June 14, 2007
-
Madeleine McCann
Madeleine McCann was a three-year-old British girl who disappeared when her family was visiting a holiday apartment in Portugal.
Madeleine’s parents left her and her twin two-year-old siblings in a room in the apartment. They went to go get something to eat. Her parents put them to bed and went to eat at a restaurant 100 yards away. They checked in on the kids at 21:00 and then got home at 21:45. They had left the apartment unlocked.
When they returned, they found the bed empty and the apartment door and window wide open. Here is the link: Link Here is another link: Link
There has been talk on whether it was responsible to leave the three children alone in the apartment. The parents said they felt it was like going out and eating just outside their house.
Was it irresponsible to leave the kids in the apartment alone when they were only 100 yards away?
Comments (125)
It was! Especially with the door unlocked!
DUH!
second!
DUH!
second!
certainly. they could have at least locked the door.
It would have been obvious to anyone watching that the parents weren’t there, weren’t close enough to notice that anything was happening, therefore, the parents were asking for trouble.
and third,eh?
so close to first!!!!!
and shes 3 years old! shes not going to be able tro defend herself is she IS abducted!
her parents make me wonder…..
who cares… their fucking kids were abducted. that’s so sad. my parents left me in an unlocked house several times as a child. they probably should have locked the door. but still. i feel more pity than shame.
I believe it was irresponsible. Those children were just too young. They would have no idea what to do in ANY situation. But I’m not judging. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone does things that others might not see as smart!
^^**to**^^
fifth comments a charm
Yes! You should never leave kids by themselves, even for a minute.
I do believe so.
Yes, that’s so irresponsible.
It’s totally irresponsible. Why couldn’t one parent just go and get food and bring it back??? Is it that hard to do that? If they were junior high kids, then maybe…but preschoolers? That’s just completely ridiculous. Maybe I am more paranoid and overprotective, but stories like this just make me feel that it’s better to be the way I am than to regret being too laid-back. But that’s just my opinion. I tend to be on the judgmental side.
So, I would never say this to their parents…because honestly, I am sure they feel horrible enough.
Not entirely, but leaving the door unlocked was absolutely stupid. I can see how it might be difficult to find a baby sitter when you’re overseas on vacation, so the part about leaving them for a short time is somewhat understandable.
yes. It may’ve been 100 yards, but that’s 300 feet. They left the place unlocked and, unless dad was superman, they could’ve SEEN the kidnappers and not done anything except start screaming.
no and they left the door unlocked…these people are complete idiots
Maybe not if the kids were older.
But the parents should not have left such small children by themselves, especially with the door unlocked.
I hope they’re okay and found soon…
for sure. i mean, if they’d locked the door, maybe….. but kids that young? with the door unlocked?
it was irresponsible to not lock the door.
It’s irresponsible, yes, but on the other hand, no one anticipates that their child is going to be kidnapped. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes.
Yes, irresponsible for not locking the door. Everything may haven been okay it been locked.
yes, but its one of those things that people think will never happen, its not that they are bad parents, they just made a mistake. They must feel like crap. I hope they find them.
….havent you posted this up before……
Were the kids sleeping or something?
Whether I agree with this or not; the apt door should have been locked.
well.. they should’ve made sure the door and windows were locked at the very least
Wow, that’s horrible and sad. The parents must be devastated. I’d always feel nervous about walking out to the detached garage and working. I’d leave the back door open and screen door closed just so the little guy could come out if he was up.
Hell YES it was.
They were too young to leave alone.
I think that it was fine to leave them alone for less than an hour. But leaving the door (and possibly window) unlocked is just asking for trouble. It was probably a careless mistake that they are going to regret for the rest of their lives.
no, but it was irresponsible to leave the door unlocked
it may have been acceptable if they were close enough to the house to use a baby monitor and had locked the doors, however since they door was unlocked and i see no mention of a monitor it was an incredibly dumb and irresponsible thing to do!
This depends on a number of things.
Could they see any entrance to their room from this 100 yards away?
How much attention were they paying to what was happening in the area?
