24.04.2009 (diffusé aux EU le 4.05.2009)
Oprah Winfrey : She disappeared without a trace. Today...
Narrator : In their first interview in America, Oprah talks to Madeleine McCann's parents.
Oprah Winfrey : She disappeared without a trace. Today...
Narrator : In their first interview in America, Oprah talks to Madeleine McCann's parents.
OW : You have been vilified all over the world. What do you want to say about that? Do you think that someone was watching your family? Will there come a point when you will say enough? What life is like now without their daughter. Do you believe she is still alive? The new search for Madeleine, next.
OW :Someone, somewhere knows what happened to Madeleine McCann. It's a story that captured the world and terrified parents all over the world. Two years ago, two years ago, little Madeleine vanished on a family vacation in Portugal. She was only 3 years old.
OW :: It was the spring of 2007. Kate and Gerry McCann were enjoying a family vacation in Praia da Luz Portugal with their two year old twins Sean and Amelie and 3 year old Madeleine.
(Clip) Kate MC : They were having a great time and the kids and Madeleine in particular was having a ball.
OW :: It was the spring of 2007. Kate and Gerry McCann were enjoying a family vacation in Praia da Luz Portugal with their two year old twins Sean and Amelie and 3 year old Madeleine.
(Clip) Kate MC : They were having a great time and the kids and Madeleine in particular was having a ball.
OW : The McCanns were travelling with several other families and some nights the parents would put their children to bed and meet up at the resort's Tapas restaurant less than 100 yards away (une maquette montre un chemin qui part de la porte-fenêtre). The adults, the parents would take turns checking on their children every half hour.
(Clip) Gerald MC : It seemed a fairly natural sort of thing to do was so close so you could actually see the apartment. (1)
(Clip) KMC : There was absolutely no way if I had had the slightest inkling that there was a risk involved there that I would have done it. (2)
(Clip) KMC : There was absolutely no way if I had had the slightest inkling that there was a risk involved there that I would have done it. (2)
OW : On the fifth night at around 10 pm it was Kate's turn to check on the children.
(Clip) KMC : It was on the third check which was my check erm that I went erm, and I discovered Madeleine had been taken and I just ran and say not Madeleine not Madeleine not Madeleine and I can just remember saying that over and over and over again. (3)
OW : Madeleine was missing and the search was on. The next day her parents Kate and Gerry held their first press conference. It would prove to be the beginning of an international media frenzy.
(Clip) GMC : Please, if you have Madeleine, let her come home to her mummy, daddy, brother and sister. (4)
OW : Within hours of that emotional plea. News of the McCann's tragedy traveled around the world.
Various clips...Beckham/Pope etc.
OW : After searching tirelessly for four months with few solid leads the McCanns became suspects or what the Portuguese call arguidos.
Lawyer in Portimão : Kate and Gerry McCann have both been today declared arguidos.
OW : With that stunning news Kate and Gerry decided to leave Portugal - the last place they've seen their daughter Madeleine.
OW : Within hours of that emotional plea. News of the McCann's tragedy traveled around the world.
Various clips...Beckham/Pope etc.
OW : After searching tirelessly for four months with few solid leads the McCanns became suspects or what the Portuguese call arguidos.
Lawyer in Portimão : Kate and Gerry McCann have both been today declared arguidos.
OW : With that stunning news Kate and Gerry decided to leave Portugal - the last place they've seen their daughter Madeleine.
GMC : Whilst it's heartbreaking to return to the UK without Madeleine, it does not mean we've given up our search for her. Despite there being so much, we'd wish to say we are unable to do so, except to say this "we have played no part in the disappearance of our lovely daughter Madeleine". (5)
OW : (Studio) Well Kate and Gerry were officially cleared as suspects in the case of their missing daughter last July and the McCanns are here today for their first interview in the United States. Thank you for joining us.
The MC : Thank you.
OW : I know this is a really hard time cause it's two years exactly.
The MC : Thank you.
OW : I know this is a really hard time cause it's two years exactly.
KMC : It is, yeah.
OW : Uh huh...how are you?
KMC : Erm [sigh] we'll we're still going. Erm, we're working really hard and we have our better days and our not so good days erm but we're persevering and we're pressing on whilst there's hope.
OW : Anniversaries harder than other days or about the same?
KMC : I, I cannot believe that two years has passed I mean I cannot believe it's two years since I've seen Madeleine and she's had two years without being with her family where she should be, so from that point of view it's a real significant mark.
OW : Do you believe she is still alive?
GMC : There's absolutely no reason to believe that she's not alive and I think that's the key thing and... (6)
OW : Is that wishful thinking, hopeful thinking or is there some part of you that feels it, senses it, or does...just does not want to give up.
KMC : I think it's partly fact in that you know, there's no evidence at all to suggest that Madeleine's come to any harm. Erm, part of me that, you know I do feel she's there, you know that connection is there, now whether that's just because I'm her mother and erm that will always be there that bond, I don't know but, I don't feel that she's that far away, you know. (7)
OW : Well I, you know, I'd read something that said there were times even, you know, early on after she err went missing that you would say I want I hope that whoever has her gives her her blanket I hope that whoever has her is keeping her warm I hope that whoever has her... (8)
KMC : I mean it's funny, it's you know, I mean as a mum it's things like that you worry about as well you know. Is someone brushing her teeth. Is someone rubbing her tummy when she's not feeling well. You know, it's all those things as a mother you do and you should be doing and...
OW : But then do you let yourself go to the worst sometimes?
KMC : I mean I do I think it's natural and you know I know people mean well and they say don't let yourself go there and it's not going to help going there but as a mum inevitably there are times when I do and they're the times that I kind of dip down erm obviously I'm going to worry about her constantly you know...
OW : I would imagine there have been many times when you have dipped down. In this past two year cycle so much has happened, what has been the worst for you were there times when you thought you wouldn't get through it?
KMC : I mean I think nothing is gonna be worse than those early days really. It was horrific, it was awful and I don't believe there can be a greater pain. (9)
OW : Uh huh...how are you?
KMC : Erm [sigh] we'll we're still going. Erm, we're working really hard and we have our better days and our not so good days erm but we're persevering and we're pressing on whilst there's hope.
OW : Anniversaries harder than other days or about the same?
KMC : I, I cannot believe that two years has passed I mean I cannot believe it's two years since I've seen Madeleine and she's had two years without being with her family where she should be, so from that point of view it's a real significant mark.
OW : Do you believe she is still alive?
GMC : There's absolutely no reason to believe that she's not alive and I think that's the key thing and... (6)
OW : Is that wishful thinking, hopeful thinking or is there some part of you that feels it, senses it, or does...just does not want to give up.
KMC : I think it's partly fact in that you know, there's no evidence at all to suggest that Madeleine's come to any harm. Erm, part of me that, you know I do feel she's there, you know that connection is there, now whether that's just because I'm her mother and erm that will always be there that bond, I don't know but, I don't feel that she's that far away, you know. (7)
OW : Well I, you know, I'd read something that said there were times even, you know, early on after she err went missing that you would say I want I hope that whoever has her gives her her blanket I hope that whoever has her is keeping her warm I hope that whoever has her... (8)
KMC : I mean it's funny, it's you know, I mean as a mum it's things like that you worry about as well you know. Is someone brushing her teeth. Is someone rubbing her tummy when she's not feeling well. You know, it's all those things as a mother you do and you should be doing and...
OW : But then do you let yourself go to the worst sometimes?
KMC : I mean I do I think it's natural and you know I know people mean well and they say don't let yourself go there and it's not going to help going there but as a mum inevitably there are times when I do and they're the times that I kind of dip down erm obviously I'm going to worry about her constantly you know...
OW : I would imagine there have been many times when you have dipped down. In this past two year cycle so much has happened, what has been the worst for you were there times when you thought you wouldn't get through it?
KMC : I mean I think nothing is gonna be worse than those early days really. It was horrific, it was awful and I don't believe there can be a greater pain. (9)
GMC : It's something that, you know, no parent should have to go through. It is just the most devastating, horrible sensation err fear for your child and your whole existence, your family existence.
OW : Yeah, yeah, we'll be right back with Kate and Gerry McCann.
OW : Yeah, yeah, we'll be right back with Kate and Gerry McCann.
Clips in Rothley: music...
KMC : You know we tried very hard erm to have a baby and err it took many years err until I got pregnant and the day Madeleine was born it was the, the most special day of me life and I did actually believe she was a real gift to us...
