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Afrikaans
English
 

Maddie not adding up
25/05/2007 09:20  - (SA)  

Want to know more?
Answerit can help.

Colleen Figg

I'm afraid I smell a rat in the Madeleine McCann case and have done ever since I heard that she was left alone by her parents whilst they went out to dine some 100 yards away. My investigator's nose tells me that all is not as it seems.

I cannot understand why Mr and Mrs McCann didn't hire a babysitter for the three children, nor how they, both highly educated people in the medical field, could have thought it alright to leave the children alone.

I'm sure the McCanns were not pressed for the fee of an au pair or sitter for the evening.

I have no substantiation for my feelings, other than these two measly bits of evidence.

There is simply no way at all that I would leave my fourteen year old daughter asleep alone in a hotel room in this country, let alone another one. Put simply, I would not go out if I couldn't find someone else to look after her for the duration.

I would be even more protective if she were only four, I'm sure.

What a media frenzy

I also do not enjoy the media frenzy that has been whipped up; the making of emotional videos with mawkishly manipulative songs designed to tug at the heartstrings and well posed photographs appearing in the mainstream media leave me feeling that I'm being manipulated.

They make me feel uneasy. They don't suggest to me that the child is the primary concern here.

I feel even less satisfied because I really have no case myself, but I've been turning the matter over since it happened, and like the princess and the pea simply can find no comfort whichever way I turn.

I found myself out walking the dogs and laying the case before them, as objective (if disinterested) witnesses, but I kept stumbling over those two little facts I noted above.

Alone. No babysitter. Why?

Smoke and mirrors?

Now all good investigators know there is no such thing as coincidence and they also know that if a thing keeps on niggling it warrants investigation. And scrutiny from a number of angles.

There are hordes of people including experts flown from the UK who are or have been investigating this case and I feel the scene is being muddied because everyone has accepted the first precept; which I am unable to do.

I don't know if this is a case of the publicity overtaking the real issue, the missing Maddie; or a case of the use of smoke and mirrors to obfuscate the truth.

I'm also not sure what the truth is. How do you feel?

I reckon I can only watch and wait and wish the best for the little girl.

Send your comments to Colleen.

Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24.

- News24



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  Maddie
25/05/2007 09:26
I agree i would not leave my child alone while i went to have dinner or even to the shops. Not here (SA) not in any country. The fact that they left their 3 children alone is behond my understanding as a parent. There are various facts that dont add up. Ultimately i feel sorry for the little Maddie, and wish that we will see her returning safety. Social security should keep an eye on the parents to make sure they dont leave the other 2 kids alone as well. - cjn
 
  I agree but...
25/05/2007 09:38
I agree with you 100% that I would never leave my girls alone like that and it was also the first things that came to mind when I saw the story. However I know parents in this country who do things like that on a regular basis... So it may be exactly what they said... - Gavin
 
  Careful...
25/05/2007 09:38
I agree with you in the media frenzy. But I will say that we were often left to our own devices from as young as 12 and I don't think it did us any harm - in fact I think it made us more responsible. Remember Portugal is "supposed" to be a safe place. This aspect doesn't concern me at all. - Attie
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 09:38
As a parent myself I really cannot fathom the idea of leaving ones children unattended for even a short period of time, nevermind going out for dinner in a foreign country! 100 yards might as well be 100 km, should anything go wrong such as a child falling ill or waking up scared etc., or the room catching fire. It blows my mind that well-educated parents such as Maddie's would do such an utterly irresponsible thing. Indeed I must agree with Colleen that all doesn't seem 'kosher' in this case. - AK
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 09:45
Colleen I couldn't agree with you more, at first thought I accepted it as plausible, but then you also have to ask, apparentl all 3 kids were in the room (I seem to recall hearing that on Sky about 2 weeks ago), why only take 1 child? And again, what person in their right mind would leave a 3 kids under the age of 4 unattended? - CMP
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 09:45
Social services should have the other 2 children taken away - What kind of parent leaves their children unattended, never mind in a hotel room in a foreign country? This little girl is a victim of her parent's own negligence and I pary to God that she is found. - Claire
 
  Why
25/05/2007 09:45
I totally agree with the writer.I myself have two kids 3 and 6 years.If I have to go anywhere even to the next planet they would not be left out of my sight.What was the little girl parents thinking.Something is definitely fishy. We live in a sick world look after your kids. - Concerned Parent
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 09:47
I have to say I totally agree, and said as much to my family. I was quite concerned when I learned that 3 such young children were left unattended. Yet this fact does not seem to get much attention. I would never leave a child alone (here or in a foreign country) whether the child is 4 or 14. It is just not worth the risk. - Dee
 
  Fishy Story: Maddie
25/05/2007 09:48
I have felt the same sense of disbelief at the whole debacle as, in addition to leaving alone three children (the twins even younger than Maddie), they kept "popping back" every 15 minutes to check on them. Why bother going out at all, then? The parents should be had up for reckless endangerment at the very least, not sympathy - IF they are telling the truth, that is. - Ann Woodman
 
