"The only thing that didn't happen was an abduction" says Moita Flores about Maddie in a new documentary

"The only thing that didn't happen was an abduction" says Moita Flores about Maddie in a new documentary

Joana Morais


by Miguel Morgado

12 years of investigations, zero conclusions and two documentaries produced. This Sunday premieres "The Madeleine McCann Mystery". During two hours, Moita Flores, Gonçalo Amaral and Pinto Monteiro, among others, try to give an explanation to the most mediatic disappearance ever.

"I'm convinced that the only thing that didn't happen was an abduction. Something else has happened." This statement belongs to Moita Flores, the former Judiciary Police inspector, speaking about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, on May 3, 2007, on Praia da Luz in the Algarve.

12 years later and without the investigation having reached any conclusions, the high-profile case of the missing British child has given origin to date to two documentaries. After Netflix, Investigation Discovery premieres 'The Madeleine McCann Mystery' on May 26 at 23:00, a date that coincides with the weekend in which is marked the International Day of Missing Children.

In the documentary, Moita Flores reinforces his belief that she was not abducted, admitting that it could have been an "accident", a "deliberate crime" and that there was an "enormous probability" that the "child died in Praia da Luz."

Speaking to SAPO24, he goes further in reading the case that has become a worldwide issue. Looking back at the memory of where everything happened, Moita Flores wonders how someone walks through the door and out the window when the door is open? For the former inspector "it's impossible to go out that window when the reconstruction of the disappearance is made. And there were no traces," he says.

He also reveals that "there was a tremendous mistake of the Portuguese authorities in not having constituted as arguidos the parents and the group of friends (eight couples - sic* 4 couples obviously)". He recalls that they were all "having dinner" and all left the children "alone" in a "strange country" and that such abandonment fulfills the "crime of exposure and abandonment" (article 138 of the Penal Code) which was "not considered" by the national authorities. "In England they would have lost their children," he states.

"It amazes me that 12 years later and in a case like this, the first ones to be investigated, in any case, are always the closest persons, the parents and the group of friends. In this concrete case, there were steps taken for the parents to not be disturbed", he emphasizes.

Referring to the fact that the parents "declined" to make statements, and that the group of friends also "did not make declarations", Moita Flores questions why the British government "spent millions of pounds" in this investigation and did not give "equal attention" to other missing children. "I think there's a secret behind it", he says.

"My removal was a political issue," says Gonçalo Amaral

Gonçalo Amaral, the former Judiciary Police inspector responsible for the case is another of the faces and voices of the documentary. Just like for Moita Flores for Gonçalo Amaral there was also "no evidence that pointed to an abduction. However, there was a need to continue the investigation," he argues when questioned on the two hours documentary, recalling that children's bed sheets looked "as if no one had slept on them".

Hypothesizing that both Maddie and the twin brothers were under Calpol, a medicine that helps them(children) fall asleep, the former inspector reinforces publicly again that they have come to the conclusion that "this would have been an accidental death" and has no doubts that the removal from the case that he was obliged "was a political issue."

With several testimonies including Pinto Monteiro, the then Attorney-General of the Republic, in a statement, the channel underlines that "The Madeleine McCann Mystery" dissects several lines of investigation that have been "known over the past 12 years, but were never conclusive. "

in Sapo24, May 23, 2019

Moita Flores on Maddie: "The only thing that did not happen was an abduction"
(article extract)

(...) For two hours, the program, scheduled for May 26 at 23:00, analyzes in depth every detail of the story, creating a chronological line from the moment Madeleine disappears, to actions taken by the authorities and to the efforts of the parents to find her. The documentary 'The Madeleine McCann Mystery' features testimonies from the main actors in the story. Gonçalo Amaral, former inspector of the Judiciary responsible for the case, Francisco Moita Flores, former inspector and Fernando Pinto Monteiro, Attorney General at the time, among others, are some of the protagonists of the story. The two-hour special also contains testimony from experts and US journalists who followed the case.

Gonçalo Amaral, as he did in the Netflix documentary, raises questions: "The bed sheets were as if no one was lying down and the blanket she used to sleep with was impeccably folded at the head of the bed. There was no evidence pointing to an abduction. However, there was a need to continue the investigation." But the inspector, who has made a lot of ink run throughout these 12 years, goes further.

