Wednesday, September 12, 2007

"The Madeline McCann Case"

Recent new evidence in the Madeline McCann case has me pondering this question yet again……

What in the world were they thinking?

For those of you that don’t know about the case, Madeline McCann is a 4-year old little girl that disappeared from a hotel room while vacationing with her parents in Portugal.

Madeline and her twin siblings (2-years old) were asleep in their hotel room. That night her parents decided to go out to eat with some friends. They made the fatal mistake of leaving their children unattended in the hotel room. Again, what were they thinking?

Upon questioning, the mother claimed that it was normal for parents to leave their children unattended in Portugal. She stated that she could see the hotel room from the restaurant. How in the world is that possible? She may have been able to see the window. Unless she was expecting her children to climb out the window, why does it matter that she could see it?

From what I’ve read, they have never found the little girl. However, they have found evidence that may suggest that the child’s corpse was inside of a car that they rented 25 days after her disappearance. 25 days? What in the world? Why would they hang on to the body for 25 days, or am I misunderstanding this?

Regardless of whether or not the parents are the ones that killed her, they should be punished for leaving those precious children alone.

This upsets me tremendously. I just cannot understand what they were thinking, unless they’re guilty.

Maybe I’m being too judgmental. Tell me if I’m wrong.

Read comments and leave yours HERE.

You can also discuss this by going to RedRiverMoms.com and viewing the "In The News" section in the forums or by clicking HERE.

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61 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

That is just crazy! I'm with you. I can not imagine why they would do that. What's being done to them?

September 12, 2007 at 9:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You just don't do that! My heart breaks for this family b/c of the parent's actions. While I don't think they killed her, they are nonetheless responsible. Even if the kids were asleep while they dined, I know without a shadow of a doubt, if my 2 year old woke up during the night in a strange place, the first thing he'd do is come looking for me.... even if it means walk outside and wander off. Stupidity and negligence on the part of the parents!

September 12, 2007 at 9:29 AM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

I haven't read enough about the case to decide whether or not the parents are guilty or what punishment they are facing.
I just know that it's not enough!

September 12, 2007 at 9:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The parents are both doctors. All of their children are the results of IVF treatment. They keep on calling this incident a 'mistake'. They likened it to being at the end of the garden while their kids were sleeping inside....I kid you not. They said at worst they were naiive. I would like to replace naiive with the word stupid. I don't think they have killed Madeleine, but they certainly are guilty of child neglect. They left the kids alone every night of their holiday and this was the last night. They claim to love their children very very much....and it is at this that I become numb. I would not leave my kids aged 8 & 10 with a hotel babysitter this summer, and have never done so, simply because I would never be able to live with myself if anything happened to them. Our children are precious and we have an obligation to keep them safe and happy.
Prayers for Madeleine and her safe return.

September 12, 2007 at 9:49 AM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

I didn't realize that they were left alone every night. There is still so much I haven't heard. That's horrible. It makes it worse. However, it does make them seem more naive, as you say.

September 12, 2007 at 9:51 AM  
Blogger spikelet said...

I THINK THE MEDIA ARE HAVING A FIELD DAY. ALL GOOD THRILLERS HAVE A FINAL CHAPTER THAT SOLVES THE MYSTERY. WE WANT CLOSURE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE McCANNS WERE GUILTY OF KILLING THEIR DAUGHTER. iT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. HOWEVER TO LEAVE THEIR THREE CHILDREN ALONE WITH NO MONITOR,ON THE GROUND FLOOR WITH THE DOOR OPEN IS REALLY IRRESPONSIBLE- ESPECIALLY AS MADDIE IS KNOWN TO SLEEPWALK! THERE WAS ALSO A POOL IN THE COMPLEX.HAVING SAID ALL THAT THE PARENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SENT TO THE GALLOWS WITH MEDIA SPECULATIONS AND HALF-TRUTHS BEING QUOTED AND MISQUOTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AS YET THERE IS NO BODY AND SHE MAY WELL BE ALIVE. LET US HOPE THAT SHE IS AND THAT THE McCANNS ARE PROVED INNOCENT, OTHERWISE IF THEY HAVE COMMITTED SUCH A TERRIBLE CRIME THE BOUNDARIES HAVE EXPLODED AND TO BE SURE THAT IS ONE MORE NAIL IN THE COFFIN FOR FAMILY VALUES!

