Missing Madeleine...

How do you identify a missing child when the information given to the public is misleading and inacurate?   In those crucial days and weeks after Madeleine's disappearance, we were told to look for a small, blonde girl who had a 'special mark' on her eye.  The following photos were released...

Who do we look for?  A blonde little girl, with that special mark in her eye as advised?   None of these photos show a little blonde girl - Madeleine has mousey coloured hair in these photos..  Are we looking for blonde or brown, are we dismissing blonde or brown?  Are we looking for both or looking for neither? 

We are missing Madeleine.

Next the eye.  Against all police and expert advice, the McCanns, family and friends release information about that very special mark on Madeleine's eye, a coloboma. It's only visible when up close - so we can rule out all children who are asleep, far away or not looking at us.

We are missing Madeleine.

Three weeks after Madeleine's disappearance, a photo is released.  Known as the 'pool photo' but one which came to be known as the 'last photo'.  There is no confirmation that this is the last photo, but looks as if it was taken on that fateful holiday.

Surprisingly, this photo shows an altogether different child from the one that we've been looking for in the weeks gone by.

We are missing Madeleine.

And finally, one of the most distinguishing features a person can have - a birthmark.  Not many people know that Madeleine has a chestnut birthmark on her left calf because it's something that the parents or family have failed to mention in any of their interviews or statements.  In fact, the only place where it is publicised is on the Policia Judiciara official missing persons page.  If Madeleine had indeed been abducted, what better feature to look for - easily spotted no matter what size and whatever activity the child is taking part in, especially if she's wearing a skirt, dress or shorts.  Even cropped pyjama bottoms.

We are missing Madeleine.

Who have we been looking for and who are we looking for?  From day one, confusion has reigned.  In the case of a missing child, time is of the essence yet there has been continuous dissaray of information released.  And in the case of the birthmark, information held back.  Smoke and mirrors... why?

Hence, almost 4 years later, it sadly looks like we have missed Madeleine.

The Reward...

By the 12th May 2007, the reward for information leading to the safe return of Madeleine to her family had reached £2.5 million.  The News of the World and several well know business persons contributed generously to the expanding reward.

The happy expressions on the McCanns' faces as they exited the church to the waiting crowd on the 12th May have always been a complete puzzle.  Firstly because it was Madeleine's birthday and secondly because their child had been missing for just 9 days.

12th May 2007 - Day 9

However, maybe they'd just heard from the BBC that the reward had reached a staggering two and a half million pounds?  That really would be something to crow about - all that money being offered by strangers, just to get your child back safely.

Yet the McCanns have systematically failed to mention this humungous reward, kindhearedly donated by other people.  Despite numerous TV appearances, interviews with the media (both televised and in print) and various press statements, you can count on one hand just how many times this reward has been publicised.

Now why would that be?  It should be constantly plugged... a one track multi-million way to get Madeleine home, courtesy of other people.

To date, almost 4 years later this huge reward has receded to a whispering memory. No mention of it is ever made, we don't even know if the reward even exists.  Is it still valid?  The mere fact that it has not been claimed could mean two things... firstly, there is no information available leading to Madeleine's safe return or secondly, those who do have the information are sworn to silence?

The parents claim to need the help of the public and make appeals for information during which they make the customary requests for more cash.  Yet despite the huge amount of money donated to their private limited company (otherwise known as the 'Fund'), the McCanns have never offered any kind of reward themselves.  The parents seem to show more of an interest in drawing people forward for their money rather than their information.


We all know where the Paypal button is, how pop into the Natwest or even stick denominations of our choice into a brown envelope and address it to Kate and Gerry, Rothley.  However, some people need an incentive to loosen their tongues and be drawn out from under that stone.   The McCanns have this huge incentive at their hands, yet bizarrely fail to use it.

Any decent person with a conscience and morals who could provide information should not look for monetary gain in all of this.  So, please, in the name of all that is good... let's have some normality and break that silence.  