How quickly might they have been able to cover the distance?
How safe of an area is it, is crime common or extremely rare and what do most people do when they are not in their rooms?
Those are questions that come immediately to mind. I have been places where 100 yards might as well be a two mile walk for how hard it was to cover the distance. I have also been places where very few people bother to lock doors because it was such a safe area.
I can see how people say that the door should have been locked and they should have had the children supervised but there are areas when I wouldn’t bother with such things.
“Yes! You should never leave kids by themselves, even for a minute.” – musicdream16 Try doing that realistically when you are a single working parent.
“Why couldn’t one parent just go and get food and bring it back???” – California_Gal
I agree.
yeah, it will be a mistake that will haunt them forever
It is very irresponsible to be that far away from your young children. I leave Emilee alone in her room every once in awhile to play with her toys while I use the restroom or complete some other small chore, but I am constantly checking on her! There is no WAY I would be 100 yards away from my child in a foreign country with the door unlocked. Completely irresponsible, but I know that laws and beliefs regarding child safety are different in Europe than here in the US.
Oh, also… I’m not sure anyone else pointed this out, but the hotel they were staying at offered child care for FREE. There’s no reason why this had to happen.
Yeah. Just take the kids to eat with you, or order something and stay with them 21:00 is 9:00 PM so its not that late. I’m sorry, but visiting a foreign country and leaving your kids alone is just plain stupid. I’m not saying the parents deserved to have their kid go missing, its just very irresponsible and careless.
2 and 3 is way way way too young to be left alone. And why, on earth, would they leave the door unlocked??? That’s insane! They could have at least locked the freaking door. This story makes me mad. It makes me mad because I question myself even more now. Am I being a grossly negligent parent like these whackos, or am I only doing what any other normal parent would do in a similar circumstance? I can tell you without a doubt that I would never leave my kids all alone in a hotel room in a foreign country, with the front door unlocked. There are so many reasons why this is alarming to me. No question. I’d never do that. It creeps me out even thinking of it.
totally. the parents cannot blame anyone but themselves.
Well at least they got to meet the pope. Only the pope can get God to forgive people that careless and stupid.
If the door had been locked it would have been alrite.
OMG. It’s such a pitty. I hope they’re safe. The parents shold have locked everything.
The parents used incredibly poor judgment.
No one deserved to have this happen to them, but nevertheless, it was incredibly incredibly stupid.
100 yards is quite far.
Obviously. Kids that young should not be completly alone, with the door unlocked, even if it is 100 yards away. (or at all)
Madeline was left alone in a room with her little brother and sister (two year old twins) too, so the McCanns could have had ALL of their children snatched away. It is utterly and completely irresponsible to leave children THIS YOUNG alone. Maybe if they were older… but never when they are still this young.
Yes, it is tragic, horrific and sad, but this kind of thing happens a lot. Would they have got so much coverage if they were not both middle class white people? No chance in hell. I hope and pray that Madeline is found safe and sound and returned to her parents, but if her parents had stayed with her, then this may never had happened.
Madeline was left alone in a room with her little brother and sister (two year old twins) too, so the McCanns could have had ALL of their children snatched away. It is utterly and completely irresponsible to leave children THIS YOUNG alone. Maybe if they were older… but never when they are still this young.
Yes, it is tragic, horrific and sad, but this kind of thing happens a lot. Would they have got so much coverage if they were not both middle class white people? No chance in hell. I hope and pray that Madeline is found safe and sound and returned to her parents, but if her parents had stayed with her, then this may never had happened.
Yes
It is hardly responsible to leave toddler aged kids alone in a room by themselves…but if you are going to leave…at least lock the door. If if were my wild wee son…he would have opened the door and escaped to the world outside…I think this may be what this little girl did.
If they were only 100 yards away…and left the apartment uplocked…why were they not watching the apartment like hawks?!
Yes.
Didn’t you ask this question before?
