Madeleine's parents hit back at claims they were involved in her disappearance

[TheMoog]

Madeleine's parents hit back at claims they were involved in her disappearance



Madeleine McCann's parents have been forced to deny any involvement in their daughter's disappearance after accusing questions from the German media.

Kate and Gerry McCann looked appalled when they were asked if they had anything to do with their four-year-old's disappearance.

The couple are in Berlin to try to raise awareness of Madeleine's kidnap 34 days after she was taken from the Algarve town of Praia da Luz.

During a press conference, Sabina Mueller from German Radio asked: "How do you feel about the fact that more and more people seem to be pointing the finger at you, saying the way you behave is not the way people would normally behave when their child is abducted and they seem to imply that you might have something to do with it?" Scroll down for more...
Kate and Gerry McCann appear on German daytime TV to appeal for information about their missing daughter



Looking horrified, Mrs McCann immediately stepped in with an answer, leaning into the microphone as she said: "To be honest, I don't actually think that is the case. I think that is a very small minority of people that are criticising us.
"The facts are that we were dining very close to the children and we were checking them very, very regularly.
"You know, we are very responsible parents and we love our children so much and I think it is only a very few people that are actually criticising us."
Her husband Gerry, his voice shaking with emotion, added: "I have never heard before that anyone considers us suspects in this and the Portuguese police certainly don't.
"Without going into too much detail, we were with a large group of people, and you know there is absolutely no way Kate and I are involved in this abduction."
The McCann's have also insisted their daughter is more likely to be alive than dead, but they believe she isn't in Portugal.



Their visit to Germany - which has provoked considerable interest - coincided with the first day of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm near Rostock in the north of the country.

The couple have embarked on a whirlwind schedule of interviews and meetings, racing from one venue to another. Their tiredness is starting to show.

Portugal is a popular destination among Germans and the couple hope someone might have seen something which could prove useful to the police investigation.
The McCanns hold up a set of pyjamas similar to those worn by Madeleine



Asked about their fears for Madeleine, Mr McCann said: "We have got to keep going, we believe she is alive. There is an absence of evidence to the contrary.

"We think it is more likely that she is alive than not alive."Mrs McCann, wearing green and yellow ribbons tied to her waist, added: "There has been a lot of speculation and it is hard not to think the worst.
"But as time goes on and there still isn't any news, we have to think positively. The chances of this happening is effectively more than 100 million to one - the chances of a good outcome have to be at least as good, if not better."
The McCanns started the day with a sofa-style chat on the German television Sat 1 breakfast show where they sat close together, holding hands for support. They then moved on to news channel N24.
Madeleine's parents in a TV studio in Germany


Describing Madeleine's abduction as the "most devastating thing in the world", Mr McCann said they could not dwell on the negative "because it would destroy you".
Speaking candidly about leaving their little girl in the apartment while they ate at a tapas bar yards away, he went on: "Of course we blame ourselves, but we do not blame each other. Kate and I are very much together in this."
Madeleine has been missing for over a month



The sole suspect in the case of missing Madeleine McCann is still waiting for DNA to clear his name after concerns that samples were contaminated

Robert Murat is thought to have given a second sample amid concerns about the quality of the initial swab. Portuguese police spokesman Olegario Sousa said the reason for a second test would be because the first could have been contaminated, lost or insufficient.

Portuguese law has meant very little detail of the case has been released, but DNA testing is still thought to be ongoing. Evidence of a mystery person in Madeleine's room was uncovered last week.

Samples have been taken from the only named suspect in the case, Robert Murat, his mother Jenny, business associate Sergey Malinka and the estranged husband of Mr Murat's girlfriend, Luis Antonio.

DNA has also been taken from the McCanns, their children and 12 other people in their group who travelled from the UK to Portugal.