  So you're perfect, then.
25/05/2007 09:51
Congratulations, Colleen. You've never turned your back for a couple of minutes or sat out in your garden leaving your kids in your open house or out of your sight for even one second without calling on someone else to supervise. You must be one of the only people on the planet who hasn't. The McCann's have clearly paid the ultimate price for doing something that we all know to be foolhardy. And you can't find a stick big enough to hit them with. Well done. You're a veritable childcare saint. - Pamela
 
  MADDIE
25/05/2007 09:54
I totally concur. Any parent/s leaving their children at home alone, unattended by an adult,while thay are out, should automatically be charged for child neglicence. - SH
 
  The rat stinks
25/05/2007 09:56
I agree I will not leave my kids alone I will feel too uneasy. But what bothers me is who knew they where out that night? I mean someone planning a kidnap would probably watch the moves of the child and parents, in this case they where on holiday, so who knew they where there and how did the kidnapper know they will be out that specific night. The rat most certainly stinks!!! - Dad
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 09:57
Totally agree here - And I have said so from the time I heard the details of this story.Unfortuantly there have been and continue to be cases where the parents are sick and they "get rid" of their children for reason unknown to the normal person. Uneasy as it may feel - I think this is the case here.Gavin - Gavin
 
  The Algarve is not South Africa
25/05/2007 10:01
The Algarve and South Africa are worlds apart when it comes to crime! There crime is NOT normal. You don?t lockup when you leave your house. You don?t live your live behind burglar bars. At night you sleep with the windows open. Kids can play in the street without worries. Unfortunately CRIME spoiled yet another place on earth, and destroyed yet another family. Don?t blame the parents. And I hope that whoever did this ROT IN HELL!!! - bvdp
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 10:03
Colleen and cjn, tell us more about your perfect world. It must be nice to be perfect parents like you portray to be. The fact that you view professional people in such high esteem shows to me how naive you are. They are also human. Do we not have two advocates (Barbie)currently on trail for child pornography and other sick actions ? With your loving,caring and understanding attitude, I suppose you sit in the front benches on Sunday mornings as well. - John
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 10:04
I fully agree, if this child was kidnapped an over the top media plea would not sway the kidnappers to return the child and again who in their right mind would leave their childeren alone whilst going out. The authorities should look into the background of both parents and they might just find something - Rene
 
  Heartbreaking
25/05/2007 10:07
You have pointed out two issues that I also had trouble understanding when this story first broke. It would seem as if this resort was somewhat upscale, and the parents appear to be relatively well-off. I dont think it was a question of affordability which could have let them leave their children alone. I dont know if they could be held responsible for the dissapearance, but I do know they were neglectful. I have a 1year old and I dont let him out of my sight for an instant. - Amanda
 
  Have you ever set foot outside SA?
25/05/2007 10:11
CRIME IS NOT NORMAL!! I know you cannot leave your children alone for 1 min in SA, but that does not count for the rest of the world. And to have Social security keep an eye on them will only distroy that family more. The people who did this should be punished! Not the victims. - JJ
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 10:14
Personally I smell a rat.All ova the world we hear/read of tales about stolen kids fr one reason or the other.Even an illiterate mother/parent knows that a child must not be left alone.Very educated parents leave kids alone in a hotel nogal in a foreign country. My son is 31 (thirty one) years old, still single. I have at all times pleaded with him that many a time when he goes away, he shud inform me or us of his whereabout in case anything happens we shud at least hv a lead.I smell a rat. JV - Joyce
 
  What a callous article
25/05/2007 10:15
Media frenzy?? So you "don't enjoy the media frenzy"? There is a little girl missing and you are criticizing an emotional appeal. Have you thought of the trauma and torture that family is going through? Your article reeks of an "I'm alright Jack" attitude and shows very little in terms of apathy for these people. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of the 450 million people who saw Maddie's video at Wembley during the FA cup final didn't think "oh they're tugging at heartstrings". - UglyKidJoe
 
  What are you suggesting?
25/05/2007 10:17
OK. But are you suggesting that they are also part of her abduction? That's a very serious allegation. They may have erred by leaving their kids alone but this has severely punished them and i doubt they would ever do it again.It's ludicrous to think they are part of the abduction though! - Mark
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 10:18
Since this sad affair has happened to an inocent 4 year old Maddie, I cannot help feeling that there is a big rat around, smelling fishy, why had the hotel staff and tourists in and around the hotel not questioned throughly. How would someone know that 3 small children were unattended, unless they were watched. I do hope and pray that she will be found and safely and returned to her parents, though, you right Colleen her parents in their calibre should never have left the children unattended. - charmaie
 
  fair enough
25/05/2007 10:19
Ok the Mccanns made a mistake but did they deserve that? Its pathetic how everyone is going around criticising them.. put yourself in that position no one is born as a perfect parent they made a huge huge mistake but to then have children taken away? to all of you who are suspecting the parents your absolutely disgusting-- just think about this happening to a child that is close to you put yourself in that position pathetic - London Girl
 
  Maddie
25/05/2007 10:21
I agree full heartley with you Colleen, who leaves their children unattended. I'd say sick & selfish parents. And to Pamela no use crying over spilt milk the deed is done thanks to her parents so if anybody needs to be blamed is them and what ever you are going through sort yourself out, lots of shrinks available. Mom of 2 - Chantal
 
     
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