I don’t understand why didn’t they lock up their apartment at least ? If the kids are unable to protect themselves, it is definitely irresponsible for the parents to do that. Now, they have to learn their lesson the hard way.
locking the door would be the greater issue isn’t it?…
yes, i do believe it is irresponsible to leave the children on their own, the kids are only little babies. the door should have been locked.
such a sad situation. i hope that madeiline is returned to her parents soon- they must be worried sick. i know i as a parent would be devastated if my child were missing.
It is carelesseness and stupidity to think you can leave your child alone, door unlocked and not expect problems. Too many people in the world who look for this type of opportunity. I keep my kids in eyesight at all times. And it is not the same thing to say “It was the same as being in the next bedroom” The person(s) who took her might not have entered through the front door but if they checked and saw it was unlocked then it is a good bet the wondows were open and unlocked as well inviting them right in.
Children that young should never be left alone. They should have gotten a sitter for an hour.
They should have locked the door. My door is locked 100% of the time unless I am going in or coming out of it. Otherwise, it is locked, no matter how long I’m going to be gone. And I don’t even have kids!
YES-the children should never have been left unattended EVEN with the door and windows locked. What if the children had choked or there was a fire? Haven’t the parents ever heard of room service? Don’t have children unless you’re ready for the full responsibility.
Definately yes! At least lock the doors, you know! And get walkie talkies – the baby kind that don’t have to be turned on for you to hear what’s going on.
Does the Pope wear a pointy hat?!…of course, it was irresponsible!!!!
Whether or not it was irresponsible, it is not my place to say… I still don’t feel comfortable leaving my 16 year old alone- ANYTHING could happen… I hope they find her.
Yeah, but it might have lost some of its irresponsibility if they would have at least locked the doors.
I’m sure the parents are beating themselves up for it. There’s no reason i should join in and call them stupid. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has moments of “stupidity”.
yah, should’ve locked the door and sealed the windows- definately a sure deterrent to kidnappers
I really don’t feel it is irresponsible. they were close and the chances of something like that happening seemed low.
It is unfortunate, but not irresponsible.
i think it was stupid to leave it unlocked. i think if u went out to grab something and came back really quick to eat then it is ok. but to go out and sit down to eat at a resturant that is bad. or like if u had a baby device where u can hear what is going on in the room then i guess that might make it a lil better.
Some people should be banned from reproducing. And people who do stupid stuff like this, should be.
Dont normal people lock their door even when they are home? Also, they said they put the kids to bed, but dont 2 and 3 year olds wake up sometimes? If they would have waken up I’m sure they would have been terrified they were alone.
Ugh, Can you tell this makes me angry?
Yes. & Why did they leave the door unlocked? Not only was it really irresponsible but it was really stupid too!
i wouldn’t have done it.
especially leaving the doors unlocked! geesh.
The door should have been locked.
slow to chide and quick to bless?
Yes that was irresponsible! The least they could’ve done was LOCK the door!
yes
Yes. If it was just out on the patio, I could understand it. Leaving the door unlocked and both going out to eat, no.
Well, it might have been okay if the door was locked and the little girl was older than three.
But alas…
Yes it is Irresposible, but they owned up to it. never in a millio years i am sure would they have wanted this nor do they deserve it.
St Anthony, Please interceed before the Throne of God our Father for the safe return of this little girl.!!!!
St Anthony Patron of the Lost ans Lost things.
They made a mistake and they are paying dearly for it. I wouldn’t leave my kids like that, but I am guessing that they are used to living in a safe neighborhood and didn’t even consider that there was danger to be leaving their sleeping kids alone for under an hour.
Of course my mind thinks of all sorts of things that could go wrong, from a fire, to just something simple like one of the kids getting scared after waking up alone in a strange place. An abduction wouldn’t have been first on my list of fears for them, but there would have been plenty of other fears that would have kept me from doing it.
I don’t know if it was irresponsible. But I do know that it’s not something I would have done-because it just doesn’t feel right. Those kids were WAY too young to be alone..especially with the door unlocked. Still, I feel quite awful critiquing what they did..they are in enough pain now for EVERY mistake they probably made in their lifetime, let alone a little thing like this.
