Madeleine

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Madeleine mother named as suspect

The mother of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann has been formally declared a suspect by the Portuguese police, a family spokeswoman has said.

The BBC has learnt that the move was linked to bloodstains allegedly found in Kate and Gerry McCann's hire car.

Mrs McCann has arrived for her second police interview in 24 hours. Mr McCann is expected there shortly.

Her status as "arguida" allows the authorities to put certain questions and gives her the right of silence.

The couple, from Rothley, Leicestershire, deny any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance on 3 May.

Family spokeswomen Justine McGuinness told the BBC why the police were now treating Mrs McCann as a suspect.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6982969.stm


A new development in this extremely sad case.

Blue Angel .... a penny for your thoughts on this matter?

[Blueangel]

Just been talking about this with Ukangel.

The latest developments are very distressing and potentially horrific.
The Portuguese police have already submitted forensic evidence to a judge and there may be an arrest in the coming days.

I've always believed that the parents were horribly negligent leaving three very young children alone whilst they went out to dinner. I just can't imagine doing that myself, especially when I think of the dozens of times I've nipped around to various friends' homes and minded their children for an hour so that they could go to the corner shop or to a neighbour's house.

In the U.K. it's illegal to leave children in the care of anyone under the age of 14 for any length of time. To leave three children under the age of 4yrs old alone in an apartment for any length of time at all just beggars belief to me. I would never, ever, ever do it.
My adopted nephew was 7 months old when he and his two older siblings were rescued from a house fire. His parents were found in a pub a few hundred yards down the road and my nephew has never seen his biological parents since.

My only concerns are that there is still a remote chance that there's a little girl out there who's seperated from her family and all she knows. My concerns are all, and have always been just for Maddie.

[Riddley]

One just hopes that the police are not driven by having to get someone, anyone.

[billygardener]

What I never understood is the anal-ness of these people to feel uncomfortable bringing their kids to dinner with them. Like who the **** gets mad if you bring your kids to eat with you on vacation?! Jesus Christ, this baffles me! I mean, I've been to Europe, and there was sort of an arrogance on the part of the restaurant staff and locals towards tourists in general. But *** people. If anything the parents deserve some punishment for being such ignorami. O wait, they lost their kid. I guess that's bad enough. Unless they killed their kid.

[.matt.]

Personally, I don't think they did anything wrong by leaving her alonw. You simply can't watch your kids 24/7 and I disagree with society teaching us to do that. The chances of something her happening to her were a million to one. In fact, she'd be more likely to get hit by a car. Yet this imaginary fear of predators lurking in the darkness blows everything out of proportion. But I agree with whoever said they should have taken their kids to dinner. Why wouldn't they?

[Mirror Lake 444]

It too baffles my mind to leave children that young alone. In my family growing up that wouldn't even be an option -- period. That was irresponsible. If they were that irresponsible I have to wonder what else really happened.

The wife and I knew a couple that when we had dinner with them in their home, sent their son (the father was a step father) to his room for no reason to eat there. We avoided them after that. We found that kind of weird.

[Dangerrmouse]

Today our press is discussing whether or not the parents should be able to access the million pound fund set up to "find Maddy and bring her home" for their legal defence costs.

[Turenne]

My sister(who has three little girls) refuses out and out to believe the mother may have done something suspect towards Maddy.She goes apopletic if you even suggest the parents may have had something to do with her appearance.

[billygardener]

But it's not even the utilitarian issue of keeping your kids safe. My brain**** comes from the notion that there are people who are too ****ing snobby to eat their meal with kids nearby. What's worse are the parents who cave to this bull****.

[Dangerrmouse]

That's one area where Britain lags behind mainland Europe, where kids being around is very much part of the culture.

[Blueangel]

That's one area where Britain lags behind mainland Europe, where kids being around is very much part of the culture.Very true.
In Italy, it's normal to see very young children in a restaurant with their family at night. Where the parents go, the kids go too.
I could never leave young children alone in a house because I know how fast a power surge can turn into a devastating house fire.

[burntgorilla]

But it's not even the utilitarian issue of keeping your kids safe. My brain**** comes from the notion that there are people who are too ****ing snobby to eat their meal with kids nearby. What's worse are the parents who cave to this bull****.

Depends where you are and the kids. Well, I should say the parents, really. Some parents take the view that a restaurant is an adventure play park for their kids and that the waitering staff should look after them. If I'm out for a meal I don't want shrieking kids beside me the whole time. But apart from that I wouldn't mind. And if you're in a holiday resort in somewhere like Portugal you should be a bit more lenient anyway. How do you know the parents didn't take them out because other people wouldn't like it? Maybe they just fancied some alone time.

[Turenne]

Kids that young should never be allowed alone for five minutes, nevermind the amount of time it takes to have a meal. It was unforgivable negligence, the kind of thing parents ought to be punished for.

[Alvin T. Grey]

Personally, I don't think they did anything wrong by leaving her alonw. You simply can't watch your kids 24/7
Bollox. When exactly do you think you get time off from being a parent?
Oh yeah, after the first 18 years or so....:mad:

[Dangerrmouse]

Ben Affleck's film release postponed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6992601.stm

... "Madeline O'Brien, who plays the missing girl in Gone Baby Gone, bears a close resemblance to Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in Portugal on 3 May.

We don't want to release the movie if it is going to touch a nerve or inflame anybody's sensitivities

Buena Vista and its subsidiary Miramax said they were "sensitive to the depth of feeling surrounding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann".

"We have been closely following the case and have decided to delay the release of the film in the UK," a statement said.

The organisers of next month's London Film Festival have cancelled a gala screening of Gone Baby Gone on 26 October, which was to have been attended by Ben Affleck."

[Blueangel]

Personally, I don't think they did anything wrong by leaving her alonw. You simply can't watch your kids 24/7 and I disagree with society teaching us to do that. The chances of something her happening to her were a million to one. In fact, she'd be more likely to get hit by a car.
That's just not true and I totally agree with Alvin.

A young child can drown in 2 inches of water. A blow to the head from a fall is far more likely to be fatal, etc....

[steveksux]

How old were the other kids. Was there anybody even close to 14 in the house to watch the smaller ones? How old was the oldest, anyway? I only see stats on the missing girl, 4. Tell me she's not the oldest, please.... :(

Randy

[Blueangel]

How old were the other kids. Was there anybody even close to 14 in the house to watch the smaller ones? How old was the oldest, anyway? I only see stats on the missing girl, 4. Tell me she's not the oldest, please.... :(

RandyMadeleine was three at the time and her brother and sister (twins) were about 20 months old.
Their parents were between 50-100 yards away in a restaurant with friends and reported to have been nipping back to check the children every 30 mins.

[Blueangel]

This photo shows the apartment and the restaurant locations...