Now that would be a reward.

What the Smiths really saw...?

Don't you wish there were more details available about the Smith family sighting, it appears to be the most important sighting in the case.

I believe it to be absolutely more credible than the preferred McCann sighting - Tanner's swarthy man, because a whole family spotted a man hurriedly carrying, not what they believed to be a bundle, but a female child.  The family gave detailed descriptions of her hair, skin and clothing, therefore no way could his encumbrance be construed as a bundle.  They knew for sure this man was carrying a little girl. Mrs Smith was even close enough to ask if she was asleep.

This sighting was so important because it incorporated multiple, corroborating and independent witnesses, yet the McCanns failed to promote it until it was covered briefly in the Channel 4 documentary.  And it was covered incorrectly.  In the Channel 4 documentary, the sighting was filmed in the wrong location.  The sighting took place at the bottom of Rua da Escola, as seen below in Goncalo Amaral's documentary...

Yet, in the Channel 4 documentary, for some reason filming has taken place in a different location...

Strange that... and depicting an abductor carrying the child across the arms - the way Tanner 'would have' and not how Mr Smith described...

"Carrying a child, with the head against his left shoulder and the arms hanging down alongside the body"

How on earth could the McCanns, their Team and the Channel 4 crew get things so important, so wrong?  Right enough, nobody cared where the Wilkins/McCann conversation took place, so none of it really matters?

There are some intriguing pieces of  information resulting from this sighting.  Mr Smith's daughter in her description of the carrier viewed the most mundane thing and promptly forgot about it.  Something  I believe we all do regularly - things which only come back to us when specifically reminded, otherwise forgotten in the depths of the mind.  She spotted the button detail on the man's beige, cotton trousers.  Bit like these ones??

Mr Smith had already made a statement at Portimao police station in May 2007, but on seeing Mr McCann alight from his flight in the UK in September 2007 was shocked to see a similarity between him and the man he saw on the night.

"Is saying that after seeing the McCanns on the news on 9th Sept when they returned to UK he has not slept and is worried sick. He states he was watching the 10 PM news on BBC and saw the McCanns getting off the plane and coming down the steps. He states it was like watching an action replay of the night he saw the male carrying the child back in Portugal. He states the way Gerry was carrying his twin triggered something in his head. It was exactly the same way and look of the male seen the night Maddie went missing . He also watched ITV news and Sky news and inferred it looked like the same person both times carrying the children."

Mr Smith went on to say that his wife agreed with his suspicions, and felt the same way about the similarity.  I believe this is something that cannot be taken lightly - it has been discussed between husband and wife and is a huge step to take in contacting the police again.  After all, a man's life is on the line.  According to the police, Mr Smith was worried and shaken and genuinely concerned by his realisation.  He went ahead and made another statement to include his thoughts and has since been persistently contacted by various sources including Brian Kennedy, supporter of the McCanns.

"He has been contacted by numerous tabloid press looking for stories. He has been contacted by Mr Brian Kennedy who is supporting the McCann family to take part in a photo fit exercise. He has given no stories or helped in any photo fits.

I do not believe that Martin Smith is courting the press and my view his is a genuine person. He is known locally and is a very decent person." 

Detective Branch, County Lough

Mrs Smith did not wish to make another statement.  Could we wonder whether these thoughts and suspicions were already included in her original statement?

Mrs Smith did get close enough to the man and child to establish that she was sleeping, she got close enough to make contact with the man, who averted his eyes and ignored her.

Did she also get close enough to see the birthmark on the child's lower left leg, where her little cropped pyjama bottoms were pushed up due to her being carried? The birthmark that only the police have made public, yet doesn't warrant one single mention from the McCanns?

Did Mrs Smith make a positive identification of the child on that night?

We'll have to wait for the answers to certain questions, because Mrs Smith's statement was never released in the public files.  The big question is 'why?' and could this be the missing piece?...

