The McCann's used the fund to pay their mortgage!!!

[Ms Macbeth 73]

I believe the parents know exactly what happend to thier daughter and are holding out...

 

They were WAY TO CALM on tv!!!!!

 

Why do you think that? Would it have been more realistic had they behaved like the people on the Jeremy Kyle show? I can't really believe anyone could make a judgement on them because they presented a less than hysterical image on TV. I think Kate McCann is like a shadow of her former self. The fact that she still makes herself presentable in public doesn't point to her guilt either.

[MartynB 10]

I believe the parents know exactly what happend to thier daughter and are holding out...

 

They were WAY TO CALM on tv!!!!!

 

And if they were hysterical then they would be "over acting to hide their guilt". This is the problem with the media coverage, it might have helped raise a fund to find their daughter but it also leaves them wide open to criticism, rumour etc. For those trying to make a comparison to the Ben Needham story, I wonder how his parents would have felt with the level of public accusations the McCann's have received. Yes, there's a bigger fund and more media coverage but it's come at one hell of a price!

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm far from in the "pro-McCann family corner", like I said in an earlier post, what idiots leave kids of that age alone in the first place?

[fabulous_girl 10]

as far as i can see- if they used it to make up one or two payments while they are hunting for their daughter, its fine. that money is for finding maddy, and as someone said they cant work while they are devoting their lives to finding her, so this is just a cost of living while they hunt for her.

 

If they have used it on the other hand to clear their mortgage then this is not ok.

 

but then who knows. they might have been JUST about to pay it off anyway, and the money they used from maddys fund happened to fund that last payment.

 

I still think maddy is genuinely missing. the odd thing happens in the press to make the wonder otherwise, but i still believe otherwise. surely if they were vicious killers they wouldnt have publicised her disappearance, and just carried on as normal instead and hoped nobody noticed she was gone

[MartynB 10]

The full objects of the Find Madeleine fund are:

1.1.1 To secure the safe return to her family of Madeleine McCann who was abducted in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on Thursday May 3, 2007;

1.1.2 To procure that Madeleine’s abduction is thoroughly investigated and that her abductors, as well as those who played or play any part in assisting them, are identified and brought to justice;

1.1.3 To provide support, including financial assistance, to Madeleine’s family.

1.2 If the above objects are fulfilled then the objects of the foundation shall be to pursue such purposes in similar cases arising in the United Kingdom, Portugal or elsewhere.

 

I think a couple of mortgage payments fit well into 1.1.3 ???? 1.2 is also worth noting.

 

Also, since they were officially made suspects, the payments from the fund have stopped. This was agreed both by the McCann's and the Trustees of the fund. Since the payments stopped, Mr McCann has had to go back to work part-time in order to financially support the family. Imagine trying to concentrate on work and look for your child at the same time? In their situation, I think I would have been very grateful for the financial assistance they received from the fund and screw anyone who criticises it.

[Rotherhamer 10]

I find the words actively searching very confounding,to me searching means getting off your backsides and looking,I havent seen any evidence that the Mc Canns have ever done that,at first they were swanning around the world .spain etc even the Vatican,I dont think they would have much chance of finding her there,and for the last three months they have been stuck in England,doesnt sound like actively searching to me,Ok they have two more children to think about but they also have familys who can help there surely they could leave the other two with their grandparents whilst they were actively searching.ok its not the ideal situation but the kids wouldnt be neglected and surely Madeline must come first.I said on here a long time ago that if any of my children or grandchildren went missing there is no way I would have left the place where they went missing unless I knew I were wasting my time,money wouldnt have come into it I would have sat on the road outside the hotel and begged for food and slept on the roadside if I had to and to be fair I think any parent would feel the same way.

Im sorry if it upsets people but Iv said all along from the begining that theMc Canns reactions have looked wrong and judging by the people on here who have done a complete u turn it seems Im not alone in thinking this now,No matter what I think of the Mc Canns as parents and people I honestly wish I could wave a magic wand and bring the girl home safe and sound I personally dont think that will ever be possible but you never know.

Whatever has happened to her I just hope that somehow the case can come to a conclusion,if she is dead at least find the body and lay her to rest in peace and if not and she is permanently missing I hope that whoever has got her treats her in a loving way.

[MartynB 10]

So paying experts in the field a stack of money isn't active? How much can two people from relatively "normal" lives do themselves? Flying around the world following up leads, gaining advice and support, hiring specialist PI's etc isn't active??? You're also forgetting that although set up by family and friends as the Trustees, the fund is a separate entity from the McCann's themselves and as a registered charity also has to abide by the laws/rules that govern such organisations.