...I just can't believe how I you know...after five years of desperately trying to have children to suddenly having three it was great it was just lovely we were just so happy..
...I never had a day where I took my children for granted erm having been through what I'd been through. But you actually forget how precious life is erm until something awful happens and you realise just how perfect our life was.
Music - Gerry/Kate looking solemn
KMC : You know it's only a couple of years since I've seen her but for someone so young erm I just thought she's quite amazing.
Video from 2006...happy and you know it... (24)
KMC : It's obviously quite hard thinking about it....sorry. She was just really good company you know just err. She just I mean...she just she's like my little friend sort of all the time... ...the ones (showing pictures) that Madeleine has done, I just can't pull down to be honest. Yeah it says here "Madeleine Donegal - Easter/2007" and that was erm the April we went to Portugal. You know I look back and think oh why can't we just rewind the clock and it takes you back to really happy memories you know, things that you really enjoyed and it's just a reminder really of what isn't here anymore.
OW :(studio) Ooh..that’s hard...it's hard. The McCanns are here today for their first interview in the United States. Well you know you have been vilified all over the world for having dinner with your friends that night and the proximity you know less than a hundred yards away and leaving your children, the twins and Madeleine, alone. And I'm sure you have beaten yourself up many times over that. Obviously if you could do it differently you would at this point.
KMC : Absolutely.
OW : Yeah, so what do you want to say about that?
KMC : I mean erm as you say, I know, I can persecute myself everyday about that and I feel awful that we weren't there at that minute and somebody took an opportunity to take Madeleine erm but if there'd been a second where'd I'd had to consider is this ok to do this it just would not have happened, it just would not have... (10)
OW : Because this was, you all had done this every night for five nights straight, is what I'd read. So you'd done it every night and never thought err we are endangering our children or maybe we shouldn't do it.
GMC : I think, no, we felt very safe and, and in quite a lot of resorts in Europe there is a baby listening service and we were, we were doing that ourselves within the group in actually going in to the apartments. (11)
OW : So there's a group of seven friends was it?
GMC : There was nine adults in total erm and that's what we were doing and really we were just checking to make sure none of the kids were crying.
OW : How many children are being checked on there?
GMC : There were eight.
OW : Eight children?
GMC : Yeah.
KMC : Three, three families.
GMC : Can I, can I just say I think the worst thing about, you know, the fact that many people have blamed us and villified us and with hindsight, you know, it was clearly a mistake with hindsight but the worst thing for me about that is there's an abductor out there and that person stole our child and went into an apartment and took a child and he's anonymous and blameless. (12)
OW : You believe it was a he?
GMC : Almost certainly a male, almost certainly.
OW : And is that because one of your friends Jane...
KMC : Tanner. (13)
OW : ...had seen was, err explain to me because I had read that she was coming out of her villa at nine fifteen. So let's go back to that night if you don't mind.
GMC : Yeah.
OW : Let's go back to the night. Nine 0-five, you all are at dinner and you made the check at nine so you're checking every half hour.
GMC : It was actually nine o'clock while the whole group were in the restaurant and one of our friends, Matt, already went up and checked his err daughter and as he came back I went up to check on Madeleine [pause] and the twins and I went into the apartment and err really just checking the crying and the door... (14)
OW : Checking to see if there was any crying.
GMC : Yeah that was it and the door was erm open more, I'd, I'd left it just ajar about 5 degrees and we checked them before we left and they were sound asleep.
OW : Which door are you talking about?
GMC : This is the bedroom door, to err their room, the three children were in the same room so I actually stepped into the room and the twins were sound asleep and Madeleine was lying in her bed exactly where she was when I left, Cuddle Cat up beside her head on her blanket and err and I closed the door and went to...
OW : And this is about nine-o-five?
GMC : Just yeah, so I went outside and I was outside the apartment and I met err one of the other guests and he was coming the other way with his kid and I actually crossed the road to erm to chat to him (15) and we were sort of chatting for about five minutes and during that, Jane went to check on her children and it was at that point she was just passed us going up to the corner and she saw a man carrying a young girl with almo.. (16) she described independently the pyjamas that Madeleine had on and she didn't see the child's face, she didn't, you know, she saw me there, she'd seen that I'd just been in the apartment (17) and so at the time she thought it was something odd but it didn't raise enough alarm bells to challenge the person or anything. (18)
KMC : The child was barefoot and bare armed (19) and he had a quite heavy jacket on so I think it was one of those things that just seemed a little bit odd but obviously it's not until later on that you realise.
OW : So this is the sketch of that person that err your friend Jane err remembers seeing but Jane, Jane didn't say anything when she came back to the table, yeah, because she saw you standing there.
GMC : Yeah yeah.
OW : So erm you discovered that Madeleine was missing so you checked it about 9:05, another friend sees this man at 9:15 and you went back to check again at...
KMC : Well actually at 9:30 I stood up to go and check on Madeleine, because it was my turn. And at the same time Matt our friend stood up and we both started walking and he said well I'm going to check on G***e they were the next apartment to us he said "I'll check on Madeleine" (20) and he? Or I ? hesitated a bit and then he said "no, I'll check" so he went to check at half nine came back said fine everything's fine so I then went at 10 o'clock the next check erm...
OW : Did he see her in the bed at 9:30?
KMC : No he just went in and listened and there was no crying. (21)
OW : So he came back and said everything's fine cause you all everybody's just checking to see if there's crying and there's no crying so everything's fine and so then you went at ten.
KMC : I went at ten and I went into the apartment and there was no crying I stopped and there was no crying. And then I just noticed that the door was quite open. (22)
OW : Which door?
KMC : Their bedroom door, sorry, and we usually have the door as Gerry said sort of not closed but ajar just so that a little bit of light gets in and it's not too dark in the room so I thought oh Matt must have gone in and left the door open.
OW : (inaudible)
KMC : Yeah, so I thought well I'll just close it over again, and as I went to close it over it slammed shut and I thought and it was like sort of you know a draught had caused it to shut so I turned behind me and I thought are the patio doors open and they were closed and I thought well that's strange so then I opened the door thinking I'll open it ajar a bit again and that was when I kind of looked into the room and when I just looked and it was quite dark and I was just looking and looking at Madeleine's bed and I was thinking is that her that I was looking ? Is Madeleine there? And then in the end I walked over and thought oh, she's not in bed and then I thought maybe she's wandered through to our bed and that's why the door's open, so I went through to our bedroom and she wasn't there and then I kind of... then I kind of start to panic a bit and I ran back into their room and literally as I went back into their room the curtains that were drawn over just "woooosh" flew open (23) and that's when I saw that the shutter was right up and the window was pushed right open. And that was when I just knew that erm someone had taken her. So I, I mean I ran to the window and I didn't know what I thought was going to see but I ran to the window and then I quickly hmm quickly looked through the wardrobes I had I suppose this temporary thought she was cowering in a wardrobe or something anyway she wasn't there and I just ran out and soon as...
OW : In a closet, in a closet?
KMC : Yeah just in case, just in case she's hiding or something I don't know and then I just went flying out the backdoor and erm ran to Gerry and just as soon as I saw the table where they were sitting I just started shouting "someone's taken her, Madeleine's gone" you know and erm that's how it all started really but erm [hyperventilates].
...I just can't believe how I you know...after five years of desperately trying to have children to suddenly having three it was great it was just lovely we were just so happy..
...I never had a day where I took my children for granted erm having been through what I'd been through. But you actually forget how precious life is erm until something awful happens and you realise just how perfect our life was.
Music - Gerry/Kate looking solemn
KMC : You know it's only a couple of years since I've seen her but for someone so young erm I just thought she's quite amazing.
Video from 2006...happy and you know it... (24)
KMC : It's obviously quite hard thinking about it....sorry. She was just really good company you know just err. She just I mean...she just she's like my little friend sort of all the time... ...the ones (showing pictures) that Madeleine has done, I just can't pull down to be honest. Yeah it says here "Madeleine Donegal - Easter/2007" and that was erm the April we went to Portugal. You know I look back and think oh why can't we just rewind the clock and it takes you back to really happy memories you know, things that you really enjoyed and it's just a reminder really of what isn't here anymore.
OW :(studio) Ooh..that’s hard...it's hard. The McCanns are here today for their first interview in the United States. Well you know you have been vilified all over the world for having dinner with your friends that night and the proximity you know less than a hundred yards away and leaving your children, the twins and Madeleine, alone. And I'm sure you have beaten yourself up many times over that. Obviously if you could do it differently you would at this point.
