It is only since Madeleine was taken from us, that Gerry and myself have become aware of just how many children go missing each year from all around the world. The scale of the problem is huge. In fact, it is terrifying. I have asked myself many times “why did I not know about this? Am I that naïve or is it the fact that the problem itself is not well publicised for whatever reason?” Madeleine's abduction itself was quite unusual, in that it was the abduction of a ‘foreign national’. This introduced unique difficulties, not least a language barrier. Given that people and families travel quite extensively nowadays particularly within a ‘borderless’ Europe, we believe that a Europe-wide response to the problem is mandatory.I would think that not an unreasonable request of countries belonging to a ‘European Union’?
NCMECnow offers a vast range of invaluable resources to law enforcement agencies, helping to investigate cases of missing children and child exploitation cases as well as training and education.These resources along with the AMBER Alert system which operates in the USA (a nationwide effort between police departments and the media to blanket local airwaves immediately with information and photograghs when a child is abducted) have led to the safe recovery of many children.Needless to say, the Americans have a great deal of experience and knowledge to offer, and we need to learn from them if we wish to make Europe and the rest of the world a safer place for our children. In recent years, similar ‘Child Rescue Alert’systems have been introduced in certain European countries- Belgium, France, UK and Greece but we have a long, long way to go.
The investigation into Haleigh Cummings’ disappearance moved to Mud Lake Road the morning of June 26, after police were told animal remains had been buried at the property her mother and grandmother share east of CR 229.
Authorities learned about the remains in an interview with local family members and began a search for them with the help of cadaver dogs and private search teams.
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Detective Dominic Piscitello said 40 officers from his department, the Jacksonville and Baker County sheriff’s offices were at the scene as well.
“The property owners said there were buried animals on the property so we need to turn over every stone to verify that’s what it is,” he said. “There’s no reason to believe it’s not an animal.”
The search area encompassed 45 acres and three ponds. It began about 10:00 am.
The property owned by Bruce Griffis has been searched once before, two days after Haleigh disappeared in the early morning hours of February 9.
Det. Piscitello said the five hour and 45 minute effort unearthed the remains a horse, goats and cows, which were examined by an anthropologist from the University of Florida to ensure they weren’t of human origin.
An officer taking part in the search from the Palatka Police Department found two crack pipes and a plastic container with cocaine residue inside a pickup truck parked at the property, according to a report from Deputy Jerald Peterson of the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Peterson was maintaining a perimeter when Detective Peggy Cone advised him of the discovery. The drug paraphernalia came from inside a cigarette pack in the 1991 green and white Ford registered to Jesse Watkins, who was not immediately located.
The vehicle was parked on the opposite side of the property away from the family’s mobile homes.
Gerry and I have been criticised at times for publicising Madeleine's disappearance. We did what we felt was best at that time, obviously having no experience of such ordeals. Thankfully NCMEC has assured us that this was the right thing to do. People have asked (usually in a critical manner)“why has Madeleine received such attention when there are thousands of missing children around the world?”
My feeling is that the publicity surrounding Madeleine's abduction was not inappropriate- Every child in such a situation should receive this same amount of attention, but it shouldn't be down to the family to instigate it. The public awareness of Madeleine's plight has at the very least, highlighted cases of othermissing children and the extent of the problem as a whole, and from that we can take a small bit of comfort.
All missing children are vulnerable to exploitation including sexual exploitation, with this being the motive in many of those cases of stranger abductions where a motive can be determined. Child sexual exploitation and child pornography in particular, is sadly and shockingly extensive worldwide. It is a multi-billion dollar industry aided by the use of the Internet with the ‘thirst’ for younger victims growing. Once again, my ‘bubble’ of a life burst as I began to discover the facts relating to this now global crisis.
As we travelled through Europe in an attempt to raise awareness of Madeleine's abduction and appeal for help, we were repeatedly made aware of the unbelievable existence of such a horrifying activity and its vastness in our so called civilised and ‘child-loving’ society.
How can such ‘businesses’ be condoned or tolerated by us all?What are the benefits for our children of being in aEuropean Union where several member countries offer child pornography as a LEGAL past time?
The most vulnerable members of our society are our children and they deserve better than this. Lack of sex offender registers, lack of reliable tracking systems for known offenders and noCRBcheck requirements , not even for those working with children are other major areas of concern within many parts of Europe.
