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Day 191: 10/11/2007 Saturday |
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Day 200: 19/11/2007
Monday |
No Update |
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DAY 190 |
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The media attention in Rothley has died down considerably
with the passing of the six-month marker last weekend. The
prayer service for Madeleine and other
missing children was very
well attended and we found it calming, comforting and very
positive. The four churches in Rothley contributed to the
service as they will be doing so again for remembrance Sunday
and these events strengthen our sense of community.
No major developments to report in the last week in the search
for Madeleine. There has been a good response to the launch of
the helpline to find Madeleine and all the leads are being
checked out and followed up where appropriate. Kate and I
continue to encourage anyone who has information to phone or
e-mail.
It has been a busier week for me as I have returned to work,
initially on a part-time basis. The Trust have been very
supportive throughout and it has been good, although difficult,
to see so many friends and colleagues again. I was certainly
ready to get back although we have agreed to gradually phase my
return to full-time commitments. It is also been the first week
since we returned from Portugal when we have not had friends or
family staying with us. Kate and I have therefore been opening
all the mail ourselves and we would like to thank everyone who
has offered their support and encouragement. |
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Day 189 - 08/11/2007 |
Thursday |
No Update |
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Latest Update
Helping to find Madeleine
We are pleased to recognise the
independent Helping To Find Madeleine Forum (HTFM) as an affiliate of
our campaign to continue in the search for Madeleine. For further
information go to www.helpingtofindmadeleine.com
The advice of the National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children is that high visibility of a missing
child through posters, car stickers etc increases the chances of finding
that child. The friends and family of Kate and Gerry urge everyone to
please keep looking for Madeleine. Our greatest fear has always been
that Madeleine would somehow be forgotten about and that our efforts to
bring her back safely would run out of support. We know in our hearts
that Madeleine is still out there, alive, confused and aching to be
returned to her family where she belongs. Whatever happens, please don't
forget that. Don't forget about Madeleine. http://www.youtube.com/user/DontYouForgetAboutMe
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Day 185: 04/11/2007
Sunday |
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Day 187: 06/11/2007 Tuesday |
No Update |
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DAY 184 |
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Today marks six months since Madeleine was taken from us. It is
an incredibly long time for us but must be even longer for
Madeleine. It is so painful for us simply being separated, but all
the more distressing when we have to speculate about the situation
Madeleine finds herself. We have no idea whether she is suffering
but we have to hope and pray that she is being treated like a
princess, as she deserves.
This afternoon there will be prayer vigils in Liverpool, Praia da
Luz and many friends will be praying in Glasgow. Tonight we will be
attending an ecumenical service to pray for Madeleine and other
children who are suffering. There is again a lot of media presence
in Rothley and the upshot is that millions of people know Madeleine
is still missing and that we will not give up looking for her.
We urge anyone who may have information that might help us find
Madeleine to call us on the confidential number +34 902 300 213,
which is manned by private detectives in Spain or e-mail
investigation@findmadeleine.com, or contact the police.
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Statement from
Kate McCann: |
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Saturday
3rd November : 6 Month Landmark
Six
months is such a long time for a little girl to be
separated from her family. We believe that our
Madeleine is out there somewhere and retain hope
that we can be reunited.
Madeleine is a beautiful little
person who deserves a loving and happy life. There
is no doubt that the best place for her to
be, to ensure this, is with her family.
We know that somebody somewhere
can make this happen. That somebody, has
the ability and power to bring about so much joy, as
well as bring peace to themselves.
If you have any information
relating to Madeleine’s disappearance or
whereabouts, PLEASE, - pass it on.
0034 902 300 213 |
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Day 179: 29/10/2007
Monday |
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Day 183: 02/11/2007
Friday |
No Update |
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DAY 178 |
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The last couple of days have been hard for Kate and I. We have
had a lot of ‘family time’ and despite the pleasure of seeing Sean
and Amelie having fun, Madeleine’s absence was very much tangible.
We were, however, bucked up somewhat after opening lots of mail,
which was incredibly supportive and uplifting. We would like to pass
on our sincere thanks once more to everyone who is supporting us. My
mum and sister have also arrived for a few days and this is the
first time we have seen each other for 5 weeks. My nephew and a
close family friend also came to visit last night.
Today we all attended mass in the local church. Next Saturday will
mark six months since Madeleine was abducted. We will be marking
this milestone very quietly with an ecumenical prayer service for
Madeleine and other missing children in the local Anglican church.
Despite sadness and despair at our own situation, it is heart
wrenching to hear of tragedies affecting other families close to
home this week. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
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Day 177 - 27/10/2007 |
Saturday |
No Update |
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DAY 176 |
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It has been a busy few days for Kate and I. We did our first
interview since being made arguidos, for Spanish TV. This was very
difficult for us but had one important purpose. We announced that
private investigators are looking for Madeleine and that there is a
dedicated ANONYMOUS telephone line for anyone who has information,
which may help us to find Madeleine. The number is +34.902.300.213.
