McCanns issue new Maddie pic

By ANTONELLA LAZZERI

Published: Today


MADELAINE McCann's family attended a special church service today to mark the third anniversary of her disappearance.


They also released a new picture of the missing girl as they renewed their appeal for information on her whereabouts.

Her little sister Amelie, five, wore a yellow ribbon in her hair - a symbol worn in memory of missing people - and a kiddie's version of the yellow and green Find Madeleine wristbands that both her parents wear

Madeleine was nearly four when she disappeared in May 2007 while on holiday in Portugal with her family.

Today's service, the day before the actual anniversary, came as a video renewing the appeal to find Madeleine was released on the McCann's website.

Amelia, holding the hand of dad Gerry, 41, smiled as she marched into the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rothley, Leicestershire, where her sister used to attend Sunday morning school.

Mum Kate, 41, walked to the church, near the family's home, holding the hand of Amelie's twin brother Sean.

Special prayers were said during the service for Maddie and other missing children around the world.

The couple received hugs from the congregation after the service finished.

They are expected to spend tomorrow in private at home.

Madeleine was snatched from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3rd 2007. She would now be six.

This weekend her parents posted a message on their 'Find Madeleine' website saying they would never give up searching for her.



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Appeal ... video features new picture of Madeleine

Thanking their supporters they said: "Thanks to everyone who has stayed with us during the past three years - hoping, praying and supporting our efforts to find Madeleine and bring her home."

They added: " We know we couldn't have achieved as much as we have without this help.

"Milestones and anniversaries are never easy, but the work to find our little Madeleine will continue regardless, with the same determination and tenacity as it always has and for as long as it takes.

"It might be three years without Madeleine but it certainly doesn't feel like we're at the end of the line - far from it. Madeleine. Still missing, still missed, still looking!"

They also posted a haunting video on the website which includes new photos of Maddie.

They iinclude one of her playing dressing up wearing blue eye-shadow and a pink bow in her hair and footage of mum Kate distributing posters begging for information about her missing daughter.

Kate told earlier this week how the twins have been talking about Maddie - who turns seven in ten days - saying: "At bedtime they were talking about Madeleine and saying she probably looks quite different now.

"Amelie said 'Mummy, she might speak another language.' And Sean said to me, out of the blue 'Never give up, Mummy.' I just said 'Don't worry, I won't do that. None of us will.' "

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The Committee of The Madeleine Foundation has today sent this letter concerning the photograph and the video to Clarence Mitchell:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Madeleine Foundation
Asking the questions about what really happened to Madeleine McCann

Registered address: 66 Chippingfield, HARLOW, Essex CM17 0DJ
Email: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Tel: 01279 635789
Website: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Mobile: 07835 716537

Mr Clarence Mitchell Sunday 2 May 2010
Consultant, Crisis and Media Management
Freud Communications
55 Newman Street
LONDON W1T 3EB

Dear Mr Mitchell

re: New video produced by Jon Corner using images of Madeleine McCann with eye shadow and jewellery - now on YouTube

We write to express our concern about the images of Madeleine used by you, the McCanns and Jon Corner in the video message which was widely trailed in today’s newspapers and has already attracted several hundred views on YouTube. We understand that you as the McCanns’ chief public relations adviser must have approved the production and distribution of this video. Indeed, you are quoted in one of today’s newspapers as follows:

“McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: ‘The video is designed to remind people that the search for Madeleine is ongoing. Just because she’s not in the headlines every day doesn’t mean nothing is being done. Kate and Gerry are still devoting a large part of their daily lives to the search’.

The fact that your clients the McCanns explicitly approved the distribution of this video is clear from the following report of SKY News:

“Parents of Madeleine McCann, who went missing three years ago, have released a new video and photo of their missing daughter to mark the third anniversary of the girl's disappearance”.

The concern we have and that is being expressed by thousands of others is the use of clearly-posed photographs of a three-year-old wearing make-up, such as eye shadow, a necklace and lipstick.

You and your clients the McCanns have from the day Madeleine was reported missing claimed explicitly and on many occasions that Madeleine must have been abducted by a paedophile, or paedophiles, often described by you and your clients as ‘predatory’, ‘evil’, or ‘a monster’. Yet the images of Madeleine that you have allowed to be used in your campaign are of a child looking much older than her actual years - the very kinds of images that often appeal to paedophiles.

