Madeline: Should her parents have left her

Alex · May 2007

Countless folk have told parents countless times not to leave young children unattended, they were only 100 yards away, but out of sight is out of mind.

The child clearly isn't going to turn up alive, should her parents be facing prosecution for leaving her like that?

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rideitgood · May 2007

Negligence? I say they were shirking their parental responsibilities. Especially in a foreign country.

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Really confused · May 2007

My mum said that they have younger twins and they were left alone as well.

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jamiejim · May 2007

I dont think it was wise to leave them alone. Even though they were checking on her frequently. But the guilt they must be feeling at the moment is pubishment enough

ElephantMan · May 2007

Yes of course they should be facing prosecution. Simple as.

Mike Skinner · May 2007

I agree. Sad I know, but why should the fact the kid actualyl got taken alter the situation. If the kid hadn't been touched, but say a neighbour had reporter her, everyone would be up in arms about how irresponsable she was. As it is she's now the 'victim'.

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Big Red S · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Alex

The child clearly isn't going to turn up alive, should her parents be facing prosecution for leaving her like that?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No. Absolutely not.

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jamiejim · May 2007

I can't see them being prosecuted. People take risks all the time with children.

nirveous · May 2007

Technically, I suppose they should, but they aren't going to.
Plus, imagine the spazzos the media would throw. I dread to think.

Big Red S · May 2007

The spazzos the media would throw? Haven't you seen them already?

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Mike Deere · May 2007

To be honest, if I was a parent (and god willing I one day will be) I would certainly not leave my kids unattended like that. It is quite negligent on their part.

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TE · May 2007

Ive BEEN to that set of apartments, and the '100 yds away' is a media lie. The nearest restaurant is 10 minutes walk away down to the village, about half a mile down the road.

I dont think they should be prosecuted, blamed, yes, but not prosecuted. Losing a child is punishment enough IMO.

My parents are going on holiday to Prez du Luz (sp) in a week, gonna be a pretty crap holiday aint it!

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Big Red S · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike Deere

I would certainly not leave my kids unattended like that. It is quite negligent on their part.
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I think every prospective parent thinks that.

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nirveous · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Big Red S

The spazzos the media would throw? Haven't you seen them already?

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Exactly.

climber · May 2007

I have a 7yo boy and there is NO WAY I would ever think of leaving him alone in my HOME and go to the resturant at the end my street which is 50 yds away, nevermind in a hotel room,they should be prosecuted for it and anyone who thinks otherwise is very ill informed and wrong.[:(!]

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><center>Originally posted by Chasealex</center>
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Big Red S · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by climber

and anyone who thinks otherwise is very ill informed and wrong.[:(!]
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Or just happens to disagree with you.

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climber · May 2007

Well yes, butI think most responsable parent would agree with me.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><center>Originally posted by Chasealex</center>
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Big Red S · May 2007

Only because that's how you're defining 'responsible'.

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Matt · May 2007

Wait, so she was left alone in an apartment whilst the parents were at dinner, and disappeared? Why should the parents be prosecuted for that?

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roryf · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Big Red S

Only because that's how you're defining 'responsible'.

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climber does have more parenting experience than you do though...
Parental insticts that only come about when you actually become a parent would play a large part. I know that my parents wouldn't have left me alone at that age.

nirveous · May 2007

However irresponsible they were, they can't really be prosecuted for it, I don't think so anyway. Basically they have learnt the lesson the very very hard way.

Matt · May 2007

Question: It's very sad and all, but why does everyone care so much? From what I gather from the BBC site, loads of celebrities are involved somehow and people have donated a couple of million quid as a reward. This does not happen every time a kid goes missing; why this time?

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Big Red S · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Matt

Wait, so she was left alone in an apartment whilst the parents were at dinner, and disappeared? Why should the parents be prosecuted for that?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
There was a victim, and so there must have been a crime, musn't there?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by roryf

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Big Red S

Only because that's how you're defining 'responsible'.
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climber does have more parenting experience than you do though...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yeah, but he is also implying that my parents weren't/aren't responsible.
And, also, he is defininig 'responsible' as 'thinking how I think'.

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Matt · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Big Red S

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Matt

Wait, so she was left alone in an apartment whilst the parents were at dinner, and disappeared? Why should the parents be prosecuted for that?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
There was a victim, and so there must have been a crime, musn't there?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by roryf

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Big Red S

Only because that's how you're defining 'responsible'.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

climber does have more parenting experience than you do though...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yeah, but he is also implying that my parents weren't/aren't responsible.
And, also, he is defininig 'responsible' as 'thinking how I think'.