KMC : Absolutely.
OW : Yeah, so what do you want to say about that?
KMC : I mean erm as you say, I know, I can persecute myself everyday about that and I feel awful that we weren't there at that minute and somebody took an opportunity to take Madeleine erm but if there'd been a second where'd I'd had to consider is this ok to do this it just would not have happened, it just would not have... (10)
OW : Because this was, you all had done this every night for five nights straight, is what I'd read. So you'd done it every night and never thought err we are endangering our children or maybe we shouldn't do it.
GMC : I think, no, we felt very safe and, and in quite a lot of resorts in Europe there is a baby listening service and we were, we were doing that ourselves within the group in actually going in to the apartments. (11)
OW : So there's a group of seven friends was it?
GMC : There was nine adults in total erm and that's what we were doing and really we were just checking to make sure none of the kids were crying.
OW : How many children are being checked on there?
GMC : There were eight.
OW : Eight children?
GMC : Yeah.
KMC : Three, three families.
GMC : Can I, can I just say I think the worst thing about, you know, the fact that many people have blamed us and villified us and with hindsight, you know, it was clearly a mistake with hindsight but the worst thing for me about that is there's an abductor out there and that person stole our child and went into an apartment and took a child and he's anonymous and blameless. (12)
OW : You believe it was a he?
GMC : Almost certainly a male, almost certainly.
OW : And is that because one of your friends Jane...
KMC : Tanner. (13)
OW : ...had seen was, err explain to me because I had read that she was coming out of her villa at nine fifteen. So let's go back to that night if you don't mind.
GMC : Yeah.
OW : Let's go back to the night. Nine 0-five, you all are at dinner and you made the check at nine so you're checking every half hour.
GMC : It was actually nine o'clock while the whole group were in the restaurant and one of our friends, Matt, already went up and checked his err daughter and as he came back I went up to check on Madeleine [pause] and the twins and I went into the apartment and err really just checking the crying and the door... (14)
OW : Checking to see if there was any crying.
GMC : Yeah that was it and the door was erm open more, I'd, I'd left it just ajar about 5 degrees and we checked them before we left and they were sound asleep.
OW : Which door are you talking about?
GMC : This is the bedroom door, to err their room, the three children were in the same room so I actually stepped into the room and the twins were sound asleep and Madeleine was lying in her bed exactly where she was when I left, Cuddle Cat up beside her head on her blanket and err and I closed the door and went to...
OW : And this is about nine-o-five?
GMC : Just yeah, so I went outside and I was outside the apartment and I met err one of the other guests and he was coming the other way with his kid and I actually crossed the road to erm to chat to him (15) and we were sort of chatting for about five minutes and during that, Jane went to check on her children and it was at that point she was just passed us going up to the corner and she saw a man carrying a young girl with almo.. (16) she described independently the pyjamas that Madeleine had on and she didn't see the child's face, she didn't, you know, she saw me there, she'd seen that I'd just been in the apartment (17) and so at the time she thought it was something odd but it didn't raise enough alarm bells to challenge the person or anything. (18)
KMC : The child was barefoot and bare armed (19) and he had a quite heavy jacket on so I think it was one of those things that just seemed a little bit odd but obviously it's not until later on that you realise.
OW : So this is the sketch of that person that err your friend Jane err remembers seeing but Jane, Jane didn't say anything when she came back to the table, yeah, because she saw you standing there.
GMC : Yeah yeah.
OW : So erm you discovered that Madeleine was missing so you checked it about 9:05, another friend sees this man at 9:15 and you went back to check again at...
KMC : Well actually at 9:30 I stood up to go and check on Madeleine, because it was my turn. And at the same time Matt our friend stood up and we both started walking and he said well I'm going to check on G***e they were the next apartment to us he said "I'll check on Madeleine" (20) and he? Or I ? hesitated a bit and then he said "no, I'll check" so he went to check at half nine came back said fine everything's fine so I then went at 10 o'clock the next check erm...
OW : Did he see her in the bed at 9:30?
KMC : No he just went in and listened and there was no crying. (21)
OW : So he came back and said everything's fine cause you all everybody's just checking to see if there's crying and there's no crying so everything's fine and so then you went at ten.
KMC : I went at ten and I went into the apartment and there was no crying I stopped and there was no crying. And then I just noticed that the door was quite open. (22)
OW : Which door?
KMC : Their bedroom door, sorry, and we usually have the door as Gerry said sort of not closed but ajar just so that a little bit of light gets in and it's not too dark in the room so I thought oh Matt must have gone in and left the door open.
OW : (inaudible)
KMC : Yeah, so I thought well I'll just close it over again, and as I went to close it over it slammed shut and I thought and it was like sort of you know a draught had caused it to shut so I turned behind me and I thought are the patio doors open and they were closed and I thought well that's strange so then I opened the door thinking I'll open it ajar a bit again and that was when I kind of looked into the room and when I just looked and it was quite dark and I was just looking and looking at Madeleine's bed and I was thinking is that her that I was looking ? Is Madeleine there? And then in the end I walked over and thought oh, she's not in bed and then I thought maybe she's wandered through to our bed and that's why the door's open, so I went through to our bedroom and she wasn't there and then I kind of... then I kind of start to panic a bit and I ran back into their room and literally as I went back into their room the curtains that were drawn over just "woooosh" flew open (23) and that's when I saw that the shutter was right up and the window was pushed right open. And that was when I just knew that erm someone had taken her. So I, I mean I ran to the window and I didn't know what I thought was going to see but I ran to the window and then I quickly hmm quickly looked through the wardrobes I had I suppose this temporary thought she was cowering in a wardrobe or something anyway she wasn't there and I just ran out and soon as...
OW : In a closet, in a closet?
KMC : Yeah just in case, just in case she's hiding or something I don't know and then I just went flying out the backdoor and erm ran to Gerry and just as soon as I saw the table where they were sitting I just started shouting "someone's taken her, Madeleine's gone" you know and erm that's how it all started really but erm [hyperventilates].
OW : Why did you feel immediately, I'd heard that you'd said They've taken her, they've taken her.
KMC : no, no....I didn't say that, I said somebody's taken her, Madeleine's gone. Well from the way I found the room it was obvious because a child could not open those shutters and the window. (24)
OW : uh huh.
KMC : erm so it was obvious to me.
GMC : You know when she came back and she shouted someone's taken her and there was just disbelief...
KMC : They all jumped up and they were saying Kate don't worry she's fine, she's fine, she'll be there, she'll be there and I said she's gone, she's - tak, somebody's taken her, you know it was just like...
GMC : And the way the room was, you know.
KMC : It was just like disbelief, you know...
GMC : The way that window was and the shutter up and the window open there was no way Madeleine could have done that err at that age and err it was just terrifying.
OW : Madeleine was almost as they said four, her sixth birthday will be May 12th erm and recently the McCanns had this age progression done by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with the hope that the search for their daughter Madeleine will continue. Here's what three year old Madeleine looked like when she disappeared and here is what experts believe that she will look like today. Almost six, on May the 12th is her birthday. We will be right back.
KMC : no, no....I didn't say that, I said somebody's taken her, Madeleine's gone. Well from the way I found the room it was obvious because a child could not open those shutters and the window. (24)
OW : uh huh.
KMC : erm so it was obvious to me.
GMC : You know when she came back and she shouted someone's taken her and there was just disbelief...
KMC : They all jumped up and they were saying Kate don't worry she's fine, she's fine, she'll be there, she'll be there and I said she's gone, she's - tak, somebody's taken her, you know it was just like...
GMC : And the way the room was, you know.
KMC : It was just like disbelief, you know...
GMC : The way that window was and the shutter up and the window open there was no way Madeleine could have done that err at that age and err it was just terrifying.
OW : Madeleine was almost as they said four, her sixth birthday will be May 12th erm and recently the McCanns had this age progression done by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with the hope that the search for their daughter Madeleine will continue. Here's what three year old Madeleine looked like when she disappeared and here is what experts believe that she will look like today. Almost six, on May the 12th is her birthday. We will be right back.