We urge anyone who may have information to please call this number.
The investigators are based in Spain because we believe Madeleine is
most likely to be in the Iberian Peninsula or North Africa. They
have also released a sketch of an eyewitness who saw a man carrying
a small child away from near the apartment on the night Madeleine
disappeared. We believe this child was Madeleine. The Portuguese
police have released the description of the man previously: he is
35-40 years old, approximately 5’8”-5’10” (1.72-1.78m), Caucasian
with southern European/Mediterranean appearance, slim build with
dark hair. We hope that this picture may jog someone’s memory who
may have seen this man in the Praia da Luz area on the night or days
before Madeleine was abducted. Someone else may be aware of a man
matching this description who has behaved suspiciously at any time
since the beginning of May. |
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Day 173:
23/10/2007 Tuesday |
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Day 175: 25/10/2007 Thursday |
No Update |
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DAY 172 |
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This last weekend we went to visit friends and Kate’s parents. It
is the first time we have been to Liverpool since we went to
Portugal on holiday in April. Sean and Amelie had a great time
playing with other young children and it was good for Kate and I to
catch up with very close friends. We attended the ‘children’s mass’
in the church where we were married and I met the local priest who
also happens to come from Glasgow.
We welcome the announcement from Mr Ribeiro, the National director
of the Judicial
Police in Portugal, that our friends who were on
holiday with us in Portugal are to be re-interviewed. We do not know
how many other ‘witnesses’ will be interviewed but obviously we want
to be eliminated from the inquiry as soon as possible. We constantly
hope that one of the other lines of investigation leads to Madeleine
being found safe and well. |
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Day
167: 17/10/2007
Wednesday |
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Day
171: 21/10/2007 Sunday |
No Update |
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DAY 166 |
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This is
believed to be the edited version copied from official site.
Life in Rothley is
definitely quietening down although daily photographs of us leaving
the house still seem ‘newsworthy’ which I find incredible.
We are
slowly trying to return to normal and it is heartening meeting
ordinary people who are very supportive and sympathetic. We have
managed to catch up with quite a few friends in the last week, which
we have actually had to build up to because of the emotions involved
in talking about what has happened. We also had our first visitor
from Praia da Luz who spent a few days with us. It was touching to
hear about our friends there, who continue to hold weekly vigils
praying for Madeleine and her safe return.
The media frenzy is gradually subsiding with just occasional
unsubstantiated reports of ‘evidence’ appearing. It is very
encouraging that Mr Rebelo’s officers will be seemingly reviewing
all the material in the inquiry, which will hopefully identify areas
for further investigation. Contrary to some other reports Kate and
I do NOT accept that Madeleine is ‘probably’ dead. We know it is a
possibility, however the fact there is no evidence Madeleine has
been seriously harmed gives us ongoing hope
that she will be found
alive.
Finally, thank you once again to evryone who has written to us or
sent messages of support. Calum has been away for a week on holiday
and we will be updating the messages of support very soon. We would
love to reply to everyone personally but the huge numbers simply
make it impossible. |
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DAY 166 |
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BEBO SITE
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Day 166 - 16/10/2007
Link
This is believed to be the original Version copied from
Bebo
Life in Rothley is definitely quietening down although daily
photographs of us leaving the house still seem ‘newsworthy’
which I find incredible. We are slowly trying to return to
normal and it is heartening meeting ordinary people who are very
supportive and sympathetic. We have managed to catch up with
quite a few friends in the last week, which we have actually had
to build up to because of the emotions involved in talking about
what has happened. We also had our first visitor from Praia da
Luz who spent a few days with us. It was touching to hear about
our friends there, who continue to hold weekly vigils praying
for Madeleine and her safe return.
The media frenzy is gradually subsiding with just occasional
unsubstantiated reports of ‘evidence’ appearing. It is very
encouraging that Mr Rebello’s officers will be seemingly
reviewing all the material in the inquiry, which will hopefully
identify areas for further investigation. Contrary to some other
reports Kate and
I do accept
that Madeleine is ‘probably’ dead.
We know it is a possibility, however the fact there is no
evidence Madeleine has been seriously harmed gives us ongoing
hope that she will be found alive.
Finally, thank you once again to evryone who has written to us
or sent messages of support. Calum has been away for a week on
holiday and we will be updating the messages of support very
soon. We would love to reply to everyone personally but the huge
numbers simply make it impossible.
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Day
161: 11/10/2007
Thursday |
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Day
165: 15/10/2007
Monday |
No Update |
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DAY 160 |
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After a few days of
ridiculous newspaper coverage in the UK and Portugal it was
heartening to hear of the statement this evening from Mr Ripeiro,
the National Director of the Judicial Police in Portugal. He has
again emphasised that all lines of the investigation, not only
Madeleine’s death, are open and that much of what has been written
is pure speculation and in some cases misinformation.