September 12, 2007 at 10:13 AM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

I also hope that they didn't do it. It was only due to the new evidence that came out today that I posted this. The new evidence suggests that bodily fluids (most likely from a dead body) were found in that car. How can that be explained? I can't wait to see what it really is.

September 12, 2007 at 10:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would never dream of leaving my child asleep in a room in UK let alone abroad they are professional people but have slight regard for their family this goes deeper than abduction very suspicious

September 12, 2007 at 10:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh you're so quick to judge and condemn other people aren't you? The McCanns must be in a living hell at the moment, how about a bit of compassion? The child they love has vanished and now suspicion falls on them, from incompetent police who want to discredit them and bring tourists back to Portugal. Remember Lindy Chamberlain? Certainly food for thought.

September 12, 2007 at 11:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What were you thinking when you wrote this article about Madeline and her parents?
It is easy to judge other people`s parenting skills from far away.
Obviously you haven`t read enough about this case when you were trying to be "the perfect parent" and still found enough time to write an article which does not help anybody!

September 12, 2007 at 12:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

HERE IS WHAT I THINK, THE POLICE ARE GETTING ALL THE PRESSURE ON THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AND SO THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOMETHING UP, COME ON NOW, 4 MONTHS AND THEY JUST START TESTING THINGS IN THE CAR, APARTMENT, ETC. I FEEL SO MUCH FOR THEM AND I KNOW THEY ARE GOING THROUGH HELL RIGHT NOW. I THINK EVERYONE NEEDS TO TAKE THE FOCUS OFF OF WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE OR SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE AND PUT THEIR EYES ON WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING....MADDIE!!!! EVERYONE IS NOT PERFECT AND I BET EVERYONE ON HERE JUDGING THEM FOR DOING SUCH "STUPID" THINGS CAN THEMSELVES SAY THEY WISH THEY COULD TAKE SOMETHING BACK IN LIFE THEY HAD DONE FROM BAD JUDGEMENT!!!I PRAY FOR KATE, GERRY, & MOST OF ALL MADDIE.

September 12, 2007 at 2:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Right now, it's so obvious that they did it... She died of an overdose, inflicted by her mother (Madeline's grandmother confirmed that it was usual for them to sedate the kids). She was burried near the church were they prayed (to which they had the key), but it was probably moved afterwards (all fruit of the british lab results).

The McCann statements are incredibly contraditory, and their friends define Kate as a quite violent and out-of-control mom, at times.

They must have a serious mental patology, to make up these huge lies just to save their face.

And you guys shouldn't be so easily manipulated by the tabloids and the media in general.

The UK is the shame of Europe in this sort of vulgarity.

September 12, 2007 at 2:29 PM  
Blogger TIAGO DO VALE said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

September 12, 2007 at 2:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A diplomatic incident with the UK would be extremelly more harmful to Portugal than loosing a few turists at Algarve.

The thesis of the portuguese police being interested in incriminating the parents is just senseless: they don't have any interest or advantage with that.

Besides, it's well known that this investigation is beeing followed closely and developed in colaboration with the british authorities, so there's no space for conspirative theories, made up by tabloids to sell newspapers... You should know better.

September 12, 2007 at 2:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

every othere article I have read has been differnet, one saying it was blood, others saying it was other bodily fluids. which one was it people?? i am so into this I can hardly stand it anymore. I am getting very irritated by those who think they really murdered their own child. some have and some can but for some reason i cannot bring myself to believe that they did. IAGO BAL: could you tell me where you read that Kate's mother said they sedate the children.please reply

September 12, 2007 at 2:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can't believe some1 can do this to their flesh and blood, their daughter, i have a boy & and a girl & one on the way, my daughter is the same age at maddy, i look at her and i just think "my god, that poor child" i hug my daughter to death, at the same time i think of maddy. I think the mother has killed her, by accident, she had to much to drink and overdoesed her, or her real parents kipnapped her, apparently kate & gerry aren't her real parents, or is that just gossip by the news papers??????