Rothley sequence (clip)
KMC : In the last kind of few hours that I spent with Madeleine were lovely. Erm she was really tired, very very tired, erm after she'd tea, dinner erm we went back to the apartment erm, bathed all the kids, and then we, we sat on the couch and we read some stories and, had a few little treats and we were all cuddled in and it was nice. It was erm it was warm and loving and erm. And I can remember it quite vividly. Mmmh. Yeah I can visualise it as I'm speaking.
OW : (studio) Well two years ago Madeleine McCann vanished while on vacation with her family in Portugal. Her parents Kate and Gerry are here today because they want the world to know they are still searching for their little girl and they believe that someone, somewhere, knows something about her, her disappearance. How often do you think about those last moments?
KMC : Quite a lot I mean, they were really special actually, it was funny in a way because that night at that time was more significant than previous nights, I remember everything, I mean she took my engagement ring off and put it on her finger which she she did quite frequently and err...you know I can remember the stories I read, you know.
OW : What did you read?
KMC : Oh it was one of her favourite stories which is called Mog which is about a cat and, I mean a story we read which seems ironic now but the story we read erm the last story is "when you're happy and you know it". (25)
 |
| Judith Kerr - Mog |
KMC : and err...
OW : And so when you came and realised that your daughter was missing and you're in a foreign country at the time, you made a decision, you know, an effort to try to get her picture out, to try to err engage the media, is that true?
GMC : It wasn't [sigh] so much a conscious decision, after a few hours erm some of our friends were saying that we'd contact the media, contact the media you know at least Portuguese police were saying no, no media, no media and we were desperate at that point.
OW : uh huh...
KMC : The overwhelming feeling was like helplessness. Absolute helplessness, I mean you're absolutely desperate, I mean this is our daughter who you just love beyond words and every second is like hours you know... (26)
OW : uh huh...
KMC : and nothing can happen quick enough...
OW : uh huh...
KMC : so you just want as many people as you can out there looking...
OW : uh huh...
KMC : ..praying...
OW : uh huh...
KMC : closing borders, you know...
GMC : I think yeah... Kate: to try and get her back.
OW : I think that's a really powerful statement I never actually, never thought of it that way before but I'm sure other parents who are watching you or anybody who's had a child missing understands what you mean, when you say nothing can happen quick enough...
KMC : And you know, Oprah...
OW : ...nothing can happen quick enough...
KMC : .. it was so dark...
OW : uh huh...
KMC : It was dark, erm I've never had such a long night it was dark and you're just praying for the light you know to come up to get out there it's just... (pleine lune la veille)
OW : uh huh...
GMC : There's a feeling of utter helplessness as well and erm it's interesting because although there's been a lot of negative, those early days there was just an incredible power that people wanted to help us.
OW : In the early days.
GMC : yeah yeah I mean and..
OW : And then that turned.
GMC : it did yeah.
OW : Can we go back to that press conference that was four days afterwards, because there was a press conference that was held err just four days after Madeleine disappeared. Kate made another plea to the public for her return, let's watch that.
(Clip) Press Conference
KMC : Madeleine is a beautiful, bright, funny, and caring little girl. She is so special. Please, please do not hurt her. Please don't scare her. Please tell us where to find her or pla - put her in a place of safety and let somebody know where she is. We beg you to let Madeleine come home.
OW : (studio) Well the tabloids used that press conference against the McCanns saying that Kate's lack of emotion implied that she was guilty, so, first of all tell us why you seemed err not as emotional.
KMC : I mean there were two aspects really, I'd spent seventy two hours, I think, crying erm and then suddenly almost feel like a little bit numb, it's really hard to describe, you know.
OW : Yeah, so I just want to verify that because I had read that before the conference a behavioural expert spoke to you.
KMC : Certainly in the first week yeah.
OW : uh huh...
KMC : And they said it's quite important that you don't show any emotion erm because the abductor could get some kind of I don't know some adverse kick out of it and I tell you when someone says to you, you know, if you do this or you, you know you get a feeling from them that if you do this, it could be detrimental in some way to your daughter.
OW : uh huh...
KMC : I mean it's huge pressure on you to, to do that I mean the last thing I wanted obviously was to cause any extra further harm to Madeleine, so...
OW : Do you regret taking that advice?
KMC : No, I mean it was an advice that was given with the best intention.
OW : yeah.
KMC : and I had to take expert advice you know, I mean.
GMC : Who can judge how you're going to react?
OW : right...
GMC : You know how many people have been in that situation?
OW : uh huh...we'll be right back.
OW : How has your marriage been through all of this because a lot of marriages, a lot of people get pulled apart.
GMC : Hmmm, I think you know a child abduction I think could destroy any family, there's no doubt about it erm it's, it's one of the most devastating things and then if you look what's happened to us subsequently but we, we've been supported tremendously well.
OW : uh huh...
GMC : and I think that's helped us stay strong and stay together.
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...and obviously we're really united in our goal and our love of Madeleine and Sean and Amelie.
OW : Once you were made official suspects, erm what was that moment like for you?
KMC : [sigh] Oh it was err, there were two things really I mean one it was incredibly upsetting, because you know just when you think things can't get any worse but actually it made me very angry erm and I know anger is not a good emotion but, it suddenly dawned on me that they weren't looking for Madeleine. They weren't looking for Madeleine and they weren't looking for the abductor and I just, I just felt so angry on her behalf, I thought she just deserves so much more than that and suddenly when that happened and I got angry, I just felt strong, I just thought I'm going to fight you to the death for Madeleine, you know, she needs us to be there and I just, suddenly, I don't know, I just kind of got strength from somewhere. (27)
OW : uh huh...
GMC : I think though that when the policeman told us they were going to be reinterviewed as arguido , I mean, it's a slightly odd legal situation, it really means a person of interest to the enquiry it's not really you know that you're being charged, you can be declared arguido if you're have to answer questions which may incriminate yourself but I think Kate just turned round and said what are you trying to do, destroy our family?, you know, and you'd already had the biggest insult you could have as a parent and then to be accused or err it was suggested you were involved in your own daughter's disappearance... (28)
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...that was pretty bad.
OW : And then there were the, the hurtful rumours that you drugged Madeleine or that you gave her sedatives that you err accidentally caused her, her death.
KMC : [long pause] I mean we know it's all lies.
GMC : It's just nonsense (29) you know there's no, people can have theories and that's all it is, there's no evidence to support any of that and it's absolute ludicrous you know and it's....
OW : Did you understand at first though because in our country I don't know obviously you've heard of the Susan Smith case which was over fifteen years ago woman who stood up.
GMC : Yeah Kate's....
OW : and killed her children...and I think that's what changed the way everybody thought about child abduction particularly in our country after Susan Smith L-I-E-D in public.
GMC : it's it's...
OW : ...and, and it turns out she's the one that put her children in the lake.
GMC : It was, it was interesting though cause Kate's aunt who lives in Vancouver she was talking about when we'd been accused of having lack of emotion and she, she cited this... (30)
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...err woman's case and saying she was screaming and wailing and balling...
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...you know and you think you know that doesn't mean anything you know, ..
OW : yeah it doesn't mean anything...
GMC : .. but it, it was and it's quite hard you know you can you just deny things and it's like well you know, does a denial change anyone's mind. (31)
OW : mmmh...
GMC : ...and it's quite hard, you know, once you've been smeared like that it's actually how do you prove, how do you prove a negative.
KMC : How do you prove innocence?
OW : (studio) Well the tabloids used that press conference against the McCanns saying that Kate's lack of emotion implied that she was guilty, so, first of all tell us why you seemed err not as emotional.
KMC : I mean there were two aspects really, I'd spent seventy two hours, I think, crying erm and then suddenly almost feel like a little bit numb, it's really hard to describe, you know.
OW : Yeah, so I just want to verify that because I had read that before the conference a behavioural expert spoke to you.
KMC : Certainly in the first week yeah.
OW : uh huh...
KMC : And they said it's quite important that you don't show any emotion erm because the abductor could get some kind of I don't know some adverse kick out of it and I tell you when someone says to you, you know, if you do this or you, you know you get a feeling from them that if you do this, it could be detrimental in some way to your daughter.
OW : uh huh...
KMC : I mean it's huge pressure on you to, to do that I mean the last thing I wanted obviously was to cause any extra further harm to Madeleine, so...
OW : Do you regret taking that advice?
KMC : No, I mean it was an advice that was given with the best intention.
OW : yeah.
KMC : and I had to take expert advice you know, I mean.
GMC : Who can judge how you're going to react?
OW : right...
GMC : You know how many people have been in that situation?