We should pray for them.
How many syllables in the word “duh”?
Obviously not, eh?
i don’t think i would’ve ever done it. i might run to let the dog out, but i’d certainly lock the door. regardless, it’s awful about that little girl and i pray they find her.
Damn straight it was freakin’ irresponsible of them to leave the children alone . . . with the door unlocked? Why didn’t they just put a sign on the door that said “Free Kids! C’mon on in and take them”.
Idiots.
I think it was very irresponsible…was it THAT important to leave their precious little ones all alone in a hotel room so that they could eat with adults? I never would have left my young kids alone while my husband and I went somewhere else – where we went, they went. If the situtaion was too “adult” then we would have brought food to the room or gotten a sitter.
Child abduction is wrong, yes, but it wouldn’t have happened if parents hadn’t left the chlidren alone. If the parents were where they were supposed to be, with their tiny children, this wouldn’t have happened to Madeleine.
the door being unlocked or locked wouldn’t have mattered, considering they found the window open. If they hadn’t had come through the door, the window was another option.
YES.
You don’t EVER leave your kids alone. Even so, the LEAST they could have done is locked the stupid door.
yes!
Duh.
Yes, it was irresponsible
Ha! Sounds like something I would do.
Yes it was. They should not have left them alone even with the door locked.
um.. the door was unlocked. that was fucking stupid.
ABSOLUTELY!!Anything could happen… Especially with the doors unlocked…what is their problem?!?
when their children are that small, yes. and to leave the door unlocked was definitely not good parental responsibility.
Totally irresponsible and unfortunately, their paying for it now.
Are you kidding? This is a real question? It’s clear. Anyone who has spent 10 minutes or less around a child under the age of 6 would already know that they can get into trouble or hurt as soon as you turn your back — much less leaving the premises and being out of sight and sound of them for minutes at a time or longer. The parents showed terrible judgment in this instance. But most humans have at some time in their lives used poor judgment, but have not had to suffer this great a loss b/cause of it. I am sorry for all of them that the consequence of that judgment lapse is so terrible.
Not to be a jerk, but to me it seems irresponsible. Especially leaving the door unlocked. Not even considering kidnappers or whatever, kids can do a lot of stupid things without supervision and get hurt.
Ya think?
uh, YES. you can’t just leave a three-year-old and two two-year-olds alone together in an unlocked apartment and not expect something to happen.
is it ever safe or smart to do that?
Bad parenting.
Fox news is saying a source sent a letter to a Dutch newspaper claiming the child is dead and burried not far from where she was abducted.
Yes. And they said they didn’t feel safe leaving their kids with a complete stranger. Well that’s what they did when they left those kids alone. Once you leave/turn your back on your kids (especially if they’re incredibly young) you have left them in the hands of a bunch of strangers.
Evidently. I was shocked when my mother told me that she and my dad used to go to a little restaurant a block away for coffee in the evenings after my brother and I were asleep. I would never have done that with my children.
Why leave the door unlocked? That was stupid, and if the restaurant was only 1000 yards away, why not invest in a high frequency baby monitor?
Absolutely. That was so completely irresponsible, especially considering the age of the children! Three and two? What were they supposed to do if they woke up and needed their parents? Sickness, kidnapping, emergencies… hello! These are the reasons we don’t leave our toddlers home alone! I can’t believe I haven’t heard more about this.
Yes! Especially in a foreign country! Duh, people.
poor girl, they aren´t bad parents, it was a mistake, a big mistake
They should’ve locked the door.
uh yeah…and this was my first reaction when I heard this. What stupid selfish parents. get a friggin’ sitter or leave the kids at home w/one.
I personally wouldn’t – I would have a nanny, friend, or family member stay with my kid. They could disappear in a blink of an eye. Was it irresponsible on their part? Not entirely. Leaving the house unlocked…YES.
