onlymadeleine

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The advice of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is that high visibility of a missing child through posters, car stickers etc increases the chances of finding that child. The friends and family of Kate and Gerry urge everyone to please keep looking for Madeleine. Our greatest fear has always been that Madeleine would somehow be forgotten about and that our efforts to bring her back safely would run out of support. We know in our hearts that Madeleine is still out there, alive, confused and aching to be returned to her family where she belongs. Whatever happens, please don't forget that. Don't forget about Madeleine. http://www.youtube.com/user/DontYouForgetAboutMe
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Day 557: 10/11/2008

Correction to my entry last night. After adding all the money up the total raised at the race night was actually £5000! Well done everyone in Liverpool.


Day 556: 09/11/2008

A difficult week for Kate and me ended on a positive note last night. Monday was the 3rd of November- 18 months since Madeleine was so cruelly taken from us. We do not usually put a lot of store in specific milestones - these being just another day without Madeleine. This week was unusual in that both Kate and I were feeling low at the same time, which is an uncommon occurrence, and we can usually rely on one of us lifting the other.

We continue to work very hard behind the scenes. Our support team has been expanded as we try to identify what has been done, what has not been done and what can still be done to help find Madeleine. We are not yet halfway through the Portuguese files but there is less information within the files than we were expecting. As I have stated many times, someone has a key bit of information that can unlock this frustratingly difficult and painful situation.

Yesterday we went through to Liverpool for a Race Night organised by the Greenhills Taverners Society- a group who organise fundraising events for local good causes- along with family and friends. On this occasion all proceeds were going towards Madeleines Fund. Around 200 people turned up and everyone enjoyed a good night. Liverpool and Everton donated signed shirts which were auctioned and with tickets and a raffle around £2000 has been raised. A taxi driver, taking home some of our friends, even got in to the spirit of things by donating his fare to the fund. Well done everyone and thanks for all the messages of support prayers- we left Liverpool in much better spirits than when we arrived!


Day 533: 17/10/2008

Most of you will have seen yesterday that our seven friends, who were on holiday with us in Portugal when Madeleine was abducted, have been awarded libel damages. The Express group of newspapers admitted that many of the stories written about our friends were completely untrue and without foundation. They have apologised and paid £375,000 in to Madeleine’s Fund. This money will be put to good use for the ongoing search for our beautiful little girl.

Our friends were under no obligation to pay the damages in to the fund. However they have from day one indicated that this was what they wanted and have clearly demonstrated that finding Madeleine is of the utmost importance to them. They, like us, believe there is a very good chance Madeleine is alive and can be found. Thank you Fiona, David, Russell, Jane, Matt, Rachael and Diane.

We would also like to thank our friends in Portugal. They continue to hold a monthly Friday night vigil in Praia da Luz vigil to pray for Madeleine and other missing children, like so many others around the world.


Day 528: 12/10/2008

First of all I want to apologise for not updating this blog for so long. I would like to assure everyone that this gap is not because there is little going on in the search for Madeleine. On the contrary, Kate and I have been incredibly busy over the last couple of months since the PJ files were made public. We and our family have always vowed to leave no stone unturned in the search for our daughter and knowing exactly what has been done and, more importantly, what has not been done is vital in planning our future strategy.

Getting the files translated accurately is a time consuming and expensive process but essential to our search. There is a huge amount of information contained within the files which we have not been party to until now and this needs to be assessed carefully. This is even more important as the Portuguese investigation is officially closed.

In some ways, although this task is monumental, it has been good for us doing being something active and positive which we believe may help find Madeleine. We are also using this period to get advice to maximise our effectiveness and efficiency in our overall strategy going forward. Keeping Madeleine’s image in the public eye will continue to be important and the distribution of posters is central to that aim.

Many people have also asked us what is happening with the Amber alert after the successful adoption of the written declaration by the European Parliament. It has been relatively quiet due to the summer recess but hopefully the momentum gained, added to the desire of the European Commission to for an Amber Alert system, will affect change in the near future.

Finally we would like to thank everyone for their continued, support, prayers and letters. I promise to do another update in the near future. We will be looking at how the website functions, as the main portal of the find Madeleine campaign, and perhaps future updates will be via another route rather than my blog. Why don’t you let us know what you think by e-mail messages of support?


Day 469: 14/08/2008

It is over 3 weeks since we learned that the Portuguese authorities had closed the investigation to find Madeleine, lifted our arguido status and ended judicial secrecy. We were surprised that copies of investigation files were given to the media. The content of these files has been extensively reported. It will be clear to everyone now, that there is absolutely no evidence that suggests Madeleine has been seriously harmed. Knowing this, we strongly believe that Madeleine is out there and can be found.

Of course whoever is responsible for Madeleine’s abduction must, and can be, found to prevent them from putting another child and family through the misery we have suffered. We have always believed that this heinous crime could be solved with the help of the public.

Our investigators continue to explore credible leads and will continue to do so as long as Madeleine is missing. Now that the authorities are no longer looking for Madeleine we implore everyone who has provided information to the enquiry to contact us at investigation@findmadeleine.com or on + 44 (0)845 838 4699. We will guarantee that all information will be treated in the strictest confidence. You can help us find Madeleine.


Day 445: 21/07/2008

Today we learned that our arguido status and that of the other arguido, Robert Murat, has been lifted. The case will be filed unless other important new evidence is uncovered. Kate delivered the statement below to the media earlier this evening. Our search for Madeleine, which has never ceased, continues.

‘We welcome the announcement from the Portuguese Attorney General today, although it is no cause for celebration. It is hard to describe how utterly despairing it was to be named ‘arguidos’ and subsequently portrayed in the media as suspects in our own daughter’s abduction- and worse. It has been equally devastating to witness the detrimental effect this status has had on the search for Madeleine.

We look forward to scrutinising the police files to see what has ACTUALLY been done and, more importantly, what can still be done, as we leave no stone unturned in the search for Madeleine. We would once again urge anyone with relevant information to come forward and call our helpline on +44 845 838 4699 or send information to investigation@findmadeleine.com

Finally we would like to thank everyone who has supported us and stayed with us during this particularly difficult period. We assure you we will NEVER give up on Madeleine.


Day 434: 10/07/2008

We have recently managed to have a break visiting family. Sean and Amelie have had a brilliant time and it has been great for me to spend so much time with them. Although this has been a relaxing break, it has been incredibly difficult for Kate and me to have been on holiday without Madeleine- it is all too apparent what is missing.

We were very pleased to learn today that the written declaration calling for the introduction of an EU wide Amber alert system has been successful. More than half of the 786 Members of the European Parliament (MEP’s) were required to sign the declaration for it to be adopted as a full resolution of the European Parliament and as of today 417 had signed. This is a small step in the right direction and a lot of work will be needed to get National Amber alert systems implemented. The idea already has the support of the European Commission and this additional political impetus should speed up the implementation process.

We would like to thank Edward McMillan-Scott and the other 4 sponsors of the declaration, all those MEP’s who signed the declaration and all the members of the public who lobbied their MEP’s.

There has been a lot of speculation in the press over the last 10 days that the investigation in to Madeleine’s disappearance has closed. We have not heard anything officially other than we know the files are with the prosecutor and the period of secrecy has been extended to 14th August. Our independent investigation continues and we urge people going on holiday to remain vigilant and consider taking one of our posters with them- downloadable from the how to help section of the website.



Day 412: 18/06/2008

Kate and I had a flying visit to Strasbourg yesterday to the European Parliament. The visit was organised by one of the written declaration sponsors, Edward McMillan-Scott who is a Vice-President of the parliament.

It was hectic schedule but well worth effort. We met with the other sponsors, many MEP’s who have signed the declaration and many who did not realise that there was a declaration on the introduction of an EU wide Amber alert. As we stated when we launched the declaration in Brussels last month- the alert is not our idea. It already has the support of the European commission and they and other groups such as Missing Children Europe, PACT and Missing People have done a huge amount of work previously. Our hope is that getting the declaration formally adopted by the parliament will speed up the implementation of alerts throughout the EU member staets and facilitate cross-border cooperation. Many of the MEP’s who have not signed said they will and a lot of those who have already signed said they will lobby their National and fellow group MEP’s to sign.

Today we heard that 283 have now signed the declaration compared to 211 on Monday. We are hopeful that the additional 110 signatures required will be achieved by the next sitting of parliament on the 7-10th July. It would be a great shame if the declaration failed because of a combination of ignorance and apathy.


Day 407: 13/06/2008

First of all apologies for the long gap since my last blog. We are still very busy and the last 2 weeks all four of us have been laid low with a viral illness.

Our investigative team have been very busy working through all the information which has been coming in through the new hotline number and the e-mail addresses – see investigation page. A lot of this information is undoubtedly relevant to the investigation and every piece of information will be followed up- a very time consuming process – so please be patient with us! We are planning a facility to allow the upload of pictures of people who were in the Algarve leading up to Madeleine’s abduction. In the interim pictures can be e-mailed to investigation@findmadeleine.com

The campaign for a Europe wide Amber alert continues. There is approximately one month left to get the majority of MEP’s to sign the written declaration. Edward McMillan- Scott has told us that so far there are 211 signatures therefore we need another 182. Thank you to everyone who has written to MEP’s. Some of the responses that have been sent display a complete lack of understanding in what we hope to achieve. For example some have said they will not sign because such a system is already in place with the 116 000 hotline number. Firstly this number for missing children is only operational in one out of 27 European countries (Greece) so far. Secondly the number does not mean an Amber alert will be issued for an abducted child as no such system exists- hence the written declaration. Thirdly we are looking for cross border cooperation between member states when a child is abducted. Hopefully with more lobbying, we can get the declaration accepted.

We are continually looking to improve the website. Over the next few weeks you should notice some changes. We are planning to have new messages on the home page from Kate and myself. The blog may change to a findmadeleine update, there will be new pages displaying the posters in full and further details of local fundraising events. With the holiday season approaching, we would be really grateful if people would once again download Madeleine posters from the website (available in many different languages in how to help/downloads section) and take them with them for distribution and display. 1 in 6 children are recovered after someone has recognised them from a poster!

