IS MADELEINE'S DISAPPEARANCE VERY DIFFERENT TO THAT OF APRIL'S?

Another little girl has gone missing – April Jones – I sincerely hope she is found safe and well and I am thinking of her every minute.

However, this latest case has started me thinking about how it compares to Madeleine’s case, rightly or wrongly.

The most obvious difference is that Madeleine was tucked up in bed we are told, whereas April was playing outside at the time.

The second most obvious difference is that Madeleine was discovered missing at 10pm and her parents were in front of the cameras early next day, whereas April was discovered missing at 7.30pm and still nothing heard from her parents.

If there is a ‘normal’ reaction, which is it most likely to be?

The third most obvious difference is that the other children with whom April was with at the time saw her going off in a light coloured vehicle, whereas no-one saw Madeleine, apart from Jane Tanner’s ‘sighting’, which is proved to be unreliable. I doubt the friends of April Jones would be so unreliable – I find children to be very truthful and accurate usually.

Another potential difference is whether or not April’s parents have joined in the search.

Many members of this site have criticised Madeleine’s parents time and time again for not physically searching – have April’s parents physically searched?

If not, are we being unfair on parents that do not join a search under such circumstances?

Just watching the news about April the volunteers are feeling great frustration because they are not searching but instead are waiting around in a community centre to be put into groups for a proper co-ordinated search. Is this the right way to go about it after all?

We have all put the world to rights since Madeleine disappeared. We have all acted like experts in what should happen. Some of us have even gone as far as to say if this happened in Britain it would be different. So, is it, I ask?

I note the latest now is that the police are not releasing a sketchy account of what the abductor looks like, because it is so vague, going by what the child witnesses say, whereas Madeleine’s parents insisted on giving out a vague description, followed by another and another…

There is much food for thought on the rights and wrongs of how to react when a child goes missing under such circumstances that it is believed to be a stranger abduction.

LJC wrote:Another little girl has gone missing – April Jones – I sincerely hope she is found safe and well and I am thinking of her every minute.

However, this latest case has started me thinking about how it compares to Madeleine’s case, rightly or wrongly.

The most obvious difference is that Madeleine was tucked up in bed we are told, whereas April was playing outside at the time.

The second most obvious difference is that Madeleine was discovered missing at 10pm and her parents were in front of the cameras early next day, whereas April was discovered missing at 7.30pm and still nothing heard from her parents.

If there is a ‘normal’ reaction, which is it most likely to be?

The third most obvious difference is that the other children with whom April was with at the time saw her going off in a light coloured vehicle, whereas no-one saw Madeleine, apart from Jane Tanner’s ‘sighting’, which is proved to be unreliable. I doubt the friends of April Jones would be so unreliable – I find children to be very truthful and accurate usually.

Another potential difference is whether or not April’s parents have joined in the search.

Many members of this site have criticised Madeleine’s parents time and time again for not physically searching – have April’s parents physically searched?

If not, are we being unfair on parents that do not join a search under such circumstances?

Just watching the news about April the volunteers are feeling great frustration because they are not searching but instead are waiting around in a community centre to be put into groups for a proper co-ordinated search. Is this the right way to go about it after all?

We have all put the world to rights since Madeleine disappeared. We have all acted like experts in what should happen. Some of us have even gone as far as to say if this happened in Britain it would be different. So, is it, I ask?

I note the latest now is that the police are not releasing a sketchy account of what the abductor looks like, because it is so vague, going by what the child witnesses say, whereas Madeleine’s parents insisted on giving out a vague description, followed by another and another…

There is much food for thought on the rights and wrongs of how to react when a child goes missing under such circumstances that it is believed to be a stranger abduction.

You've obviously not been listening to news bulletins about missing April. I don't know whether April's parents have searched for their little girl, but hundreds of residents, who in my mind are volunteers, joined the police and were out all night searching for little April. They are still out searching for her.

They have been searching the local parks, the cemetary and anywhere else where they feel April could have been taken to. The last time I listened to the news, the volunteers were still out searching for her.

As for her parents, I don't know if they have searched for her or not, but if one of them hasn't got off their backsides to go and look for her, they are as bad as the McCanns. Most people who have children, have an inbuilt feeling, to want to protect them from harm.

When Madeleine was supposedly discovered missing by her parents, I could understand one of them staying in their apartment, with a couple of their mates and all of their children, while the other one along with their friends, frantically searched for their little girl. As it turned out, the McCanns and their mates, went straight back to the apartment and began doing things that could have waited every inch of Praia da Luz had been searched by at least one of the McCanns and some of their mates.