Scientific
reports that we drugged our children clearly fall in to the latter
category.
In the coming days and weeks we hope that only factual material is
reported, allowing everyone to focus on finding Madeleine and who
took her. |
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Day 156: 06/10/2007
Saturday |
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Day 159: 09/10/2007 Tuesday |
No Update |
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DAY 155 |
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It
has been a quieter week for Kate and I. We did go into the Leicester
Mercury on Wednesday to pick up a cheque for Madeleine’s Fund from
donations for green and yellow wristbands. We did our first
interview since returning from Portugal to say a huge thank you to
everyone, especially here in Leicestershire, for supporting us
during these last few dark weeks and months.
Click here to read the
interview.
We have talked a little of life returning to ‘normal’ in Rothley.
Several photographers are still in the village but otherwise it has
been very quiet.
Kate and I will be going through the judicial process in Portugal to
try and clear our name as quickly as possible. Obviously it is
encouraging that the prosecutor has stated that all lines of enquiry
are open. It is likely that we will be ‘arguidos’ for some time
since this status remains until charges
are brought or up to 8
months if
no charges are made. The investigation will have a new
coordinator appointed to replace chief inspector Amaral. We are
happy to continue cooperating with the Portuguese authorities and in
fact as arguidos, we can request that certain investigations are
carried out. |
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Day 152: 02/10/2007 Tuesday |
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Day 154: 04/10/2007
Thursday |
No
Update |
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DAY 151 |
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Yesterday marked 150
days since Madeleine was taken. For our family it was just another
painful day without our beautiful daughter. The questions we ask are
pretty much the same as those we asked in the first few days. Who
took her, why did they take her and where is she? Without wanting to
be boringly repetitive we believe that someone out there knows
something that could answer these questions.
I am still amazed at the irresponsible reporting going on in the
press with unsubstantiated reports from unreliable sources being
repeated in the UK and Portuguese press unquestioningly. It is
simply untrue that the twins think that Madeleine has gone on a
‘little trip’. They clearly miss their big sister and have asked on
numerous occasions where is Madeleine?’. Kate I and have told them
that we don’t know where she is but lots of people are looking for
her and we hope that we will find her. They are not traumatised by
her continued absence, simply being too young to comprehend the
situation but we are well aware that their insight will change as
they continue to develop rapidly.
At the weekend we again had lots of visitors with kids, which was
great for Sean and Amelie. After attending mass yesterday morning we
had a family lunch and then spent a couple of hours in the garden
playing. There are still a few photographers hanging around at the
end of our street taking daily pictures of Kate and I. We are
managing to get out and about in the village and we have lots of
support from the local community. On Saturday we decided to go for a
run but drove nearby and parked the car but we were ‘snapped’ at the
end, when I was certainly looking wearier than Kate! |
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Day 149: 29/09/2007 Saturday |
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Day 150: 30/09/2007
Sunday |
No Update |
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DAY 148 |
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It has been another busy week for Kate and I.
Sean and Amelie have settled back into nursery, almost as if
they have never been away. They are also enjoying playing in
their garden especially on the big slide and their latest
escapade is collecting conkers! When they are not in the
garden, they are desperate to watch ‘Wallace and Gromit’ or
build dens in their bedroom- another new activity introduced
by a very special friend of theirs!
The amount of supportive mail we have been receiving has
been overwhelming and shows no sign of abating. Just as when
we were in Portugal, someone reads every single letter or
card and your kind words really do help us. Thank you! We
have once again been lucky enough to have had friends and
family here helping us. Paul Seddon, the priest who married
us and baptised Madeleine, also came down for a day this
week too. The media presence in Rothley has reduced to a few
photographers now and it has been good to get out and about
a little bit in the village. We have had tremendous input
from the local police who have kept a quiet presence at the
end of the road, allowing us to have some privacy around the
house. The support and kind words we have received from the
local villagers has also helped to make our return that bit
easier.
When we hear of potential sightings of Madeleine, Kate and I
try not to get too excited otherwise we would be on a
continuous emotional roller coaster, more than that which we
are experiencing already. Despite the disappointment, it is
encouraging that people are still being vigilant and have
not stopped looking for Madeleine. This is so incredibly
important to us both. The official advice from the
authorities if you think you have seen Madeleine, or another
missing child, is to call the local police force immediately
and supply
any information which might be critical such as a
car registration or address.
We are planning a quiet family weekend, catching up with
friends and some family who will be coming to visit. We
continue to hope and pray that our lovely little girl will
be back with us soon. |
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Day 145: 25/09/2007
Tuesday |
TO |
Day 147:
27/09/2007
Thursday |
No Update |
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DAY 144 |
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It is just over 2 weeks since we returned home from
Portugal. The major news in that time is that we have not
been charged with any offences regarding Madeleine’s
disappearance. It is encouraging that the prosecutor has
stated that all lines of enquiry remain open and we have not
given up hope of finding Madeleine alive. It is good to see
at least some attention re-focussing on finding Madeleine.