Paryers for maddie, hope she is still ALIVE !! x x x

September 12, 2007 at 2:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with you 100 percent. Children that age often wake up and wander. Anything can happen in a matter of seconds. They're in a new place surrounded by people from around the world who are strangers. The hotel offered child care, and I would also presume that the doctors make enough money that they could have brought along a nanny to stay with the children. Perhaps in England leaving your small children alone so that you can go out dining is not so strange. I knew a couple in England who would send their 4 year old son to school everyday in a taxi because the school district didn't provide school bus service to their area. The school paid for the Taxi. I asked if it was always the same driver and they said no. They also would often strap the baby seat in the front passenger side of their car, because the back was too small and unwieldly. They thought I was odd to even question these things. So? Are we too overly-protective and cautious with our children in this country? I don't think so.

September 12, 2007 at 2:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am the mother of twin daughters and run a hotel . I Have never left our children unattended until on of us could go up stairs to take over from the baby siter, I Know the family of Madeline must be struck with the upmost guilt but I honestly do not think they have any thing to do with her disapearance the only dubious question i have is . why do certain staitment not ? in place, and who had the car before the maccans.
who else saw the man runnong with the child wrapped in a blancket, apart from this Jane Tanner, ??

September 12, 2007 at 3:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anonymous

if the D N A ia in the car who had it previously to the Macan family. have they checked that>

September 12, 2007 at 4:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why do some people just like to see them as murderers. There is no way they could have done it. the campagne and all the publisity they are really good actors or I really beleive they are beeing framed maybe one of their freinds on holiday. how come one of them saw a man carring a child in a blanket but never mentioned it untill it was to late. I personally would have intervined and asked if everythink was ok with the guy carring a child at that time of night .!!!

September 12, 2007 at 4:18 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

I'm sorry if some of you were upset by me writing this article. The whole point of this blog is to voice personal opinions and bring attention to things that need to be disussed. It was meant to bring up the discussion of leaving your children unattented. Nowhere did I state that they murdered their children. The reference to the car was poking fun at the police department for saying that the fluids were found and not doing anything yet. There must be more to the story.
I do realize that.

September 12, 2007 at 4:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

dont you think that they have been punished enough for their mistake by losing one of their children. personally i would not have done that myself as i am very anxious and would have been afraid to - however i do not think they could have paid a higher price than they have already. the focus here needs to be on finding this child and also convicting the person/persons who tokk her.

September 12, 2007 at 5:03 PM  
Blogger eeore said...

looks like you've been attacked by the viral marketers.

You must fit the demographic that the campaign is aiming to reach with it's marketing campaign.

Please wipe your mind of all doubts and re-write your blog post supportively.

September 12, 2007 at 5:04 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

I do think that they are probably going through hell for what has happened. I can't imagine what it is like. I do think it's a healthy conversation to have though. Some parents may not have heard of this case and may consider doing something like this. They need to rethink before they leave their children alone. I didn't realize that the body hadn't been found. Is that the case?

September 12, 2007 at 5:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hope and pray to God that the parents did not kill their daughter. It never ceases to amaze me the things I hear on T.V. about parents putting their children in microwaves because the devil told them to or the mother that put her three children in a car and pushed them in the river. How about all the kids left in cars to die in the heat. I have four kids and have never forgotten to take them out even on my most stressed out of days. When will it end?
What worries me the most is how many times parents have been on T.V. sobbing about their missing child only to find out later they killed them. I would hate to think some day one of us could be begging for our child to be found and everyones first assumption will be that we did it. It will get to that point if this doesn't stop.
Those parents should never have left them alone to begin with. We live in a horrible cruel world where we have to protect our kids.
Melissa I think you have struck a nerve here and have started a good conservation. I don't think you were blamimg the parents just stating they should not have been left alone.

September 12, 2007 at 9:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

SHAME on the McCanns for leaving the children unattended for ONE SECOND!
How dare they?!
How could they?!

