I dont know if i should be putting this here or in the media section so if this is in the wrong place, i'm sorry. And i'm sure there's alot who know this but there's also some who don't. I sure didn't until i seen it on myspace.
There is a little british girl missing that is only 4years old. She missed her birthday and was 3 when she was kidnapped from the hotel her and her family were staying at in Portugal. I will give the link to the myspace about it if you care to read a little more or just want to search the net. Also please pass this on to others who maynot know. Thanks. (i care about kids alot and thats why i felt i should put something up since i didn't notice anyone doing it yet)

http://www.myspace.com/findmadeline (http://www.myspace.com/findmadeline)

In the media section, under 'In The News' there are quite a few posts about this. Oh, and also in the 'Thought for the Day' thread of 'humour & debate'. I had no idea the story had got as far as the USA. A lot of forum members have yellow ribbons as part of their sigs, or in posts. I'm sure it's comforting in a small way for the parents to know that the rest of the world is sharing their pain.

A lot of people are shocked that the parents at leaving the children alone while they ate out. I'd be interested to hear opinions on this from people from other countries.

I've moved the thread to an appropriate location.

Many forum users have discussed this situation, glad to have one more supporter of the cause.

One thing I was wondering because I don't follow the news as much as I should - is it certain she was kidnapped? Or could she have left the apartment by herself and then somehow gone missing?

I've just scanned through the most recent news items and there's no indication that the portuguese police is handling this as a kidnapping yet as they don't have enough evidence to say that it is one. But they're investigating and interviewing witnesses, hopefully something turns up soon.

It is awful, here is a link from our In the news thread I have posted every few days or so about Madeleine

http://www.isketchforum.net/news-t1335.html?p=80793


Other news continues from this post.

Edit: As far as uk news, I think it is being classed as abduction.



Very caring of you lilvoices to start this thread.

I have followed this story from day one, and i still have a lump in my throat over it.
Number one do i blame the parents for leaving three under fives alone in a apartment, well im sorry to say yes i do, im sorry to sound so bitter, i do feel for the parents of course i do.
But i wouldent dream of leaving my children in any room alone, ok they was only 40 yards away and checking every so often, but in this cruel world you NEVER should take the chance.
Not only because of child snatchers, but things like choking in there sleep ect, or as vik pointed out, a small child leaving the apartment and wondering off alone.
But nobody can predict such tragic events can they, its always in hindsight isnt it.
All i have to say now is that i hope she safely returns home sometime soon, and that she hasent been touched in any way, i cant imagine what is going through her parents minds right now, id be on the verge of suicide if it was one of my kids.
I want to leave a little poem here for maddy and her family, maybe all the love and goodness in this world brought together as one thought will bring her home safely.
Maddy you are fine and fair, with a lovely head of glowing hair.
Your absense is a tragic thing, we look all over but find not a thing.
Your mum and dad are waiting for you, with thoughts of love and longing for you.
They need you back babe healthy and fine,they cant do much more than cry all the time.
Such love for you all over the world, looking for this golden girl.
Maddy oh maddy please find your way, to make your parents live another happy day.
But if you cant do it alone, we are all here wishing you was home.
Madeline please reach home safe darling i speak for the whole world here darling everybody needs you to be safe:cry: :cry: :cry:

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/7198/maddy1cj4.jpg

When we were in Italy, my family joined us for the second week and me and my sisters, and my neice all shared a villa together. Twice during the 5 days that Charlotte (my almost 3 year old neice) and my sis and bro-in-law were there, people in the street stopped in front of her, and looked into her eyes. Apparently Madeline has some kind of eye defect, so I guess that's what people were looking for. The first time it happened she was with my parents, and the second time with me - she kept asking 'where's mummy?' cause my sister had walked on ahead.

I was a bit angry at first that people would think she was Madeline and that by default I was some kind of kidnapper, but after I thought about it for a while, I am really glad that they did that. I know if Charlotte was missing, I'd want everyone to be out looking for her and to hell if they offended anyone while they were at it.

That's all I wanted to say really - I'm just really glad that people still have her in their minds and are even consciously looking for her.

God bless her, whereever she is.

Gosh! That's actually quite good news though when you think about it! That people are concerned enough to look in her eyes. Im glad people still want to get involved and take a chance that their actions might offend others by checking. Too many people nowadays dont want to get involved in case others think they meddling. Poor you having to go through it Vik but I am happy it happened.

Not sure where i saw this, but police are going to post photos of maddie on Second Life, to see if anybody in SL sees her in their real life.

Hmmm, I saw this on the news today. I don't think the police have done a thorough search, I think they've just visited the area. I heard reports that some of the media want to get a civilian team out there searching.

I've heard they've had alot of letters saying similar things but this was drawn attention to because it had a similar MO to the one that was sent to the same dutch paper when there were kids missing last year.

I'm praying very strongly that they won't find her in that particular search and that she's safe and well.

I can't find that other thread anymore, so I'll post here :)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6229150.stm

Seems like people are still looking! Hopefully this lead will go somewhere.

Wow! That's great news. Even if it turns out not to be her, as you say Vik, people are still seriously looking!

