Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Where's Madeleine?


It appears that authorities are closer to bringing charges against Drs. Kate and Gerry McCann in the disappearance of their 4-year-old daughter, Madeleine. Madeleine disappeared without a trace from a resort apartment in Portugal the night of May 3rd.

The alleged new evidence pointing to the parents as suspects in the child’s disappearance and probable murder consists of blood traces found in the room and hair and body fluids discovered in a car rented by the McCanns. At first, it was reported that Madeleine’s blood had been found in the car. Now it’s being described as bodily fluids, not blood.



Apparently, the Portugese police believe the McCanns killed their child, whether accidentally or deliberately, stashed the body somewhere, and then rented a car nearly a month later to dispose of the body. I am certainly no scientist, but I see a number of red flags with that hypothesis. First, the car in question was rented 25 days after the little girl’s disappearance. Surely an intensive search for the missing child got underway immediately after she was reported missing. One would assume that every inch of the resort grounds and surrounding neighborhood was searched. No sign of Madeleine was found. I find it highly suspect that four months later, DNA in the form of hair and fluids would be found in a car rented after the fact. Where would British tourists, presumably strangers to Portugal, stash a body for 25 days during an exhaustive search? Remember, the McCanns had no transportation until they rented the car 25 days later. Presupposing they did somehow hide the body, how on earth, aside from freezing, would they have camouflaged the obvious effects of decomposition? What fluids would remain in a 25-day-old body? The hair in the trunk said to be Madeleine’s – exactly how much is a “surprising amount?” Is it enough that they're absolutely certain it's not just transfer? For the sake of argument, suppose the McCanns did use the rental car to dispose of the body. How, then, are the police circumventing the question of where the body was in the interim? It certainly wasn’t in the apartment, or on the resort grounds, presumably nowhere in the entire vicinity since it was thoroughly searched for any sign of the child. Where was it? Do they suppose the McCanns were really so crafty and cunning as to secrete the body for 25 days, right under the nose of an international investigation, and then move it to yet another hiding place where it still has never been found?

Unless and until I see much more compelling evidence than this, I’m just not buying it. Obviously, the Portugese police want to solve the case. We all do. This, however (targeting the parents as suspects), seems like an alarming rush to judgment. It doesn't help their case that officials have admitted that the integrity of the crime scene was compromised and that some evidence has actually been lost.

I've read of one police theory that Madeleine died after being given too much sedative. Suppose that were true. Why, then, would there have been the purported blood stains in the room? Over-sedation doesn't cause bleeding. And I find the fact that the blood was discovered so long after the fact, after so many people had trekked through the room, disturbing.

At last report, the case and accompanying police file of evidence (1000+ pages) which supposedly proves that Kate McCann killed her daughter was expected to be turned over to the prosecutor in support of the police push for a manslaughter charge against Kate McCann. Reportedly, detectives believe that they have collected enough evidence for Kate McCann to be charged with the homicide of Madeleine "by failing to prevent her death." Such a charge is equivalent to manslaughter in British law. In addition, she would also face a charge of concealing Madeleine's body. Officers were reportedly furious when a plan for Dr. McCann to be charged on Thursday last week was halted after her lawyer met with Portugal's Attorney General.

The file of evidence turned over reportedly includes lengthy interviews with both Kate and Gerry McCann, after they were made official suspects last week. It also includes details of forensic evidence collected in the McCann's apartment and rented car and the results of surveillance by Portuguese and British police. I would hope that the McCanns are retaining attorneys to plumb that evidence file with a fine-toothed comb.

I believe in justice and I believe that innocent victims deserve justice, but not fake, manufactured justice.

Here are some Words Gone Wild that TWISTED LINGUISTICS dredged up today.

manican - Sex toy for ladies.

halarious - The effects on said ladies of said manicans.

i almosed cryed - What happened to me when the mailman didn't bring my manican.

sabor rattling - Acrobatic circus snakes.

diet regime - A government that controls the masses by doling out treats.






You Would Be a Pet Bird


You're intelligent and witty, yet surprisingly low maintenance.
You charm people easily, and they usually love you a lot more than you love them.
You resent anyone who tries to own or control you. You refuse to be fenced in.

Why you would make a great pet: You're very smart and entertaining

Why you would make a bad pet: You're not interested in being anyone's pet!

What you would love about being a bird: Flying, obviously

What you would hate about being a bird: Being caged


21 comments:

rkfinnell said...