**With thanks to the fabulous McCannfiles for detailed information on the Smith sighting, please visit and read for yourself.

Believe it... or not?..

From May 2007 we have been pelted with the story of an abduction backed up with many claims of jemmied shutters and a single window of opportunity.  It was a high risk strategy, but the child was 'taken'...

To this day, many still believe that there is only one side of this sad case.  They fail to realise that the management of the Ocean Club and the police reported that the shutters were in perfect working order and that there was no sign of a break-in to the apartment.  Further forensic analysis found no evidence of an abductor.

So, just as a reminder... we are led to believe that 9 professional, responsible adults dined night after night at a local restaurant while their 8 children were left alone in empty apartments. Eight parents and one grandparent apparently felt at ease, closing the doors to their apartment and leaving their children inside without adult supervision?  They all felt comfortable enough to go walking off down the street, around various obstacles and into a restaurant where they also felt comfortable enough to eat, drink and be merry?

Believe it or not?

The McCanns have, in some respect taken the rap for leaving their children alone, simply because one of them vanished.  However, another 7 adults apparently did the same thing.  We all know the distance between the Tapas Bar and apartment 5a, we know that it's out of sight and can't be monitored while sitting in the restaurant. What people fail to realise is that the McCanns apartment was actually the closest to the restaurant.  All the other apartments were further away and took even longer to 'check'.

Believe it or not?

Rachel Oldfield actually insisted that her husband check on their daughter because it was dark and scary.  A daughter who was so ill with a stomach bug that the smell from her nappy hit you upon entering the apartment.  Yet this mother and father left their poor child alone, in a dark, scary place while they dined and drank with friends?

Jane Tanner and Russell O'Brien's apartment was also further away from the restaurant than apartment 5A.  They also had a sick daughter.  So sick that Mr O'Brien apparently had to do a full bed change.  Yet here are another couple who felt comfortable enough to leave their sick child alone while they dined and drank with friends?

Believe it or not?

I really don't know what we're expected to believe... it's all so unbelievable.

"My reason for writing is simple - to give an account of the truth."

Why is an account of the truth now being written in book form?  Will this benefit the McCanns' private limited company only or will there be a donation to a genuine registered charity for missing children, which the McCanns have previously latched onto?  

Surely it must firstly be written in the Book of PJ to benefit Madeleine, then taken a step further and novel written to benefit her family?...   Four years later, are we to consider that everything we've heard to date may not be true, if Kate McCann now decides it's time to 'give an account of the truth'?

Neglect, abduction, homicide, simulated kidnap, hiding of a cadaver.  There are many sides to this terrible, sorry state of affairs... sadly I don't believe half of it will make it amongst the predicted fluffy words.  On a positive note... it may come with a removable wipe-clean cover, perfect for jotting down those cobbled timelines...

Believe it or not...?

Words cannot describe...

...the anticipation of the release of the McCanns' book, 'Madeleine' in April 2011.

We can eagerly await the detailed and descriptive narrative of Madeleine's disappearance through the eyes of her parents - maybe now we'll be able to iron out those annoying inconsistences that so far have gone unexplained...?  Or maybe not?

The jemmied shutters... the locked doors... Will we discover who was responsible for those comforting words... it was all within the realms of responsible parenting? Will there be a whole chapter devoted to Ms Tanner's 'abductor' or will it be minimal like her initial description.  Maybe her swarthy man will pop up here and there throughout the book, everchanging like he did in real life.   What put those joyous, relieved smiles on the McCanns' faces when they emerged from church on the 12th May, just 9 days after Madeleine vanished - was it because it was Madeleine's birthday or perhaps the arrival of Father Seddon?  Will they give us their thoughts on the disturbing scent of cadaver emanating through their belongings, apartment and car?  Their thoughts on the Gaspar statements, and who really fingered Murat?