OW : uh huh...we'll be right back.
OW : How has your marriage been through all of this because a lot of marriages, a lot of people get pulled apart.
GMC : Hmmm, I think you know a child abduction I think could destroy any family, there's no doubt about it erm it's, it's one of the most devastating things and then if you look what's happened to us subsequently but we, we've been supported tremendously well.
OW : uh huh...
GMC : and I think that's helped us stay strong and stay together.
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...and obviously we're really united in our goal and our love of Madeleine and Sean and Amelie.
OW : Once you were made official suspects, erm what was that moment like for you?
KMC : [sigh] Oh it was err, there were two things really I mean one it was incredibly upsetting, because you know just when you think things can't get any worse but actually it made me very angry erm and I know anger is not a good emotion but, it suddenly dawned on me that they weren't looking for Madeleine. They weren't looking for Madeleine and they weren't looking for the abductor and I just, I just felt so angry on her behalf, I thought she just deserves so much more than that and suddenly when that happened and I got angry, I just felt strong, I just thought I'm going to fight you to the death for Madeleine, you know, she needs us to be there and I just, suddenly, I don't know, I just kind of got strength from somewhere. (27)
OW : uh huh...
GMC : I think though that when the policeman told us they were going to be reinterviewed as arguido , I mean, it's a slightly odd legal situation, it really means a person of interest to the enquiry it's not really you know that you're being charged, you can be declared arguido if you're have to answer questions which may incriminate yourself but I think Kate just turned round and said what are you trying to do, destroy our family?, you know, and you'd already had the biggest insult you could have as a parent and then to be accused or err it was suggested you were involved in your own daughter's disappearance... (28)
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...that was pretty bad.
OW : And then there were the, the hurtful rumours that you drugged Madeleine or that you gave her sedatives that you err accidentally caused her, her death.
KMC : [long pause] I mean we know it's all lies.
GMC : It's just nonsense (29) you know there's no, people can have theories and that's all it is, there's no evidence to support any of that and it's absolute ludicrous you know and it's....
OW : Did you understand at first though because in our country I don't know obviously you've heard of the Susan Smith case which was over fifteen years ago woman who stood up.
GMC : Yeah Kate's....
OW : and killed her children...and I think that's what changed the way everybody thought about child abduction particularly in our country after Susan Smith L-I-E-D in public.
GMC : it's it's...
OW : ...and, and it turns out she's the one that put her children in the lake.
GMC : It was, it was interesting though cause Kate's aunt who lives in Vancouver she was talking about when we'd been accused of having lack of emotion and she, she cited this... (30)
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...err woman's case and saying she was screaming and wailing and balling...
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...you know and you think you know that doesn't mean anything you know, ..
OW : yeah it doesn't mean anything...
GMC : .. but it, it was and it's quite hard you know you can you just deny things and it's like well you know, does a denial change anyone's mind. (31)
OW : mmmh...
GMC : ...and it's quite hard, you know, once you've been smeared like that it's actually how do you prove, how do you prove a negative.
KMC : How do you prove innocence?
OW : Yeah. Her birthday is May 12th.
KMC : [makes tut noise]
OW : And will you celebrate that birthday? Will there be an acknowledgement of that birthday?
KMC : We haven't planned anything yet certainly last year we had a party, just close family and we had a birthday cake and Sean and Amelie knew it was Madeleine's birthday and erm sis.
OW : Do they remember her?
KMC : Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, they're amazing honestly.
OW : they're four now, they're four...yeah.
KMC : yeah, yeah...
GMC : I mean it's hard cause they're older than Madeleine was when she was taken now err but those days when you just when things are really bad and you just want to crawl under a rock and never and just say make it all go away Sean and Amelie will just come out with something like "when Madeleine comes back I'm going to give her this" and they talk about her all the time you know she's, she's a big part of their life now and err and you just think you know if Madeleine walks through the door, if we find Madeleine today for Sean and Amelie it'll, it'll feel like she'd never been away and that it err it when you're really struggling they just give you that energy and drive to, to carry on and, and I suppose it's like one of the things we were saying a lot just now is we can't give up never give up on Madeleine.
OW : So when you think of her though do you think of her as her almost four year old self or do you think of her as the photo. Let's show the photo err again of what we believe she would look like today. Do you think of her as being...
KMC : No I mean I think of her as she was really cause that's the Madeleine that we know and that's the Madeleine we have memories of and you know the pictures of when she was nearly four tell a story you know we can relate that picture to our time with Madeleine erm I, I don't actually know this little girl you know erm but...
OW : but if she came back....
KMC : Oh yeah...
OW : ...you'd be willing to yeah...
KMC : Oh yeah I'd know 'er if she went past me I'd know 'er for sure.
OW : We'll be right back.
Rothley Clips
Sean and Amelie on swing: We're just, we're just, we're just gonna pick some cheese
Kate pushing swing: Getting some cheese on the moon ok
KMC : [makes tut noise]
OW : And will you celebrate that birthday? Will there be an acknowledgement of that birthday?
KMC : We haven't planned anything yet certainly last year we had a party, just close family and we had a birthday cake and Sean and Amelie knew it was Madeleine's birthday and erm sis.
OW : Do they remember her?
KMC : Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, they're amazing honestly.
OW : they're four now, they're four...yeah.
KMC : yeah, yeah...
GMC : I mean it's hard cause they're older than Madeleine was when she was taken now err but those days when you just when things are really bad and you just want to crawl under a rock and never and just say make it all go away Sean and Amelie will just come out with something like "when Madeleine comes back I'm going to give her this" and they talk about her all the time you know she's, she's a big part of their life now and err and you just think you know if Madeleine walks through the door, if we find Madeleine today for Sean and Amelie it'll, it'll feel like she'd never been away and that it err it when you're really struggling they just give you that energy and drive to, to carry on and, and I suppose it's like one of the things we were saying a lot just now is we can't give up never give up on Madeleine.
OW : So when you think of her though do you think of her as her almost four year old self or do you think of her as the photo. Let's show the photo err again of what we believe she would look like today. Do you think of her as being...
KMC : No I mean I think of her as she was really cause that's the Madeleine that we know and that's the Madeleine we have memories of and you know the pictures of when she was nearly four tell a story you know we can relate that picture to our time with Madeleine erm I, I don't actually know this little girl you know erm but...
OW : but if she came back....
KMC : Oh yeah...
OW : ...you'd be willing to yeah...
KMC : Oh yeah I'd know 'er if she went past me I'd know 'er for sure.
OW : We'll be right back.
Rothley Clips
Sean and Amelie on swing: We're just, we're just, we're just gonna pick some cheese
Kate pushing swing: Getting some cheese on the moon ok
KMC : Life has to go on you know if we didn't function then we'd achieve nothing.
KMC : C'mon then I think we need to get ready though.
KMC : If I was so consumed with the, the pain and grief then you know I wouldn't be doing my job as a mother to Sean and Amelie and not for Madeleine you know we still need to find her.
KMC : It's those times that obviously all the emotion comes flooding out and whilst that is important you couldn't do it all the time so yes you know, meals have to be cooked washing has to be done.
GMC : Bedtime, let's get a story ready.
KMC : Sean and Amelie know that we're looking for Madeleine. Now they obviously love their sister very much and for them that's become, that's our job really erm and they know it's ok to be sad.
KMC : Sean and Amelie know that we're looking for Madeleine. Now they obviously love their sister very much and for them that's become, that's our job really erm and they know it's ok to be sad.
OW : (studio) How has this affected the way you parent Sean and Amelie? Are you afraid to ever let them out of your sight?
KMC : I think it, it definitely has affected, erm I mean it's important I suppose to get the balance I mean they, they have to live, they have to experience life. And there are times when you have to let go a bit...
OW : uh huh...
KMC : ...for their development.
OW : uh huh...
GMC : It's hard.
KMC : It's difficult.
GMC : yeah...but they also understand now that we're here erm asking people to help us search, for Madeleine and that, you know that image is err, we're looking for a, a six year old girl now.
OW : Well I, you know I, I heard you were criticised, vilified for washing the Cuddle Cat that was in her bed what seventy days later, err do you still carry the Cuddle Cat, that' the Cuddle Cat.
OW : Well I, you know I, I heard you were criticised, vilified for washing the Cuddle Cat that was in her bed what seventy days later, err do you still carry the Cuddle Cat, that' the Cuddle Cat.