Finally, we would like to say thank you to everyone for their continued help and kindness, the many letters, messages of support and prayers. It is reassuring and uplifting that Madeleine is in so many people’s thoughts and prayers even at this stage.


Day 374: 11/05/2008

It has been another busy week. We have been inundated with mail that we are working through. Kate and I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported us over the last twelve months. It is the support we have received from family, friends, and the overwhelming response of the general public that has sustained us. Special thanks to everyone who has contributed to Madeleine’s Fund, which has allowed us to continue the independent investigation to find Madeleine.

Following our renewed appeal there has been a tremendous response to both the call line (+44 (0)845 838 4699) and the e-mail addresses (anonymous@findmadeleine.com and investigation@findmadeleine.com). Hundreds of calls and e-mails have been received and each and every bit of information will be assessed and followed up. We would encourage anyone who might have information to contact us in confidence. We would like to hear from everyone who was staying at the Ocean Club at the time of Madeleine’s abduction or from anyone who may have experienced a similar incident in the Iberia peninsula.

Tomorrow is Madeleine’s fifth birthday. It will be one of the hardest days of the last 375. We will be marking it privately and quietly. We will do everything to try and ensure Madeleine does not spend another birthday separated from her family.


Day 366: 03/05/2008

It is a year to the day since Madeleine was abducted. A heinous crime that had the potential to destroy the strongest of families. Without doubt it has been the longest year of our lives, yet it does not seem like a year since we last saw Madeleine. She is still a large part of Sean and Amelie’s life and this gives some comfort to Kate and me.

The research we have done this year has encouraged us to believe that there is a very good chance Madeleine is alive. Ernie Allen, president of NCMEC for the last 25 years, has reiterated that and the fact there are a number of scenarios in which Madeleine could be alive and well. We just need to find her.

The documentary we made on an EU wide Amber alert and the last year was screened in the UK on Wednesday night, in Spain on Thursday and last night in Portugal. We have spent most of the last 3 days promoting our new hotline number +4 845 838 4699 (calls are charged at local rate) and our e-mail addresses for information: anonymous@findmadeleine.com and investigation@findmadeleine.com .

We have always said we will leave no stone unturned in the search for Madeleine. To do that we need to know what has and has not been done- unfortunately we know very little about the investigation to date. This is why we are appealing to everyone who may have come forward previously to do so again. Every piece of information is important to us. We are also appealing to people who may not have come forward for whatever reason to do so. We are only interested in finding Madeleine and will guarantee confidentiality and anonymity if requested. We are also families asking with children to think if something similar may have happened to them. It is unlikely this is the first time that the abductor has struck.

Today we will be attending one of the many services to pray for Madeleine and other missing children. We would like to thank everyone, of all faiths, who has prayed for Madeleine over the last year. The Helping to find Madeleine group have also organised a ‘lighting the way home for Madeleine’ event where, they will release lanterns in Rothley around the time she went missing. Others will light a candle and we greatly appreciate the support and symbolic gestures.


Day 345: 12/04/2008

Our visit to the European Parliament on Thursday (10th) was the culmination of several months work. Kate and I presented a written declaration (see news and support) to the parliament asking for the introduction of an EU wide missing child alert system based on the US AMBER alert system. The AMBER system has been incredibly successful in rescuing abducted children. France has adopted a similar system in the last 2 years, which has been activated 5 times with all children being recovered alive.

An EU wide AMBER type system has widespread support. The EU commission presented draft guidance (written in conjunction with Missing Children Europe) on the introduction of such a system. In Lisbon in October last year the proposal got the informal support of the 27 member states home office/justice ministers.

We presented the declaration to MEP’s, answered questions and then held a press conference- our first public speech since returning from Portugal. For the declaration to be taken up we need 51% of (the 785) MEP’s to sign the declaration in the next 3 months. We would urge everyone to lobby their MEP’s to sign the declaration.

The day went extremely well although we were naturally asked questions about the Portuguese investigation, which are very difficult to answer for us, as we have had no direct dialogue with the Portuguese police. We were dismayed to learn that excerpts from our early witness statements were leaked to a Spanish TV station. These were taken out of context and there can be no doubts were designed to undermine our credibility. One has to question why these were leaked on the day when the media attention was huge and who benefits from such a leak? One thing for certain is that it does not help to find Madeleine. We would certainly welcome an independent inquiry as to where the leaking of such sensitive information, contrary to judicial secrecy laws, has come from


Day 329: 27/03/2008

Kate and I arrived back from Washington yesterday. We went primarily to visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and to learn more about the implementation of their national AMBER alert system (child rescue alert). The whole experience was very positive. The staff at NCMEC is the most experienced in dealing with missing and abducted children anywhere in the world.

The AMBER alert system should be used in the most serious child abduction cases (usually by strangers, when the child is considered at risk of serious harm) to recover the child as quickly as possible. The alert is based on the realisation that galvanising the local community can play a huge role in finding missing children. Last year alone 68 children, and almost 400 in total since its’ implementation, were recovered safely as a direct result of the AMBER alert. In 16 cases the abductor released the child safely when hearing the AMBER alert. We strongly feel that Europe should have a similar integrated child rescue alert.

Our visit to Washington and meetings with other relevant European organisations will be shown on a documentary to be screened by ITV on the 30 April. The programme will focus on the campaign to introduce a European version of the AMBER alert. There will of course be massive media interest in Madeleine’s disappearance at this time, if she remains missing, and we hope that the programme is shown in most European countries and further afield.

During our Washington visit we were also very encouraged to hear that, in NCMEC’s experience, the younger the child at the time of abduction the less likely that child will be seriously harmed. Such information makes us believe even more fervently, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that Madeleine can be found safe and well.


Day 321: 19/03/2008

I think everyone must have heard the news today that Express Newspapers have published front page apologies to Kate and me and agreed damages of £550,000 which will be paid in to Madeleines Fund. It gives us no joy that we had to take such action- we would rather have not had to put up with such distasteful, grotesque and blatantly untruthful coverage. Nevertheless we hope todays events will act as a springboard in advancing the search for Madeleine. The money will be used to aid the investigation.

To read our full statement, please see the News and Press Releases in the News and Support section.


Day 316: 14/03/08

Kate and I heard the totally heart-warming news today that Shannon Matthews has been recovered safely. We are delighted for her family and hope and pray that Shannon has not suffered too much during the last 24 days.

Although the circumstances may be different, finding Shannon alive does give Kate and me renewed optimism. I am reminded of Ernie Allen’s ( the president of NCMEC) words: ‘until you know who has taken Madeleine and why, you cannot give up hope’. We do not know who has taken Madeleine or why, and there is certainly no indication that Madeleine has been seriously harmed. Of course we will not give up hope. Someone somewhere knows where Madeleine is.



Day 313: 11/03/2008

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.

We would like to thank everyone who continues to send us messages of support, encouragement and of hope. All of our family have been traumatised by Madeleine’s abduction and continued absence and the tremendous support we have received has undoubtedly helped us enormously over the last 10 months. Tomorrow there is a march in London starting opposite Western Marble Arch synagogue at 10am to petition for more support for the families of missing people who are left behind. The march has been organised by two mothers whose sons are missing and will be attended by representatives of the charity Missing People and families of those who have relatives missing.





Day 302: 29/02/2008

It has been a relatively quiet week for us. We did hear from the UK police that the French have officially ruled out the reported sighting of Madeleine in Montpellier. It is disappointing that it took so long, particularly after the widespread coverage the reported sighting received in the media.

Today Kate and I met with representatives of two UK charities involved in missing and abducted children. Missing People is the largest UK non-governmental organisation involved in this area and a member of Missing Children Europe. The introduction of a Europe wide child alert system is strongly supported by both organisations. Missing People have also applied to run the 116 00 number, which has been reserved throughout the EU as a missing child hotline. Missing People were responsible for displaying Madeleine’s image on Marble arch, along with 2 other missing children last summer. It was heartening to hear today that one of those children was recovered as a direct result and the other has also been successfully returned to his family.

PACT (parents and abducted children together) is a much smaller organisation founded by Catherine Meyer. PACT is positioned primarily as an advocates for change in how missing children cases are handled and identified very early how poorly data on missing and abducted children are collected. PACT would like to see a national centre in the UK similar to NCMEC in the USA. It was uplifting to see how Catherine has maintained her passion, drive and commitment to try and make effective changes even after ten years of campaigning. Kate and I will work with the various non-governmental organisations to influence the policy makers who decide these important decisions.





Day 295: 22/02/2008

There has been a lot of media attention focussed on a possible sighting of Madeleine in Montpellier one week ago. We only heard of this two days ago and this was from a report sent into the website. Clarence has been inundated with media requests from all over the world for further information. Despite this, Kate and I have had no official notification of the potential sighting nor, more importantly, of whether this sighting has been eliminated by the authorities despite what has been reported in the press.

The continued disappearance of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews is deeply concerning and our thoughts and prayers are with her family. No matter what has happened to Shannon, there can be no doubt she must extremely vulnerable having spent three nights and four days away from home. We hope that she is found safe and well very soon and returned to her family.





Day 287: 14/02/2008

Yesterday was a busy day on several fronts. Kate and I met with representatives of Missing Children Europe. This is an umbrella organisation that has 21 member non-governmental organisations that are involved in supporting families of missing and exploited children, from 15 EU countries. Missing Children Europe aims to share best practice, ensures a European presence at ICMEC and liases with various European Institutions. http://www.missingchildren.eu They have played a major role in securing the EU commission supporting a dedicated hotline for missing children: 116 000. The commission is also supportive of the introduction of a child alert system throughout the EU similar to the Amber alert system in the USA. However only a few countries run such a system and there is a lot of work to be done before the system is implemented in many countries, never mind an integrated throughout the EU.

The Portuguese justice minister also spoke to parliament yesterday regarding Mr Ribeiro’s comments about the haste with which we were made arguidos. As I stated at the time, no one can doubt how we have been scrutinised. We hope that, if as reported, the justice minister said the investigation is nearing a close that our arguido status will be lifted in the near future so that everyone can concentrate on searching for Madeleine. We will not give up looking for her until she is found and we hope that the police are similarly determined.