My eyes have certainly been opened to a whole new world out there - a very worrying one. As a parent of an abducted child, I can tell you that it is the most painful and agonising experience you could ever imagine. My thoughts of the fear, confusion and loss of love and security that my precious daughter has had to endure are unbearable - crippling. And yet I am not the victim, Madeleine is. No child should EVER have to experience something so terrible.
"The most damaging aspect of all the coverage,
which Kate and I cannot forgive, is the presentation that there is a substantial body of evidence to suggest that Madeline is dead, when there is no evidence to suggest she has been seriously harmed,"
Timeline of McCanns' quest to locate their girl
MAY 3, 2007: Maddie vanishes after Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a tapas restaurant.
May 5: Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.
May 14: Detectives make Brit Robert Murat an “arguido”, or official suspect.
May 25: They release the description of a man reported by McCann’s family friend Jane Tanner.
August 11: Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, police publicly acknowledge that she could be dead.
September 7: Portuguese cops make the McCanns “arguidos”.
October 2: Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police.
October 25: The McCanns release a new artist’s impression showing the man described by Jane Tanner.
February 4, 2008: Portugal’s top detective, Alipio Ribeiro, says that police were “hasty” in making Madeleine’s parents suspects.
July 21: The Portuguese authorities shelve investigation and lift “arguido” status of McCanns and Mr Murat.July 24: Mr Amaral publishes a book alleging that the young girl died in her family’s holiday flat on May 3rd
August 4: Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files are made public.
April 22, 2009: The McCanns record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey.
May 2: US forensic experts create a computer image of how Maddie would look two years on.
A new initiative backed by Madeleine McCann's parents is to be launched to help keep children safe on holiday. The six point plan - named Code Madeleine - outlines what parents should do if their child goes missing.
The code - similar to the Code Adam scheme in the US which is named after abducted six-year-old Adam Walsh - was developed by the Federation of Tour Operators, the Association of British Travel Agents and the News of the World which will launch the plan in Sunday's newspaper.
The objective of Code Madeleine is to trigger a system of securing premises and systematically searching for a missing child in the critical hours immediately after they are reported missing.
Madeleine's parents Gerry and Kate McCann are supporting the scheme. "Kate and I fully endorse the Code Madeleine scheme," said Mr McCann.
"Kate and I hope that this new code will help protect British families when they are on holiday."
Andy Cooper, director general of the Federation of Tour Operators, said: "All of our major members have agreed to support Code Madeleine and adopt the six-point plan to help make children safer while on holiday."
Although both parents were engulfed in anguish, Mrs Payne displayed a Steely Determination
EIGHT years after the murder of her beloved daughter, crusading mum Sara Payne has proudly declared: “From Monday your children will safer.”
Sexually abused from the age of four, sold to paedophiles for £15, Shy Keenan strong has managed to turn the tables, testifying against her abusers and building a new life as mother and children's campaigner. Here, she explains how she was saved by a 'tiny ray of light'
Powered by Crimestoppers Most Wanted System
Click the Image: The following subject has failed to comply with the Notification Requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and is currently wanted urgently by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.
Johnny was kidnapped on September 5, 1982, at the age of 12 a few blocks from his West Des Moines, Iowa, home while delivering newspapers. Fifteen years later in 1997, he returned to visit his mother to tell her the horrible things that happen to him.
This case is about pedophilia, child pornography, child prostitution, mind control, and torture. The FBI has covered up the details, and the perpetrators have links to the CIA.
Read the book "Why Johnny Can't Come Home," by Noreen Gosch, Johnny's mother, for more details. Please visit the Justice for Johnny Gosch web site. Website: http://www.justiceforjohnnygosch.com/
International Missing Childrens Day is commemorated on May 25th. The day was born out of tragedy, following the tragic disappearance in 1979 of six-year-old Etan Patz, who went missing on his way to school. Nine countries: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Romania, South Africa and United Kingdom, have joined together to honor missing children by raising awareness of the issue of missing children globally.