Sean and Amelie have settled back in at home very well but
they do miss their older sister and we talk about her every
day.
For Kate and I it has been incredibly difficult to
come home without Madeleine but particularly in such
circumstances. Our family and friends have rallied round
again as they have throughout this entire nightmare and they
have also helped keep on top of the huge amount of mail from
well wishers. At times our kitchen has looked like a sorting
office! We would like to thank everyone for their support.
It helps us keep sight of the fact that the great majority
of people in this world are good.
Kate and I have been very busy with our legal advisers as we
want to be eliminated from the inquiry as soon as possible
and start concentrating wholeheartedly again on the search
for our daughter. We are very confident this will happen
when all the facts are presented together. We are very
grateful and thankful to have several businessmen who have
pledged financial support to cover legal costs and we were
delighted Clarence Mitchell agreed to help us as an official
spokesman. It is scary and daunting to imagine how we could
have managed to deal with these latter ‘developments’
without such offers of support and commitment. Clarence will
try and minimise the impact of the huge media interest in
Madeleine’s disappearance on us, as we try and return slowly
towards as normal a life as is possible. Although we will
NEVER give up on Madeleine, we have to find the right
balance for
Sean and Amelie so they too do not
suffer
unnecessarily.
In the meantime we will continue to cooperate fully with the
Portuguese authorities. I will update the blog periodically
especially if there is any major development.
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Day 137: 17/09/2007
Monday |
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Day
143: 23/09/2007
Sunday |
No Update |
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DAY 136 |
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Sorry for not updating the blog for such a long time
but obviously we have been incredibly busy during this last tumultuous week. The
entries will probably be every few days or if there is a major development in
the future.
Thank you for all the cards, letters, flowers, gifts and messages of support. It
means so much to us to know that so many people have not been deceived by
rumour, innuendo and wild speculation. Most importantly the search for Madeleine
carries on and our family have
not given up hope of finding her.
Live in Rothley is still a long way off normal with
the large
media presence but
it is beginning to settle down somewhat. We all managed to go to mass today and
it was comforting to pray for Madeleine with friends and family in our local
church. |
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Statement from
the Find Madeleine Fund
15 September 2007 -
Saturday
Director John McCann, said:
“On behalf of the extended McCann
family and the Madeleine Fund, I would like to say how
grateful we are for people's generosity and support.
The main objective of the Madeleine
Fund is to leave no stone unturned in the search for
Madeleine.
To that end I would like to announce
that the Fund will finance a broad range of initiatives
in advertising to remind everyone that Madeleine is
still missing. These adverts will focus on Spain,
Portugal and other parts of Europe and will consist of
billboards and other media. This financing of
advertisements will complement previous efforts by the
Fund and many motivated individuals – family, friends
and people touched by our cause.
I hope that the general public will
continue to support us in this.
It is so important that we remember:
"don't you forget about me"- our lovely wee Madeleine.” |
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Day 133: 13/09/2007 Thursday |
TO |
Day 134: 14/09/2007 Friday |
No Update |
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Statement by
the Board of Madeleine’s Fund:
Leaving No Stone Unturned Limited
12 September 2007 -
The Fund
would like to thank everyone for their kindness,
support and generosity.
Madeleine’s Fund was set up to:
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Find
Madeleine;
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Support the Family; and
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Bring the abductor or abductors to justice
and subject to that to help other
missing children
With the sudden dramatic and
unexpected turn of events at the weekend the
directors had to consider whether legal defence
costs could be paid for by the Fund.
The Board has taken advice from
Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP and Christopher
McCall QC. The Board has been advised that payment
of Gerry and Kate’s legal defence costs would be
legally permissible subject to conditions about
repayment in the event of a guilty conviction.
The directors of the Fund
discussed this today. The two family directors,
Brian Kennedy and John McCann withdrew from the
meeting when the decision was made. Esther Mcvey
chaired the meeting.
The Fund directors realise that
there is not only a legal answer and recognise the
spirit which underlies the generous donations to
Madeleine’s Fund, which it
is the directors’ responsibility to steer.
For this reason the Fund directors have decided not to pay
for Gerry and Kate’s legal defence costs. We stress
that Gerry and Kate have not asked for these
costs to be paid.
However, people have already called in offering their
financial support. Any such fund to pay legal defence
costs would have to be separately set up and administered.
At the heart of this campaign and
Fund is a little girl confused, lonely and in need
of her parents. This Fund’s money will be focused
on finding that little girl and leaving no stone
unturned.
12 September 2007 |
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Day 131 - 11/09/2007
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Tuesday |
No Update |
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DAY 130 |
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The last few days have been incredibly busy and of course,
unbelievably stressful and emotionally draining.