Day 274: 01/02/2008

We have launched the new website layout today. I hope you all like it and we are sure that you fill find it much easier to navigate. The website was always envisaged as being the main portal to the find Madeleine campaign. If Madeleine remains missing and as the media attention drops then the website will be instrumental in keeping people up to date. As you will see a lot of work has gone in to extensively revising the content. Our whole family have unfortunately learnt an awful lot about the problems of missing and exploited children.

Our priority will always be to search for Madeleine and whoever abducted her. However we hope to work in coalition with the many excellent organisations in Europe and further afield to campaign for change. The first goal will be to get an EU wide child alert system introduced with cooperation from all the relevant authorities and law enforcement agencies.

Sean and Amelie turned three today. We hope and pray that they will never have another birthday without Madeleine here. Despite the circumstances they really enjoyed their birthday ‘tea party’ today. The twins love seeing all their extended family. There is no doubt that Sean and Amelie have made life for all of us a little more bearable over the last 9 months.



Day 262 - 20/01/2008

Today we have released drawings of a man who needs to be eliminated from the investigation to find Madeleine. A witness, Gail Cooper, who was holidaying in Praia da Luz shortly before we arrived, saw him on several occasions. She found the man, who claimed to be collecting for an orphanage, very intimidating. After interviewing Gail, our private investigators commissioned a forensic sketch by a FBI trained artist. The man has many similarities in looks and clothing he was wearing to the description of the man given by Jane Tanner. Click Here to see the drawings- http://www.findmadeleine.com/news/drawing.asp

The man Jane saw walking away from the apartments where we were staying was carrying a child, around 9.10pm on the night Madeleine was abducted. Jane described pyjamas matching those Madeleine was wearing without knowing what she had on that fateful night. We are convinced that this was when Madeleine was taken. Jane has been shown these sketches of the man. She feels he has a strong resemblance to the man she saw on May 3rd.carrying the child away.

It is essential that he be traced. We believe many people must know who this individual is. We appeal to anyone who knows him, or may have seen him to contact our private investigators on +34 902 300 213 or investigation@findmadeleine.com. If you are this man please make contact with the investigators or your local police. All of this information has been passed on to the Portuguese and British police and Interpol has been informed. This man may have key information that will help us locate Madeleine.



Day 257 - 15/01/2008

Kate and I were dismayed to learn today that a 5-year-old girl has been missing from Huelva, in Southern Spain since Sunday evening. As many of you know, Heulva is approximately a 2 hour drive from Praia da Luz and we went there in early August to publicise Madeleine’s disappearance. Hearing of the probable abduction of Mari Luz Cortesa has brought many awful emotions flooding back. We hope and pray that Mari is quickly found and returned safely to her family.



Day 254 - 12/01/2008

It was no surprise for us to learn last night that the secrecy of the files in to Madeleine’s disappearance is to be maintained for another three months. All of the arguidos retain their status. We are extremely disappointed as we feel this uncertainty hinders the most important thing: searching for Madeleine.

We are utterly dismayed to read tonight further stories about a film that are simply untrue. Kate and I thought that we had totally quashed such unfounded rubbish several days ago. At no point have we considered a movie about Madeleine’s disappearance. Nor would we sanction another documentary purely about Madeleine’s abduction, as there is no new information since the Panorama programme aired. We would consider a programme that would treat the serious issues we have faced since Madeleine’s disappearance. Clearly Europe has a lot to learn from the US and there has to be change in practice and legislation about how missing children are investigated. We will continue to campaign to effect change in Europe, in the hope that it will become a safer place for our children.

I have now been back at work full-time for the last 10 days. I would like to thank all of the staff at Glenfield Hospital, and the patients, for making this as easy as possible for me. Kate and I remain very busy with the campaign, supported by friends, family and many ‘new’ friends! We are regularly in contact with friends in Praia da Luz who continue to hold a vigil every week to pray for Madeleine. They are an amazing group of people who continue to provide us with ‘força’ and ‘esperança’ (strength and hope).



Day 250 - 08/01/2008

We are one week in to the New Year and we can definitely say the holiday period is well and truly over. Some of the media coverage today has been at its worst since Kate and I were declared arguidos.

We can categorically deny that we are considering a movie about Madeleine’s disappearance. This is simply untrue. We are approached by a huge number of media outlets regarding a myriad of projects, only a tiny proportion of which we agree to. Each proposal is considered on whether it is likely to have a positive effect, either directly or indirectly on the search for Madeleine. As stated today by Clarence, there was a preliminary discussion between a production agency and a representative of Kate and I to discuss the possibility of a documentary about the issues we have faced since Madeleine was abducted. Clearly Europe is a long way behind the USA in terms of its response when a child goes missing.

Kate and I have opened all of the Christmas cards and many mass cards which have been for Madeleine. We would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported us over the last eight months. We could not have got through this ordeal on our own and without doubt, Madeleine needs all our help



Day 234 - 23/12/2007

As most of you will know by now Kate and I did an appeal for broadcast on TV yesterday. This was a desperate attempt to get someone who knows what happened to Madeleine to come forward and end our misery and the dreadful situation for everyone. Madeleine should not be spending Christmas away from her loving family. The person who took Madeleine has it in their power to end our suffering and will be able to appease their conscience that they have done the right thing- especially at this time of year

As I have stated Christmas will be a very quiet affair for our family without Madeleine present. Kate and I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time at this busy time of year to write to us and let us know Madeleine and our family are still in their thoughts and prayers. We still have at least one hundred cards to open! As always, every single one will be opened and read and the support expressed helps renew our determination to find Madeleine.



Day 218 - 07/12/2007

We have had many enquiries as to our plans for the festive period. Christmas 2007 will be an incredibly difficult time for us if Madeleine is not found before then. We plan to have a very quiet, private Christmas with family in the UK. Celebrating is the last thing we feel like doing; however we want Christmas to be as normal for Sean and Amelie as possible. They have already enjoyed decorating the Christmas tree with their ‘granny’ and great aunt. Despite not yet being 3, they both seem to understand they will be getting presents from Santa. They have also asked if Santa will be bringing Madeleine home, which just about broke our hearts. Madeleine’s return would obviously be the ultimate present for all of us and would bring tremendous joy to people all over the world.

As the end of the year approaches we would like to thank everyone who has offered support over the last seven months and we ask you to stay with us as the search for our daughter continues. The police and private investigations continue and we have not given up hope of a breakthrough. We again appeal to anyone who may have any information that might be relevant to contact your local police or our private investigators on +34. 902. 300 213 if they have any information which might be relevant.


Day 217 - 06/12/2007

In the summer it was agreed that the UK police would interview all British residents who were staying at the Ocean Club on May 3rd. There are a number of guests who have still not been interviewed. We would ask any British residents who were in or around Praia da Luz (not just at the Ocean Club) when Madeleine was abducted, and have not been interviewed, to contact their local police.

We would like to thank everyone who has come forward with information. The smallest detail may provide a clue that leads us to find Madeleine. We would like to appeal again for anyone with information to contact our private investigators on +34. 902.300.213, investigation@findmadeleine.com or their local police. Someone, somewhere knows something and Madeleine needs his or her help.



Day 216 - 05/12/2007

Yesterday evening Kate, Sean, Amelie and myself attended a mass for Madeleine. It was organised by ex-colleagues of Kate’s aunt who work in the East Midlands and took place in a small intimate chapel and was attended by 20 people including two local priests. Sean and Amelie were very vocal, demonstrating how much they know about Christmas and ‘baby Jesus’ which brought a smile to everyone’s face! The little presents and chocolates they were given certainly made them very happy!

Tomorrow my mum and aunt are coming to visit for a few days. Sean and Amelie are very excited, as they have not seen their ‘granny’ for over a month. They do of course miss Madeleine very much and all of our family are still praying and hoping for her safe return.


Day 210 - 29/11/2007

Today there was a meeting between the UK and Portuguese police and forensic specialists from both countries. We have been told that all the forensic test results are now available. Kate and I are very hopeful now that any doubt what these important tests show will be removed. As we have stated all along, we are confident that the results will no way incriminate us and hopefully everyone can concentrate on finding Madeleine and her abductor.

Given some of the unhelpful comments recently about the media’s role in helping find missing children I would like to quote Ernie Allen. Ernie has been president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for the last 25 years. ‘We just have to continue to do everything possible to find that one, key piece of evidence, and then follow it to Madeleine. There is no more likely source of that information than some average, caring, alert citizen, somewhere in the world, informed and motivated by a photo or intense media coverage of a missing child.’

With this in mind, Madeleine’s fund has started the £80,000 advertising campaign in Southern Spain which will also target North Africa and Portugal. The fund is also contributing £50,000 per month to support the private investigation. We appeal to anyone who may have information to call confidentially our hotline number +34.902.300.213 , e-mail investigation@findmadeleine.com or contact the police.




Day 201 - 20/11/2007

Yesterday marked 200 days that Madeleine has been missing. Last night saw the screening on the BBC of one of three documentaries about what happened to Madeleine, the others having already been shown in North America and Portugal over the weekend. These programmes have been useful in going over many of the facts and, I believe, emphasising that Madeleine was abducted and is still out there somewhere. Whilst the police and private investigators are following a number of leads, we would like appeal to anyone who was in and around Praia da Luz to come forward with any information that might be relevant on +34 902 300 213 or investigation@findmadeleine.com

We have had a busy ten days with visitors from both Canada and the USA. Whilst it has been really good to see them, it has also been emotionally very difficult for all of us without Madeleine. They are leaving tomorrow and we hope and pray that the next time we get together we will finally be reunited with our lovely Madeleine.



Day 190 - 09/11/2007

The media attention in Rothley has died down considerably with the passing of the six-month marker last weekend. The prayer service for Madeleine and other missing children was very well attended and we found it calming, comforting and very positive. The four churches in Rothley contributed to the service as they will be doing so again for remembrance Sunday and these events strengthen our sense of community.