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Everyone on here may say that's irresponsible, but in reality everyone does it; I know my parents did a lot when I was younger, as did plenty of friends. Or is there something I'm not quite grasping about why leaving her alone in this particular apartment was so terribly bad?

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Big Red S · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Matt

Question: It's very sad and all, but why does everyone care so much? From what I gather from the BBC site, loads of celebrities are involved somehow and people have donated a couple of million quid as a reward. This does not happen every time a kid goes missing; why this time?
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A single slow news day?

Why let grief be a private thing when you can sell millions of papers on the basis that the toddler who's photo is on the front is probably being raped as you read it?

The media in this country is sh[url][/url]it, essentially. If it were a person, they'd have no friends and be loathed by all. At some point, hopefully, the media will become a good source of news.

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Big Red S · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Matt

Or is there something I'm not quite grasping about why leaving her alone in this particular apartment was so terribly bad?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Teh pedofiles on teh internets.

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jamiejim · May 2007

Being a parent isnt as simple as following rules. It isnt as black and white as that. What may seem acceptable to one parent may seem outrageous and irrosponsible to another. There are kids that are allowed to roam the streets late at night and there are also kids that have to be home at 4 every day and be in bed by 8. It's down to parents to make the choice.
Prosecuting them would be another step towards the nanny state, Surely the government cant tell people how to look after their kids?

roryf · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Big Red S
Yeah, but he is also implying that my parents weren't/aren't responsible.
And, also, he is defininig 'responsible' as 'thinking how I think'.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Times have changed since you were that age, to nowadays. Sadly, I think in this context, they have changed for the worse. Therefore, "responsible" in those days was, most likely, different to how it is now.
It all depends on your surroundings though really doesn't it - a child living on a farm in the country is probably going to have a different amount of freedom to a child living in a rough inner city estate.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jamiejim

Being a parent isnt as simple as following rules. It isnt as black and white as that. What may seem acceptable to one parent may seem outrageous and irrosponsible to another. There are kids that are allowed to roam the streets late at night and there are also kids that have to be home at 4 every day and be in bed by 8. It's down to parents to make the choice.
Prosecuting them would be another step towards the nanny state, Surely the government cant tell people how to look after their kids?

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It's a difficult one though, as there seems to be many more undisciplined kids around nowadays than there used to be, probably as a result of weak parenting.

I think that whilst it's not ideal, if the government has to manage the future, the people in that future are the children of today, so to an extent the government should be able to set guidelines on parenting, especially when discipline is concerned. This is in order to prevent "yobbish behaviour" - vandalism and the like.

The government-parent thing is another subject entirely though.

Big Red S · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by roryf

Times have changed since you were that age, to nowadays. Sadly, I think in this context, they have changed for the worse. Therefore, "responsible" in those days was, most likely, different to how it is now.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
What changed? It's now commonplace to break into people's houses and steal their children?

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Matt · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by roryf

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Big Red S
Yeah, but he is also implying that my parents weren't/aren't responsible.
And, also, he is defininig 'responsible' as 'thinking how I think'.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Times have changed since you were that age, to nowadays. Sadly, I think in this context, they have changed for the worse. Therefore, "responsible" in those days was, most likely, different to how it is now.
It all depends on your surroundings though really doesn't it - a child living on a farm in the country is probably going to have a different amount of freedom to a child living in a rough inner city estate.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

How have they changed? Avi isn't 40 and neither am I. I don't think the world has gotten any more dangerous in the past 18 years or so. I don't see that there is anything unacceptable about leaving your child alone in an apartment whilst you go out for dinner.

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Big Red S · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by roryf

It's a difficult one though, as there seems to be many more undisciplined kids around nowadays than there used to be, probably as a result of weak parenting.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

And the weak parenting is a result of what? Expecting the government to either have legislated against everything bad, or have some scheme through which things can be rectified. And you can't blame the parents for doing that, really, the government _have_ legislated against most imaginable things in one form or another, and they have all sorts of schemes whereby you can do all sorts of stupid things, and then get bailed out by the government. All while complaining about high taxes and a nanny state...

Expecting the government to fix this is exactly the wrong idea, IMO. 'course, exactly what 'this' is is a matter of discussion. Thus far, 'this' seems to be something that any civilised society would leave as a fairly private matter.

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Madeline: Should her parents have left her

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