Questions, questions... there are a myriad of things that could be explained, yet they won't be.  I have a feeling this book will not be an accurate account of happenings in Praia de Luz, but a slushy, fluffy attempt at regaining sympathy and more money for the hard-done-by parents, just like the Channel 4 documentary.

"Every penny we raise through its sales will be spent on our search for Madeleine. Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl."

Really?  Can we presume that every penny of the book sales will be going into its own account, separate from the Madeleine Fund?  The Madeleine Fund account is not solely for the 'search' as we have discovered over the years.  In the first year £2 million was raised and only 13.3% was used to fund the search, approximately £250,000.  So if every penny raised through sales of the book is to be spent on the search for Madeleine, it can't just be put into the mixing pot with the mortgage payments, lawyers fees, public relations, travel or any other costs, can it?

After all, the Madeleine Fund isn't some kind of aid or charity is it?  No, it's the McCanns' own limited company on which they sit as directors.  Are generous folks giving to help pay the McCanns' PR gurus, their many lawyers?  No, people actually give money with the intention of aiding the search for this doe-eyed little girl, yet her parents sit on the board of directors and actually influence the decision as to where that money goes and what its spent on, maybe the search?  Maybe not?  Mr McCann recently said in an interview that they try to run the fund like a small business, well that's exactly what it is... a cash cow.

The McCanns refuse to speak to the police, refuse to aid in the investigation and they refuse to use their legal right to reopen the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance.    No need to worry about how much money is left, because with the police conducting the official investigation, it won't cost anyone a penny.  Their friends refuse to return to Portugal to take part in a reconstruction of that fateful night, why are these people still on the McCanns' Christmas card list?  The pretence that there is no law enforcement agency looking and that they need more money to search is aided and abetted by the shameful British media who have forgotten that this is all about a missing child.  They selectively report and fail to mention all of the above, preferring instead to advertise the diminishing money pot and encourage people to donate to the Fund Ltd.  

After the latest tete-a-tete with the media, we get an idea as to how the land lies. According to her parents, Madeleine is either languishing in the dungeon of a swarthy pervert or being treated like a princess by a loving couple.  Whatever, she'll be giving them her tuppence worth... but we can now surmise that she won't be found by the end of April next year and that she won't be passing by any bookshops where she may recognise her name, photo or parents on the cover of a book.  The only mention Madeleine gets is in relation to the book title with her name being yet another good marketing ploy.

"Our hope is that it may prompt those who have relevant information - knowingly or not - to come forward and share it with our team. Somebody holds that key piece of the jigsaw,"

Share it with our team?  That is ten shades of wrong... and just what is that piece of information they're looking for?  It keeps getting a mention - is there only one piece of the jigsaw missing, just one key and not a whole set?

Words are no good whatsoever unless they're said to the right people.  The only people who wish to hear your version of the truth Mr and Mrs McCann, are the police.  Unfortunately this is without self gain, but the person who really matters will benefit.

Madeleine deserves justice for a fair search.

Zahra Clare Baker, Rest in Peace.

Zahra Clare Baker

An innocent child who had everything to live for.

My heart breaks.  Rest in peace, little one...

The only stone worth turning... left unturned.

The scene is set... Lisbon Court steps, February 2010.  

Kate and Gerry McCann face the press pack and questioning from several journalists.  One journalist in particular asks probably one of the most important questions since the case was shelved, his words are in italics.

~ You ask the Portuguese people to come forward , what do you have to say if they ask you why are you not reopening the case?

GM - We'd be delighted if the case was reopened, we have no problem with that.

~ A reconstruction - if you volunteered to do a reconstruction, wouldn't that open the case?

GM - We want to create information that will lead us to helping find Madeleine.

~ That will help Madeleine.

GM - Well, if it does, then, you know, we will participate.

~You're in Lisbon today - you could take that step today, ask for the case to be reopened.

GM - Look, we're going round in circles.  We'd be more than happy for the case to be reopened.