On
Friday Kate and I were made ‘arguido’- official suspects in
Madeleines disappearance. We cannot comment on any details
of the investigation, interviews or any evidence that has
been presented to us. We could never possibly have imagined
being put in this unbearable situation. No specific charges
have been
presented at this point and there has been no restriction on our movements
imposed.
Despite the anguish and extreme distress this has caused all of our family, long
term no one will be able to doubt how intensely Kate and I have been
scrutinised. We have absolute confidence that, when all of the facts are
presented together, we will be able to demonstrate that we played absolutely no
part in Madeleines abduction. Our primary concern has always been the search for
Madeleine and this aspect, that our daughter is still missing, must remain a
priority for the investigation.
On Saturday we asked the Portuguese police if they had any objection to us
coming back to the UK. We had assured them that we will continue to cooperate
fully with the investigation and of course will return as requested and for our
own emotional reasons. We decided to fly back on Sunday as we had originally
planned and all of our family spent the rest of the evening helping us to pack.
On Sunday we left for the airport at 7am with huge media attention. Camera crews
followed us all the way to the airport, and the whole experience, like much of
the last four months was incredibly surreal. The flight itself went quickly with
Sean and Amelie constantly active and excited about returning to Leicestershire.
We always hoped that we would not have to return without Madeleine and could
never have imagined the possibility that we would do so as suspects in our own
daughters disappearance. The pain and turmoil we have experienced in this last
week is totally beyond description. Kate and I are totally 100% confident in
each others innocence and our family and friends have rallied round
unflinchingly to support us. We would like to thank everyone else for the
support we have received since we came home.
We have had very mixed emotions since coming back to our own home. It is very
comforting to have such familiar surroundings and our own belongings and the
twins have settled straight back in as if they have never been away. We have had
numerous visitors with friends and those in official
capacities. We have
appointed solicitors to advise us and assist our Portuguese lawyer in preparing
our defence against any possible charges. The sooner this is done the sooner we
can concentrate fully on trying to find Madeleine, which is the most important
thing through this unending nightmare. |
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Day 127: 07/09/2007
Friday |
TO |
Day 129: 09/09/2007
Sunday |
No Update |
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DAY 126 |
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Everyone will know that Kate attended for interview
as a witness with the Portuguese police today. This is only the second time Kate
has been interviewed and although it was a long day, going on past midnight,
this was shorter than my second interview which lasted
13 hours! The suggestion
that Kate is involved in Madeleines disappearance is ludicrous. Anyone who knows
anything about the 3rd May knows that Kate is completely innocent. We will fight
this all the way and we will not stop looking for Madeleine. |
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DAY 125 |
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We were surprised to find increased media presence
in Praia da Luz again today. We were followed down to church, then to the shops
and back to our accommodation which is very unusual, apart from the build up to
the 100 days. All the excitement seems to be
over the results of the recent forensic tests that again have created a huge
amount of speculation. There has been no official conformation that the report
has been received, or what the tests suggest if anything!
Kate and I went for a run along the coast at lunchtime. It was pretty windy but
still warm enough. Later in the afternoon we went to visit a friend of Kate’s
who is on holiday in a nearby village with her family. They brought lots of
cards from well-wishers at home
and we talked a lot about the search for
Madeleine. The twins had a great time splashing around in a little inflatable
paddle pool, singing songs and being doted on by the older kids.
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DAY 124 |
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Kate and I did our first interview for a French
Publication today. Any interviews we do now, of which we only accept a small
percentage of bids, focus on the issues that we have faced since Madeleine’s
abduction. The French have recently adopted a child alert system with some early
success stories. With increasing travel and movement of workers in the European
Union, it is also important we standardise the way serious crimes are tackled.
This evening we were invited to a friend’s house with the children
for dinner.
The twins had a good time with the other kids in the paddling pool and
especially enjoyed the banana splits with extra child friendly toppings!
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After dropping the twins off Kate and I popped
into church for 10 minutes to pray for Madeleine. Spent most of the day going
through
mail, e-mails and I had a number of calls to make. It was good to
spend
some time with my family and Sean and Amelie certainly
enjoyed their auntie’s dinner- sometimes it is hard to beat mince and ‘tatties’! |
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DAY 122 |
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Another relatively quiet family
day.My mum and sister arrived this morning after we
had been to church. This afternoon we took the kids to a
friend’s house with a pool. Kate and I went for a short run
and then we all had a swim and a couple of treats brought
all the way from
Glasgow!.
