Outward appearances can be deceiving.

Yes they can, and everyone hopes that that is the explanation.

I take it the parents were never charged with neglect or anything similar? It's helpful to be part of the medical establishment no doubt.

The fact that she hasn't done a hysterical performance on TV doesn't suggest guilt to me. Quite often the guilty parties do put on a tearfull performance for the cameras.

Shannon Matthews. The fact that I can remember her name a couple of years after the event must show that the media coverage was pretty extensive.

It was different coverage though. The media really played up the chavy wasteral angle. It was funny and depressing at the same time.

Often the guilty do put on theatrics, but that unfortunate phenomena doesn't mean you can dismiss the emotional reaction of someone who may or may not be guilty. Two separate situations.

But they were middle class and educated so knew how to play the media game.

Yes Shannon matthews.. And as Oink said .. Reported in A totally different way.

It became quite intensive when the it came out that the Uncle of the alleged father had previous for sexual assault etc and when they did find the girl
She refused to return home.

she was 9!

West Yorkshire Police found Matthews alive at 12:30 on 14 March 2008, 24 days after going missing. She was concealed in the base of a divan bed in a flat in Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr. Michael Donovan, 39, was arrested at the scene.

Matthews was placed under police protection by the West Yorkshire Police and cared for by the Social Services. The police exercised powers under section 46 of the Children Act 1989 which allows a child to remain subject to police protection for 72 hours. Matthews ceased to be subject to police protection on 17 March 2008. Since then she has remained in the care of Kirklees Family Services on a voluntary basis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapp...annon_Matthews
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/shannon-matthews-kidnap

In the reports at the time it was said that she told social services etc that she didn't want to see her mother or return home . Sad

Funny how things change over the years and what was OK at one time is demonised at another.

Drink driving was once seen as OK as long as you were not caught.

When I had my first family in the early 80's, I remember we often went out leaving them alone at night, admittedly we never went far (local pub) and I'd make constant trips back to make sure they were still sleeping every half hour.

we did this once on holiday at a resort in the South of France.

Don it now and your some kind of monster.

The prevailing wisdom changes and the environment changes too. Perhaps slightly more depravity in the world these days.

Don't know about the increased depravity and neither does anyone else. The vulnerable have always been subject to the most horrendous crimes. It's just that more is reported these days but then only the very worst is reported and usually when it's too late
My heart breaks for the crimes perpetrated against defenceless innocent children across the world but even more so for those committed in the so called civilised world.
I only wonder why?????

the irony is it's much safer for kids in the western world right now than it's ever been. yet we are all so stressed out about them.