Lots of prayers for a safe return are looking up.

Italy seems to have had three sightings of maddy.
East north and south italy, i suspect people have been mistaked here somewhere bless there hearts for careing though.
I hope one of these sightings was for real, we need her to go home dont we folks.
:cry:

I had no idea the story had got as far as the USA.
yes. it's even gotten as far as Canada. i was kind of surprised that this single missing child case was getting so much publicity... there are so many missing children out there. i hope that Madeline will be find soon. i can't even begin to imagine what her parents must be going through.

Although I have heard in other cases that the police and other relevant authorities often give the media media misinformation to report (and they know it's misinformation when it's given to them) in order to make the real culprit think all eyes are directed elsewhere, and so take a chance to try leaving the country, or something. If this is the case, the police must still feel there is hope. If it isn't the case, then maybe it really is Maddy they have seen, so again there is hope. If the latter is true however, I'd have to agree strongly with Pagan and Cherry.

... i was kind of surprised that this single missing child case was getting so much publicity...

Statements:
1. Any kid going missing is horrible.
2. The 'rate' of kids going missing/murdered is similar to what it was in the 40's/50's, when kids were allowed to roam much more freely. (Tried to re-find where I'd read this official statistic, but failed, sorry)
3. The media seizes on any story which has the potential legs to run and run eg Moors murders, Soham murders, Diana death cf This boy (http://missingkids.co.uk/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=07MET009832&orgPrefix=UK02&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_GB&searchLang=en_GB) who disappeared 2 days before Madeline.
4. Attaching personal emotions to a single 'spotlighted' person you don't know is often easier than attaching emotions to a larger group of unknown people. cf the many other multiple person tragedies happening at the same time - war, floods etc.


Personal viewpoints regarding above:
1. Losing a child of mine, is... an impossible to imagine thing.
2. People need to accept some of their own responsibilities, eg 'Do not walk on this factory roof, as it was not designed to support people's weight' - is surely a type of sign that doesn't need to be put up...but companies have to, else they get sued. The Risk of something bad happening to a child are far less than the chances of having a deadly RTA on the way to work.
3. I have a large dislike for the 'popular' media.
4. This wasn't an attack on how people feel, it just is how people deal with things. The recent typhoon in Pakistan effects far more people than those currently effected in the UK by similar weather, but I only have emotional attachment to incidents in the UK, for example.


/me puts on helmet.

i really hope little maddy is found safe and well and returned to her parents soon

I still cant stop thinking about this case, im becoming obsessive.
Somebody, somewhere knows where she is plzz god find that child.
MADDY YOUR IN MY THOUGHTS EVERYDAY.
I WONDER WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.
MUM AND DAD ARE CALLING YOU.
IN YOUR DREAMS THERE COMING THROUGH
HELPING YOU COPE AND GUIDING YOU.
TO SAFER PASTURES OLD OR NEW.
EVEN STRANGERS HUNNY ALL LOVE YOU.
WE ALWAYS WILL REMEMBER YOU.
Forum wishes and prayers to maddy, wherever she may be, my candles are still burning, so is faceys.
Did anybody else light a maddy candle this weekend.:sad:

It's comforting to see I'm not the only one who feels obsessed over this story. I'm constantly googling new stories to see if there's any hope and I get very emotional seeing her pictures posted on the news since my daughter's the same age. It hurts to think such a young child might be out there suffering and no matter whether her parents did something wrong or right, I can't even begin to think of what they're feeling right now. I felt positively euphoric a couple of weeks ago, thinking I'd found her in a Target store and offended the mother by leaning in closer to check out her eyes. Unfortunately, it wasn't her and the mother told me she fears taking her daughter out in public but at least it means people are still searching. Please, please find your way home soon Maddy.

I found myself looking at a little girls eyes about a week ago. I can't even remember where I was but there was a little blonde girl, probably about the same age and I made sure that I looked at her eyes. In a split second, I could see that her eyes were ok. I always find it a bit over-stepping the mark looking but it never stops me looking. As wuite a few have already said, at least it means that people are looking.

As Cherry said, my candle's still burning too and I'm sending lots of prayers that this little girl be found and given back to her parents. Even if, God forbid, that she may not be alive. At least they would have her home with them. I hope that this comes to a close very soon xxxxx

Still nothing, no leads, no sightings no nothing.
Im so shocked to the core, where on earth can she be, is she alive god i hope so.
Or if her current life is so bad and hurtfull, oh hell no i cant say id hope she wasent alive, what was i thinking.
Im just sat here at 257am thinking and writeing my thoughts word for word.
It makes no sense does it, an innocent child being taken, her twin siblings not taken, somehow things dont add up.
I hope one way or another this gets resolved, the parents are they still in the area she was taken from ???? i havent heard anything of late.
I ve seen stories on the internet of child snatches from years ago, some of them kids have been brought home safe and well after years of being missing.
Also yes some havent ever been found, ive tried to put myself in the parents shoes, and im being honest here i think i would have killed myself by now, i couldent keep thinking of my kids seeing its face and not haveing the child in my arms to hold.
The mc canns must have huge courage, god be with them xxxx