Should the parents of Madeleine be convicted of child abandandment when the search is over?

Question

.. and secondly, do you think if the same thing happened to single parents (male or female), not doctors, then they would have been locked up ages ago?

My heart goes out to Madeleine, but really hope they get some kind of punishment if they find her safely.

Answer 1

can i just update everyone on one thing tat no one seems to have read.... the parents have actually admitted they did not check on the children every half hour, they have had to tell the police the exact time they last checked on them so they could look at cctv etc. they parents have now admitted they hadn't checked on the children at all since leaving them asleep in the hotel room! (p.s for anyone who does not believe me, it was in the paper y/day, prob could find it on the internet)

and for those who say "don't you think they have suffered enough" well...put it this way, if i got drunk and then decided to drive my child in my car whilst drunk, crash and kill my child would you still say that was just "poor judgement" on my part? it's the same principle, they made a mistake leaving their children alone, i made a mistake in driving my child whilst drunk, and in that case would you spare me from jail because "i'd suffered enough" in loosing my child???? no, i would be thrown in jail for killing my child.

i did feel sorry for the parents, but the more i have researched what ACTUALLY happened, the more i have realised, it's maddie i feel sorry for, not her parents, she was the one who wasn't being looked after properly, and she is the one who is out there somewhere, dead or alive, being abused or worse, it's her you should all feel sorry for, not her irresponsible parents!

and lastlt, for those who say "have you never let your child out of your sight" well, that would be a NO, my son is three, yes he plays in his room whilst im upstairs, yes i go wee whilst he is watching tv, but if there was a fire, i'd be there to save him and i'd know about it, if he was taken i'd know straight away and NO i can safely say 100% i have NEVER let him a) play in the garden alone or b) been in the garden and left him indoors or c) LEFT HIM IN A HOTEL, ALONE WITH TWO 2-YEAR-OLDS AND GONE FOR A MEAL 50 METERS AWAY!

the only people sticking up for them are those who have left their child home alone.
would you put your young children to bed and go down the road to the pub for a meal and drinks? even if you said "i checked on them every half hour" it makes no difference! if you did leave your kids home alone to go to the pub your children would be taken away by the social services!

i dont care how many thumbs down i get for saying this coz im so angry with what they did, maddie WOULD NOT BE MISSING IF SHE WASN'T LEFT ALONE

so stop feeling sorry for those parents and start feeling sorry for poor maddie who sadly was not being looked after properly!

Answer 2

This is a really really good question and one that no one will find a 100% correct answer to. I personally believe that the parents should never have left the three children in the room alone at all. When you make the decision to have children, you should be ready to dedicate your lives to them until they are old enough to look after themselves, this means if you take them on holiday, you spend 100% of your time with them. This was not the first time they had been left alone, according to the news, and yes they were checking on the children every half an hour, but it doesnt take a genius to watch what you are doing and know that they have a half hour window to get into the room and out without being seen. In this day and age, everyone knows that there are bad people out there who want what they shouldnt have but take it anyway, including children, and personally I dont let my children out of my sight, especially when I am not at home where friends and neighbours are looking out for me.

I truely hope that this little girl is returned to her parents and that they have learnt their lesson about leaving the children alone (remember, there were THREE children in that room, the fact that the other two were left alone is a blessing).

As for punishing the parents, that is down to the police I guess, we can but have our own opinions on this matter.

Answer 3

Oh yes, find a terrified little girl, bring her back to her mummy and daddy, who, at this very minute, she is probably crying for; then, just when she thinks everything is alright, take them away from her again cos they got arrested. That would be too cruel on that little girl, if no one else.
I get what you mean though, they never should have left their kids alone, but i was thinking about this last night. They were checking on them every half hour, well, im due to give birth in 2 weeks and i scared myself with what i was thinking, say i put my son down to sleep, then run for a bath while hes in his nights sleep, half an hour later, i get out of the bath, come to my room and my son is gone and the window has been forced. Would that mean i should be arrested?
Nobody is more angry at that couple than they are themselves at the moment, and if, God forbid, they dont find that little princess alive, those people will live with their mistake forever, i really think that is punishment enough, no court could inflict any worse of a punishment to them.

Answer 4

Although it was very stupid and careless to leave their children alone like this, what a price to pay for this mistake. We all make mistakes sometimes, not always as big as this one I know, but often we are lucky and get away with it. Madeleine's parents have not got away with it; even if she is eventually found safe and well, the agony and trauma they have suffered as a result of their actions is surely punishment enough. Let us all focus instead on hoping and praying that Madeleine is found safe and well.

The severest form of punishment should be given to those responsible for her disappearance.

Answer 5

My heart goes out to the little girl who did nothing wrong but have parents who left her. Yes the parents should be punished, but why wait until they find the little girl? They may never find her-
These people who say enough punishment has been done? What?! That is like saying, when a drunk driver runs over his kids - what is the difference? The parent did something stupid, the kid pays for it, but hey the parent was sorry, so it don't matter - like whatever
And yes any other person would have been charged already, but these two are doctors so......

Answer 6

The only punishment needed is that they made a horrific mistake and will live with the guilt for the rest of their lives. Especially if she is never found. punishment enough i feel.....

To Sarah-05, i totaly agree with what you are saying too but just because we are saying that we think what has happene is punishment enough DOES NOT mean that we leave our kid at home alone..... THATS A VERY UNFAIR ACCUSATION.

Answer 7

Child endangerment at the very least....if they were in the US they may have been locked up...but remember they are not US citizens and they weren't in the US...so unless the other countries have some law, nothing will probably be done.

Answer 8

Have you never made a mistake yourself, then?

These people are going through hell - their punishment is having to live with the fact that their child has been taken when they could have prevented it, and not knowing where she is, whether she's being cared for, even if she's alive.

I bet you any money if you asked either one of them "would you willingly put yourself in prison if it meant your child was brought home safe and well?" both of them would, in a heartbeat.

I don't believe they are guilty of neglect, they are guilty of making an error of judgement that, sadly, has had terrible consequences. Regardless of their status - single parents, married, doctors, whatever - the suffering would be the same.

Have a heart. What good would it do Madeleine if she is returned to her parents (Please God), and she then has to go through the trauma of being separated from them when they are sent to prison?

Answer 9

no i do not you stupid stupid person they made a mistake that they will regret for the rest of their lives so you think that convicting them for it is gonna help in anyway whatsoever that would just destroy their other children leave them alone for goodness sake! i live on a small island with just over 20000 people on it and people leave their children in unlocked cars while they go about their shopping which i would say in a big city would be a far far worse thing to do!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

yes, i think they should. they should have known better than to leave a child her age alone, whether it was in a hotel room, or house. and secondly i doubt that if the parents weren't doctors they would be treated differently...if you are guilty of something then you should pay the consequences reguardless of your job.

Answer 11

yes, they should be in trouble. they should never have left those babies by themselves!!! that was the first thing i thought when i seen it....WHY WERE THEY ALONE!!!!!! you can't do that this day and age! Bless her heart though. I hope she's safe and no one has done anything to hurt her. I wish to see her back with her family. that's scary! i could not imagine!