I have never been so affected by a story before and to be honest, certain comments on this thread is making me feel sick. I think its because its one thing to know what sort of things go on but to actually read it is another. Sometimes things are better left unsaid.

People go on holiday and do things that they dont do at home. Fact! People seem to think its fine to leave kids in the room - the McCanns are not the only ones guilty of this. ( I have never and would never do this - i think more about fire and things like that) . Fine to walk around supermarkets and shopping centres with no clothes on. Fine to be up all hours in your holiday apartment with music blaring all night no matter who else you disturb. Would you do this where you live - no.

Holiday Places are not just holiday places, they are places where normal life takes place including the good and the bad aspects of life. Where theres money there is crime.

I just cannot stop thinking of a little 3 year old girl out there somewhere without her mum and dad (lets put what they have done to one side, which I am also finding hard to do). But its done and they have been punished every single second of the day since Thursday Night and will continue to be by themselves without us doing it.

The REAL tragedy is that someone has abducted Maddy and the person who did that is to blame. She would have still been taken if they had used the baby listening service!

From the things I see in andalucia there are many parents who are taking their eyes off the ball (spanish and english) so the few of you who are conducting a witch hunt on here must be in the minority.

How many circles have we gone in since this thread started?

I am very careful and often people say to me relax....no! not where my child is concerned with anything. Prevention in better than cure and thats it.

Some people are very carefree here in Spain, all nationalitlies especially in gated developements to let their young kids as young as 3 to be running around with others.

It should be like that but it cant be. We have no idea of who is living next door to us, who has been let out of jail, who has done this before, thanks to the legal system.

OK guys, I have not posted on this thread due to respect for the child in question.
I am a father and a grandfather and know what losing a child would do to me, so lets just show a bit of decorum and respect for the situation, this is an open forum and anyone can be reading this thread.
Most of the posts on here have been made after a small bit of very conflicting infomation, and we don´t know whether true or not, has been leaked by the media.
I dont think there should be any more speculation as to what is or what has happened until we know more facts, as a lot of people are perhaps being upset by it.
So lets please await some more positive news on the case and hope that Maddie is found safe.
Thank you jdr.

I am aware that often family or friends of the family are involved. Most abuse is by people the person knows, including rape. But I would think that the police are checking all the family members for that reason who were there and the friends.

Never assume anything, that is always the danger. I personally wouldn't put my trust in a service provided also by a Hotel. Gang members often get themselves working in places they are targeting and unless the person has a criminal record themselves they are still questionable Pedophiles often get themselves in areas of trust and areas of working with children. Unless you have been convicted you don't have a criminal record, so just because you don't have one, doesn't mean you're safe. Sometimes hotels are desperate for staff and it is a selling/marketing tool to get parents to stay there, so they don't always do diligent checks of their staff.

Yes, and it is quite possible that friends/family of the missing girl are reading everything that you are saying. Imagine how hurtful you are being to them. Imagine if the weight of thinking the entire world hates you and wants you to rot in hell on top of losing Maddie is just enough to push them over the edge.

They do not deserve a bunch of misinformed idiots putting their two cents worth in just for the hell of it. You are serving no purpose whatsoever.

If there is one rule in life that I have learned it is DON´T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ IN THE PAPERS!!! If they are not blantantly lying to you then they are withholding enough info to keep you misinformed.

Please please please take notice of what JDR has just requested of you Inferring that the childs family are involved on no evidence at all is extremely unhelpful.
We don't want to resort to closing the thread do we!

Rather than wasting our energy arguing, debating, second guessing, blaming and judging why don't we all unite in prayer - whatever our thoughts and opinions on what happened, wherever we are in the world, we all want the same thing - so let's leave this thread and all take a few moments out to bring Maddie before God and pray she is alive and well and will be home safe and sound very soon.

I would rather not pray, but I understand your sentiments, and I think most of our thought are with Maddie.

Agreed. Well I hope also that Madelines parents also have some very good unjudgemental friends in their lives also offering them support whilst they are going through this as well. I think anyone who has got kids should give them an extra hug tonight and be glad it is not them in a similar situation.

Sorry, my comments weren't made to cause offence to maddies family jdr

it's just in situations like this people do tend to get judgemental and i've allowed myself to be 1 of those.:embaressed_smile:

The only thing that maddies family need at the moment is love and surport from people and of course their beautiful girl returned to them.

Me

I have to wonder if this misplaced sympathy for the parents would be still be displayed if they had been a couple of tattooed shaven headed wastrels rather than an apparently respectable, so-called professional couple!

I'm not really interested in their social background! it's happened and no amount of "they shouldn't have done it" can change that.

My sympathy is'nt with the parents, but all of maddies family who are suffering through this terrible time too!

Hi, I have just noticed your a newbe so I would like to say hello and welcome, it's sad that you have joined us here at BE at a time when there is a split in the camp due to this dreadful event. But true to BE resilience we will still be supporting and offering advice to all who need it. with a smile on face and a spring in our step