Kate McCann gave two excuses for not searching for Madeleine, one of the excuses was, that it was too dark. The other excuse she gave, was because they were non functioning for 48hrs. Less than 48hrs after Madeleine went missing, the twins were back in the creche and the McCanns had resumed their early morning runs.


In Kate McCann's book of sex and lies, she stated that she and her husband went out searching in the early hours and everyone had gone home. She proved once again, what a liar she was, because if she and her husband had been out searching for Madeleine, they would have bumped in to the GNR who had all their leave and rest days cancelled and the locals who stayed off work for more than a week, to search for Madeleine. The staff from Warner and some holidaymakers also joined in the search for Madeleine, but I don't know if they were out all night.

A GNR officer said he saw the McCanns standing in the street, near to where the makeshift GNR HQ had been set up, his statement is in the PJ files. I haven't got the information in front of me, but I am fairly sure he said it was around 6am.

What we need to remember in the sad case of Madeleine's disappearance, is her parents began to lie to the GNR as soon as they arrived at their apartment to investigate Madeleine's disappearance. In my opinion, the McCanns began to lie, because they knew that the story of Madeleine's abduction was completely and utter hogwash.

In my opinion, the McCanns know exactly where Madeleine is and if she is dead or alive.

This is the latest news about April, always assuming that the Daily Mirror has printed the accurate facts.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/missing-april-jones-live-updates-1355313

I hope April is found safe and well, very soon.

Here is another link with the latest news about April

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2211516/April-Jones-missing-Desperate-search-girl-5-seen-getting-van-outside-home.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

You've obviously not been listening to news bulletins about missing April. I don't know whether April's parents have searched for their little girl, but hundreds of residents, who in my mind are volunteers, joined the police and were out all night searching for little April. They are still out searching for her.

I think you have not read my post properly. I did not mention at all in my post that no-one had searched through the night. What I asked, if you read my post again, is whether the parents had joined in the search - amongst other things I was attempting to point out differences in the two cases, although it is early in the case at the moment and hopefully little April will be found safe and well very soon (today hopefully). What is clear though is that the police are keen now for the searching to be very, very co-ordinated, and many of the volunteers have indeed said it is frustrating just waiting around to be put into groups, albeit they know it is for the best at the end of the day.

I have not and never will criticise parents on day one of a case, which this is. I will not sit in judgement on April's parents, even if they haven't physically searched. I can imagine what the horror is like and frankly it must be traumatising to say the very least. I should imagine a traumatised parent does not make the best member of a search party and a traumatised parent may even put themselves in danger - think of the Welsh rugby player and his brother who drowned in slurry on a farm trying to rescue their father - now all three men in the family have perished. Think of the young couple who drowned in a swollen river last week trying to rescue their dog.

It may be a normal reaction to want to search but a traumatised parent may be a danger not only to themselves but to other people as well under such circumstances.

At the end of the day it is what is in the best interests of the child? That is the big question and it may be that parents in the shoes of April's parents may have been very quckly advised to stay put for their own good and April's too.

I do not want my OP to be discussed on just the one point raised. I have also raised other points. I was merely highlighting the differences in the two cases so far and there may indeed be other differences that others can point out as well. The searching was just one aspect.

It is far too early for anyone to criticise the parents of April and I appeal for people not to. We do not know the extent of their suffering. Their reaction so far has been different to that of the McCanns, they do not seem keen to get in front of the camera and they are keeping their silence.

Another point to note is that it seems the Internet was put to great use overnight in getting the message out. Frankly, if friends or family have done that, I don't blame them.

The early stages of this case are bound to get compared with that of Madeleine and the differences highlighted - Sky News have just mentioned Madeleine in fact, as if to link the cases together.

An update on the social media aspect to this unfolding story.

Twitter says there have been more than 150,000 mentions of "April Jones", "FindApril" and "FindAprilJones" on the site since the five-year-old's disappearance last night.

Within hours, famous names such as Philip Schofield, Davina McCall, Eamonn Homes and Stephen Fry had joined. Two messages from Schofield, see below, have been retweeted more than 9,000 times in total.

The celebs are joining in at a rapid pace. And its had a mention at the Labour Party Conference this morning. It is easy to see how people in high places can attach themselves to the case of a missing child. Is this another similarity to Madeleine or not? And does it mean that class does not make such a difference? After all, April comes from what I would describe as a working class community.

Is this another case that the media and celebrity/politicians will cotton on to because, that being the case, it may demonstrate that you don't have to have money in order to make these famous connections.

