Madeline

[Lucifer Box]

a little girl in the NE was kidnapped from her bath whilst her mum was in the kitchen

children have been abducted from their bedrooms while their parents slept in the room next door with the doors open. You'll know this story?

True, but that's the other extreme. That's like saying nothing is 100% safe so why be careful at all, i.e. the "I got run over on the pavement so in future I'm going to walk down the middle of the road" scenario.

It seems to me not wise (and not just in hindsight) to leave three under-threes unattended and out of earshot for lengthy periods. A three year old can get up to a lot of mischief in 30 minutes, plus the door was left unlocked.

As previously mentioned, had this been a single mother on an estate leaving three under-threes unattended while she went to the pub but checked on them every 30 minutes, the press would have crucified her. This is a case of newspaper editors empathising with nice middle class people, no more and no less.

I do, of course, feel sorry for them nonetheless.

[VectraMan]

As a responsible parent I would never leave toddlers without either myself or my wife around - the image I have here is of this couple wanting some 'quality time together' i.e. without the kids around -which seems to be a modern trait and is nothing to do with 'luck'

It's the "have your cake and eat it" mentality. I think if you're going to have kids, you ought to be prepared for the fact that they're going to override all other aspects of your life, at least for the first 10 years. Too many people having kids almost as a fashion accessory and thinking the only way it affects them is having to find the money for child care whilst they continue their careers.

That's easy to say as somebody who has none, but less people being parents would be no bad thing. It's not like the world has a human population shortage.

I did hear a mention of the Portuguese police considering criminal charges against the parents.

[HankWangford]

It's the "have your cake and eat it" mentality. I think if you're going to have kids, you ought to be prepared for the fact that they're going to override all other aspects of your life, at least for the first 10 years. Too many people having kids almost as a fashion accessory and thinking the only way it affects them is having to find the money for child care whilst they continue their careers.

That's easy to say as somebody who has none, but less people being parents would be no bad thing. It's not like the world has a human population shortage.

I did hear a mention of the Portuguese police considering criminal charges against the parents.

I dont see the difference in doing what they did or living in a big house, sat in the garden whilst kids asleep in front bedroom, still 50 metres apart......little chance of hearing or seeing anything in both cases

[SallyAnne]

What a suprise - the dont have enough evidence to arrest tha bloke.

Slow news day for the stupid b*tch journo who decided to possibly ruin a boke's life cause she thought he might be helping too much.

Stupid tw*t.

[dd1978]

It's already been said but if it was some chav couple on a council estate who locked up their kids while they went to the local boozer they would have been crucified. If I had been at the press conference the McCanns gave yesterday I would have asked them wtf they were thinking leaving three toddlers alone while they went out on a jolly.

They left the kids every night alone and 'popped back every half hour'! they even kept the back patio door unlocked so they could get in easier. WHat if there was a fire/one of the kids was sick/woke up having a nightmare etc. It just baffles me when there were babysitters on site and the hotel had a baby listening service. All for the sake of saving a few pounds......

[xoggoth]

Agree with SA. Good case for keeping silent about suspects. Assuming he is innocent that "Not enough evidence" will mar the bloke's life. Unjust.

[xoggoth]

Agree with SA. Good case for keeping silent about suspects. Assuming he is innocent that "Not enough evidence" will mar the bloke's life. Unjust.

PS Glad it's not just me who is bored stiff by the continual coverage.

[wendigo100]

Agree with SA. Good case for keeping silent about suspects. Assuming he is innocent that "Not enough evidence" will mar the bloke's life. Unjust.

PS Glad it's not just me who is bored stiff by the continual coverage.

[pisces]

I agree - it's awful and everything but I can't help thinking, why did they leave the kids alone anyway?

It has been reported in the portugese press that they were frequenting swinging parties, or so I've been told.

[Gonzo]

Yes. It is good for the slow portuguese plods that there was a journo from the daily mirror on hand to point out the culprit.