The disappearance of Madeleine McCann while on a family vacation in
Portugal, has generated more news coverage than some regional wars
being waged around the globe. The fascination with this story is
understandable as it is offensive. It’s understandable because an
innocent child was allegedly abducted while on vacation. What makes it offensive
is the fact that thousands of children go missing with barely a
mention. For example in the UK alone
hundreds of black children have gone missing over the past few years according to British police. Many of these cases have only received scant mention in the press.
The McCann case has
attracted attention of soap opera proportions for a couple of
unfortunate cosmetic and status related reasons. The parents are an
attractive looking couple, both white and both doctors.
Madeleine herself is photogenic and has the type of face that seems to attract media attention like a magnet.
The
disappearance occurred while the family was on vacation in an up-market
Portugese resort, adding an exotic touch to what has really become a
sort of reality who-done-it show, with people taking sides and pointing
fingers.
The perception that the case was being given special
priority by the media for all the wrong reasons, was underlined in
comments made to the press by Jose Miguel Judice, a former head of
Portugal’s bar association. He said the extraordinary attention and
effort devoted to the case was because the little girl is “English,
white and the daughter of doctors".
It has also become a case of
‘us against them’, with some British commentators on blog threads
making their prejudiced view of Portuguese authorities crystal clear,
while displaying uncritical support for the parents.
Some news
outlets have presented a version of events that frequently understates
or glosses over important facts. While acknowledging that the McCanns
may indeed be the victims of a rumor mill and unusual circumstances, I
think it is important to state what is factually known about the events
before and after Madeleine went missing without spinning it to suit a
‘pro-McCann’ prejudice.
The picture painted in some media
outlets of devoted parents who have been wronged, on the face of it
doesn't seem altogether accurate. First of all, devoted parents don’t
abandon their young children in a vacation apartment and head out for
the evening. This fact has been glossed over by those who have become
fixated with the abduction theory. As anyone who has raised a child
knows, this is something you simply don’t do - especially when the
children are small, easily frightened and in a strange place. Moreover
this wasn’t the first evening the McCann’s left their kids in the
apartment alone. The evening prior, they headed out to dinner with
friends and according to a neighbor in the apartment complex, Pamela
Fenn, left the children in distress - she used the word “screaming".
The
decision to leave the children alone in the apartment is hard to
understand. A local company, Mark Warner, offered babysitting services
for just ten pounds a night. Hardly too pricey for a well heeled
professional couple. The entire cost of babysitting for the duration of
their vacation would only have amounted to only 140 pounds ( 280 US
dollars).
There are also reports about the way the children were
handled that have raised eyebrows. Allegations have been made that the
parents sedated Madeleine to put her to sleep since she could be
difficult around bedtimes. There is also an allegation that a syringe
was found in the apartment. The parents deny this.
It seems odd
though that the twins, Sean and Amelie, slept through the ruckus
following Madeleine’s disappearance. This has led to speculation that
they had been sedated. Kate McCann is a GP and a trained anesthetist.
She would certainly have known the type and quantity of drug to
administer, if in fact sedation was involved.
The tapas bar
where the McCanns went for dinner and drinks is some 65m from the
apartment. A longer distance than the McCanns initially claimed. There
is no way they would have been able to hear the children crying or even
screaming for attention at that distance, especially when seated in a
noisy bar.
Kate McCann returned to check on the children at 10
pm. For some reason she didn’t bother alerting local management or
police when she discovered Madeleine was missing. Instead she returned
to the tapas bar crying “they’ve taken her ... they’ve taken her". Her
use of the plural struck a number of observers as odd. At this point
she couldn’t have known if the child had simply wondered off. Nor could
she have known if Madelaine had hidden away somewhere in the apartment.
Children can do unexpected things if they feel alone and scared.
After
the initial discovery why would an abductor immediately spring to Kate
McCann’s mind before taking time to vet the scene properly and alert
security. Moreover why refer to abductors in the plural as “them",
without anything to go on that might lead a person to believe that.
Various
inconsistencies come into play around the time of the alleged
abduction. The McCanns' claim that whoever took Madeleine broke into
the apartment. However there was no evidence of any break in.
The
McCanns claim they raised the alarm within 10 minutes of discovering
Madeleine was missing, but local police claim that they didn’t receive
a call until 10.50 pm. Moreover the offer of a neighbor to make an
emergency call was rejected by Kate, who told the neighbor she had
already placed the call, whereas she in fact waited for another 40
minutes before placing the first call. The McCanns reject this version
of events.
In the strangest twist of all, traces of Madeleine’s
blood or possibly bodily fluid, was discovered in a Renault Scenic
rented by the McCanns. The evidence was examined by the Forensic
Science Service laboratory in Birmingham. The odd part though is that
the Renault was rented by the McCanns 25 days after their daughter’s
disappearance. Not surprisingly, the police are interested in knowing
why it was rented and how Madeleine’s DNA ended up in the vehicle.
Recent news (Sept 12) reports are now say that a "substantial" amount of Madeleine's hair has been discovered in the vehicle.
The
discovery of Madeleine’s DNA suggests that she was in the car at some
point 25 days or more after her disappearance - either dead or alive. A
more benign explanation, is that some article with traces of her blood
or bodily fluid made its way into the car and was responsible for
leaving the traces. Let’s hope the latter is the case.
The inconsistencies in the story as reported and the rumors that have been circulating should not be used to leap to rash conclusions at this point. People can have memory lapses and behave in a manner that is out of character when under pressure of this sort, especially with the intense media coverage the case has been receiving It’s
entirely possible that the McCanns are the victims of unusual
circumstances and misunderstandings - perhaps even of police
misconduct. They have certainly steadfastly maintained their innocence
throughout the ordeal. However the above mentioned inconsistencies coupled
with forensic evidence do raise legitimate questions.
As matters
stand, the Portuguese police have submitted their case against the
McCanns to the public prosecutor , who will decide what charges, if
any, will be brought against the couple.
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