No major developments to report in the last week in the search for Madeleine. There has been a good response to the launch of the helpline to find Madeleine and all the leads are being checked out and followed up where appropriate. Kate and I continue to encourage anyone who has information to phone or e-mail.

It has been a busier week for me as I have returned to work, initially on a part-time basis. The Trust have been very supportive throughout and it has been good, although difficult, to see so many friends and colleagues again. I was certainly ready to get back although we have agreed to gradually phase my return to full-time commitments. It is also been the first week since we returned from Portugal when we have not had friends or family staying with us. Kate and I have therefore been opening all the mail ourselves and we would like to thank everyone who has offered their support and encouragement.


Day 184 - 03/11/2007

Today marks six months since Madeleine was taken from us. It is an incredibly long time for us but must be even longer for Madeleine. It is so painful for us simply being separated, but all the more distressing when we have to speculate about the situation Madeleine finds herself. We have no idea whether she is suffering but we have to hope and pray that she is being treated like a princess, as she deserves.

This afternoon there will be prayer vigils in Liverpool, Praia da Luz and many friends will be praying in Glasgow. Tonight we will be attending an ecumenical service to pray for Madeleine and other children who are suffering. There is again a lot of media presence in Rothley and the upshot is that millions of people know Madeleine is still missing and that we will not give up looking for her.

We urge anyone who may have information that might help us find Madeleine to call us on the confidential number +34 902 300 213, which is manned by private detectives in Spain or e-mail investigation@findmadeleine.com, or contact the police.

Statement from Kate McCann

Kate McCann:


Saturday 3rd November : 6 Month Landmark

Six months is such a long time for a little girl to be separated from her family. We believe that our Madeleine is out there somewhere and retain hope that we can be reunited.



Madeleine is a beautiful little person who deserves a loving and happy life. There is no doubt that the best place for her to be, to ensure this, is with her family.



We know that somebody somewhere can make this happen. That somebody, has the ability and power to bring about so much joy, as well as bring peace to themselves.



If you have any information relating to Madeleine’s disappearance or whereabouts, PLEASE, - pass it on.



0034 902 300 213




Day 178 - 28/10/2007

The last couple of days have been hard for Kate and I. We have had a lot of ‘family time’ and despite the pleasure of seeing Sean and Amelie having fun, Madeleine’s absence was very much tangible. We were, however, bucked up somewhat after opening lots of mail, which was incredibly supportive and uplifting. We would like to pass on our sincere thanks once more to everyone who is supporting us. My mum and sister have also arrived for a few days and this is the first time we have seen each other for 5 weeks. My nephew and a close family friend also came to visit last night.

Today we all attended mass in the local church. Next Saturday will mark six months since Madeleine was abducted. We will be marking this milestone very quietly with an ecumenical prayer service for Madeleine and other missing children in the local Anglican church.

Despite sadness and despair at our own situation, it is heart wrenching to hear of tragedies affecting other families close to home this week. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.




Day 176 - 26/10/2007

It has been a busy few days for Kate and I. We did our first interview since being made arguidos, for Spanish TV. This was very difficult for us but had one important purpose. We announced that private investigators are looking for Madeleine and that there is a dedicated ANONYMOUS telephone line for anyone who has information, which may help us to find Madeleine. The number is +34.902.300.213. We urge anyone who may have information to please call this number.

The investigators are based in Spain because we believe Madeleine is most likely to be in the Iberian Peninsula or North Africa. They have also released a sketch of an eyewitness who saw a man carrying a small child away from near the apartment on the night Madeleine disappeared. We believe this child was Madeleine. The Portuguese police have released the description of the man previously: he is 35-40 years old, approximately 5’8”-5’10” (1.72-1.78m), Caucasian with southern European/Mediterranean appearance, slim build with dark hair. We hope that this picture may jog someone’s memory who may have seen this man in the Praia da Luz area on the night or days before Madeleine was abducted. Someone else may be aware of a man matching this description who has behaved suspiciously at any time since the beginning of May.

Day 172 - 22/10/2007
This last weekend we went to visit friends and Kate’s parents. It is the first time we have been to Liverpool since we went to Portugal on holiday in April. Sean and Amelie had a great time playing with other young children and it was good for Kate and I to catch up with very close friends. We attended the ‘children’s mass’ in the church where we were married and I met the local priest who also happens to come from Glasgow.

We welcome the announcement from Mr Ribeiro, the National director of the Judicial Police in Portugal, that our friends who were on holiday with us in Portugal are to be re-interviewed. We do not know how many other ‘witnesses’ will be interviewed but obviously we want to be eliminated from the inquiry as soon as possible. We constantly hope that one of the other lines of investigation leads to Madeleine being found safe and well.

Day 166 - 16/10/2007 -Tuesday
Life in Rothley is definitely quietening down although daily photographs of us leaving the house still seem ‘newsworthy’ which I find incredible. We are slowly trying to return to normal and it is heartening meeting ordinary people who are very supportive and sympathetic. We have managed to catch up with quite a few friends in the last week, which we have actually had to build up to because of the emotions involved in talking about what has happened. We also had our first visitor from Praia da Luz who spent a few days with us. It was touching to hear about our friends there, who continue to hold weekly vigils praying for Madeleine and her safe return.

The media frenzy is gradually subsiding with just occasional unsubstantiated reports of ‘evidence’ appearing. It is very encouraging that Mr Rebelo’s officers will be seemingly reviewing all the material in the inquiry, which will hopefully identify areas for further investigation. Contrary to some other reports Kate and I do NOT accept that Madeleine is ‘probably’ dead. We know it is a possibility, however the fact there is no evidence Madeleine has been seriously harmed gives us ongoing hope that she will be found alive.

Finally, thank you once again to evryone who has written to us or sent messages of support. Calum has been away for a week on holiday and we will be updating the messages of support very soon. We would love to reply to everyone personally but the huge numbers simply make it impossible.

Day 160 - 10/10/2007 -Wednesday
After a few days of ridiculous newspaper coverage in the UK and Portugal it was heartening to hear of the statement this evening from Mr Ripeiro, the National Director of the Judicial Police in Portugal. He has again emphasised that all lines of the investigation, not only Madeleine’s death, are open and that much of what has been written is pure speculation and in some cases misinformation. Scientific reports that we drugged our children clearly fall in to the latter category.
In the coming days and weeks we hope that only factual material is reported, allowing everyone to focus on finding Madeleine and who took her.


Day 155 - 05/10/2007 -Friday
It has been a quieter week for Kate and I. We did go into the Leicester Mercury on Wednesday to pick up a cheque for Madeleine’s Fund from donations for green and yellow wristbands. We did our first interview since returning from Portugal to say a huge thank you to everyone, especially here in Leicestershire, for supporting us during these last few dark weeks and months. Click here to read the interview. We have talked a little of life returning to ‘normal’ in Rothley. Several photographers are still in the village but otherwise it has been very quiet.

Kate and I will be going through the judicial process in Portugal to try and clear our name as quickly as possible. Obviously it is encouraging that the prosecutor has stated that all lines of enquiry are open. It is likely that we will be ‘arguidos’ for some time since this status remains until charges are brought or up to 8 months if no charges are made. The investigation will have a new coordinator appointed to replace chief inspector Amaral. We are happy to continue cooperating with the Portuguese authorities and in fact as arguidos, we can request that certain investigations are carried out.

Day 151 - 01/10/2007

Yesterday marked 150 days since Madeleine was taken. For our family it was just another painful day without our beautiful daughter. The questions we ask are pretty much the same as those we asked in the first few days. Who took her, why did they take her and where is she? Without wanting to be boringly repetitive we believe that someone out there knows something that could answer these questions.

I am still amazed at the irresponsible reporting going on in the press with unsubstantiated reports from unreliable sources being repeated in the UK and Portuguese press unquestioningly. It is simply untrue that the twins think that Madeleine has gone on a ‘little trip’. They clearly miss their big sister and have asked on numerous occasions where is Madeleine?’. Kate I and have told them that we don’t know where she is but lots of people are looking for her and we hope that we will find her. They are not traumatised by her continued absence, simply being too young to comprehend the situation but we are well aware that their insight will change as they continue to develop rapidly.

At the weekend we again had lots of visitors with kids, which was great for Sean and Amelie. After attending mass yesterday morning we had a family lunch and then spent a couple of hours in the garden playing. There are still a few photographers hanging around at the end of our street taking daily pictures of Kate and I. We are managing to get out and about in the village and we have lots of support from the local community. On Saturday we decided to go for a run but drove nearby and parked the car but we were ‘snapped’ at the end, when I was certainly looking wearier than Kate!



Day 148 - 28/09/2007

It has been another busy week for Kate and I. Sean and Amelie have settled back into nursery, almost as if they have never been away. They are also enjoying playing in their garden especially on the big slide and their latest escapade is collecting conkers! When they are not in the garden, they are desperate to watch ‘Wallace and Gromit’ or build dens in their bedroom- another new activity introduced by a very special friend of theirs!

The amount of supportive mail we have been receiving has been overwhelming and shows no sign of abating. Just as when we were in Portugal, someone reads every single letter or card and your kind words really do help us. Thank you! We have once again been lucky enough to have had friends and family here helping us. Paul Seddon, the priest who married us and baptised Madeleine, also came down for a day this week too. The media presence in Rothley has reduced to a few photographers now and it has been good to get out and about a little bit in the village. We have had tremendous input from the local police who have kept a quiet presence at the end of the road, allowing us to have some privacy around the house. The support and kind words we have received from the local villagers has also helped to make our return that bit easier.

When we hear of potential sightings of Madeleine, Kate and I try not to get too excited otherwise we would be on a continuous emotional roller coaster, more than that which we are experiencing already. Despite the disappointment, it is encouraging that people are still being vigilant and have not stopped looking for Madeleine. This is so incredibly important to us both. The official advice from the authorities if you think you have seen Madeleine, or another missing child, is to call the local police force immediately and supply any information which might be critical such as a car registration or address.