Several people have been asking about whether
they should still be putting up posters of Madeleine since I
have said the campaign will be having a lower media profile-
especially of Kate and I. The
advice of the
National
Center for
Missing and Exploited Children is that high visibility of
the missing child through posters, car
stickers etc increases the chances of finding that
child. Kate and I therefore would encourage you to continue
taking posters on holiday and ask permission to have them
displayed in supermarkets, post offices and shops. |
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Today was a very quiet family day with just the
four of us. Kate’s family left first thing this morning. We took Sean and Amelie to a local zoo that they really enjoyed. I managed
to get the blog written early so it is off to bed for
an early night.
In Rothley, our home village, there was a meeting
this afternoon with the four churches all contributing prayers for Madeleine.
We would like to thank everyone who is praying for Madeleine and all those who
have sent us messages of support- you do help to maintain our strength and
focus.
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DAY 120 |
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Those of who you that read the blog
regularly know how difficult it has been for us not to respond to many of the
slurs against our behaviour leading up to Madeleines
disappearance. We have consistently stated that we will not put new information
into the public domain that might jeopardise the investigation and in fact, we
are constrained by Portuguese Law as witnesses from doing so.
There has been some wild speculation reported in the
press about what may have happened to Madeleine. Most of the innuendo regarding
Kate and me has died down in light of the statements from the official
Portuguese Police spokesperson. However last Friday, a Portuguese newspaper
published a front-page headline ‘PJ believes that the parents killed Maddie’.
We firmly believe that the report was speculative, defamatory and published
despite official statements to the contrary.
As well as damaging our personal and professional
reputations, such allegations smear the investigation, the campaign to find
Madeleine and cause great offence and anxiety to all our family. This is why,
after careful consideration, we have issued a writ against the newspaper for
defamation. Our focus has, and always will
be, on doing our best to help find
Madeleine. This lurid allegation is so serious and wide of the mark that we
feel it cannot go unchallenged.
The legal expenses for the proceedings will not be paid
from Madeleines fund.
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Kate and I managed an early morning run, finishing by running up the steep
hill. It got a difficult day for us off to a good start.
Madeleine was due to start school today. It has been hard not to imagine how
excited she would have been and how she would have looked in her school
uniform. Kate and I would like to thank the pupils, parents, teachers and
headmistress for their continued
support and prayers. We would like to wish all
the new pupils much happiness and we hope pray that Madeleine will be able to
join her fellow classmates soon.
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DAY 118 |
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Relatively quiet day. Kate and I did one interview in
the morning for a newspaper- that I managed to finish, probably because the
journalist stuck to questions that I am allowed to give answers to!
This afternoon and evening was mostly spent at my computer and a couple of
hours with the kids. Their constant chatter with each other is quite
entertaining.
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We,
like everyone else, await the results of the forensics from
the recent searches. We do not know who has taken Madeleine
or why. Sometimes people do things for reasons that even
they cannot understand. An act of madness, an accident or
sudden impulse can lead to consequences that people may
never have imagined or intended. Faced with such a situation
we believe any human soul will ultimately suffer torment and
feelings of guilt and fear.
If you have done something you regret, if
you find yourself in a situation you never intended, it is
not too late to do the right thing. Please come forward,
return Madeleine, leave
her in a place of safety. At the very least, help us by
letting us know what has happened to our beautiful little
girl. |
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No major news to report. Most of my day was spent on
e-mails and telephone calls.
Kate I went for a run together in the early evening along
the waterfront and then we popped into church for 10 minutes
to pray for Madeleine. We had dinner with
Kates family who are over here just now. Sean
and Amelie are particularly
enjoying having some older kids around. |
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I attended mass this morning but Kate did not go as she went to the English
speaking service last night. It was good to see the local
parish priest, father Jose back
after a couple of weeks on retreat.
This afternoon was spent with the twins who remain very happy and help Kate and
me keep looking forward.
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Kirsty Wark interviewed me
at the Edinburgh International TV festival this morning. It was very well
attended, especially considering the 9.30 start on a Saturday morning. It is
difficult to explain why Madeleines
disappearance has generated so much media coverage and why it has been so
sustained. I am certain that the coverage would not have been nearly as great
if this had happened 10 years ago. The use of mobile phones, the internet,
low-cost airlines and 24 hour news channels have changed the world we live in-
making it seem smaller. No doubt Madeleines
physical appearance also captured the publics imagination as well as the highly
unusual circumstances of a foreign child being abducted on holiday.
Our family decided to try and make as many people as possible aware that
Madeleine was missing quickly. Family members did frequent TV interviews and
friends distributed images of Madeline to news outlets. My sister started the
electronic campaign proper by sending a chain e-mail with a poster of
Madeleine, which was quickly advertised by Sky and downloaded by thousands of
people. Celebrities, sporting stars and ordinary people wanted to help, almost
certainly because they felt the same feeling of helplessness that we did. After
the first few weeks we fully expected the media attention to die down but this
has just not happened.
Some sections of the media now question their roles in the coverage of the news
story that is Madeleine. Kate and I quickly realised that much of the coverage
was pure speculation, which was often negative and certainly unhelpful for us.