"The twins were asleep and stayed like that for several hours, despite the noise inside the apartment. This lead us to believe that both Madeleine and the twins took a drug called Calpol, which helps children fall asleep. The children's grandfather admitted in an interview that Kate used to give to Maddie and the twins Calpol for them to fall asleep. The conclusion that we reached is that this would have been an accidental death".


Pinto Monteiro is another of the intervenients on the documentary.

"I closed the case when I confirmed that there was no new evidence. These crimes are very difficult to investigate. In this case my conscience is one hundred percent clean. There was nothing else I could have done. "

Moita Flores says he believes Madeleine McCann died in Portugal, in Praia da Luz. "I'm convinced that the only thing that didn't happen was an abduction. Something else happened. It may have been an accident, it may have been a deliberate crime, there may have been several things, but what is certain is that there is an enormous probability that that child died in Praia da Luz."

'The Madeleine McCann Mystery' premieres on May 26 at 11pm on the ID - Investigation Discovery, an exclusive NOS (TV/mobile operator in Portugal).

in Impala, May 23, 2019

Video excerpt

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'The Madeleine McCann Mystery' ID Documentary tweeted

A thread by Joana Morais

"The only thing that didn't happen was an abduction" says Moita Flores about Maddie in a new documentary #McCann (joana-morais.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-on…)

Starting 'The Madeleine McCann Mystery' on ID - Investigation Discovery, NOS, so far the usual biased ppl & usual story: Mark William-Thomas, James Murray (Express), a poor tapas 9 actors re-enactment filmed somewhere but not in Praia da Luz #McCann (youtu.be/rV62rpomVOM)

Now, the infamous duo behind the book "looking for Maddie", Robbyn Swan, Anthony Summers, promoted by former Ceop Jim Gamble and Martin Brunt on that SkyNews/The Sun publicity stunt "hunt a troll" that targeted and harassed Brenda Leyland, who killed herself afterwards #McCann

a commercial break, so far the expected from the intervenients, up to now the story is on Maddie's disappearance and the immediate aftermath, the Tapas 9 statements incongruences had no mention #McCann

Now we're back with the duo, describing how Kate and Gerry met, the love affair, the children, the ivf treatment, Maddie's problems with sleeping as a toddler, the twins, hammering the idea that they are doctors hence cannot do any harm #McCann

Now back to Praia da Luz, Amaral appears for a couple minutes, we're back to the re-enactment, Jane Tanner sighting, filmed in a completely different setting with stairs. On the window, only Kate's fingerprints were found . #McCann

Now Amaral speaks about the bed sheets that looked as if no one had slept in them. More of the usual. This doc is so bad, only comparable to BBC Bilton's McCannorammas along the years. #McCann

Someone speaking about the fact that the Tapas 9 contacted the British media immediately, the story spread the next day becoming one of the highest profile disappearance cases ever. Now CM journalist João Mira Godinho with a tiny soundbite #McCann

Now a US media pundit? that has no clue about territorial police forces, going on about disputes between PT cops and English cops. The narrative is being changed, lots of omissions, people that never read the case files from US following the infamous duo story as gospel #McCann

Now Murat, the scapegoating of Murat continues on ID. Now the creation of the fund within 15 days, again no one mentions that it is a private limited company, not a charity. Money came in in droves, as well as fake tips around the world #McCann

Now the McCann Morocco trip, a publicity stunt where children were used for photo ops holding posters, just as odd as the Huelva trip, that hasn't been mentioned. Colin Sutton making some sense of this charade, a woman from the Met police clearly siding w/ former suspects #McCann

commercial break interesting question https://t.co/CPzIqAZD1t clearly this is not for the Portuguese market, trying to sway the American public opinion, omitting critical information, facts, this narrative would not hold up if it had been shot at the OC in Praia da Luz #McCann

We've moved to July 2007, Colin Sutton explaining the cadaver dogs. Archive footage from the Sun with Martin Grime and his fab dogs alerting to only McCann items, apartment, sofa, plush toy, rented car. #McCann

Robyn Swan and William Hyphenated Thomas both trying to dismiss the cadaver dogs findings: "Martin Grimes took as indication" ,"the Portuguese police thought" Amaral points out that nothing pointed towards abduction #McCann

An US "expert" pundit? explains why the PJ thought the abduction story was false. Amaral explains the twins and Maddie Calpol thesis, the twins never woke up during the commotion, the cover up, the accidental death thesis. #McCann

I've lost something in the last couple minutes. Moita Flores was on, think he said something about the child definitely died in PdL. Now, the constitution of Kate & Gerry #McCann as arguidos, the refusal of Kate to answer the police questions hindering the search for her daughter

Since day one the #McCann family members defended the McCann couple, using sometimes spurious stories, like an alleged offer to Kate that never happened. The media stopped being so supportive.