We are planning a quiet family weekend, catching up with friends and some family who will be coming to visit. We continue to hope and pray that our lovely little girl will be back with us soon.



Day 144 - 24/09/2007

It is just over 2 weeks since we returned home from Portugal. The major news in that time is that we have not been charged with any offences regarding Madeleine’s disappearance. It is encouraging that the prosecutor has stated that all lines of enquiry remain open and we have not given up hope of finding Madeleine alive. It is good to see at least some attention re-focussing on finding Madeleine.

Sean and Amelie have settled back in at home very well but they do miss their older sister and we talk about her every day. For Kate and I it has been incredibly difficult to come home without Madeleine but particularly in such circumstances. Our family and friends have rallied round again as they have throughout this entire nightmare and they have also helped keep on top of the huge amount of mail from well wishers. At times our kitchen has looked like a sorting office! We would like to thank everyone for their support. It helps us keep sight of the fact that the great majority of people in this world are good.

Kate and I have been very busy with our legal advisers as we want to be eliminated from the inquiry as soon as possible and start concentrating wholeheartedly again on the search for our daughter. We are very confident this will happen when all the facts are presented together. We are very grateful and thankful to have several businessmen who have pledged financial support to cover legal costs and we were delighted Clarence Mitchell agreed to help us as an official spokesman. It is scary and daunting to imagine how we could have managed to deal with these latter ‘developments’ without such offers of support and commitment. Clarence will try and minimise the impact of the huge media interest in Madeleine’s disappearance on us, as we try and return slowly towards as normal a life as is possible. Although we will NEVER give up on Madeleine, we have to find the right balance for Sean and Amelie so they too do not suffer unnecessarily.

In the meantime we will continue to cooperate fully with the Portuguese authorities. I will update the blog periodically especially if there is any major development.



Day 136 - 16/09/2007

Sorry for not updating the blog for such a long time but obviously we have been incredibly busy during this last tumultuous week. The entries will probably be every few days or if there is a major development in the future.

Thank you for all the cards, letters, flowers, gifts and messages of support. It means so much to us to know that so many people have not been deceived by rumour, innuendo and wild speculation. Most importantly the search for Madeleine carries on and our family have not given up hope of finding her.

Live in Rothley is still a long way off normal with the large media presence but it is beginning to settle down somewhat. We all managed to go to mass today and it was comforting to pray for Madeleine with friends and family in our local church.




Day 130 - 10/09/2007

The last few days have been incredibly busy and of course, unbelievably stressful and emotionally draining.

On Friday Kate and I were made ‘arguido’- official suspects in Madeleines disappearance. We cannot comment on any details of the investigation, interviews or any evidence that has been presented to us. We could never possibly have imagined being put in this unbearable situation. No specific charges have been presented at this point and there has been no restriction on our movements imposed.

Despite the anguish and extreme distress this has caused all of our family, long term no one will be able to doubt how intensely Kate and I have been scrutinised. We have absolute confidence that, when all of the facts are presented together, we will be able to demonstrate that we played absolutely no part in Madeleines abduction. Our primary concern has always been the search for Madeleine and this aspect, that our daughter is still missing, must remain a priority for the investigation.

On Saturday we asked the Portuguese police if they had any objection to us coming back to the UK. We had assured them that we will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation and of course will return as requested and for our own emotional reasons. We decided to fly back on Sunday as we had originally planned and all of our family spent the rest of the evening helping us to pack.

On Sunday we left for the airport at 7am with huge media attention. Camera crews followed us all the way to the airport, and the whole experience, like much of the last four months was incredibly surreal. The flight itself went quickly with Sean and Amelie constantly active and excited about returning to Leicestershire. We always hoped that we would not have to return without Madeleine and could never have imagined the possibility that we would do so as suspects in our own daughters disappearance. The pain and turmoil we have experienced in this last week is totally beyond description. Kate and I are totally 100% confident in each others innocence and our family and friends have rallied round unflinchingly to support us. We would like to thank everyone else for the support we have received since we came home.

We have had very mixed emotions since coming back to our own home. It is very comforting to have such familiar surroundings and our own belongings and the twins have settled straight back in as if they have never been away. We have had numerous visitors with friends and those in official capacities. We have appointed solicitors to advise us and assist our Portuguese lawyer in preparing our defence against any possible charges. The sooner this is done the sooner we can concentrate fully on trying to find Madeleine, which is the most important thing through this unending nightmare.



Day 126 - 06/09/2007

Everyone will know that Kate attended for interview as a witness with the Portuguese police today. This is only the second time Kate has been interviewed and although it was a long day, going on past midnight, this was shorter than my second interview which lasted 13 hours! The suggestion that Kate is involved in Madeleines disappearance is ludicrous. Anyone who knows anything about the 3rd May knows that Kate is completely innocent. We will fight this all the way and we will not stop looking for Madeleine.



Day 125 - 05/09/2007

We were surprised to find increased media presence in Praia da Luz again today. We were followed down to church, then to the shops and back to our accommodation which is very unusual, apart from the build up to the 100 days. All the excitement seems to be over the results of the recent forensic tests that again have created a huge amount of speculation. There has been no official conformation that the report has been received, or what the tests suggest if anything!

Kate and I went for a run along the coast at lunchtime. It was pretty windy but still warm enough. Later in the afternoon we went to visit a friend of Kate’s who is on holiday in a nearby village with her family. They brought lots of cards from well-wishers at home and we talked a lot about the search for Madeleine. The twins had a great time splashing around in a little inflatable paddle pool, singing songs and being doted on by the older kids.



Day 124 - 04/09/2007

Kate and I did our first interview for a French Publication today. Any interviews we do now, of which we only accept a small percentage of bids, focus on the issues that we have faced since Madeleine’s abduction. The French have recently adopted a child alert system with some early success stories. With increasing travel and movement of workers in the European Union, it is also important we standardise the way serious crimes are tackled.

This evening we were invited to a friend’s house with the children for dinner. The twins had a good with the other kids in the paddling pool and especially enjoyed the banana splits with extra child friendly toppings!

Day 123 - 03/09/2007

After dropping the twins off Kate and I popped into church for 10 minutes to pray for Madeleine. Spent most of the day going through mail, e-mails and I had a number of calls to make. It was good to spend some time with my family and Sean and Amelie certainly enjoyed their auntie’s dinner- sometimes it is hard to beat mince and ‘tatties’!





Day 122 - 02/09/2007

Another relatively quiet family day. My mum and sister arrived this morning after we had been to church. This afternoon we took the kids to a friend’s house with a pool. Kate and I went for a short run and then we all had a swim and a couple of treats brought all the way from Glasgow!.

Several people have been asking about whether they should still be putting up posters of Madeleine since I have said the campaign will be having a lower media profile- especially of Kate and I. The advice of the National Canter for Missing and Exploited Children is that high visibility of the missing child through posters, car stickers etc increases the chances of finding that child. Kate and I therefore would encourage you to continue taking posters on holiday and ask permission to have them displayed in supermarkets, post offices and shops.





Day 121 - 01/09/2007

Today was a very quiet family day with just the four of us. Kate’s family left first thing this morning. We took Sean and Amelie to a local zoo that they really enjoyed. I managed to get the blog written early so it is off to bed for an early night.

In Rothley, our home village, there was a meeting this afternoon with the four churches all contributing prayers for Madeleine. We would like to thank everyone who is praying for Madeleine and all those who have sent us messages of support- you do help to maintain our strength and focus.



Day 120 - 31/08/2007

Those of who you that read the blog regularly know how difficult it has been for us not to respond to many of the slurs against our behaviour leading up to Madeleines disappearance. We have consistently stated that we will not put new information into the public domain that might jeopardise the investigation and in fact, we are constrained by Portuguese Law as witnesses from doing so.

There has been some wild speculation reported in the press about what may have happened to Madeleine. Most of the innuendo regarding Kate and me has died down in light of the statements from the official Portuguese Police spokesperson. However last Friday, a Portuguese newspaper published a front-page headline ‘PJ believes that the parents killed Maddie’. We firmly believe that the report was speculative, defamatory and published despite official statements to the contrary.

As well as damaging our personal and professional reputations, such allegations smear the investigation, the campaign to find Madeleine and cause great offence and anxiety to all our family. This is why, after careful consideration, we have issued a writ against the newspaper for defamation. Our focus has, and always will be, on doing our best to help find Madeleine. This lurid allegation is so serious and wide of the mark that we feel it cannot go unchallenged.

The legal expenses for the proceedings will not be paid from Madeleines fund


Day 119 - 30/08/2007

Kate and I managed an early morning run, finishing by running up the steep hill. It got a difficult day for us off to a good start.

Madeleine was due to start school today. It has been hard not to imagine how excited she would have been and how she would have looked in her school uniform. Kate and I would like to thank the pupils, parents, teachers and headmistress for their continued support and prayers. We would like to wish all the new pupils much happiness and we hope pray that Madeleine will be able to join her fellow classmates soon.

Day 118 - 29/08/2007

Relatively quiet day. Kate and I did one interview in the morning for a newspaper- that I managed to finish, probably because the journalist stuck to questions that I am allowed to give answers to!

This afternoon and evening was mostly spent at my computer and a couple of hours with the kids. Their constant chatter with each other is quite entertaining.



Day 117 - 28/08/2007

We, like everyone else, await the results of the forensics from the recent searches. We do not know who has taken Madeleine or why. Sometimes people do things for reasons that even they cannot understand. An act of madness, an accident or sudden impulse can lead to consequences that people may never have imagined or intended. Faced with such a situation we believe any human soul will ultimately suffer torment and feelings of guilt and fear.

If you have done something you regret, if you find yourself in a situation you never intended, it is not too late to do the right thing. Please come forward, return Madeleine, leave her in a place of safety. At the very least, help us by letting us know what has happened to our beautiful little girl.


Day 116 - 27/08/2007

No major news to report. Most of my day was spent on e-mails and telephone calls.

Kate I went for a run together in the early evening along the waterfront and then we popped into church for 10 minutes to pray for Madeleine. We had dinner with Kates family who are over here just now. Sean and Amelie are particularly enjoying having some older kids around.