 

If they were wandering aimlessly around Portugal in sandals and not eating for days at a time would that satisfy your idea of active? If you were in their situation, where would you start - would you even know where to start? They aren't police officers or PI's

[Rotherhamer 10]

So paying experts in the field a stack of money isn't active? How much can two people from relatively "normal" lives do themselves? Flying around the world following up leads, gaining advice and support, hiring specialist PI's etc isn't active??? You're also forgetting that although set up by family and friends as the Trustees, the fund is a separate entity from the McCann's themselves and as a registered charity also has to abide by the laws/rules that govern such organisations.

So the pope had a lead on this?

Sorry for the sarcasm but I stand by my post and state again..if my kids went missing I would want to there searching..even if I had to knock on every door in Portugal personally

[F. Sidebottom 10]

So the pope had a lead on this?

Sorry for the sarcasm but I stand by my post and state again..if my kids went missing I would want to there searching..even if I had to knock on every door in Portugal personally

 

To bring up an earlier argument then, why isn't Ben Needham's mum out in Spain looking for him?

 

Do you not think that the Mcann's have had the best advise going? And that the advise given is that they are best going home and trying to get on with their lives and letting the experts find her.

 

It's gone beyond knocking on doors now.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

So the pope had a lead on this?

Sorry for the sarcasm but I stand by my post and state again..if my kids went missing I would want to there searching..even if I had to knock on every door in Portugal personally

 

Maybe they thought that the person who has abducted their daughter was Catholic?

 

You would go knocking on doors and ask if anyone inside has your daughter? I really do not think that that would really work. The McCanns have actually done a better job than you would have as they have managed to knock on most of the doors in the Western world through their appeals.

[kittenta 10]

F.Sidebottom - I never said they were so rich as you put it. if that was the case they wouldn't need help with the morgage payments would they . You are also missing the point that i said DOWNSIZE their property as a last resort, I didn't say sell everything and make them homeless. The cars I said buy cheaper to raise some cash.

 

I've also covered the others kids clothes comment, that's just being plain silly, sorry. As for other items I haven't attempted to say what they have and haven't got, I said FOR EXAMPLE, read my posts again.

 

Actively looking for their child and actively raising funds themselves are two entirely different things. I personally would feel ashamed of using other peoples money if I wasn't actively contributing money to the fund myself.

 

I also notice that you were quite happy to claim that mine was a ridiculous argument but failed to answer my question as to why.

 

Heavenlyarts - If it is the case that they have been doing these kind of things to help the fund themselves then it should have been made public. Keeping things such as this private only creates complications for the family. And as i said before, i have no problem apologising if it is proven that they have been doing everything they can to add to the funds.

 

So, lets clarify my opinion shall we for those that keep asking the same question? Yes the Mc Canns should recieve financial help for anything that they genuinly need BUT they should also be seen actively doing what they can to help raise funds from their own estate, without selling the kids clothes !!!FOR EXAMPLE!!! - Say their morgage was £1000 a month. If they had sold/auction items to the value of even £300 then give them the other £700. If however they just thought, oh there is a fund, we'll keep all our uneeded items and use a £1000 from the fund then yes i think there is a problem. That £300 they didn't bother to try and raise could have paid for something important in the active search for maddie. Do we get it now???

[MartynB 10]

said on here a long time ago that if any of my children or grandchildren went missing there is no way I would have left the place where they went missing unless I knew I were wasting my time,money wouldnt have come into it I would have sat on the road outside the hotel and begged for food and slept on the roadside if I had to and to be fair I think any parent would feel the same way.

 

And you would be wasting your time, efforts, money and welfare of the rest of your family. Instead, you could raise money to pay professionals to be a lot more effective. OK, so the Pope won't exactly be wandering around Portugal looking for their daughter but involvement from the Vatican is great PR and great PR brings in cash which brings in Professional help that will hopefully bring in results. If you look at the success rate of the PI company they are using when it comes to tracing missing children, it should be obvious why they are paying a small fortune for their help.

 

If indeed the McCann's are innocent and this isn't all for show then I would say their focussed and well advised efforts in finding their daughter should be a good example to anyone else who finds themselves in this situation as to just how much assistance can be found around the world rather than running around like a loose cannon being fuelled only by emotion rather than common sense.

[Rotherhamer 10]

Maybe they thought that the person who has abducted their daughter was Catholic?

 

You would go knocking on doors and ask if anyone inside has your daughter? I really do not think that that would really work. The McCanns have actually done a better job than you would have as they have managed to knock on most of the doors in the Western world through their appeals.

It was a figure of speech other people will understand where I am coming from there,it seems to have passed way over your head