KMC : Yeah I do, it's with me [laughs] Yeah I mean I, I find that quite bizarre really I mean Cuddle Cat always used to get washed, you know.
OW : So seventy days after Madeleine was gone, there was a story in the, one of the tabloids about her washing away the DNA from the Cuddle Cat but it had been seventy days.
OW : Have you ever come close in a lead. Have you ever come close to thinking that you were close to finding her?
OW : Have you ever come close in a lead. Have you ever come close to thinking that you were close to finding her?
GMC : [sighs] err...I don't think so, really, it's, it's, it's hard because you almost don't want to let yourself to go there, so I think that in the early days and weeks we used to hear about sightings, often through the media, and lots of family and other people would get very excited and, and sometimes they had, you know, almost no credibility whatsoever and until we have some sort of evidence, you know like photograph or, or something then I think we wouldn't allow ourselves to really think this is it..
OW : To get hopeful
GMC : too hopeful, yeah...
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...was hopeful but not thinking that you're there. It's happened for other families.
OW : uh huh...
GMC : You know we, we other people might think you know, they're deluded, you know Madeleine's not, it has happened, Elizabeth Smart and we've met the Smart. You know there's two ways I think Madeleine'll be found this age progression picture...
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...someone know where Madeleine is around, will recognise her and that's why we want the image out there...
KMC : ...a match.
GMC : as far and as wide so they'll do it or the second thing is we'll identify the abductor and...
KMC : ...or...
GMC : ...that's key
KMC : ...or somebody knows something because at the end of the day this man is known to somebody you know, he's someone's son, someone's brother, someone's cousin, someone's neighbour, someone's colleague, someone's partner, so he's known to someone and even if these people don't know that he definitely did it they might have a suspicion and it's just I guess it's somehow reaching out to them and saying please come forward you know. (32)
OW : We'll be right back.
Snow White video then NCMEC clip
Ernie Allen : We're currently in our forensic imaging unit err these forensic artists every day are ageing the photographs of long term missing children. Nine hundred children have been recovered successfully.
EA : The photo in the centre is the photo we used of Madeleine McCann so this is the photo of Kate McCann on the left at age five or six and the photo on the right is of Gerry McCann at the same age. So what our artist will do is to create a combined image that we believe is representative of what Madeleine looks like today. (33)
Snow White video then NCMEC clip
Ernie Allen : We're currently in our forensic imaging unit err these forensic artists every day are ageing the photographs of long term missing children. Nine hundred children have been recovered successfully.
EA : The photo in the centre is the photo we used of Madeleine McCann so this is the photo of Kate McCann on the left at age five or six and the photo on the right is of Gerry McCann at the same age. So what our artist will do is to create a combined image that we believe is representative of what Madeleine looks like today. (33)
KMC : [hugs Ernie] It's nice to see you
EA : I really want you to understand circulating the photograph of a child who was not quite four, two years later is not good enough. This is our age progressed image of Madeleine.
KMC : I mean I think it is a reminder of what we've missed out on and particularly you know what Madeleine's missed out on.
GMC : If that Madeleine walks through the door tomorrow it'll be like she was never been away.
OW : (studio) That was Ernie Allen from the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children. They do amazing work there showing the McCanns what they believe Madeleine erm might look like today. I hear you keep her, Madeleine's room, ready for her.
KMC : Yep, it's all ready and waiting [sigh]..
OW : Do you go in the room often?
KMC : I do yeah, I go in about twice a day.
OW : Do you talk to her?
KMC : I do usually I mean I, I must admit I tend to open and close the curtains morning and evening and just say hello really, just tell her we'll still going and you know we're going to do everything we can to find her.
OW : uh huh...
OW : Are the Portuguese Police still looking?
OW : Are the Portuguese Police still looking?
GMC : Well what's happened is erm the file is officially closed and it, and that was a really difficult period because in Portugal they have a thing called Judicial Secrecy and you're not meant to know what's going on but that was closed last July and then we were given the files on DVD in Portuguese, so we have a small err team which is funded from erm Madeleine's Fund and we really hope that people who were in Praia da Luz who might have information and we've asked the local community in Portuguese to come forward and again in combination with a sighting so you know this for us this is a very active search and Kate...
KMC : There's no....
GMC : Kate spends...
KMC : ...there's no law enforcement agency though actively looking for Madeleine I mean obviously, you know..
GMC : the onus is on us which you know is pretty frustrating actually
KMC : ...we're driving this
GMC : ...but as parents you've just got, got to do everything.
OW : So have you gone back to work?
GMC : Yeah I made a decision to go back and for two reasons, one I, I felt it was important that the twins had normality back in their life and erm and me going to work was, was normal and I think almost for selfish reasons I needed to be thinking about something else. (34)
OW : Yeah, we'll be right back.
OW : Will there come a point when you will say "enough"?
KMC : I mean, I think even if you wanted that and there are days when you just want to get under the duvet or you just want to be in a coma till it's over just to, relieve the pain and get some peace but you can't. I don't think we'll ever get a day if we're still in this situation where we feel we've done everything I, I don't think any parent could, even if you were thinking I need, I need a rest, I need something.
OW : Do you think that somebody was watching your family?
KMC : I do now, yeah.
OW : uh huh... You think somebody was watching you over a period of days or?
KMC : Yeah, which is horrible..
OW : uh huh...
KMC : ..I mean it makes you feel sick actually when you think about it
OW : What do you want to say to that person?
GMC : It's not too late to do the right thing, you know, they can give her up. They can tell us where she is. They can hand her over, to a priest...or...someone in authority. They can do the right thing.
KMC : Madeleine should be with us. Madeleine should be with her family. She's got a little brother and sister who want her back in their life you know and please, you know, if you don't want to think about Gerry and I think about Sean and Amelie you know and, bring their big sister back, you know.
OW : We'll be right back.
Pictures, Website Ad [www.findmadeleine.com]
OW : (studio) You recently went back to Portugal...
Pictures, Website Ad [www.findmadeleine.com]
OW : (studio) You recently went back to Portugal...
The MCs : Yeah
OW : ...er what was that like for you?
GMC : It's difficult erm but you know I feel nothing against Praia da Luz or the Algarve as such because child abductions happen all over the world and it's the perpetrator..
OW : uh huh...
GMC : ...and we don't know where that person is rather than the apartment or the resort or Portugal
OW : ...or the people of the town..
GMC : no, not at all and they were, they were really supportive and..
OW : ..and you're right, abductions happen all over the world
GMC : that's right and I think you know, the best thing for everyone is if we can find Madeleine and who took her.
OW : Thank you so much for this conversation to-day..
The MCs : Thank you.
OW : And listen, it has happened before, it has happened before, and so I wish the best for you.
The MCs : Thank you.
OW : If you have any information, if you're watching from anywhere around the world, go to findmadeleine.com, findmadeleinecom, bye for now.
The MCs : Thank you.
OW : Thank you.
OW : Thank you so much for this conversation to-day..
The MCs : Thank you.
OW : And listen, it has happened before, it has happened before, and so I wish the best for you.The MCs : Thank you.
OW : If you have any information, if you're watching from anywhere around the world, go to findmadeleine.com, findmadeleinecom, bye for now.
The MCs : Thank you.
OW : Thank you.
(1) Il n'y a aucun autre témoignage prétendant cela (végétation et PVC opaque). En outre, la chambre des enfants était de l'autre côté de l'immeuble. Enfin les MC étaient assis à table, le dos tourné à l'immeuble.
(2) Leurs compagnons de voyage fermaient tout à clef et les précédents occupants de l'appartement 5A aussi.
(3) Ce clip provient de Madeleine One Year on (ITV, avril 2008), d'autres proviennent de la reconsfiction (Cutting Edge), Madeleine was here.
(4) Existe-t-il ne serait qu'un cas où un ravisseur se serait laissé appitoyer par de tels mots ?
(4) Existe-t-il ne serait qu'un cas où un ravisseur se serait laissé appitoyer par de tels mots ?
(5) Drôle de phrase, on s'attendrait à Bien
que nous n'ayons plus le statut légal de victimes, mais celui de
témoins assistés, nous n'avons joué aucun rôle dans la disparition de
notre adorable fille Madeleine.
(6) La clef ici est de faire passer ce que OW appelle avec raison "wishful thinking" pour un raisonnement logique : Gerald MC pose qu'il n'y a
absolument aucune raison de croire que Madeleine n'est pas vivante,
mais au lieu de remarquer qu'il n'y a absolument aucune raison de croire
que Madeleine est vivante, il infère que sa fille est vivante.