I heard the mother went to the community centre at around 2am to thank everyone who was searching but then found it too traumatic and had to return home where she was being looked after by specialist Police officers. The parents might give a press conference later today but at the moment they are unable to as they are not up to it.

A search has to be co-ordinated properly or otherwise no-one knows which areas are searched and which aren't. It also need to be done properly so that area can be cleared.

I hope she is found very soon.

wheni was a child i wa s taught from a early age never get in cars of strangers etc and schools did stranger danger education etc did april get in on her own free will IE were there screams etc sorry i dont know much about this case

If there is a genuine abduction,imo there is no normal way to react,i would think you just exist & i hope April is found asap

Every one is different & i dont think anyone could say they would definetly do this or that,with April there is apparently a vehicle involved,do the parents drive? & if so do you take a left?a right? or straight ahead?...most of the volunteers looking,are searching places that would not be the usual place to find a live child,which parent would want to find their child in those circumstances?

With Madeleine there was a possibility she could of got out herself & with MO being the last alleged person to visit 5A...my first reaction would be to ask him wtf did you see/hear but kate just said they've taken her & banged her fists like a distraught mother would ACT

LJC wrote:

You've obviously not been listening to news bulletins about missing April. I don't know whether April's parents have searched for their little girl, but hundreds of residents, who in my mind are volunteers, joined the police and were out all night searching for little April. They are still out searching for her.

I think you have not read my post properly. I did not mention at all in my post that no-one had searched through the night. What I asked, if you read my post again, is whether the parents had joined in the search - amongst other things I was attempting to point out differences in the two cases, although it is early in the case at the moment and hopefully little April will be found safe and well very soon (today hopefully). What is clear though is that the police are keen now for the searching to be very, very co-ordinated, and many of the volunteers have indeed said it is frustrating just waiting around to be put into groups, albeit they know it is for the best at the end of the day.

I have not and never will criticise parents on day one of a case, which this is. I will not sit in judgement on April's parents, even if they haven't physically searched. I can imagine what the horror is like and frankly it must be traumatising to say the very least. I should imagine a traumatised parent does not make the best member of a search party and a traumatised parent may even put themselves in danger - think of the Welsh rugby player and his brother who drowned in slurry on a farm trying to rescue their father - now all three men in the family have perished. Think of the young couple who drowned in a swollen river last week trying to rescue their dog.

It may be a normal reaction to want to search but a traumatised parent may be a danger not only to themselves but to other people as well under such circumstances.

At the end of the day it is what is in the best interests of the child? That is the big question and it may be that parents in the shoes of April's parents may have been very quckly advised to stay put for their own good and April's too.

I do not want my OP to be discussed on just the one point raised. I have also raised other points. I was merely highlighting the differences in the two cases so far and there may indeed be other differences that others can point out as well. The searching was just one aspect.

It is far too early for anyone to criticise the parents of April and I appeal for people not to. We do not know the extent of their suffering. Their reaction so far has been different to that of the McCanns, they do not seem keen to get in front of the camera and they are keeping their silence.

Another point to note is that it seems the Internet was put to great use overnight in getting the message out. Frankly, if friends or family have done that, I don't blame them.

The early stages of this case are bound to get compared with that of Madeleine and the differences highlighted - Sky News have just mentioned Madeleine in fact, as if to link the cases together.

If I've read your post wrong, LJC then I'm sorry. When I read your post it seemed as if you were stating that the volunteers were waiting to be instructed by the police, as to when they could begin to search.

Regarding the parents, I have since heard that they are at the local police station, I presume it is just for routine questions.

Regarding parents searching for their missing child, I can only say what I would do, if any of my children were missing, when they were at the age, where they weren't able to fend for themselves. Rightly or wrongly I am presuming that most people would act the way I would, if their child was missing. Which is to search for their child immediately I found that they weren't where they were supposed to have been and this would be before the police were called.

I am not saying the parents of April didn't search for her, the minute they discovered that she wasn't were she was supposed to have been. I am thinking that they probably would have looked for her, while someone called the police.

I only commented on the McCanns behaviour because you brought up the subject in your post regarding missing April.

I stand by everything I have said about the McCanns, because it is the McCanns who fed me the information regarding their lack of searches. I don't expect anyone to share my views, but from what I have read on different forums, many people believe the McCanns are more involved with Madeleine's disappearance than neglect and for what it's worth, so do Goncalo Amaral and the Portuguese Chief Inspector Tavares de Almeida.

The fact that the McCanns are not suing Chief Inspector Almeida, who holds the same views as Goncalo Amaral, speaks volumes about the McCanns involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.

