jamesmark Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Whilst back home I was having a discussion re this with my folks and a few others. Wishing that not a hair on the poor girls head comes to harm and a speedy return to safety comes sooner rather than later, what is to be said about the parents Mr & Mrs McCann. No hotel can be 100% safe, even having your children beside you at all times is not a sure fire way to keep them safe just take the late Jamie Bulger. In this case the hotel offered crèche services and it was also quoted in a tabloid that the Reps often offered to babysitt but the parents still decided to leave their children by themselves and young Madeleine being the oldest of the 3 children. The restaurant is somewhat in limbo on how far away it was, the News @ 10 quoted appx 150m. So how can any parent have the common sense to leave 3 children of the age of 3 and under on their own whilst going out for a meal without making sure that their children were safe? How long realistically would it take to walk say even 100m to check if the children were safe? To me it is disgusting although both parents will be going through hell at the moment and that’s not a thing to want for anyone. The Portuguese police may prosecute the parents and I feel that this is 100% correct. Any parent that leaves their child on their own at that sort of age is neglect even when not on holiday, sure there are a lot of if's and buts, the price of child care etc etc but when on holiday why not use the hotels services? Any views on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyT Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Agree totally, if all the facts are in. Just couldn't understand this aspect of the tragedy. Two outwardly appearing intelligent parents leaving the kids alone in a foreign country. Didn't play right in my head. Hope Maddie's ok. Not looking good though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garetheves Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 completely agree mate, have been thinking this myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisSZ Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 I have to agree mate - criminal negligence to leave a small child unattended like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 I remember my parents leaving us as kids in hotels on some kind of babysitting service and my friend's mum and dad left her on a barge whilst they went to the local pub! Maybe that was a few years ago but I still don't think they are completely to blame. Apparently (although I don't know everything) they could see the door to the hotel room but because she was snatched out of a window they weren't to know. I don't think you can compare this to Jamie Bulgar. His mum did take her eyes off him in a busy shopping centre, completely different scenario. We can all pass blame on situations that aren't our own but I think they will be haunted by this for the rest of their lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 totally agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Totally agree. I have been soooo tempted to say this so many times, but thought I'd get shot down in flames. I'm afraid that I think : if you want to act like you don't have children, then don't have children. They absolutely should be prosecuted. Even if this hadn't happened, there are many other things that could have happened when you leave 3 kids under 3 on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesmark Posted May 7, 2007 Author Share Posted May 7, 2007 I have to agree mate - criminal negligence to leave a small child unattended like that! One thing that was quoted in the Sunday Post in Scotland was that there is no Law in the UK what so ever about leaving children on their own at any age, unless they are left and harm can be done to them ie running to the shops and the peas on boil. Matbe Class one can clarify as I always thought that it was illegal to leave kids under the age of 16. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr lover Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 I learnt my lesson couple of years back, stopped outside a cashpoint, not more than 5 metres from the car, kids sat in the back aged 5 & 6, I got out the car, did not lock it, walked to the cash point, no queue, drew some money out walked backed to the car my daughter said to me that a man had just taken my phone and camera, my back was turned for less than 1 minute. NEVER AGAIN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Didn't James Bulger's mother leave him outside a shop while she was inside shopping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Didn't James Bulger's mother leave him outside a shop while she was inside shopping? Yep, she didn't see him walking off because she was shopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 I learnt my lesson couple of years back, stopped outside a cashpoint, not more than 5 metres from the car, kids sat in the back aged 5 & 6, I got out the car, did not lock it, walked to the cash point, no queue, drew some money out walked backed to the car my daughter said to me that a man had just taken my phone and camera, my back was turned for less than 1 minute. NEVER AGAIN Bloody hell! That is scary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesmark Posted May 7, 2007 Author Share Posted May 7, 2007 Apparently (although I don't know everything) they could see the door to the hotel room but because she was snatched out of a window they weren't to know. The ariel shots are not the best but there are a lot of trees between the hotel and the retaraunt. I don't think you can compare this to Jamie Bulgar. His mum did take her eyes off him in a busy shopping centre, completely different scenario. Unsure of the tech behind the sad day of Jamie but was only meant as an example. We can all pass blame on situations that aren't our own but I think they will be haunted by this for the rest of their lives. Am not entirely blaming them. Yeah you can can say "if they had not left them this would not have happened" but like with Jamie or similar they could have been shopping stopped to look at postcards and it could have happened then. No parent can supervise their kids 24/7. It is a sick world that we live in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyP Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Totally agree. Has anyone in the media had the balls to say this? I won't leave my daughter for one second because that's all it takes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPRASUZUKI Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 It's a terrible thing, but a timely warning to all parents ahead of the summer holiday season. It's also worth remembering that there's no such thing as a perfect parent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSheffield Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Agree totally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Whether the parents were right or wrong, negligent or not is really an issue for later. What matters right now is finding the girl. Play the blame game later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merckx Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 I didn't realise that all three children were 3 years old or under. Yes, far too young to be left alone . Too late now though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Whether the parents were right or wrong, negligent or not is really an issue for later. What matters right now is finding the girl. Play the blame game later. I'm not sure how my opinion of her parents behaviour in any way affects the likelihood of finding the girl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesmark Posted May 7, 2007 Author Share Posted May 7, 2007 I'm not sure how my opinion of her parents behaviour in any way affects the likelihood of finding the girl? Very true. I do not think that a discussion on a forum will have an impact on finding the little girl. It is to late now the poor kid has been snatched nothing is going to change this and nothing said now is going to hinder it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annan Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Agree- I can't believe that they left- basically babies- alone. I take my young son with me to restaurants all the time- most places are quite child friendly- At first I thought the parents were your usual chavs who have no problem leaving a newborn in a house full staffy bull terriers- but was surprised to hear that these are intelligent people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merckx Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 On the ITV news they showed a Police car with the Police sitting inside sheltering from the rain, they only got out after the rain stopped to resume their checking of passing vehicles. I don't know how they can sleep at night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imi Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Agree- I can't believe that they left- basically babies- alone. but they were on holiday............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesmark Posted May 7, 2007 Author Share Posted May 7, 2007 On the ITV news they showed a Police car with the Police sitting inside sheltering from the rain, they only got out after the rain stopped to resume their checking of passing vehicles. I don't know how they can sleep at night! Just when you mentioned that, watching news at 10 on reporter said about the police using the dogs, that they only used them for the benifet of the cameras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Another Ben Needham... he's been missing for 15 years now.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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