November 2010 - the McCanns are in Lisbon once again, not for Madeleine but to meet their lawyers and PR representatives.  Recent reports stated that the Portuguese police were happy to work with the parents.  Legal sources in Portugal advised that they should use this meeting as an opportunity to instruct said lawyers to draft letters to both the Judiciary Police and the Attorney General to request the reopening of the investigation.  This is not something new, it is the McCanns' legal right and has been since the case was shelved.  Over the years they have not taken up this right for some strange reason and instead choose to mislead the public by insisting that they need monetary donations to fund their own search.

It appears that yet again that they have chosen not to request the reopening of the case and would rather have a review of the information already gathered.  A review instead of an ongoing official investigation. What will a review tell us?  It will tell us that the McCanns and their friends should complete the requested reconstruction and all unanswered questions should be answered.  

They are persisting with their stunt of a review petition, delaying the search for Madeleine even further by declaring that they will wait until the petition has 100,000 signatures before acting upon it.  And in the meantime they will publicly ask for more money to fund an unnecessary private search.

The McCanns say that they will leave no stone unturned.  But by their own strange actions and words, it is quite evident that they are themselves hampering the search for Madeleine.

**

McCanns speak to press outside Lisbon Court, February 2010

** Thanks to SMC for the fab photo

The Malice of Keir Simmons...

I had thought about taking the mantle and writing something about Keir Simmons, but really... is he worth the bother?

Keir Simmons' views on the McCanns are so outdated they have almost fossilised, his comments about the 'poor parents' are something I would have expected to hear from yesteryear when sympathy for them had reached its peak.

The realisation that missing Madeleine's case is perhaps not what it seemed, is dawning on the public.

The public know that the McCanns allowed the investigation to be shelved and they know that the McCanns and their friends refused to aid the investigation.  They also know that throughout the past three and a half years, the McCanns have failed to use their legal right to reopen the investigation.  The final cherry on the cake is the spending of millions of pounds of other people's money, yet they're still asking for more.  I am sure Keir Simmons is no fool, and also knows this.

Despite not taking the proverbial carrot from Simmons on Twitter...

These people say they are ‘truth seekers’. They are not. What they write is just nasty, obsessive and vicious. They are not journalists, not even campaigners, they represent the worst of the human psyche electronically unleashed.

Understandably a lot of people did respond to this unnecessary baiting because this is a nasty, obsessive and vicious thing to say.  A lot of good people have followed the case and want nothing but justice for Madeleine.  Genuine people who see nothing but biased reporting and a British media who have forgotten about the one and only victim in this case - Madeleine McCann.  Poor Madeleine - remember?  People who are bizarrely condemned for one thing - not supporting the parents.  

Simmons' dated views come as no surprise as he is probably touting for the next McCann interview, however for him to use his stance and platform as UK Editor with ITV is an utter disgrace and he should be ashamed of himself.  Especially as he is most probably directing his comments at his own viewing public and that of ITV in general.

His whining, hypocritical final paragraph says it all...

I worry that by allowing them to communicate with me, by effectively engaging with them, I am encouraging them. Perhaps it’s time for me in my own small way to say ‘stop’, I’d like to know what you think. Please send me your views on Twitter (ironically) or Facebook.

Oh poor me, poor me, pour me another.  Stop playing the martyr and take a piece of your own advice... 'stop' and use your BLOCK button.  That's what it's there for, you won't be missed.  Unfortunately for you, you've shot yourself in the foot and will no longer be taken seriously as an unbiased 'investigative' journalist.  And certainly won't be trusted again by the many decent people who only want the truth.

Anyway, let's do what the British media should be doing and contemplate what Kate and Gerry McCann will do when they attend their lawyers in Lisbon tomorrow. Will they, as advised, take up their legal right to have the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance REOPENED and instruct their lawyers to write to the PJ and Attorney General?  Or won't they?

I wait with anticipation, as I'm sure you all do...

