Praia da Luz, Algarve.

The man has been given "arguido", or suspect, status - but may have requested this for the rights it gives.

Officers have searched the villa close to where four-year-old Madeleine of Rothley, Leicestershire, was last seen and questioned three people.

Under the Portuguese legal system, people who are questioned are not arrested but treated as witnesses.

Arrests can only be made when police designate someone as an arguido.

But a person may also ask for the arguido process to be invoked as it gives them specific protection such as access to a lawyer and the right to remain silent.

BBC correspondent Richard Bilton said a British man in his 30s has been given arguido status.

It is understood the other people to be questioned were a German woman and a Portuguese man.

'Alibi'

The search of the property known as Casa Liliana began at 0700 local time on Monday after Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell had spoken to the British Embassy and the police about Mr Murat.

He had become well known to journalists during the search for Madeleine.

The villa is owned by Jenny Murat and used by son Robert

Mr Murat, formerly of Hockering, Norfolk, describes himself as half-Portuguese and told reporters he had been helping police with translation work during the investigation.

Mr Murat's mother is a former nurse who has lived in Portugal for 40 years and brought her son and daughter up in the country.

When asked by the BBC on Monday why the villa was being searched, Mrs Murat replied: "I don't know why."

She then said she was "not allowed" to speak to reporters, before moving away.

Mrs Murat, 71, believed to be a widow, has been running a stall on the seafront in Praia da Luz, appealing for information from the public about Madeleine's disappearance.

His mother says that on the night the kid disappeared they were both in the house together all night

Catherine Roberts, a friend of the family in Portugal, said: "Jenny is very well known around here - she has lived here most of her life.

"And the family has a very good reputation and a very good name."

Mr Murat's uncle, Ralph Eveleigh, told the BBC his nephew had an alibi for the night Madeleine went missing.

"His mother says that on the night the kid disappeared they were both in the house together all night," he said.

Officers in white suits with facemasks were seen at the Murat's villa and in its grounds on Monday evening.

It is believed the search has included draining its swimming pool.

'Concrete evidence'

Last week searches were scaled back in the area immediately around the holiday apartment where Madeleine was last seen on 3 May.

The focus had shifted to an international child abduction inquiry, amid suggestions she may have been taken out of Portugal.

Madeleine is believed to have been abducted while her parents were eating at a tapas bar.

On Monday, her parents Kate and Gerry McCann said they would not return to the UK until Madeleine was found safe and well.

Mr McCann, who is originally from Glasgow, said the couple would continue to believe she was being cared for until they received "concrete evidence to the contrary".

He said they had drawn "tremendous strength from the warmth and the spiritual outpouring" the couple had received from around the world.

British ambassador to Portugal John Buck said there were "impressive resources" being devoted to the investigation and praised the "truly exceptional" collaboration between the Portuguese and British police.

Rewards totalling £2.5m have been offered to anyone with information leading to the safe return of Madeleine, who was four on Saturday.

A "fighting fund" to which members of the public can donate to help in the search for Madeleine is also being set up by her family's lawyers.

The international number for Crimestoppers is +44 1883 731 336. People with information about Madeleine can call anonymously.

[Sultry]

I hope that they find her soon, tho I'm starting to dread that they wouldn't find her alive. She has been missing over 2 weeks now.
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It's a small world after all...

[Kraka's Dad]

I'm afraid it is not looking good for her
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The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.

[caller]

Its interesting that the British Police have now asked anyone in the area for the 2 weeks or so prior to the kidnap to send in their photos which feature other people. They will obviously be looking for known faces or patterns - people lurking in the same spot etc.

Also, very bluntly, the comment that if wherever you may be, you expect UK style policing, when something bad happens, then stay in the UK. Very true.
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I know nothing