Day 115 - 26/08/2007

I attended mass this morning but Kate did not go as she went to the English speaking service last night. It was good to see the local parish priest, father Jose back after a couple of weeks on retreat.

This afternoon was spent with the twins who remain very happy and help Kate and me keep looking forward.



Day 114 - 25/08/2007

Kirsty Wark interviewed me at the Edinburgh International TV festival this morning. It was very well attended, especially considering the 9.30 start on a Saturday morning. It is difficult to explain why Madeleines disappearance has generated so much media coverage and why it has been so sustained. I am certain that the coverage would not have been nearly as great if this had happened 10 years ago. The use of mobile phones, the internet, low-cost airlines and 24 hour news channels have changed the world we live in- making it seem smaller. No doubt Madeleines physical appearance also captured the publics imagination as well as the highly unusual circumstances of a foreign child being abducted on holiday.

Our family decided to try and make as many people as possible aware that Madeleine was missing quickly. Family members did frequent TV interviews and friends distributed images of Madeline to news outlets. My sister started the electronic campaign proper by sending a chain e-mail with a poster of Madeleine, which was quickly advertised by Sky and downloaded by thousands of people. Celebrities, sporting stars and ordinary people wanted to help, almost certainly because they felt the same feeling of helplessness that we did. After the first few weeks we fully expected the media attention to die down but this has just not happened.

Some sections of the media now question their roles in the coverage of the news story that is Madeleine. Kate and I quickly realised that much of the coverage was pure speculation, which was often negative and certainly unhelpful for us. We decided to rely on information only from official sources and this has certainly helped us remain on a fairly even keel despite some of the lurid headlines.

I left Edinburgh early afternoon but spent most of the day travelling as I had to fly back to Portugal via Luton. I managed to get some work done and write my blog on the way back. It was great to see Kate and the kids again after 2 days.



Day 113 - 24/08/2007

I started the day early with a pooled telephone interview for the press to talk about the media coverage of the campaign to find Madeleine in advance of my interview at the Edinburgh International TV festival. We touched on the coverage of the investigation and of course the wild speculation and innuendo being reported in some quarters. Although Kate, our friends and myself would love to correct much of the inaccuracy we will not divulge information publicly which might help the perpetrator of Madeleines abduction cover his tracks.

Travelled to Edinburgh this afternoon and managed to keep up the aerobic exercise with 25 minutes in the gym. I then met up with one of our friends who has been instrumental in distributing images of Madeleine and who produced the DVD of her to ‘Don’t you forget about me’. We had a bite to eat and took the chance to update each other on what has been happening in the last few weeks.

Off to bed for an early night after speaking to Kate, who has some family staying with her in Portugal whilst I am in the UK.



Day 112 - 23/08/2007

Another early morning start but this time for a series of radio interviews to discuss the survey of MP’s and MEP’s. The survey shows overwhelming support for the introduction of a Europe wide sex offenders register. There is also support to implement a child rescue alert, using local media to inform the community when a child has been abducted and felt to be at serious risk.

There have also been calls for changes in the way child abduction cases are handled in Europe to provide the best expertise available, quickly to the investigating police force. We are uncertain if these measures were in place if it would have made any difference to us finding Madeleine. Kate and I do hope that future changes in legislation and practice will help prevent cases of child abduction and also increase the chances of successfully finding missing children in such circumstances.

Although very serious cases like Madeleine’s (stereotypical kidnapping) are rare, it is very difficult to determine the scale of the problem, as there is no consistency in data collection across Europe. We agree with two leading British Charities (PACT and missing persons) that such data have to be collected with greater accuracy so that the frequency of serious crimes against children can be reliably documented- ideally such data should be available across the EU. Europe is probably 25 years behind the USA in such regard. Change has been driven by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and by families who have suffered high profile child abductions.

Travelled back to the UK tonight to attend to a few personal matters before heading to Edinburgh. I have just heard about the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool. This murder is such a tragic waste of a young life and our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Rhys family.


Day 111 - 22/08/2007

I had another early morning drive to the airport- I could almost do it with my eyes shut. After dropping the kids off we had some photos taken with the results of a survey of UK and European parliament MP’s. The survey results, commissioned by the find Madeleine campaign, will be published tomorrow and demonstrate strong support for changes in European legislation following Madeleine’s abduction.

Kate is keen to get in touch with a very nice mum, who she spoke with at the toddler pool in the Ocean Club on Sunday 3rd June. She is sure you will remember the conversation and Kate would be grateful if you could get in touch at with her at campaign@findmadeleine.com



Day 110 - 21/08/2007

We did manage our early morning run today although not quite to the top of the hill due to time limitation. After dropping the twins off at the kids club we did interviews for the 3 biggest selling Spanish newspapers. The message was that we still believe there is a reasonable chance Madeleine is still alive and we are still looking for her.

We were also asked about what is being written about the investigation and pointed out how much of this is pure speculation. We directed them to the official Portuguese police statements that are very sober in comparison. A statement was released this evening through the Portuguese news agency LUSA. This is the translation of what was reported on Portuguese TV station SIC:

The news that points to the existence of an English suspect, close to the couple, connected to the disappearance of Madeleine on the 3rd May in the Algarve, “does not come” from the PJ and has no “logic whatsoever”, according to what the inspector Olegário Sousa told Lusa.



Day 109 - 20/08/2007

I had a predominately quiet but productive day. I spent most of it at the computer or on the phone. We keep in regular touch with both the Portuguese and British police but there has been no major news in the last couple of days.

We did not do any exercise today but plan to run tomorrow morning- especially as I am off to bed for an early night!



Day 108 - 19/08/2007

I went to the airport this morning to pick up one of Kates friends who has come out to help for a few days. Kate went to church this morning as usual. We spent a couple of hours reading mail and answering e-mails.

Donations to Madeleines fund have topped £1million pounds. We would like to thank everyone who has donated to the fund and we will ensure that no stone is left unturned in the search for Madeleine. I will also ensure that the donations figure on the website is officially updated! The establishment of the fund, which was created in response to so many people offering financial assistance, lifted a huge weight off our shoulders. Madeleines fund allows us to make decisions regarding our search for Madeleine for the right reasons- with the boards approval of course- and not out of financial necessity. We did hope that the main objective of the fund would have been fulfilled long before now.

Tonight Kate and I went for a run together. It was the first time I have been for 10 days and I definitely feel better for it. I have made a mental note to get some form of aerobic exercise in at least 2-3 times per week as it does help me both physically and mentally.



Day 107 - 18/08/2007

Kate took our friends to the airport early this morning. Otherwise it was a quiet family day. We have met some incredibly lovely people in the last few months. Today we caught up with a fantastic couple that met in London and lived there for 35 years before retiring to the Algarve. They have been incredibly kind to us and the twins very much enjoyed the apple cake we had with them.

This afternoon we had a British visitor ho came to offer us a different type of support. He has been through an ordeal similar to ours involving one of his family. It was good to talk about our emotions, the pressures and different coping strategies that we use in an ongoing trauma, with someone who has experienced a tragic event like ours.



Day 106 - 17/08/2007

Relatively quiet day. We are looking at what other avenues we ca explore which might help us find Madeleine. Obviously we are desperate for a breakthrough in the investigation and we always try to look forward and ask what can still be done? The official PJ Spokesman Olegario da Sousa did an interview for Portuguese TV the other day and we will add the text of this interview to the news links so everyone can read the full interview.

I still have lots of e-mails and phone calls to answer every day. We spent quite a bit of time opening and reading all the mail that arrived which generally encourage us to keep going and not give up hope.

Late afternoon we took the twins to the beach for a couple of hours. The weather has become warmer again but the kids are still reluctant to get into the sea, which is pretty cold. They love playing in the sand and like most kids, building sandcastles but especially knocking them down.

This evening we had another vigil for Madeleine and other lost children. The priest who married us and is a good friend led the service that was conducted in English and Portuguese. The church was almost full but there was a calm serenity and sense of peace, which I find, helps me achieve an inner calm despite the turmoil in lives.



Day 105 - 16/08/2007

As well as the huge number of messages of support we have had a large increase in letters of support. We did some photos of us opening the mail and we received some lovely messages and a few symbols of hope. Afterwards I made a lot of phone calls and managed to catch up with all my e-mails.

Late afternoon we were invited round to a friends house with a pool which the kids and I really enjoyed. We stayed for dinner and the kids fell asleep on the way back to our house. Our accommodation is a very modest family home and, most definitely, not a luxury villa, as was reported in one of the Portuguese newspapers yesterday. I can confirm that it does not have a swimming pool, 2 storeys and in fact was amongst the cheapest accommodation available, at short notice, in Luz in August. I would also like to point out that Madeleines fund has not paid for any of our accommodation in Portugal.



Day 104 - 15/08/2007

It is the feast of the assumption today, which is a holiday in Portugal. This morning we attended mass, which was very busy and again many of the local community asked after Madeleine and said the word ‘force’, meaning strength.

This afternoon Kate and I did a combined interview for the Liverpool Post and the Leicester Mercury this afternoon. We said a big thank you to their readers for all their support and good wishes.



Day 103 - 14/08/2007

Relatively quiet day. This allowed me to catch up with e-mails, phone calls and some administration. No major news on any front.

The weather has been unseasonably cool over the last 2-3 days. I have had a long sleeved top on for the first time in over 2 months and it is more pleasant overnight, making sleep easier.



Day 102 - 13/08/2007

Praia da Luz is slowly returning to normal. The number of TV crews has reduced dramatically and we have been able to get back to more of our normal routine here. There is still a large media presence particularly of print journalists who are waiting, like everyone else, for the next development in the police investigation. We are still optimistic that there will be a breakthrough. In the meantime however, little has changed for Kate and I. We will not give up hope until Madeleine is found and we will not stop searching for her.