On the morning of Friday, May 25, 1979, six-year-old Etan put on his prized blue captain's hat and left his SoHo apartment by himself—for the very first time—to walk the two blocks to catch the school bus. He did not reach the bus stop. When he did not return home from school at 3:30 that afternoon, his mother reported him missing. An intense search, using nearly 100 police officers and a team of bloodhounds, began that evening and would continue for weeks. Various circumstances surrounding this case, such as it being Etan's first time outside alone, made it into a greatly media-driven incident. Suspect In 1991, jailhouse informants claimed that Jose Antonio Ramos, a convicted child sexual abuser imprisoned in Pennsylvania, admitted to his murder. Ramos had been a friend of Etan's one-time babysitter. He promised that no body would be found, saying "It's too horrible. No one would ever represent me".[citation needed] In a special feature on missing children, the New York Post reported on October 23, 1999 that Ramos was the prime suspect in Etan's disappearance. His parents, Stanley and Julie Patz, pursued a civil case against Ramos, who was found liable for Patz's wrongful death in May 2004. They were awarded a sum of $2 million, which they have never collected, as Ramos is serving a prison term for molesting boys in Pennsylvania. Though he has served his full sentence of 12 to 15 years, he has not been released on parole because he has yet to complete mandatory counseling. Without evidence, a body, or a crime scene, some New York investigators do not believe they will ever be able to convict Ramos for Patz's death.[citation needed]
Each year, on the anniversary of Etan's birthday and his disappearance, Stan Patz sends Ramos a copy of his son's MISSING poster. On the back he types the same message: "What did you do to my little boy?"
Since 1983, our nation has observed May 25th as National Missing Children’s Day. First proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan and observed by every administration since, May 25th is the anniversary of the day in 1979 when 6-year-old Etan Patz disappeared from a New York street corner on his way to school.
His story captivated the nation. His photo, taken by his father, a professional photographer, was circulated nationwide and appeared in media across the nation and around the world. Etan became the poster-child for a movement. The powerful image came to symbolize the anguish and trauma of thousands of searching families.
For nearly three decades, the search for Etan has continued. However, today, just as that day when President Reagan proclaimed the first National Missing Children’s Day, Etan is still missing.
The widespread attention brought to his case and those of others eventually led to a nationwide commitment to help locate and recover missing children. National Missing Children’s Day honors this commitment by reminding parents, guardians, and other trusted-adult role models to make child safety a priority.
The Adam Walsh Story On July 27, 1981, 6-year-old Adam Walsh and his mother Revé went to a department store about a mile away from their home to shop for lamps. When they entered the store Adam saw several children playing video games on a television monitor and asked if he could stay to play. His mother let him stay and went to the lamp department, which was about 75 feet away. Because the lamp she wanted was not in stock she returned rather quickly, less than 10 minutes later, but couldn’t find Adam. After looking for Adam on her own for two hours, someone finally called the local police department. By the end of that week thousands of fliers with Adam’s photograph were distributed through the local area. Sixteen days after Adam disappeared from the store his body was found and identified.
The recent media attention on the cases of Danielle van Dam, Elizabeth Smart, Samantha Runnion, and most recently, Erica Pratt, who made a daring escape from her captors Tuesday, has heightened the public awareness of child abductions even though most experts agree there is no current epidemic. Some suggest that while the number of cases may not have changed, their nature has and this shift has drawn the extra attention. "They are quite brazen and that is a different kind of perpetrator than the kind that tries to get close to the family," said Nancy McBride, director of prevention education for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, referring to the man who snatched Elizabeth Smart from her bedroom, and Alejandro Avila, the man accused of kidnapping Samantha Runnion, 5, her yard, and killing her.
"They are quite brazen and that is a different kind of perpetrator than the kind that tries to get close to the family," said Nancy McBride, director of prevention education for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, referring to the man who snatched Elizabeth Smart from her bedroom, and Alejandro Avila, the man accused of kidnapping Samantha Runnion, 5, her yard, and killing her.
"They were in their own homes and that is as gut-wrenching as it gets." Danielle van Dam, 7, was also snatched from her bedroom, while Erica Pratt, also 7, was grabbed off a street corner.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erica_Pratt
Advocates for missing children would like to see all cases get the attention that these high-profile incidents have but say they understand the types of decisions that leave the vast majority of abduction cases relatively unnoticed.
"News directors are first and foremost looking for news," Ernie Allen, president and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, told Court TV. "So if you look at the recent cases that have gotten so much attention ... those children disappeared from their homes and their own beds. It is a scenario that absolutely terrifies every parent. Thus, it's news."
