|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kate and I were so sad to learn that Mari
Luz’s body had been found. This is the news that at any parent of a missing child dreads and a situation we desperately
hope that we never have to face. We deeply sympathise with her family and pray they remain strong and in time are able to
find peace.
We would like to thank everyone who continues to send us messages of support, encouragement and of hope.
All of our family have been traumatised by Madeleine’s abduction and continued absence and the tremendous support we
have received has undoubtedly helped us enormously over the last 10 months. Tomorrow there is a march in London starting opposite
Western Marble Arch synagogue at 10am to petition for more support for the families of missing people who are left behind.
The march has been organised by two mothers whose sons are missing and will be attended by representatives of the charity
Missing People and families of those who have relatives missing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Originally posted showing
'Day 314: 12/03/2008' in error
Kate and I heard the totally heart-warming
news today that Shannon Matthews has been recovered safely. We are delighted for her family and hope and pray that Shannon
has not suffered too much during the last 24 days.
Although the circumstances may be different,
finding Shannon alive does give Kate and me renewed optimism. I am reminded of Ernie Allen’s ( the president of NCMEC)
words: ‘until you know who has taken Madeleine and why, you cannot give up hope’. We do not know who has taken
Madeleine or why, and there is certainly no indication that Madeleine has been seriously harmed. Of course we will not give
up hope. Someone somewhere knows where Madeleine is.
When the blog was amended
and reposted under the correct Day/Date, some of the original text had been omitted from the end of the blog, which
now confusingly reads:
Kate and I heard the totally heart-warming
news today that Shannon Matthews has been recovered safely. We are delighted for her family and hope and pray that Shannon
has not suffered too much during the last 24 days.
Although the circumstances may be different, finding Shannon alive
does give Kate and me renewed optimism. I am reminded of Ernie Allen’s ( the president of NCMEC) words: ‘until
you know who has taken Madeleine and why, you cannot give up hope’. We do not know who has taken Madeleine or why, and
there is certainly no
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think everyone must have heard the news
today that Express Newspapers have published front page apologies to Kate and me and agreed damages of £550,000 which will
be paid in to Madeleines Fund. It gives us no joy that we had to take such action- we would rather have not had to put up
with such distasteful, grotesque and blatantly untruthful coverage. Nevertheless we hope todays events will act as a springboard
in advancing the search for Madeleine. The money will be used to aid the investigation.
To read our full statement,
please see the News and Press Releases in the News and Support section.
Statement from Madeleines Fund Board
of Directors
Date Released: 19/03/2008 20:52:00
"The
directors of Madeleine’s Fund welcome the settlement of Gerry and Kate’s complaint against Express Newspapers,
in particular the front page apologies for the grossly defamatory stories that were consistently published in recent months
and the agreement reached on substantial damages.
It has been a great additional burden for Gerry and Kate to be repeatedly
vilified in sections of the press. Such coverage was also a diversion for our campaign to find Madeleine.
We hope
that such public apologies will not only bring some comfort to Gerry and Kate, but that they will re-emphasise the need for
a renewed focus on the campaign.
The £550,000 damages from Express Newspapers will now be used fully within the stated
spirit and aims of Madeleine’s Fund.
The purpose of the Fund is to support Gerry and Kate specifically in the
search for Madeleine and her abductor(s).
The Fund will, therefore, continue to work to gather information to assist
them in achieving their aim of bringing Madeleine home. We would, once again, urge any member of the public who still feels
they may have useful information to come forward with it without delay."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kate and I arrived back from Washington
yesterday. We went primarily to visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and to learn more about
the implementation of their national AMBER alert system (child rescue alert). The whole experience was very positive. The
staff at NCMEC is the most experienced in dealing with missing and abducted children anywhere in the world.
The AMBER
alert system should be used in the most serious child abduction cases (usually by strangers, when the child is considered
at risk of serious harm) to recover the child as quickly as possible. The alert is based on the realisation that galvanising
the local community can play a huge role in finding missing children. Last year alone 68 children, and almost 400 in total
since its’ implementation, were recovered safely as a direct result of the AMBER alert. In 16 cases the abductor released
the child safely when hearing the AMBER alert. We strongly feel that Europe should have a similar integrated child rescue
alert.
Our visit to Washington and meetings with other relevant European organisations will be shown on a documentary
to be screened by ITV on the 30 April. The programme will focus on the campaign to introduce a European version of the AMBER
alert. There will of course be massive media interest in Madeleine’s disappearance at this time, if she remains missing,
and we hope that the programme is shown in most European countries and further afield.
During our Washington visit
we were also very encouraged to hear that, in NCMEC’s experience, the younger the child at the time of abduction the
less likely that child will be seriously harmed. Such information makes us believe even more fervently, in the absence of
evidence to the contrary, that Madeleine can be found safe and well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