The campaign, as planned, will enter a quieter phase again. We have always envisaged that media attention focussed on Madeleine and us would quieten down and just occasionally we would try to remind people that Madeleine is still missing and that we are still looking. There cannot be many people who do not know these facts after the events of this last week. As well as the find Madeleine campaign we will be working closely with ICMEC and it is heartening to see so many visitors to the YouTube don’t you forget about me channel for missing children.

Kate and I would also like to thank the thousands of people who have sent us messages of support over the last few days. It really does help and we know that you will keep looking for Madeleine.




Day 101 - 12/08/2007

My brother and his family left early this morning. It was great having them here for a few days, particularly for the twins to be able to play with their ‘big’ cousins. They also were a great help to us especially during these very busy last few days.

We went to mass this morning, which was extremely busy with all the holidaymakers who are here. There was also a lot of media outside but the village is starting to return to normal again after the events of last week leading up to the 100 days since Madeleine disappeared.

A couple of other friends and their daughter have come out to stay with us this week, which really helps. We had a fairly quiet afternoon, spent with the kids who remain very happy. They speak about their big sister frequently and seem to want to look after cuddle cat as much as mummy!



Day 100 - 11/08/2007

Day 100. Just another day but a significant milestone that we prayed we would never have to face without Madeleine. The prayer service here in Praia da Luz had a huge media presence, but in no way being intrusive, all aligned outside. The service itself was fantastically well attended with a huge turnout from the local community, which was very important to us.

The service was very comforting. There were contributions from Kate and myself, our family, the Anglican and Portuguese communities. Haynes, the Anglican minister, said a few poignant words about the events of this week, which were very touching. We said prayers for Madeleine and other children who are suffering. Everyone in the congregation lit candles, which were placed on the altar. The message from the service was that although 100 days have passed we have not given up hope of finding Madeleine.

In the afternoon we went to a local swimming pool and play area with the kids and their cousins. They had a great time swimming, playing with tennis balls and generally messing around. Needless to say they also managed an ice cream! It has been really good for the twins having other children here, especially since they have not been to the kids club for a few days.

We spoke to our family about the events in Glasgow and Liverpool. There was warm response at both venues and clearly many people are very happy to show support. Unfortunately we did not see any of the coverage on television. We did see highlights of the English premier league last night and note many of the clubs chose to wear Madeleine t-shirts and wristbands as well as playing the Don’t You Forget About Me video. There was also events at the rugby internationals and Ascot racecourse with 12 international jockeys wearing Madeleine t-shirts. The fact that so many people are prepared to show solidarity with us in our search for our daughter does help restore our faith in humanity.

There was a statement from the Portuguese police today regarding the recent activity in the investigation and media speculation. They confirmed that there are new leads and that we are not suspects in Madeleines disappearance. Other tests are outstanding and Kate and I do hope that these take us forward in finding out who took Madeleine and where she is. Unfortunately we have to add patience to our other characteristics.



Day 99 - 10/08/2007

Today Kate and I did a series of TV interviews for Portuguese and foreign TV. It has always been very important to us that we speak to the Portuguese people directly since we are in their country and have received such tremendous support, particularly from the local community. We again talked about the YouTube channel Don’t You Forget Me which was launched yesterday. Naturally we were also asked about the events of this week, which has been incredibly difficult for us with wild speculation in the media. We have always been told that the police had an open mind about Madeleines abduction and that all scenarios were possible.

In the first few days after Madeleines disappearance it was so difficult for us not to imagine the worst case scenario: that she had been taken and murdered, particularly in light of the statistics on child abduction. However as the massive investigation and extensive search did not find any evidence of serious harm to Madeleine, we started to hope that she would be found alive. This belief has been encouraged by the police and reinforced by the experts at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on my recent visit to Washington. There have been a number of children recovered, even after years of abduction, and whom the authorities had thought must be dead.

Everything we have done in the last 99 days in the campaign to help find Madeleine has been driven by fact that all our family and friends feel that there is a reasonable chance Madeleine is still alive. Kate and I, like all parents of missing children will always have that hope unless we see concrete evidence to the contrary. It is this hope that has sustained us along with the overwhelming support we have received from family, friends and well-wishers. As parents, we have always said we need to know what has happened to our daughter who has been such a massive part of our life. If the current police activity does uncover new evidence that Madeleine has been seriously harmed we should be the first to know.

We have always felt that the best chance of finding Madeleine is through the police investigation. We have done our best to get relevant information in to the enquiry, particularly from tourists who were in the Algarve around the time of her abduction. The fact that Madeleine could have been moved out of Portugal easily in the first few hours has been the reason the campaign has had to have an international dimension. One in six missing children in North America are found as a direct result of high awareness through distribution of posters and media exposure.

Tonight we attended the weekly vigil to pray for Madeleine and other missing children. These services have a calm serenity, which allow us to contemplate quietly. There was also a vigil in Rothley attended by family and friends. Tomorrow we will be marking the 100 day very quietly with a prayer service in Praia da Luz. Other family will be at the world pipe band chamionships in Glasgow and on the streets in Liverpool. A number of sporting events will also be marking the day.



Day 98 - 09/08/2007

We did a series of pooled interviews for TV and the press. The focus was to discuss the launch of the YouTube channel Don’t you forget about me which we have devised in conjunction with Google and the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. YouTube is used by tens of millions of people mainly in the 16-24 age group. We think this is an incredibly exciting innovation to raise awareness of missing children. The channel is launched at lunchtime today and will have other videos of missing children. Families and other agencies will be able to upload videos of children that will help to raise awareness of their disappearance.

The rest of the interviews focussed on the events of the last week. We again emphasised that we do not know of any evidence that Madeleine has been seriously harmed and everything we have done is in the belief it is likely to increase the chances of finding her. Unfortunately the media attention has been very intrusive and we have taken the children out of kids club due to the disruption caused. We hope this settles down and the kids can get back into their routine which has kept them very settled in the last 98 days. It is a shame that the media attention has also impacted on other holidaymakers which we certainly dont want.



Day 97 - 08/08/2007

Kates parents left early this morning. We did a short interview on how our faith has helped us during the last 3 months since Madeleines abduction. Given the events of the last few days we need to draw even greater strength from our faith and everyone who has supported us.

With the huge amount of media attention on us again it is very difficult to do anything with the kids without them being filmed and it is unfair on them. There is a huge amount of speculation in the media that Madeleine is dead, particularly with the obvious change in strategy of the investigation recently. At our meeting with the Portuguese police today we reaffirmed that we have to believe Madeleine is alive until there is concrete evidence to the contrary. It is this belief that has driven everything we have done in relation to publicising Madeleines disappearance over the last 3 months.



Day 96 - 07/08/2007

Kate and I managed an early morning run today. It was pleasantly cooler, with a refreshing breeze, which made a nice change. The media presence in Praia da Luz is at its greatest since the first couple of weeks, as is the amount of speculation and rumour regarding the investigation.

This morning we agreed to do a short, pooled interview that was made available to all broadcasters worldwide. We wanted to make it clear, that as far as we know, there is still absolutely no evidence that Madeleine has been seriously harmed and Kate and I have to believe she is still alive. The Portuguese police have assured us on numerous occasions that they are looking for Madeleine and not a corpse. Of course all possibilities are being considered and the police have to be certain before eliminating any of the scenarios. It is absolutely right that we are subject to the same high standards of investigation as anyone else. Kate and I have, and will continue to assist the police in every possible way.

We hope there is a breakthrough in the investigation very soon. In the meantime the campaign to keep the public involved in the search for Madeleine continues. We are always trying to think of ideas that will reach people who may not have heard of Madeleines disappearance. I spent a couple of hours this afternoon working on forthcoming events but did manage to squeeze in a much-needed haircut!



Day 95 - 06/08/2007

Today was again very busy. Lots of e-mails and telephone calls to family and friends who have been involved in the campaign to find Madeleine. I went to a large office store in Portimao to buy a new printer and ink, both of which were badly needed after all the posters we produced this last week.

There has been lots of media attention on the latest police searches. We are pleased that the investigation remains so active and we are cooperating fully with the Portuguese and British police, as we have done since day 1. We continue to hope and pray daily for that vital breakthrough or sighting that will lets us be reunited as a family.


Day 94 - 05/08/2007

We attended church this morning as usual. The local priest father Manuel is on holiday so the mass was all in Portuguese and although quicker than normal we did not understand too much of the sermon.

I note there was a lot of coverage of Kates interview in the Sunday newspapers today. I managed to read one of them and certainly seemd to sum up very well how we are feeling and coping without Madeleine. The key message is that we are doing everything we can to help find Madeleine.

After lunch we had a metting with our campaign manager and Kates family to run through a few things which will be happening rhis week. There was going to be a lot of media here leading up to the 100 days although we still hope we will not get to that marker, even before this latest search by the Portuguese police.

Kate and I popped back down to the church later on tonight to say a few quiet prayers for Madeleine. The town is much busier at tnight than when we first came here on holiday and ieven compared to a few weeks ago.

Computer glitches now sorted out thanks to Calum at infohost.



Day 93 - 04/08/2007

Another early start to the day as I dropped the crew who did some filming for the website and other forthcoming events. Kate and I did a short interview reviewing the last 3 months and the search for Madeleine. We spent the rest of the day with the kids and Kate’s family. We were all glad it clouded over in the afternoon to give us some respite from the intense heat.

The most recent searches by the police have attracted a lot of renewed media interest with satellite trucks arriving back in Praia da Luz. It is likely that some of the British Broadcasters will also come back out.

We werre all very tired and we managed to get off to bed at 10.30pm, which is very early for us by recent standards.


Day 92 - 03/08/2007

It is exactly 3 months since Madeleine was abducted. Kate and I had an early start as we drove to Huelva, 50Km over the border from Portugal in Southern Spain. We were meant to go yesterday but had to cancel because I was ill.

Unfortunately it was a public holiday in Huelva and the large shopping centre we planned to visit was closed. We did distribute posters in several garages, taxi ranks and the bus and train stations and gave out some Madeleine wristbands. This was definitely a worthwhile exercise, as many people did not seemingly recognise Madeleine but we did get a very warm response from the Spanish people we met. We would encourage everyone to continue taking posters on holiday but please ask permission before putting them up in public places.