I am absolutely and utterly appalled and outraged about what they did! Being educated people doesn't make them smart!

I hope to God that the story of Maddie seeps into the hearts and minds of parents the world over and wakes them up. I am a mum and adore my child. It sickens me that people are so selfish where their children's welfare is concerned and continue to think that nothing like this could happen to them! Well the sad truth is that it did.

And what about the friends they were eating with? What were they thinking when the parents left the children alone?

Parents; Guard your children with all your might!!!

September 13, 2007 at 12:58 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have read all the comments on here and noone has said that they killed her on purpose, i certainly didnt..anyone who has children will understand what some of these mothers are trying to say..i have been following every single bit of detail about Maddie, & i was so conviced that they were involved somehow, like at first i thought they were in money trouble so decided to lie & say she was kidnapped, but then that wasn't making sense, the parents have been lying since day one, they lied saying they left her in a playgroup & that she was going missing from the afternoon, does any1 remember that? Also they lied about how much they were drinking. How much were the McCanns and their friends drinking on the evening Madeleine disappeared?
Kate & Gerry & their friends are reported to have told detectives they shared four bottles of wine, with another two barely touched before Madeleine was discovered missing. However, it is claimed detectives have recovered a bill showing they downed eight bottles of red wine and six white during the afternoon and evening. Does anyone here drink that much with 3 kids in their care??? I certainly don't! I used to drink & smoke before i had children but now i leave that when i am out on the town with my mates with a babysitter at home!!! Of course who i know...If everyone takes a look at photo's of gerry he looks pretty scared, kate always crying, am i right??? Why did Kate McCann cry out “They’ve taken her?” when she discovered Madeleine missing? Like i said in my last comment, are they her real parents?? (Gerry & Kate ??) apparently they arent from what i have read! Remember when (before they said they aren't her real parents) that there were 19 sightings in Malta of Maddy ?? And NOW they are saying her real dad is in Malta?? So could it be that kate & gerry knows who kidnapped them?? Weird or what? This is what the comment was in a news paper: And so the net widens. Who is the father? Gerry McCann? Robert Murat? A swarthy man from Malta sat at a Belgian cafe?..I really hope deep inside that they didnt do it, if they did we all know it wasnt on purpose, they got scared and didn't know what to do. I could go on and say alot more about all this...

September 13, 2007 at 1:06 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Many are critical of Madeline's parents behaviour. Me too agree with it. Leaving kids alone never can be justified.

Hillarious things may happen only in films after they were forgotton or left alone (Home alone).

It was in the news couple of months ago that one UK infant had died of dehydration after leaving the baby in side the car for hours. Mother had FORGOTTEN to hand over the child to the nursery and left her in the car whole day while she was at work and got to know what had happened only when she returned to the nursery in the evining to collect the child.

With all publicity and attention it would be very difficult for Madeline's parents to dispose a child's body. They are foreign to Portugal too making it more difficult to hide a body for as long as 25 days at least before transporting in the said car.
By the way, who were using this car during those 25 days. It would be worth investigating.

Anyway, we all have a lesson to learn from this. Children are vulnarable. We should cherish them, protect them. They are a treasure but not a burden. V. I. Lenin, a forgotton name to the contemporary world once told: "the best things should spared for children". - Childrens first.

September 13, 2007 at 4:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Come on can you find anything better to talk about besides STARS and Gossip!!!!!
This is something that happens in everyday life they are making this into something that is nothing. Think of all the people that do things for attention. Example Brittany and people like you read and play into,thats what they want. We need to stand up and start acting mature in the world. Have you ever done something that you hope no one finds out about ,it would be the same, put your self in their shoes for a while Grow up!!!

September 13, 2007 at 11:51 AM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

Wow! I sure didn't expect that. I felt like I was being responsible by simply pointing out that the children shouldn't have been left alone. Why is that so hard to accept?

September 13, 2007 at 12:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Replying to the comment at 11.51am
sounds like you have no children hun.. what your saying is that what they had done or what they might of done is right???? nothing you said made sense to the situation!!