The McCanns flee Portugal a few days later being constituted as arguidos, ie official suspects. Enters the machiavellian Clarence Mitchell spinning for the McCanns in Rothely. #McCann

commercial break, so far nothing new, plenty of omissions, deliberate no doubt. All paths lead to Robbyn Swan, Anthony Summers and dare I say, Jim Gamble. In the background, playing the American public as puppets, Team #McCann itself.

Now the screw up of the extinct British FSS DNA analysis, tests came back inconclusive. Again narrative changes, blaming the Portuguese "sardine munchers". Amaral is removed from the investigation, political pressures, Brown & Socrates pact. #McCann

Enters the archival man, Paulo Rebelo. Investigation is archived. Pinto Monteiro speaks, the former AG, he has clean conscience. McCanns and Murat stopped being arguidos, but were never exonerated in a court. #McCann

They point out the McCanns had no assistance from the authorities from that point on, not explaining that during the years before Operation Grange started they could have forced the re-opening of the case in Portugal by doing the reconstruction the PJ had requested #McCann

Now the McCanns appeal to David Cameron, Theresa May (former HO secretary) via The Sun/Brooks alleged pressure (see exaro story https://www.exaronews.com/rebekah-brooks-set-out-to-persuade-government-over-review), Metropolitan Police opens Operation Grange, it was a politically motivated review. #McCann

Metropolitan Police is now likened to the FBI, William Hyphenated Thomas blames contamination on the PJ. An US woman says the cell communications were never investigated, which contradicts what appears in the Public PJ case files available #McCann (mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/DELETED_CAL…)

Operation Grange comes up with 38 persons of interest. An aside, the real farce is that all the persons of interest that have been exposed in the media throughout the years , thanks to OG, had been already investigated by PJ years before and dismissed. #McCann

Now an US expert applies the societal parameters of the United States of Crime to a Portuguese fishing village. Williams Hyphenated Thomas & Summers scream at one voice: "PAEDOPHILES! PAEDOPHILES" courtesy of Jim Gamble or the other rent-a-cop Dave Edgar I suppose. #McCann

Now, the story that no ONE in the English expat community ever reported to the GNR or the PJ not even to the English newspapers in the Algarve region of a burglar, that only attacked English girls. A Metpolice/OG press release that mysteriously disappeared from their site & FB.

Now the story of the 4 alleged burglars, 2014 story, MetPolice without any care for the Portuguese citizens rights asked on the rogatory letter to the PJ to get their DNA secretly, see
#McCann (joana-morais.blogspot.com/2014/07/englis…)

Now footage of an interview with the #McCann couple on the 10th anniversary with emotive induced music in the background. Now William Hyphenated Thomas finally saying something that everyone knew, burglars do not steal children.

Now Andy Redwood's revelatory moment, the sighting by Jane Tanner wasn't the "abductor" after all. William Thomas says that he spoke to Mr. Smith who believes the man he saw was Gerry McCann. WT dismisses Mr. Smith identification.

Now the same lady from MetPolice, or former Metpolice, praising OG thousand steps that led to nowhere and are basically a replication of the investigation done by the Portuguese Judiciary Police. OG was scaled down, rightly so, a farce. #McCann

Now a few words of hope from Summers and from the former MET police lady. Colin Sutton highlights the odd situation of an investigation that does not follow all leads, specifically doesn't look at those closer to the victim, i.e. Maddie #McCann.

The end is with the same footage of the 10th anniversary interview given by the McCanns to? BBC possibly, with emotional music in the background. No conclusions, plenty of omissions, distortions, a biased narrative. //Ends #McCann

https://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-only-thing-that-didnt-happen-was.html


Joana's tweets last night about the documentary: https://twitter.com/JoanaAMorais/status/1132799427515748353