Mr Murat's spokesman, Tuck Price, said the suspect was desperately hoping the DNA results would clear his name but could wait weeks to find out.
The couple pushed for the meeting with senior officers after nearly two weeks without face to face contact with local officials.
They discussed the abduction of four-year-old Madeleine for an hour at the British consulate in Portimao, not far from the Algarve town of Praia da Luz from where she was taken 33 days ago.
Robert Murat has been reportedly convinced that DNA will clear his name


Policia Judiciara (PJ) spokesman Olegario Sousa and Luis Neves from the Direccao Central de Combate ao Banditismo (DCCB), which deals with serious organised crime and terrorism, were thought to be there.
A spokesman for the McCanns said the couple felt the meeting was "worthwhile and useful" but did not reveal a significant breakthrough.
"They have been asking for more information, more quickly. They are pleased they are getting access to a degree and remain content with the investigation."
After their last meeting on May 24, the authorities released a description of a suspect the couple had known about for 22 days.
Mr and Mrs McCann do not want to be seen to be criticising the Portuguese but expressed "frustration" at progress in the early stages.
They are in regular contact with senior investigating officers from Leicestershire police.
They have already visited Spain and Italy and are planning to go to Morocco at the weekend. The north African country has surfaced repeatedly in the hunt for Madeleine, with a reported sighting of a little girl seen with a man.
Last night, Mr and Mrs McCann recorded an appeal for Crimewatch which will be aired on the BBC tonight.
Holding a small pair of pink and flowery pyjamas, Mrs McCann described exactly what Madeleine was wearing when she was snatched on May 3. However, the tiny outfit being held carefully in her lap was not Madeleine's, but Amelie's.


Madeleine's parents hit back at claims they were involved in her disappearance | the Daily Mail

[Honey]

I think, if she's alive, she's in Africa

[ArmyWifey]

I have read lots about this and the only thing stopping me from feeling bad for these idiots is that THEY LEFT HER IN A HOUSE BY HERSELF. Dumbasses. That's like those retards that lock their kids in their rooms so you can go to the liqour store. No sympathy. For the girl, not for the parents.

[pacific breeze]

So does that mean that they, and their little girl "deserve" what happened to them? They were YARDS AWAY. Have you never been yards away from your children? What if you were and something happened to them? Should you be pilloried across the world for being a "bad" parent and accused of participating in the abduction of your own child?

A friend of mine, who is an excellent and loving parent, was a mere couple of feet away from her child when he was run over by a car. She has blamed herself for years, and has even attempted suicide. But at least she didn't have the whole world blaming her, too.

I can't believe how harsh some people are towards these parents, whose suffering is plain to see.

[Rosamund]

Originally Posted by pacific breeze

So does that mean that they, and their little girl "deserve" what happened to them? They were YARDS AWAY. Have you never been yards away from your children? What if you were and something happened to them? Should you be pilloried across the world for being a "bad" parent and accused of participating in the abduction of your own child?

A friend of mine, who is an excellent and loving parent, was a mere couple of feet away from her child when he was run over by a car. She has blamed herself for years, and has even attempted suicide. But at least she didn't have the whole world blaming her, too.

I can't believe how harsh some people are towards these parents, whose suffering is plain to see.

yes, it is disheartening. good grief, they feel awful enough as it is. people should feel compassion for them, not kick them when they are down.

pacific breeze, I feel awful for your friend. that's so sad

[pacific breeze]

^^She's finally starting to be OK, after years of struggle. Her marriage broke up in the process. But she's strong.

[ArmyWifey]

Originally Posted by pacific breeze

So does that mean that they, and their little girl "deserve" what happened to them? They were YARDS AWAY. Have you never been yards away from your children? What if you were and something happened to them? Should you be pilloried across the world for being a "bad" parent and accused of participating in the abduction of your own child?

A friend of mine, who is an excellent and loving parent, was a mere couple of feet away from her child when he was run over by a car. She has blamed herself for years, and has even attempted suicide. But at least she didn't have the whole world blaming her, too.