September 13, 2007 at 12:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Of course i have children and i am responable enough to NOT leave them alone in a strange place where my child/children doesn't even know! Come on COMMON SENSE! I don't even leave them alone in a car for 5mins to just pop in a shop to get the news paper, i don't even go shopping with two kids on my own! How clearer can i be..

September 13, 2007 at 1:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm sorry Erica Gauci the post at 1245pm was directed at the 1151am post not yours. Hope it did not upset you too badly.

September 13, 2007 at 1:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ok. sorry... :-)

September 13, 2007 at 1:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I guess you should open a Talk show with the with women Fuel of Fire!!

September 13, 2007 at 2:10 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

It's so interesting to me that this has sparked so much debate. When I wrote this blog I didn't think people would feel so passionately about it. Although some don't agree with me, I'm glad it does. Even if it's at my expense, that's more people that will hear about this poor little girl. I can take the heat. If it's too ugly I do have to delete it though. This is for a mom's site. Try to keep it clean if possible. So far I haven't had to delete anyone.

September 13, 2007 at 2:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sparked a debate??? You CREATED a debate with misinformation and by jumping to conclusions. Every time someone has made a comment on here you've come back with "oh, I didn't realize..." While you may not agree with it, other cultures live differently. The reports I've seen make the parents "abandoning their children" tantamount to sitting in their next door neighbors back yard while the children were asleep in the house. If it was a dialogue you were trying to open, come out and say that...don't write out your version of the story, passing it off as gospel, only to admit that you just now heard of the saga that has been going on for 4 months.

September 13, 2007 at 2:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

WOW it is getting hot in here! Come on for crying out loud give the author a break she is doing her job. I feel like maybe some people like to see the heat rise. I personally think they are guilty and they are covering up for the the people that did it. They once said it was to much to handle and they both are Dr so they know they can cover it up. Their are people here in the US just like them they just dont admit it. They will have to anwser to the lord that is when justice will be served. God Bless that child.

September 13, 2007 at 3:17 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

Misinformation? What did I say that wasn't correct? Do you think it was ok for those children to be left alone, honestly? That was the point of the story.
Me saying that I am just not hearing certain things was the truth. Although it's been in the news for months, I haven't heard everything. I'm not a reporter. I don't always know exactly what's going on. I'm just a mom trying to make a difference.

September 13, 2007 at 3:22 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

Thank you for your support. It's ok that some people don't agree with me. I know that I wasn't trying to stir anything up. I was simply trying to find out peoples opinion on the children being left alone. I have since found out that this case has a lot of people "wound up tightly". That's good.

September 13, 2007 at 3:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Melissa i'm a mum from Australia and am responding to your 3.24pm post. You say you started this up only to get people's opinion about "The children being left alone" yet in your original post you go on to write about the rest of the case. The two go hand in hand so it's gonna get hot hot hot!!!!!

I have posted my comments at 12.58am sticking to the subject.

There are a few comments on this site that are in my opinion getting off track and just outright attacking others. This is about Maddie!
Meanwhile i applaud you Melissa for starting this up.

September 13, 2007 at 8:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hats off to you Melissa I love reading your Post everyday. You are such a great writer and your doing a awesome job.I think that bringing things to our ATTENTION GETS THINGS SO HEATED HERE! People dont like to hear the TRUTH but we better face it now Better we face it now than later. GREAT JOB!!! Mel B.

September 13, 2007 at 10:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Melissa, you know i agree with you 100 percent, our minds are on the same track. So many things go through my mind about the McCanns, it could be they did this or it could be they did that, i came up with 3 options, but will keep them to myself in case things here will turn from hot to boiling hot! I sometimes think they did it and then change my mind, confused.com! I wish and hope that this case ends before 2008 cos that little girl deserves justice, love & care...if she is still alive that girl must be very confused about whats going on, this will damage her for the rest of her life. God bless maddie x x

September 14, 2007 at 12:56 AM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

In response to the 8:01 PM post.....
Yes I did write about the case in my original post. I guess I did that to add some "meat" to the story. It was something I had just read on a news site. Me reading that is what triggered me to write this story. I thought it would be beneficial to raise attention about the case again. I hadn't heard anything in a while. I think some people think that I had some kind of ill intentions. I didn't. Keep in mind that this blog is spawned from RedRiverMoms.com, a moms site. I do not write things with the intention of anything but to create conversation between moms. Whatever the case, I'm just glad people are still interested in Maddie.