Caylee Anthony, was found in Florida in December and her mother, Casey Anthony, is charged in her death. She could be executed if convicted. It's a case that has gripped America.
Gerry's Blog Day 313 Kate and I were so sad to learn that Mari Luz’s body had been found. This is the news that at any parent of a missing child dreads and a situation we desperately hope that we never have to face. We deeply sympathise with her family and pray they remain strong and in time are able to find peace.
A Special Video For Ylenia Lenhard (RIP)
For those who don't yet know the history of this forum, please watch this video which was made by Treasure. The balloon was sent to Merlynsam by Ylenia's mother as a ‘thank you’ for a kind letter and a Perpetual Mass sent by this forum. Merlynsam returned the balloon to Switzerland via Treasure - and this is the result. It is a special tribute to a precious child. We will never forget what was done on our behalf for Ylenia. Isn't this the power of forum friendship? We may have differing opinions in this forum, but we have great respect for each other and a compassion for all missing children. Together we CAN make a difference!!
Have You seen anything suspicious related to the disappearance of Madeleine or if you believe you know where Madeleine is being concealed or hidden. Portuguese police have searched extensively around Praia da Luz and she has not been found. It is possible that she is being hidden or concealed in some way and if you know where then by now you may have realised that it is in everyone’s interest that she is returned to her family.
No matter what you think of Kate and Gerry McCann - Madeleine is Still Missing
"Whilst the fact that Madeleine is still missing remains our greatest anxiety, it is important to remember that the person who took Madeleine remains free. Other children could be at risk from this person too if we do not continue with our investigation, or if the people who know or suspect something remain silent."
Please keep Madeleine in your thoughts and prayers And please – remain vigilant. We will NEVER give up looking for Madeleine Thank you again for your ongoing support and kindness. http://findmadeleine.com/
"They regret very much that they were not with Madeleine when she was taken, and are doing everything in their power to find her."
Maddy is alive, believes ex-cop hunting missing Madeleine McCann
Anthony Bennet has been accused of "appalling" insensitivity.
Mr Mitchell said: “We will not comment on this, other than to say ...
Kate and Gerry have committed no offence under UK law, indeed any other country’s law."They Regret very much that they were not with Madeleine when she was taken" They are paying the greatest Price for it, to compound that Agony & Misery by trying to launch Spurious Self serving publicity seeking enterprise such as a Private Prosecution, which was Doomed to fail from the outset, well it is beyond Contempt.
18th August Re: 'Madeleine Foundation' We do not wish to dignify the actions of the so-called ‘Madeleine Foundation' with any response. We do feel it is important, however, that the general public are made aware that the ‘Madeleine Foundation' has no connection whatsoever with our family or those helping us to find Madeleine, including law enforcement agencies or child welfare NGO's (non-governmental organisations). We also strongly believe that the actions of this organisation do not have Madeleine's best interest at heart; if anything, the organisation is hindering all our efforts to find Madeleine and achieve justice.
Clarence Mitchell: “Madeleine did not die in the apartment. The police should be focusing on who took her – and finding her."I was assured that from the perspective of the British authorities, this was a rare case of stranger abduction."
Mr Amaral has reportedly investigated only two child murders in his 26-year police career and he is facing a criminal hearing for allegedly concealing evidence, after a woman jailed for the murder of her daughter claimed police officers tortured her into making a confession.
Mr Amaral's Book & dvd banned by court order " We are pleased with the Judge's decision today preventing further distribution and sale of Mr Amaral's book and dvd -'The Truth of the Lie'. Mr. Amaral's central thesis has no evidence whatsoever to support it. To claim as he did, that Madeleine is dead, and that we, her parents, were in some way involved with her disappearance, has caused our family incredible distress and it continues to do so. Without doubt, Madeleine will have suffered as a result of the negative effect this book and dvd will have had on the search for her. Sean and Amelie need protection too from such awful claims. Hopefully this injunction today will go a long way towards reducing further unnecessary and unjust distress to us all and allow people to concentrate completely on what is important - finding Madeleine. "
"Guilty"
Goncalo Amaral, 49, who was thrown off the Madeleine inquiry, was given an 18-month suspended jail sentence by a court in Portugal.Amaral was found guilty of falsifying evidence to help cover up for three of his officers who were accused of torture.