I can't believe how harsh some people are towards these parents, whose suffering is plain to see.

I am sure I have been a few yards away from my kids...

I have not however, left my child un attended in a country not my own, to go to the local pub a "few yards" away in the middle of the night...

You see the difference? They screwed up period.

[pacific breeze]

It was a restaurant, not a pub, and people tend to eat late there. And why would being in a country not your own make any difference? Child abductors aren't unique to any one country. There are probably as many Brits in Portgual as there are Portugese, anyway.

But to each their own.

[Honey]

That's sad about your friend, it cleary, to anyone else, wasn't her fault, but I'm sure most mmums would blame themselves

[A*O]

I know they are desperate but I fail to see how appearing on German TV one month after the abduction is going to make any difference. And I wasn't comfortable with their 'public' audience with the Pope either. I can only imagine the hell they must be going through, but wonder why they feel the need to for this incessant media exposure. It's not going to make any difference now. I'm afraid the child is dead - probably within 24 hours of her abduction.

[pacific breeze]

I guess they are clinging to the hope that someone has her -- it has happened before. Unlikely, I know, but it is within the realm of possibility.

[western]

Originally Posted by pacific breeze

It was a restaurant, not a pub, and people tend to eat late there. And why would being in a country not your own make any difference? Child abductors aren't unique to any one country.

I think that's the point right there "Child abductors aren't unique to any one country".

What measurements is "yards away"? Did their suite actually open onto the restaurant and they could see into it where their kids were sleeping?

And most importantly - Is this something they would do at home? I'd bet the answer is NO. They'd hire a babysitter to keep an eye on the kids. Or have an adult or family friend with them.

Many people make the mistake of thinking they're safer on holiday and ignore the usual safety precautions they would normally do at home. I think this was their biggest mistake.

They do bear some responsibility for leaving all three of their young children unattended (even if they were sleeping, even if they were checking every half hour). It only takes a few seconds for children that age to wander off, start a fire, get into who-knows-what. If an accident had occurred they would be shouldering the full blame. Not to say it's their fault their daughter was kidnapped, that responsibility lies with whomever took her.

[buttmunch]

I have to say that although I don't want to kick someone while they're down, I agree that it was extremely poor judgement to leave kids alone and unattended. Never mind abduction, what if there was a fire? Or the girl got up and got hold of a knife and hurt herself? Of course they're kicking themselves for not showing the best judgement but I think it's a fair attitude to question what the hell they were thinking.
As far as whether or not they were involved, mr. butt has maintained from the beginning that there is something very strange about the whole affair--the mad publicity tour, the public pope thing, the more than 2 million pounds collected through thier website. I don't know what to think, really, except that my kids will never be left on their own like these kids were.

[A*O]

There is a pretty well-documented phenomenon of people who go into full media-mode like this, and it then transpires that they were either directly responsible or were involved in some way. I recall a case in the UK where a bank manager and his wife were held up at home by armed robbers who killed the wife and forced the manager to take them to the bank to open and empty the safe. He was all over the TV/radio crying, begging for information and it then transpired that he murdered his wife, took the money for himself and was planning to skip the country with his girlfriend. A more recent case in Australia, not far from here actually, was a pregnant young wife and mother who vanished from their home without explanation. Her husband held endless press conferences begging her to come home or for people to help find her and their child. It turned out the husband had murdered his pregnant wife and their young daughter with a spear gun of all things, chopped up the bodies and put them in the local landfill. Nobody knows why to this day.

Not saying this is the case with the McCanns, but I know that the police take a great interest in people who seem to spend just a tad too much time in the media spotlight in these situations.

[buttmunch]

yeah, can't say what the case is with this couple but mr. butt just keeps getting this feeling that something isn't quite right. According to him, it's one of those situations where you can't quite put your finger on what's wrong but something doesn't feel right.
Either way, the poor little girl.