A lot doesn't make sense in the case. As you say there is no way to prevent detection of a rotting body unless the child was put into a freezer after death. Even then if the parents had put her in the trunk of the car after having frozen her how long would it take for decomposition to start? If she had been anywhere nearby-someone would have smelled her-to put it bluntly.

rkfinnell said...

***You Would Be a Pet Cat***


Independent and aloof, you don't like to be dependent on anyone.
And as for other people, you can take them or leave them. You often don't care.
You live your life by your own rules. And you have deep motivations that no one truly understands.

Why you would make a great pet: You're not needy or greedy... unlike other four legged friends.

Why you would make a bad pet: You're not exactly running down to greet people at the door

What you would love about being a cat: Agility and freedom

What you would hate about being a cat: Being treated like a dog by clueless humans

Serena said...

That's my thinking, too, Roxan. Wasn't it summer in Portugal? I don't mean to be callous, but it's a scientific fact that there would have been a detectable odor. I haven't seen any indication that the McCanns had access to a freezer.

Charles said...

I'd want to see video of who rented the car after they turned it in. Sounds like either the police are planting evidence or someone at the resort was, if it were an employee, they would have had access to the room and a freezer. I hate that police have some sick notion that if they can't find someone easily that they further victimize the family of the victim. Just shows how screwed up the system has become.

ThatGreenyFlower said...

We are pet birds together, SJ.

That anyone would murder their own child is too terrible for me to contemplate...so I'm going back to thinking about pet birds.

Corn Dog said...

Sounds all rather far fetched and the reports are very unclear about what evidence the police have that led the judge to potentially consider the parents. I'm afraid I'm suspecting some lame reporting here. I'm not sure the parents are being charged at all.

Serena said...

I don't know who or why, Charles, but it does sound as though some evidence may have been planted.

It is a terrible thing to contemplate, Greeny. Alas, it happens more than we care to think about. I don't think it happened in this case, though.

I don't know, CD. I do think it's true that one or both parents are in danger of being charged. It's been reported in just about every media source in the world.

Anonymous said...

Let me remind you that the expertise comes from one of the BEST forensic experts in the World (British by the way...)

Serena said...

Thank you for that information, Miguel. I don't believe I've heard the names of any of the forensics experts on the case. If they can provide some answers, it will be most illuminating.

Camille Alexa said...

Sereny and Greeny and Birdie all in a bog ol' birdcage together!

Does it surprise you I'm a bird?

Serena said...

It's only natural that our Littlebird Blue should be a ... Birdie.:)

G-Man said...

Holy Bat Guano!!
You sure know your CSI stuff. You sound just like your boss!
Great Investigative Reporting!!
You Rock Serena..xoxox

Serena said...

It's just that loose ends and red flags bug me, G. I wish I did know more CSI stuff.
xoxox

Mona said...

So true. Its highly unlikely that the parents killed the little girl!

Its sad that their sorrow has been doubled by the very authorities who are supposed to help them.

Serena said...

Hopefully, the truth will come out, Mona.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you, this case is getting weirder by the minutes.
It seems like the investigation is being run by the keystone cops.
I have one question, why don't the Mccanns go to Scotland and voluntarily submit to lie detector tests from an unbiased tester.
This would eliminate them and prove they are innocent.
If I were innocent I sure would do it to eliminate myself as a suspect.
tc

Serena said...

That's a good point, TC. It would be in their best interests to submit to polygraphs -- anywhere, any time. If it were me, I'd do it.

Annie Wicking said...

One question I would like answered. Why wasn't the other two children taken when Madeleine was? There were three children left alone where the parents sat having their meal. Plenty of time to take all three.
Don't forget Maddie's eye. You can't change that about her. The other two children would be much easier to hide away.

Best wishes

Annie

Serena said...

My guess, Annie, is that whatever happened to Madeleine, the focus was on her, not the other two children. I suppose that question will be answered if and when the case is solved.

Anonymous said...

there are so many examples of someone killing a close family member and this person dosen't look the type. still were the twins tested for drugs. maybe not soon enough.however,if these dr's did accidently overdose maddy, they are not professionals at it. it's a fact, where could they stash the body with out being detected.are they better at stashing a dead body than the investigators are a finding one? we defintely better think twice on this one?

Serena said...

Hello, Pav. At this point, there are far more questions than there are answers.