Autrement dit, tant qu'on n'a pas prouvé qu'elle était morte, vivante
elle sera. On comprend que si le corps de Madeleine n'est pas
matériellement récupérable compte tenu de ce qui lui est advenu,
Madeleine est vouée à la vie pour l'éternité. L'étonnant, toutefois, est
moins l'erreur de logique du type Russell's Tea Pot, mais la non prise
en compte des lourdes épreuves qu'aurait traversées une Madeleine
vivante.
(7)
Il semble falloir comprendre "il n'y a pas de preuve qu'on lui ait fait
du mal" comme "il n'y a pas preuve qu'elle soit morte", comme si le
simple fait d'avoir été arrachée aux siens n'était qu'une broutille.
(8)
Madeleine est sortie de l'appartement sans la petite couverture de
réconfort. Celle-ci fut donnée à sentir aux premiers chiens qui vinrent
de Portimão, aux premières heures du 4 mai. Kate regretta, cette
nuit-là, que Madeleine ait un pyjama à manches courtes.
(9) On dit que le chagrin causé par la mort va s'apprivoisant, alors que l'angoisse va crescendo lorsqu'on est sans nouvelle d'un enfant kidnappé.
(10) C'est
une autre occurrence de cette phrase si bizarre, défiant toute logique :
je m'en veux de ne pas avoir été là à cette minute où quelqu'un a saisi
l'opportunité de prendre Madeleine. Au lieu de "je m'en veux d'avoir
laissé Madeleine toute seule et permis ainsi à quelqu'un de la prendre". Ce qui transparaît ensuite, c'est que l'idée seule qu'un des trois enfants pouvait se réveiller et réveiller les deux autres ne semle pas lui être venue à l'esprit. Pourtant Kate MC rangeait sur une étagère en hauteur la trousse de médicaments avant de sortir pour dîner..
(11) Si ce service n'existait pas à PDL, c'est qu'il y avait une raison. Les habitations étaient trop dispersées..
(12) D'où il faut conclure que laisser les enfants seuls était certes une erreur, mais une erreur rétrospectivement. Sur moment, ce n'en était pas une. Et, pour bien enfoncer ce clou-là, Gerald MC s'empresse de ramener l'attention des téléspectateurs sur le vrai coupable, l'homme qui sans laisser de trace est entré et a saisi Madeleine. Nul ne sait qui il est, qui il peut être, donc il est, oui, anonyme, mais son existence doit encore être démontrée.
(13) Était-ce bien nécessaire de donner son nom ?
(14) Contrairement à la narration de Matthew MO (confirmée par la narration collective) où celui-ci écoute aux trois fenêtres (la sienne, celle des TB et celle des MC) vers 21h, Gerald MC, ici, déclare clairement que la ronde de Matthew ne concernait que sa fille. Oprah aurait-elle laissé passer sans commentaire que, dès le retour de Matthew annonçant que tout était calme, Gerald s'était levé pour aller voir ses enfants ?
Curieusement, Gerald ne dit rien de son moment de fierté paternelle alors qu'il contemple, grâce à la porte trop ouverte, ses trois enfants endormis et en particulier la beauté de Madeleine (rapporté dans Panorama, 19 novembre 2007).
(15) Il est amusant que Gerald MC donne ce détail qui n'a d'intérêt que parce que, dans la première narration et la narration collective, il ne traverse pas la route.
(16) Jane n'a jamais dit qu'elle avait vu l'homme porter sur ses bras étendus une fillette, elle n'a vu que deux mollets, deux pieds et le bas des jambes d'un pyjama.
(17) Jane a effectivement dit que Gerald revenait de sa ronde, sans qu'on ait jamais compris à quoi elle avait vu cela, puisqu'il était immobile devant la grille de patio.
(18) Pauvre Jane... Mais en fait pourquoi Gerald n'a-t-il pas vu le porteur d'enfant ? Quid de son partenaire de tennis ? Et quand Gerald a fait sa ronde, il a regardé (il ne le faisait jamais, selon lui) à l'intérieur de la chambre des enfants parce que la porte était plus ouverte qu'il ne l'avait laissée... Pourquoi cela ne lui a-t-il pas mis la puce à l'oreille ? Au moment de ce reality show, Tannerman était encore le ravisseur officiel et, comme tel, était dans l'appartement lorsque Gerald avait fait la ronde de 21h05.
(19) Jane a vu les pieds nus, mais elle n'a pas vu les bras du tout... Pourquoi insister sur les bras nus, semblablement pourquoi exhiber devant maintes caméras un pyjama à manches courtes identique à celui de Madeleine quand elle disparut (un pyjama que la petite soeur Amelie montra plus tard en disant Maddie's jammy) . La fillette si semblable à Madeleine que portait Smithman n'avait pas les bras nus... Madeleine portait-elle finalement son pyjama Barbie à manches longues ?
(20) Dans cette narration, il n'est pas question de Russell. Matthew a déclaré que Russell et lui s'étaient levés pour aller voir leurs enfants respectifs, Russell ou lui ayant ensuite proposé à Kate MC de voir les siens. Russell, quant à lui, ne se souvient pas d'une proposition de ronde faite à KMC. Par ailleurs Kate est la seule personne à dire qu'elle s'est levée et a commencé à marcher avec Matthew. Fiona, Matthew et même Gerald disent que lorsque ce dernier a signal à Kate que c'était l'heure de la ronde, c'est Matthew qui a répondu qu'il pouvait la faire à la place de Kate car cette dernière était en train de parler.
(21) Parents confiants s'il en est : pas de pleurs, tout baigne.
(22) Dans cette narration de la découverte de la disparition, qui suivit celle de la recons-fiction (voir l'évolution/comparaison), Kate MC récite plus qu'elle ne cherche à dépeindre ce qui s'est passé. D'où "J'ai remarqué que la porte était très ouverte" qui amène légitimement Oprah à demander : "quelle porte ?"
(23) Tout en parlant, Kate, qui a joint ses mains sur sa poitrine, déploie ses bras vers l'avant tout en les écartant, indiquant un mouvement des rideaux vers l'extérieur de la fenêtre, autrement dit dans le sens opposé au bon sens (puisqu'il n'y a pas d'appel d'air, la porte-fenêtre étant fermée). Kate s'est manifestement positionnée mentalement dans la chambre car elle indique, quelques secondes plus tard, par un mouvement de droite à gauche, comment la moitié droite de la fenêtre coulissante à coulissé le long de la gauche.
Kate ensuite court vers la fenêtre, mais elle ne dit pas si elle regarde dehors, ni ce qu'elle voit, elle coupe court pour dire qu'elle regarde dans les placards, ce qui étonne Oprah. Courir vers la fenêtre est un ajout récent, Kate a appris, en parcourant les PJFiles, que les seules empreintes découvertes sur la fenêtre étaient les siennes (elle avait déclaré dans sa première déposition qu'elle n'avait jamais touché à la fenêtre). Par ailleurs, nombreux sont ceux, sur les forums, qui s'étaient étonnés qu'elle ne se soit pas penchée sur le rebord de la fenêtre pour scruter le parking, appeler et écouter.
(24) Le changement de narration, ici, reflète les critiques apparues sur les forums à propos de "they've taken her" où "they" est erronément interprété comme le pronom personnel défini, alors qu'il a ici le sens de "on".
(25) C'est une nursery rhyme, rien à voir avec Meg la sorcière et Mog son chat.
(28) Oser les soupçonner revient à les victimiser une seconde fois.
(29) Pourquoi cela n'a-t-il aucun sens ? Les droguer pour qu'ils dorment profondément et ne se réveillent pas les uns les autres, pardi ! Pas pour les tuer ! Qui est mieux à même de le faire sinon un médecin avec une expérience en anesthésie ? Que le commun des mortels n'y songe même pas, soit ! Mais des médecins ?
(32) Il faudrait croire que quelqu'un apparaisse tout d'un coup en public avec une fillette de 6 ans... car le minois de la Madeleine d'avant a été tellement affiché qu'il n'est pas plausible qu'on ait sortir avec elle.
(33) C'est un mix, et non une photo vieillie, d'où l'aspect artificiel du résultat (ce que d'aucuns ont appelé l'américanisation de Madeleine), si l'on a dans l'oeil l'image de Madeleine aux balles de tennis. Les MC ont dû avoir un choc !