We decided to rely on information only from official sources and this has
certainly helped us remain on a fairly even keel despite some of the lurid
headlines.
I left Edinburgh early afternoon but spent most
of the day travelling as I had to fly back to Portugal
via Luton. I managed to get some work done and
write my blog on the way back. It was great to see
Kate and the kids again after 2 days.
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I started the day early with a pooled telephone interview for the
press to talk about the media coverage of the campaign to find Madeleine in
advance of my interview at the Edinburgh International TV festival. We touched
on the coverage of the investigation and of course the wild speculation and
innuendo being reported in some quarters. Although Kate, our friends and myself
would love to correct much of the inaccuracy we will not divulge information
publicly which might help the perpetrator of Madeleines
abduction cover his tracks.
Travelled to Edinburgh
this afternoon and managed to keep up the aerobic exercise with 25 minutes in
the gym. I then met up with one of our friends who has
been instrumental in
distributing images of Madeleine and who produced the DVD of her to ‘Don’t you
forget about me’. We had a bite to eat and took the chance to update each other
on what has
been happening in the last few weeks.
Off to bed for an early night after speaking to Kate, who has some family
staying with her in Portugal whilst I am in the UK.
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Another early morning start but this time for a series
of radio interviews to discuss the survey of MP’s and
MEP’s. The survey shows overwhelming support for the
introduction of a Europe wide sex offenders
register. There is also support to implement a child rescue alert, using local
media to inform the community when a child has been abducted and felt to be at
serious risk.
There have also been calls for changes in the way child abduction cases are
handled in Europe to provide the best
expertise available, quickly to the investigating police force. We are
uncertain if these measures were in place if it would have made any difference
to us finding Madeleine. Kate and I do hope that future changes in legislation
and practice will help prevent cases of child abduction and also increase the
chances of successfully finding missing children in such circumstances.
Although very serious cases like Madeleine’s (stereotypical kidnapping) are
rare, it is very difficult to determine the scale of the problem, as there is
no consistency in data collection across Europe.
We agree with two leading British Charities (PACT and missing persons) that
such data have to be collected with greater accuracy so that the frequency of
serious crimes against children can be reliably documented- ideally such data
should be available across the EU. Europe is probably 25 years behind the USA in such
regard. Change has been driven by the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children (NCMEC) and by families who have suffered high profile child
abductions.
Travelled back to the UK
tonight to attend to a few personal matters before heading to Edinburgh. I have just heard about the
shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool.
This murder is such a tragic waste of a young life and our heartfelt sympathy
goes out to Rhys family. |
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I had another early morning drive to the airport- I could almost do it with my
eyes shut. After dropping the kids off we had some photos taken with the
results of a survey of UK
and European parliament MP’s. The survey results,
commissioned by the find Madeleine campaign, will be published tomorrow and
demonstrate strong support for changes in European legislation following Madeleine’s
abduction.
Kate is keen to get in touch with a very nice mum, who she spoke with at the
toddler pool in the Ocean Club on Sunday 3rd June. She is sure you will
remember the conversation and Kate would be grateful if you could get in touch
at with her at campaign@findmadeleine.com
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We did manage our early morning run today although not
quite to the top of the hill due to time limitation. After dropping the twins
off at the kids club we did interviews for the 3 biggest selling Spanish
newspapers. The message was that we still believe there is a reasonable chance
Madeleine is still alive and we are still looking for her.
We were also asked about what is being written about the investigation and
pointed out how much of this is pure speculation. We directed them to the
official Portuguese police statements that are very sober in comparison. A
statement was released this evening through the Portuguese news agency LUSA.
This is the translation of what was reported on Portuguese TV station SIC:
The news that points to the existence of an English suspect, close to the
couple,
connected to the disappearance of Madeleine on the 3rd May in the
Algarve, “does not come” from the PJ and has no “logic whatsoever”, according
to what the inspector Olegário Sousa told Lusa. |
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I had a predominately quiet but productive day. I spent most of it at the
computer or on the phone. We keep in regular touch with both the Portuguese and
British police but there has been no major news in the last couple of days.
We did not do any exercise today but plan to run tomorrow morning- especially
as I am off to bed for an early night! |
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I went to the airport this morning to pick up one of Kates
friends who has come out to help for a few days. Kate
went to church this morning as usual. We spent a couple of hours reading mail
and answering e-mails.
Donations to Madeleines fund have topped £1million
pounds. We would like to thank everyone who has donated to the fund and we will
ensure that no stone is left unturned in the search for Madeleine. I will also
ensure that the donations figure on the website is officially updated! The
establishment of the fund, which was created in response to so many people
offering financial assistance, lifted a huge weight off our shoulders. Madeleines fund allows us to make decisions regarding our
search for Madeleine for the right reasons- with the boards
approval of course- and not out of financial necessity. We did hope that the main
objective of the fund would have been fulfilled long before now.
