McCann couple frustration at media

Recent speculation by the Portuguese media that the parents of four year old missing child, Madeleine McCann, have killed their daughter accidentally, and have been covering up ever since is reported to have frustrated the British couple. In a Sky news Interview this week Gerry McCann said “some of the speculation, especially in the Portuguese newspapers, has been extremely hurtful.” He has has described the allegations as "incredibly hurtful and incredibly untrue". In an interview with Jordi Gonzalez on Spanish television channel Telecinco, Gerry McCann stormed off the set after being questioned about the specks of blood which the police claim to have found in the apartment from which Madeleine disappeared. The specimens which are reported to be of significant interest are currently the subject of a DNA analysis. Mr Gonzalez also asked the couple whether were the last people to see Madeleine alive?. Mr McCann is reported to have replied: “That’s part of the investigation and we are not going to divulge any information about the investigation that might help the perpetrator of this crime to cover his tracks.” He then stood up and walked off camera, adding as he left the room: “All your questions are about the investigation and we cannot comment on the investigation.” Kate McCann defended her husbands’ actions and said “What’s in the papers, we know there’s so much that’s inaccurate and untrue. It’s awful what’s written, and we want to say something but we can’t.”

The family do have a right to defend themselves, as they have not been accused officially by any authoritative agency. If the investigation proves otherwise, then obviously it would become a different matter which should be dealt with in a British Court of Law to ensure a fair trial. The public also deserve to know the truth and if this involves asking some questions about the behaviour of the parents then so be it. They had left Madeleine and her twin brother and sister alone in their unlocked apartment, while they dined with friends at a Tapas bar some distance away, If they were a working class low income family the story may have been reported in an entirely different way.

I fear that the true story will never be told by those who were involved and Maddie will never see the justice she deserves. Unfortunately in this day and age the media is a very powerful tool, if you court the media to your advantage then you have to be prepared for questions which need answers. Obviously there is far more to this case than has been reported, due to laws and restrictions in place by legal requirements. The victim in this story however is Madeleine, and this is in danger of being overlooked as the media attention increases towards the effect on the McCann’s.