September 14, 2007 at 9:12 AM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

Thank you for your support 10:31 and Erica. There are people from all sides of this case coming out. It's good to know that some people are seeing it the way I do. For those of you who don't, thank you for your comments as well.

September 14, 2007 at 9:14 AM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

Erica, I'd like to hear your options. I'm not sure how to let you contact me w/out giving out my email to everyone. If I did I'd probably regret it, LOL.

September 14, 2007 at 10:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As of today the McCann case is questioning the Robert guy that was at the hotel during the night. Their saying that if kate that is Madeline mom would say she did that she would only get 2years in jail. I personally think that they do have some clues on her death but how can anyone deal this in their right mind as a parent. The only thing that comes to my mind is maybe people in other countries have no mortal thoughts.
Its a shame of the world we live in today so many chaos to handle.

September 14, 2007 at 1:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are wrong. You have no clue as to how cultural differences vary from one area of the world to another. You see things through your limited experience, just like everyone else. You seem to be very hung up, so to speak. If the woman killed her daughter(which you don't know unless you have super powers) she is guilty of a crime. If she went to eat at a restaurant a few hundred feet from her sleeping children, she is guilty of naught. Children are just like adults. Some are precious because of the future they will have, but most are just future robots, like their parents, some are future jailbirds, some are future drunks, etc. . Why some of our children will be future kidnappers or child killers. Don't climb so high on your pillar of self righteousness.

September 14, 2007 at 4:37 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

I wanted to ask this of everyone.....it's a little confusing since everyone is using the anonymous name. If you're responding to something someone else wrote, will you respond to them by the time they posted? For instance:
In response to the 8:01 post, ....................
Thank you!

September 14, 2007 at 5:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I thought starting my post with an answer to your last request in your blog was enough to point out who it was aimed toward(tell me if I'm wrong. You're wrong). If not, my 4:37 post was aimed at the original posting.

September 14, 2007 at 5:18 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

No, it wasn't completely clear whether you were referring to the person that posted right before you or me, the one that wrote the blog.
Actually, I wasn't referring to your post though. A co-worker pointed out to me that it was confusing so I was asking everyone to do that.

September 14, 2007 at 5:22 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

In response to the 5:18 post......
I definitely don't know about things from other cultures. I freely admit that. In my personal opinion, parents should not leave their children unattended in hotel rooms, regardless of whether they can see the room or not. I think most parents would agree on that.
I think I may have come across as more judgemental than I would have liked to though. I can't take that back.
I was simply trying to start a coversation. I guess that worked.
I can tell you, as well as anyone that knows me, that I don't put myself on any kind of "pillar". I'm one of the least judgemental people that you'll meet. If it came across that way, I apologize to everyone. I knew that some wouldn't agree, but I didn't think it sounded arrogant at all.
I was basing my blog off of recent news stories. I thought that I was restating facts, not just my opinion.
Like I've said before, the word getting out about her, possibly to new people, is worth a little bit of ribbing.

September 14, 2007 at 5:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Melissa - love your blog.

I'm a mom living in the States and while my children are now college age, there was never a time when I left them alone - ever. Not in a car, not in the house, not outside. The reason is simply because you never know whose lurking around the corner...waiting...watching.

For those who are in other countries and perhaps aren't familiar with the States, it is a crime in our country to leave your children unattended. We call doing so "child neglect" and one who leaves their children alone can face severe punishment for doing so. Had the McCann's been residents of this country, they would not have been allowed to leave their children alone for extended periods of time.

I am in full agreement with you, Melissa. To leave children unattended is irresponsible and questionable.