Tonight Kate and I went for a run together. It was the first time I
have been
for 10 days and I definitely feel better for it. I have made a mental note to
get some form of aerobic exercise in at least 2-3 times per week as it does
help me both physically and mentally.
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Kate took our friends to the airport early this morning. Otherwise it was a
quiet family day. We have met some incredibly lovely people in the last few
months. Today we caught up with a fantastic couple that met in London
and lived there for 35 years before retiring to the Algarve. They have been incredibly
kind to us and the twins very much enjoyed the apple cake we had with them.
This afternoon we had a British visitor ho came to offer us a different type of
support. He has been through an ordeal similar to ours involving one of his
family. It was good to talk about our emotions, the pressures and different
coping strategies that we use in an ongoing trauma, with someone who has
experienced a tragic event like ours.
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Relatively quiet day. We are looking at what other
avenues we ca explore which might help us find Madeleine. Obviously we are
desperate for a breakthrough in the investigation and we always try to look
forward and ask what can still be done? The official PJ Spokesman Olegario da Sousa did an
interview for Portuguese TV the other day and we will add the text of this
interview to the news links so everyone can read the full interview.
I still have lots of e-mails and phone calls to answer every day. We spent
quite a bit of time opening and reading all the mail that arrived which
generally encourage us to keep going and not give up hope.
Late afternoon we took the twins to the beach for a couple of hours. The
weather has become warmer again but the kids are still reluctant to get into
the sea, which is pretty cold. They love playing in the sand and like most
kids, building sandcastles but especially knocking them down.
This evening we had another vigil for Madeleine and other lost children. The
priest
who married us and is a good friend led the service that was conducted
in English and Portuguese. The church was almost full but there was a calm
serenity and sense of peace, which I find, helps me achieve an inner calm
despite the turmoil in lives.
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As well as the huge number of messages of
support we have had a large increase in letters of support. We did some photos
of us opening the mail and we received some lovely messages and a few symbols
of hope. Afterwards I made a lot of phone calls and managed to catch up with
all my e-mails.
Late afternoon we were invited round to a friends
house with a pool which the kids and I really enjoyed. We stayed for dinner and
the kids fell asleep on the way back to our house. Our accommodation is a very
modest family home and, most definitely, not a luxury villa, as was reported in
one of the Portuguese newspapers yesterday.
I can confirm that it does not have
a swimming pool, 2 storeys and in fact was amongst the cheapest accommodation
available, at short notice, in Luz in August. I would also like to point out
that Madeleines fund has not paid for any of our
accommodation in Portugal.
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It is the feast of the assumption today, which is a
holiday in Portugal.
This morning we attended mass, which was very busy and again many of the local
community asked after Madeleine and said the word ‘force’, meaning strength.
This afternoon Kate and I did a combined interview for the Liverpool Post and
the Leicester Mercury this afternoon. We said a big thank you to their readers
for all their support and good wishes. |
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Day 103 - 14/08/2007 |
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Relatively quiet day. This allowed me to catch up with
e-mails, phone calls and some
administration. No major news on any front.
The weather has been unseasonably cool over the last 2-3 days. I have had a
long sleeved top on for the first time in over 2 months and it is more pleasant
overnight, making sleep easier. |
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Praia da Luz is slowly returning
to normal. The number of TV crews has reduced dramatically and we have been
able to get back to more of our normal routine here. There is still a large
media presence particularly of print journalists who are waiting, like everyone
else, for the next development in the police investigation. We are still
optimistic that there will be a breakthrough. In the meantime however, little
has changed for Kate and I. We will not give up hope
until Madeleine is found and we will not stop searching for her.
The campaign, as planned, will enter a quieter phase
again. We have always envisaged that media attention focussed on Madeleine and us would quieten down and just occasionally we would try to
remind people that Madeleine is still missing and that we are still looking.
There cannot be many people who do not know these facts after the events of
this last week. As well as the find Madeleine campaign we will be working
closely with ICMEC and it is heartening to see
so many visitors to the YouTube don’t you forget about me channel for
missing
children.
Kate and I would also like to thank the thousands of
people who have sent us messages of support over the last few days. It really
does help and we know that you will keep looking for Madeleine. |
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My brother and his family left early this morning. It was
great having them here for a few days, particularly for the twins to be able to
play with their ‘big’ cousins. They also were a great help to us especially
during these very busy last few days.
We went to mass this morning, which was extremely busy
with all the holidaymakers who are here. There was also a lot of media outside
but the village is starting to return to normal again after the events of last
week leading up to the 100 days since Madeleine disappeared.
A couple of other friends and their daughter
have come out to stay with us this week, which really helps. We had a fairly
quiet afternoon, spent with the kids who remain very happy. They speak about
their big sister
frequently and seem to want to look after cuddle cat as much as mummy! |