I fell bad but ALWAYS LOCK YOUR DOOR, your CAR, EVERYTHING
call me untrustworthy but I would rather be safe than sorry. I am in a kinda smaller town and everyone is always noting how i lock my car all the time and that I dont need too – I always tell them I would rather be safe than sorry. I dotn think an yone would steal my cheap-ish used car but you never know
one time someone stole my bike when i was younger and rode it to the stop-in-go and then dropped it, my parents saw it, got it and brought it back – i was crushed when ti was stolen and so excited to see it back (the next year i got another even better bike and never left if on my front porch – ionstead I always would take it into my backyard.
Daniel (doubledb)
I fell bad but ALWAYS LOCK YOUR DOOR, your CAR, EVERYTHING
call me untrustworthy but I would rather be safe than sorry. I am in a kinda smaller town and everyone is always noting how i lock my car all the time and that I dont need too – I always tell them I would rather be safe than sorry. I dotn think an yone would steal my cheap-ish used car but you never know
one time someone stole my bike when i was younger and rode it to the stop-in-go and then dropped it, my parents saw it, got it and brought it back – i was crushed when ti was stolen and so excited to see it back (the next year i got another even better bike and never left if on my front porch – ionstead I always would take it into my backyard.
Daniel (doubledb)
No, it wasn’t. As a baby – sitter I am responsible for the safety of the kids I watch while they are under my care. I would never dream of leaving them in a apartment alone. Let alone with the door unlocked. It was very irresponsible of them. And because of their negelance their daughter is in the wrong hands, doing who knows what – that is if she’s even still alive. Although I feel bad for the Parents, I think it wasn’t very bright of them to leave their kids with no adult supervision. And another thing, they said it was like eating outside at their house. One thing they forgot to remember: Their house is safter then a apartment. A creep wouldn’t be as likely to take the girl with the Parents right there – a apartment building they are. This case bother me (and not because of the parents.) because in some photo’s the little girl looks so much like this sweetheart I know.
Very. So many things could have happened. One or more kids could have woken up and gone looking for their parents (or gotten into some other kind of trouble). Or someone could have broken in…
If the kids were 8 and 10, it might not be as much of an issue. But the oldest kid in this case was barely 4. That’s just crazy to think they’re safe on their own.
are you serious people? if it was out of eye sight, they might as well been 10 miles away! if there was a fire or something, the child is too young to know what to do, and the parents are too far away to even know that something is wrong! its part of being a parent. you are responsible for anothers life. send your spouse to grab some take out! these are children that you are talking about. not a pet you can put in a kennel when you want to go out on the town!
I have been there. I know how tempting it must have been. In the end, that 100 yards or whatever didn’t help, did it? Totally irresponsible. Glad you are bringing this out. Look….many had no idea.
I wouldn’t have done it, but I’m not going to pour more pain on that family by saying this is their fault. As parents, we all make stupid choices in regards to our kids from time to time. This was just a choice that resulted in tragedy.
leaving the door unlocked with three young children in the apartment is ridiculous.
they dont sound like very smart parents
When away from home, I wouldn’t treat it the same. You are in a different COUNTRY with different PEOPLE and different CIRCUMSTANCES.
you’ve got your facts wrong.
Kids that young, hell yes. I thought that as soon as I read the article a few weeks ago. My first thought was, “WHY did they leave a toddler in a room by herself??”
I’m not saying it’s their own fault their daughter was kidnapped, I’m just saying, they shouldn’t leave young helpless kids alone in an unfamiliar hotel room.
Yes, and why take just one kid? Why leave the door unlocked? Didn’t her kidnapping wake up the other kids? Did they just lay there waiting for mom and dad?
Lots of things with this story don’t add up for me.
They shouldn’t have left everything unlocked, but were it locked it wouldn’t have been irresponsible I don’t think.
yes
Yes, it was. There is a such thing as a “babysitter.” You get one to come over to watch your kids for you while you go out. If this is possible, why the heck would you leave your young children alone, in a strange country, in an apartment room with the doors unlocked. And if you can’t get a babysitter, well, hear’s a simple solution: don’t go out!! God!! Some people should never be parents.
Leaving the door unlocked.. retards!