When we arrived back in Praia da Luz we did a couple of media interviews to building up to August 11th, which will mark 100 days if Madeleine is still missing. There will be a lot of media activity next week reviewing Madeleine’s abduction, the investigation and of course the campaign to help find her. It is an opportunity to highlight that we have not given up hope and are still optimistic of being reunited with Madeleine.

Tonight we prayed for Madeleine at a vigil in the church. This has happened every Friday since Madeleines abduction and was very well attended tonight, probably due to the greater number of tourists in the resort.



Day 91 - 02/08/2007

Today was a bit of a write off for me as I was laid low with a probable viral illness which meant I could not stray too far from the house! I did manage to get through some e-mails, telephone calls and some paperwork. Feeling a bit better tonight so hopefully be back to normal tomorrow.

Kate did manage to put up some of the new Madeleine posters in shops around Praia da Luz.. It is noticably busier, now that we are in August, with lots of tourists many of whom are from Portugal. The figures from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children show that one in six kids are recovered after being recognised from a poster. Such statistics do encourage us that relatively simple measures may be effective in helping us find Madeleine.



Day 90 - 01/08/2007

Another trip to the airport this morning to pick up our campaign manager. Kate did a series of interviews for womens magazines and the Sunday newspapers which took most of the afternoon. Kates parents, who we visit regularly at home, also arrived and the twins were very happy to see them. They will be staying with us for a week.

We have had some new posters designed of Madeleine, in Portuguese and Spanish, which I have been printing out to distribute locally. I also did some filming to camera which we might use on the website and for future events.



Day 89 - 31/07/2007

Relatively quiet day apart from phone calls and campaign related e-mails. We have Busy couple of days coming up so off to bed relatively early (before midnight)!



Day 88 - 30/07/2007

We had a routine meeting today with the Portuguese police. Kate and I are confident that every avenue is being explored and the vital piece of information that leads to Madeleine is only a phone call away.

This is the last time we will have met the Consul General in a professional capacity, as he retires tomorrow and will be returning to the UK. Bill has provided us with consular support since day 1 and, naturally, he got to know us very well during the last 3 months. He has said that Madeleines abduction is the most tragic circumstance he has had to deal with. Without doubt Bill has given us excellent support and we wish him and his wife a very happy retirement.



Day 87 - 29/07/2007

Dropped Trisha and Sandy off at the airport this morning for an emotional farewell. They have offered us the most unbelievable support and I am not sure how we would have functioned without them here. They have been the silent face of the campaign to find Madeleine, putting their lives on hold to help us get through each difficult day. From time to time we will have other friends and family coming to Portugal to see the kids and catch up with Kate and I.



Day 86 - 28/07/2007

Quiet family day, as is often the case of a Saturday. It has become blisteringly hot here over the last few days and we decided to take the kids down to the beach early morning. Even then it was hot and there was almost no breeze although the water is still very cold. Met a very nice Portuguese couple who offered us good wishes in trying to find Madeleine.



Day 85 - 27/07/2007

Quite a lot of e-mails and telephone calls today planning future events, which might be helpful to keep Madeleine in peoples minds. I am sure there will be a lot of interest in Saturday August 11th because that will mark 100 days if Madeleine is still missing. This date coincides with the world pipe band championships being held in Glasgow. A former world pipe band champion, Alasdair Gillies who is aq friend of one of my sisters, has composed a ‘Marvellous March for Madeleine’ that will be played by 100 pipers from all over the world. It should be quite a spectacle and hopefully it will be a celebration, and not a another marker that Madeleine is still missing.



Day 84 - 26/07/2007

Spent most of the day travelling getting back to Portugal late afternoon. It was great to be back with Kate and the kids after the short visit to Washington. It was also great to see so many pictures from the 50th day balloon launch on the website.

A lot of people have been asking what can they do to maintain the search for Madeleine. The advice we have had consistently from the beginning, and very much re-emphasised by the experience of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is to maintain a high profile for the missing child. This can be achieved by relatively simple measures such as displaying posters in prominent public places. We ask people to continue downloading posters from the website and display them at bus stations, train stations and of course take them on holiday. Kate and I would like to thank everyone who desperately wants us to be reunited with Madeleine and have helped in this regard.



Day 83 - 25/07/2007

Up early this morning catching up with e-mails and phone calls as well as updating the blog. Managed another early morning run, round Washington centre this time, which is quite beautiful with grand buildings and monuments separated by wide grassy areas.

I had another meeting with another congressman Mike Rogers who is an ex-FBI agent and we distributed wristbands to Nick Lampson and some of his colleagues as well as members of NCMEC

This afternoon we had a meeting with the British Ambassador at his residence to update him on our meetings. The Embassy itself is a stunning building almost rivalling the Whitehouse

Flying back to Portugal this evening to get back to the family. I have no doubt that this visit to Washington has been extremely productive and will really help to maintain Madeleines profile. We will continue to work closely with ICMEC who have incredible experience and energy in dealing with missing children.




Day 82 - 24/07/2007

Another busy day in Washington. Started early on at NCMEC with interviews from 6.15am for the five major US TV networks morning news shows. A very serious issues programme 20-20 was also recording our visit to the America, as they will also be producing a piece on the search to find Madeleine.

Late morning we had a visit to the White House to meet with the First Lady's deputy chief of staff Sarah Armstrong. This visit was facilitated by Lady Catherine Meyer, founder of the British charity PACT, which is an affiliate of ICMEC and has done so much to raise awareness of missing children in the UK. Mrs Bush is a strong supporter of child welfare issues and is in fact an Honorary Board member of ICMEC. They were already aware of Madeleines disappearance and I took the opportunity to fill them in on my visit to Washington, particularly the work we are doing with ICMEC and the meeting we had with the attorney general. We finished with a very quick tour of the public areas in the White House which is a very impressive building and we also met one of the Presidents Scottish terriers! Immediately following the visit I did a few interviews for the British Media in front of the White House.

After a very brief lunch it was on to Capitol Hill for meetings with politicians who have been instrumental in getting the Adam Walsh BIll and others passed. We met with Democrat congressman Nick Lampson and Republican Senator Robert Shelby who both know the board members of NCMEC very well. They were both very keen to do what they could to help find Madeleine and the support during the visit we have received has been tremendous.

I spoke to Kate and the kids, whose telephone skills are developing very quickly which is nice for me when I am away like this. Kate has stayed on in Portugal and has been keeping in touch with the police but there are no major developments to report. In the evening I managed to meet up with a friend from Glasgow who is also a cardiologist and working in the Washington area. We went for a bite to eat and it was good to sit down quietly with a familiar face for an hour or two.




Day 81 - 23/07/2007

Very busy day and I was almost asleep by the time I got back to the hotel so apologies for not posting the blog earlier. We started off by spending the morning at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). We had a tour of the NCMEC led by President Ernie Allen who has been there for 23 years and there is little he does not about missing children.

The work done at NCMEC is extremely impressive. It coordinates information for all missing children and it was the center that pushed for the implementation of the early warning missing child (AMBER) alert throughout the USA. The center was also instrumental along with the founder, John Walsh, in getting the Adam Walsh bill passed on the 25th anniversary of the young boys murder.

NCMEC officials organised a meeting with the US attorney general Gonzales at the justice department. He was already aware of Madeleine’s disappearance and has made child protection a major concern for him. I explained in a little more detail regarding Madeleine’s case and the fact that she is still missing after 81 days. He was very supportive of the campaign to keep Madeleines profile high and of the work that we are doing with NCMEC and its International division (ICMEC).

We went back to NCMEC in the afternoon and I had detailed discussions with some of the experts there regarding Madeleines disappearance. We also had a board meeting with ICMEC regarding working together on other developments in raising the profile of missing children particularly using internet resources.

Finished the day off with an interview for Americas Most Wanted who have been following Madeleines abduction almost since the beginning. The programme is actually hosted by John Walsh and has massive viewing figures of around 12 million.




Day 80 - 22/07/2007

Spent the whole day travelling from the Algarve to Washington where I will be visiting the National and International Centers for Missing and Exploited Children and meeting politicians involved in recent legislation on missing children. The flights for our campaign manager and myself were kindly donated by an airline.

There is a very upsetting story on the front page of a British National Newspaper today. The headline suggests that Kate and I face prosecution for neglecting our children by dining 50 yards away and checking on them regularly. We know that there has been criticism in some quarters of our actions but at the time, we felt our actions were responsible. We were essentially performing our own baby listening service although we have talked of the guilt we felt at now being there at the moment Madeleine was taken.

We have been advised that legally our behaviour was well within the bounds of responsible parenting and subsequently been assured that no action will be taken. These types of criticism, particularly at this stage, as well as being hurtful are extremely unhelpful in the search for Madeleine. From the moment we discovered Madeleine missing Kate and I have done everything in our power to try and help get her back.

Our opinion now is completely clouded by what has happened to us and of course has sent shock waves through thousands of families. The real issue is that we should not have a constant fear of abduction of our children from their bedrooms, gardens or streets for that matter. What Kate and I did was at worst naïve and no one should forget that the real criminal is the predator who has taken a completely innocent child in such a premeditated fashion. It is this act that has wreaked havoc on our family and affected millions of other people




Day 79 - 21/07/2007

Relatively quiet day on the campaign front. Spent the day with the kids and visited the Algarve ZooMarine which they really enjoyed, particularly the dolphins.



Day 78 - 20/07/2007

Kate and I spent a few hours with our campaign manager discussing longer term strategies to maintain Madeleines profile, in case she is not found soon. We had a long conference call with two organisations that are keen to help us with the campaign but there is still quite a bit of work to be done before this venture can be announced.

We also managed an early morning run together, thanks to my mum supervising the kids breakfast. We made it to the top of the cliffs overlooking Praia da Luz in 16 minutes although we did have to walk at the steepest part. I had my first visit to a nearby beach for a while with the kids late on this afternoon whilst Kate took the opportunity to get through lots of e-mails. The twins took great delight in burying me in the sand, building (well