I BEG... TO DIFFER.

I hate that feeling of helplessness... when you feel like you're a lone voice struggling under a tide of disbelief and absurdness.  As all around, the madding crowd give airtime and column inches to one of the most bizarre press releases yet in the history of this off the wall case.

This week we've been treated to the well planned press conference in quaint Quorn with wispy, atmospheric photo shots taken in some obscure, leafy grounds.  The details of this press conference and its accompanying choice shots were (in true McCann fashion) delayed and embargoed for release.

Details of this latest appeal included a request for a review of the case because they 'STILL dont have ALL the information', the request that the public sign their online petition for a review and the customary appeal for more money.

There are a few things that niggle me about this latest appeal - one is the statement 'we STILL don't have ALL the information". Why should they? They're not part of the Portuguese or British authorities responsible for the case.  This case is not closed... and even without the 'suspect' tag, they're simply members of the public - there's no way they should have access to ALL the information.  It does make one wonder how Mr McCann knows there's still information there that he wants, and makes one wonder just what it is...

The other niggle I have is the latest news on the fund - the fund which is the McCanns own COMPANY, registered at Companies House and of which has their questionable presence as directors, counting the coins and deciding how they're spent - along with other directorial family and friends.  Anyway, why is the balance of the account such a mystery?  An acurate balance is never readily available, always a round pound.  It's easy enough to do, we all know how much we have in our accounts most of the time, why can't we get a precise figure from them.  If you were laden with such an important bank account as the Madeleine Fund, to aid the search for your beloved missing daughter surely you would be checking that amount on a daily basis.

We've been told how much money is spent on various bits and bobs, from t-shirts to prayer cards, rubber bands to 24hr telephone lines.  But please would someone get to the nitty gritty and tell us how much was spent on those lawyers and how much those mortgage payments were.  The 'transparent' accounts are as clear as mud, and I would really like to know how much Dave Edgar spends on the search. Mr McCann stated in the Channel 4 interview that Mr Edgar was accountable for that side of things.  Is Mr Edgar even aware of this?

We have a figure of £300,000 being bandied around.  The fund will be empty by next Spring and they need more money.  There is forward planning, but they seem to always know in advance that Madeleine won't be found by a certain time. Amongst many, the one year anniversary event springs to mind... the event that was being planned just 4 weeks after Madeleine vanished.  Can we safely say that Madeleine won't be found by next Spring then?  How bloody awful!

The impromptu reappearance of the begging bowl also has strange timing.  The bowl is back only a short time after we online nutters discovered that the banning of Dr Amaral's book, Maddie - the Truth of the Lie had been overturned, was to be deposited back on the shelves and that the McCanns had to pay all court costs.  I say we online nutters, because no news of the unbanning was particularly reported in the media.  In some cynical quarters that could be construed as deliberate timing... they lose the appeal, have to pay court costs then decide to make an appeal for more money? Even though they have over a quarter of £1m in the bank.  According to Channel 4, the book is soon to be on the shelves in the UK.

What are they doing about this depleting money?  Are they doing what most of us would do - making savings and cost cutting here and there?  Doing the local Sunday car boot?  Selling their belongings on eBay?  Has Mr McCann got his own standing order or direct debit from his monthly wage at Glenfield direct into the fund account?  Or what about his other wage with Spire Healthcare at the private Spire Leicester Hospital?  Have any family members remortgaged or sold their houses, like Philomena McCann stated they would way back in the day?  Or is the Madeleine Fund providing support, including financial assistance, to Madeleine's family and allowing them all to stay in their own homes?  Are they doing any of these things to preserve the account, or do they just want everybody else's money? Questions, questions.  Another trend... never answered.

That takes us onto the petition for the review of the investigation.  It's been said before that a review won't help Madeleine, it's simply a paper-pushing exercise. Madeleine is missing NOW, today and needs the official investigation into her disappearance to be OPEN and currently investigating all leads.  I don't understand why the McCanns aren't screaming this from the rooftops and demanding the reopening.  Instead they want a review.  How can you review something that's incomplete?