NB. April's parents were at the police station, waiting for news of April, apparantly they are now back at home. Hopefully the next news they receive, will be that their little girl has been found safe and well.

You thought I was kidding about selling CD's, I was about the price but a New Resolution passed last November has lots of new Business NSU can do.

These are just two , I couldn't copy the original:-

2C2 Organise and assist in the provision of conferences, courses of instruction, exhibitions, lectures and other educational activities.

2C3 Publish and distribute books, pamphlets, reports, leaflets, journals, tapes and instructional matters on any media.

It is very obvious that the plan was to close the Fund after the 2012 accounts are filed.

Justiceforallkids wrote:wheni was a child i wa s taught from a early age never get in cars of strangers etc and schools did stranger danger education etc did april get in on her own free will IE were there screams etc sorry i dont know much about this case

Hi JFK

According to Sky News, April did get into the van of her own free will. So either April knew the driver of the van, or the driver of the van, had asked her if she wanted to see some baby animals or birds.

Many kids have been enticed into cars by drivers who have either offered them sweets or asked them if they want to see some baby birds or animals.

It seems April was taken from the street whereas Madeleine was allegedly taken from inside a building-an extremely uncommon scenario. Some people are already critcising April's parents, but here in Switzerland children her age play outside with their friends and many walk to school unaccompanied by their parents. I don't believe there are more abductions as a result. I don't feel we can judge April's parents even if they are not searching. Imagine how terribly distraught they must be.

In my humble opinion the best people to
search, or organise a search for a missing
child, must be the familiar faces and voices
of friends and family.
Unfortunately, it dosn't always happen.

Just had a news conference and a 46 year old man has been arrested. Hope to god April is found and is ok

I suspect there's more to April's story than we know. The driver may have been a family friend/relative or something.

Yes it's been reported that the arrested man is known to the family.

I have said this on another thread, but to me it is an important point in relation to the McCann case. If this man is known to the family and is involved in Aprils abduction, it again upholds the statistics which show children are rarely abducted or harmed by random strangers.

mossman wrote:I have said this on another thread, but to me it is an important point in relation to the McCann case. If this man is known to the family and is involved in Aprils abduction, it again upholds the statistics which show children are rarely abducted or harmed by random strangers.

Yes, but it depends in which way the family know him. They may know of him, rather than know him. They may know of him because he's the local 'odd ball' type of character. And when the child witnesses revealed they saw their friend going off in a certain type of vehicle, the parents themselves may have flagged this man up as owning this type of vehicle.

I agree that the answer usually lies close to home, as I believe it does in Madeleine's case. If its not Madeleine's family or associates, surely all those who believe Madeleine really was abducted would have to believe that its by someone who knows PDL really well, because good local knowledge is usually needed in cases of child abduction. However, I must add myself that whatever has happened to Madeleine, and perhaps God only knows, it will be true indeed that the answer lies close to home.

Of course, the biggest difference of all in this case is that there is concrete evidence supporting the theory that April has been abudcted, unlike in Madeleine's case where there is strong suspicion based on evidence itself, that she has not been.

mossman wrote:I have said this on another thread, but to me it is an important point in relation to the McCann case. If this man is known to the family and is involved in Aprils abduction, it again upholds the statistics which show children are rarely abducted or harmed by random strangers.

Yes indeed, and of any random stranger,
I would suspect that they woudn't dare
go to extreme lengths to abduct a strange
child. As you say, statistics show that its
nearly always a close and familiar face
that disarms their victim by that basic
trust relationship.

Another glaring difference that I can see is that this family appear to be co-operating with the police and helping them.

LJC wrote:Another glaring difference that I can see is that this family appear to be co-operating with the police and helping them.

They aren't charging money for their "Missing" posters.

LJC wrote:Another glaring difference that I can see is that this family appear to be co-operating with the police and helping them.

The McCanns have to be in there don't they, they make you sick, wonder how long it will be befor the McCanns detract away from this story......

http://www.itv.com/news/central/update/2012-10-02/mccanns-pledge-support-to-parents-of-missing-april-jones/

No spokesperson on behalf of April's parents either. Now that is a big difference in the case of Madeleine and April.

And no changing of version of events.

And breaking down in tears at the appeal. April's mother found making this appeal very hard indeed, but she got through it and the whole nation must have been crying with her. It was heartbreaking to watch.

The family of April have appealed for privacy - the McCanns arranged with the media to have their photographs taken with the twins. What a big difference that is!

April's poor Mum was just about able to walk. Kate and Gerry went jogging...

Kate tells us she was told not to cry - so she didn't. There, easy as that.