(34) On s'attendrait à ce qu'il dise qu'on a besoin de lui à l'hôpital et qu'il a besoin de gagner sa croûte...
(12) D'où il faut conclure que laisser les enfants seuls était certes une erreur, mais une erreur rétrospectivement. Sur moment, ce n'en était pas une. Et, pour bien enfoncer ce clou-là, Gerald MC s'empresse de ramener l'attention des téléspectateurs sur le vrai coupable, l'homme qui sans laisser de trace est entré et a saisi Madeleine. Nul ne sait qui il est, qui il peut être, donc il est, oui, anonyme, mais son existence doit encore être démontrée.
(13) Était-ce bien nécessaire de donner son nom ?
(14) Contrairement à la narration de Matthew MO (confirmée par la narration collective) où celui-ci écoute aux trois fenêtres (la sienne, celle des TB et celle des MC) vers 21h, Gerald MC, ici, déclare clairement que la ronde de Matthew ne concernait que sa fille. Oprah aurait-elle laissé passer sans commentaire que, dès le retour de Matthew annonçant que tout était calme, Gerald s'était levé pour aller voir ses enfants ?
Curieusement, Gerald ne dit rien de son moment de fierté paternelle alors qu'il contemple, grâce à la porte trop ouverte, ses trois enfants endormis et en particulier la beauté de Madeleine (rapporté dans Panorama, 19 novembre 2007).
(15) Il est amusant que Gerald MC donne ce détail qui n'a d'intérêt que parce que, dans la première narration et la narration collective, il ne traverse pas la route.
(16) Jane n'a jamais dit qu'elle avait vu l'homme porter sur ses bras étendus une fillette, elle n'a vu que deux mollets, deux pieds et le bas des jambes d'un pyjama.
(17) Jane a effectivement dit que Gerald revenait de sa ronde, sans qu'on ait jamais compris à quoi elle avait vu cela, puisqu'il était immobile devant la grille de patio.
(18) Pauvre Jane... Mais en fait pourquoi Gerald n'a-t-il pas vu le porteur d'enfant ? Quid de son partenaire de tennis ? Et quand Gerald a fait sa ronde, il a regardé (il ne le faisait jamais, selon lui) à l'intérieur de la chambre des enfants parce que la porte était plus ouverte qu'il ne l'avait laissée... Pourquoi cela ne lui a-t-il pas mis la puce à l'oreille ? Au moment de ce reality show, Tannerman était encore le ravisseur officiel et, comme tel, était dans l'appartement lorsque Gerald avait fait la ronde de 21h05.
(19) Jane a vu les pieds nus, mais elle n'a pas vu les bras du tout... Pourquoi insister sur les bras nus, semblablement pourquoi exhiber devant maintes caméras un pyjama à manches courtes identique à celui de Madeleine quand elle disparut (un pyjama que la petite soeur Amelie montra plus tard en disant Maddie's jammy) . La fillette si semblable à Madeleine que portait Smithman n'avait pas les bras nus... Madeleine portait-elle finalement son pyjama Barbie à manches longues ?
(20) Dans cette narration, il n'est pas question de Russell. Matthew a déclaré que Russell et lui s'étaient levés pour aller voir leurs enfants respectifs, Russell ou lui ayant ensuite proposé à Kate MC de voir les siens. Russell, quant à lui, ne se souvient pas d'une proposition de ronde faite à KMC. Par ailleurs Kate est la seule personne à dire qu'elle s'est levée et a commencé à marcher avec Matthew. Fiona, Matthew et même Gerald disent que lorsque ce dernier a signal à Kate que c'était l'heure de la ronde, c'est Matthew qui a répondu qu'il pouvait la faire à la place de Kate car cette dernière était en train de parler.
(21) Parents confiants s'il en est : pas de pleurs, tout baigne.
(22) Dans cette narration de la découverte de la disparition, qui suivit celle de la recons-fiction (voir l'évolution/comparaison), Kate MC récite plus qu'elle ne cherche à dépeindre ce qui s'est passé. D'où "J'ai remarqué que la porte était très ouverte" qui amène légitimement Oprah à demander : "quelle porte ?"
(23) Tout en parlant, Kate, qui a joint ses mains sur sa poitrine, déploie ses bras vers l'avant tout en les écartant, indiquant un mouvement des rideaux vers l'extérieur de la fenêtre, autrement dit dans le sens opposé au bon sens (puisqu'il n'y a pas d'appel d'air, la porte-fenêtre étant fermée). Kate s'est manifestement positionnée mentalement dans la chambre car elle indique, quelques secondes plus tard, par un mouvement de droite à gauche, comment la moitié droite de la fenêtre coulissante à coulissé le long de la gauche.
Kate ensuite court vers la fenêtre, mais elle ne dit pas si elle regarde dehors, ni ce qu'elle voit, elle coupe court pour dire qu'elle regarde dans les placards, ce qui étonne Oprah. Courir vers la fenêtre est un ajout récent, Kate a appris, en parcourant les PJFiles, que les seules empreintes découvertes sur la fenêtre étaient les siennes (elle avait déclaré dans sa première déposition qu'elle n'avait jamais touché à la fenêtre). Par ailleurs, nombreux sont ceux, sur les forums, qui s'étaient étonnés qu'elle ne se soit pas penchée sur le rebord de la fenêtre pour scruter le parking, appeler et écouter.
(24) Le changement de narration, ici, reflète les critiques apparues sur les forums à propos de "they've taken her" où "they" est erronément interprété comme le pronom personnel défini, alors qu'il a ici le sens de "on".
(25) C'est une nursery rhyme, rien à voir avec Meg la sorcière et Mog son chat.
(26) Curieux passage de la généralité
'YOU're absolutely... ' à la particularité 'OUR daughter...' et
retour au "you" : you just love...
Par ailleurs souhaiter que le plus de monde possible cherche, prie et ferme les frontières est un peu mélanger les torchons avec les serviettes.
(27) Ce qui met KMC en colère, c'est
de constater, en raison de son statut de témoin assisté, que la
police ne fait pas son travail et se trompe de suspect. La victime
Madeleine est abandonnée à son sort et cela est injuste. Ceux qui
accusent les MC de négligence commentent sarcastiquement que la PJ
ne fait pas pire que les MC. On ne voit pas bien comment KMC pense
combattre ce "they" jamais nommé, mais on se dit qu'il
aurait peut-être été une bonne idée de répondre aux 48 questions
qui avaient obligé la PJ à lui donner le statut de témoin assisté.Par ailleurs souhaiter que le plus de monde possible cherche, prie et ferme les frontières est un peu mélanger les torchons avec les serviettes.
(28) Oser les soupçonner revient à les victimiser une seconde fois.
(29) Pourquoi cela n'a-t-il aucun sens ? Les droguer pour qu'ils dorment profondément et ne se réveillent pas les uns les autres, pardi ! Pas pour les tuer ! Qui est mieux à même de le faire sinon un médecin avec une expérience en anesthésie ? Que le commun des mortels n'y songe même pas, soit ! Mais des médecins ?
(30) Susan Smith avait pleuré
devant les caméras en suppliant qu'on lui rende ses enfants... Un
détail intéressant : l'idée d'enlèvement lui était venue quand elle réalisa qu'elle n'aurait pas le courage d'affronter ses proches
qui aimaient les deux petits.
(31) GMC parle, non du déni de Susan
Smith, mais de leur réfutation quand on les a soupçonnés
d'implication dans la disparition de Madeleine. Personne ne leur
demande de prouver qu'ils ne sont pas coupables, le procureur s'est
contenté de changer leur statut de victime en témoin assisté pour
qu'ils puissent répondre à certaines questions sans risquer de
s'auto-incriminer.(32) Il faudrait croire que quelqu'un apparaisse tout d'un coup en public avec une fillette de 6 ans... car le minois de la Madeleine d'avant a été tellement affiché qu'il n'est pas plausible qu'on ait sortir avec elle.
(33) C'est un mix, et non une photo vieillie, d'où l'aspect artificiel du résultat (ce que d'aucuns ont appelé l'américanisation de Madeleine), si l'on a dans l'oeil l'image de Madeleine aux balles de tennis. Les MC ont dû avoir un choc !
(34) On s'attendrait à ce qu'il dise qu'on a besoin de lui à l'hôpital et qu'il a besoin de gagner sa croûte...