Wouldn't you expect a petition of such importance to be hosted on the Number 10 petition site, the official government site.  After all, this petition is to be presented to the government.  Bizarrely enough it's not hosted on the official site, but on a basic one whose default settings are set to accept multiple signings from any name, email or IP address.  A comment on the petition states that duplicate names will be removed when the petition closes.  Does this also apply to duplicate IP addresses? Giving the benefit of the doubt, as the Number 10 site doesn't accept non-British signatories, perhaps the McCanns chose this site to appeal to a wider audience. However, wouldn't the rapid count still have been achieved with the 'support' the McCanns claim to have from their fellow Brits.  Or perhaps it would still have been achieved anyway...

I came across another petition whilst I was visiting one of the many forums.  This petition is calling for the reopening of the case instead of a review and I have it on good authority that it's default settings have now been changed to accept unique IP addresses only.  It's plodding away as we speak at just over 200 signatures, which is a small voice gaining momentum and supporting the reopening of the case.

One comment (which has now been removed) was of the opinion that the petition had been set up by the 'enemies of the McCanns' and 'not to waste your time signing' with a link to the McCanns' petition... what a bizarre and slightly unnerving thing to say.  An individual supporting the McCanns yet encouraging people NOT to support the reopening of the case.  There is something quite dark and sinister about that side of things which at the moment cannot be explained.

In the interests of fairness, I'll provide links to both petitions - sign whichever you prefer.

Petition to REOPEN the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance

Petition to REVIEW the case files in the Madeleine's investigation

I'll leave you with this one thought... just how can you review something which is incomplete?

JUST STOP!! THE McCANN CHARADE - REOPEN OR REVIEW?

The McCanns seem to be going to a lot of trouble in order to avoid the simple request of reopening their missing daughter's case.

After the embargo on yesterday's press conference and idyllic posed photos, today we've seen a concerted effort from the McCanns to have the case not reopened, but reviewed.  In stark contrast of the British media's failure to report the overturning of the ban on Goncalo Amaral's book, we have been literally bombarded with the McCann spin of review and the customary begging bowl being shoved in our faces.

Review or Reopen?

A review will not help Madeleine - this is simply a paper pushing exercise which is utterly pointless and the status quo will continue.  Madeleine will still be missing, the McCanns will continue to thrust that begging bowl for what they seem to think is their entitlement to other people's money.  No one will be actively investigating why Madeleine is missing, what happened to her and where she is.

Reopening the case will ignite the search for Madeleine by the proper people. Instead of the Team of Four supping tea in darkest Leicestershire and attempting to cover the planet, Madeleine will have a huge taskforce and endless resources on her side in the shape of the Portuguese and British authorities and other interconnected bodies.

Reopening the case is easy - the McCanns and their friends simply have to agree to attend the reconstruction requested by the police, the one which they initially failed to turn up for.  It would also be helpful if the mother would answer the questions she failed to answer in the first place.  All 48 of them and she needs to answer these questions today.

The father stood on the steps of a Lisbon court, when he was hit with an off the wall surprise question.  Will you be requesting that the case be reopened?...  He said yes. Another lie?

"...NO police force has proactively been doing anything to help us find Madeleine."

"There's no law enforcement that's been pro-actively doing anything for 18 months."

"No police force is actively doing anything for Madeleine and we think that's completely unacceptable,"

It beggars belief that the parents have such gall and can actually make the above comments with a straight face.  The fact that there is no police force actively or pro-actively searching is their own fault - they allowed the case to be shelved in the first place and have it within their power to have it reopened.

We all know that the reopening of the investigation is the best thing for Madeleine.  It's what she deserves and something which would receive the backing of everyone, except the guilty party of course.  Shame her parents don't seem to agree.