September 14, 2007 at 6:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

For all of you out there accusing Melissa of 'mis-information', I would like to say that at least she wrote what she thought she knew, and perhaps she spends most of her time looking after her own kids instead of reading every bit of info regarding 'Maddie' online.

I am glad to see an open blog where we can all add our thoughts and ideas. Everything to do with Madeleines dissapearence is mere speculation at this point. There are probably only 2 things we can be sure of. These are that Madeleines parents neglected the welfare of their children and that the Portugese police have bungled their investigation.

BTW, I did hear that the bodily fluids found in the hire car were 99.9% Madeleines and that the hairs found showed traces of high doses of medication. If these were transferred DNA samples or direct, I do not know.

September 15, 2007 at 5:55 AM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

Thank you for stating your support of my blog openly. That means a lot. Most of the time people just state their disapproval openly. I'm glad that my "fans" are coming out also. That's what will keep me writing.
I'm kind of looking at this as a way for people to openly discuss this case. Regardless of what I wrote, people are going to always be at odds on this.
As a mother of 4 boys, I cannot imagine leaving any of my children alone at night in a hotel room. Of course, I grew up in a country where it wasn't allowed. I understand the mentality of the Portugese may be different. In my mind, no matter what the law says, children should not be left alone.
If Maddie's parents were not responsible for her death or disappearance, then I'm sure they've suffered greatly from all of the accusations.
If they are guilty in some way, I can't say that I feel bad for stating my opinions. If it turns out that they aren't, I will be the first to apologize for any possible false accusations.
Again, I didn't accuse them of murder. I was just restating what I thought to be an accurate report of facts.
Like the 5:55 a.m. poster stated, I'm too busy taking care of my kids to keep up with all the coverage of this story. I rarely get a chance to watch the news.
For those of you that are not in agreement with me, what's your opinion on the DNA found in the car?

September 15, 2007 at 2:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now i am gonna burn up! Cos it seems to me that some of you here haven't been reading the information about what has been happening to maddie, cos half of u haven't even said the right thing, it doesn't matter about cultures any verbal, sexual, emotional abuse against a child IS WRONG! Leaving a child/children on their own is WRONG! Children are everything, they are our future, we/they have no right to treat them in any way but only with loving tender care and love, am i right so far???? Why does or should children could the blame cos we bought them in to this world?? If the McCanns wanted to take the children away from them and they don't trust a stranger looking after their children i'm sure as doctors they have enough money to bring along a nanny to hold the children while they wanted quiet evenings with their friends? True? They have no excuse to what they have done or what they might have done, i NEVER give my children meds to put them to sleep, do u think thats right? IT'S WRONG! If they didn't leave their kids on their own none of this would have happened.....

September 16, 2007 at 3:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

McCanns wanted to take the children away with them (sorry made a mistake)

September 16, 2007 at 3:24 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just read the news and the hair that was found in boot of the car isn't maddie's hair, they said it could of been anyone's!

September 16, 2007 at 3:27 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

You dont leave kids that age alone, period. It is child neglect plain and simple; the McCann's are irresponsible parents, it doesn't matter if they were 'accross' the square - and who hires PR in a tragedy like this; we don't know what they did, if they did it, why they did it; Maddie is missing, they left their kids alone and they are acting funny; CHILD NEGLECT
would you hire PR if your child was missing? and she [the mother] is so well put together in front of the camera; i would be so distraut i would forget to wear shoes let alone earings.. too many inconsistencies for my liking; and leaving the twins alone for their PR tour?

September 16, 2007 at 8:36 PM  
Blogger Melissa Swanson said...

Wow! It's staying pretty hot in here. I'm glad people feel comfortable enough to be open.
I see that the hair was not Maddie's. I'm assuming that the DNA from the fluids are her though?

September 17, 2007 at 2:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why would you leave a child unattended in a strange country,I wonder why they bought them in the first place if they were just going to leave them alone in the hotel room.
If this was a working class family there would definatley be some kind of inquiry from childrens services,I,m a single mother of 2 and have never and would never leave my children alone.
Im sorry but I still have not ruled them out as having killed her by accidental drugging.

December 29, 2007 at 4:04 AM  

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