Even former police detective, now leading criminologist and child protection expert Mark Williams-Thomas, who has often spoken with strong sympathy and understanding for your clients, has today commented adversely on the McCann Team’s use of these images of Madeleine on ‘Twitter’. He said, in five separate messages earlier today:

1) “On the eve of Madeleine's disappearance I agree with the release of a new photo but question the appropriateness of the photo chosen”

2) “Have not yet seen the new Madeleine video but the photograph is so inappropriate & damaging on so many levels - ill advised again”

3) “Am trying to find out now who gave advise [sic] to use the make up photo - so damaging - as I know what it will become”

4) Jon Corner may b able 2 answer ur question on who advised the McCanns to release THAT picture. He's friends with Esther McVey”

5) “No response yet re who advised of the use of recent photo of Madeleine - as soon as I get a response will let u know”.

There has also been questioning of the following statement in one of today’s newspapers:

“Kate and Gerry McCann have released a new picture of their daughter Madeleine as they prepare to commemorate tomorrow’s third anniversary of her disappearance. The photo shows her when she was three after a raid on the dressing-up box - she has a pink bow in her hair and a gold bead necklace and is wearing blue eyeshadow”.

The statement that the photograph shows her ‘after a raid on the dressing-up box’ implies that Madeleine made herself up but is open to serious question for at least the following reasons:

a) it is doubtful if Madeleine could have put on the necklace herself without adult help
b) similarly, the eyeshadow looks neatly put on in certain places around the eye, whereas a three-year-old attempting to put on eyeshadow would have probably made a mess of it
c) Madeleine appears to have no eyelashes. Photographic experts who have analysed the picture suggest that colour has been digitally added on, hiding they eyelashes
d) Madeleine’s eyebrows look quite different from other photos, possibly covered with some form of make-up
e) There appear to be two obvious brush tool traces above the eye on the right of the photo.

Thus, whatever the truth about the circumstances under which this picture was taken, there are very good grounds for believing that an adult has applied the make-up and also of course been there to take the photograph. Taken together with two of the other images of Madeleine shown in the film, it is perhaps not surprising that, for example, on sites like ‘Twitter’, 'Facebook’ and other forums, comments like the following have been made:

“The picture of Madeleine reminds me of JonBenét Ramsey’s beauty pageant photos, that kind of images could entice sexual predators”.

“If CEOP endorse this type of public relations for a supposed missing child, then their role in child protection has to be questioned!”

“The latest photo the McCanns have released makes for very uncomfortable viewing. Alongside the Gaspars’ statements, something is very wrong here”.

The context here includes the ever-increasing sexualisation of young children, highlighted recently when a high street store, Primark, had to withdraw the marketing of padded bikini tops to 7-year-olds, following a storm of protest from parents. The dressing up of young children to look adult has been condemned by most child welfare organisations and with good reason. For example, a recent Home Office commissioned report stated: “The evidence gathered in the review suggests a clear link between consumption of sexualised images, a tendency to view women as objects and the acceptance of aggressive attitudes and behaviour as the norm”.

The circumstances in which that photograph of Madeleine was taken may have been wholly innocent, but as many people have been saying today, its use by your clients the McCanns in their attempts to locate a missing child possibly abducted by paedophiles is surely inappropriate. We would therefore ask you and your clients to remove the video from circulation and from YouTube.

Your clients obviously still want the whole world to look for Madeleine and not forget about Madeleine. The problem is that we do not know where to look nor who to look for. For example, fourteen different artists’ impressions have been published in British newspapers of people whom the McCanns claim are either the suspected abductor or ‘persons of interest’. Twelve of these are men and two are women.

As for where to look, the advice given by the McCanns’ private investigators suggests that despite using the services of many of them for nearly three years, there is not a single piece of useful information that you can give to the public which would enable us to know where to begin to look. Despite millions of pounds being spent on Metodo 3, Control Risks Group, Red Defence, Oakley International, senior ex-Metropolitan Police detectives, senior ex-MI5 security staff and now the team of ex-Detective Inspector Dave Edgar and ex-Detective Sergeant Arthur Cowley, we have not a jot of information on where to look.

Mr Edgar told newspapers last year that he was ‘convinced’ (his word) that Madeleine was being held ‘in a prison lair within 10 miles of Praia da Luz in the lawless hills around’. Subsequently you and Mr Edgar told a press conference that a conversation at 2.00am (which had been kept secret for two-and-a-half years) between a British banker who had been drinking round the bars of Barcelona and a woman looking like Victoria Beckham and with an Australian accent was ‘a strong lead’ and as a result a nationwide alert was put out in Australia. Prior to that, in December 2007, Mr Francisco Marco, the boss of the first major detective agency used by your clients, Metodo 3, told the British media that he ‘knew Madeleine was alive’, that ‘his men are closing in on where she is being kept’ and that ‘Madeleine will be home by Christmas’.

It would surely be much more helpful to the public to give out the best description of the abductor that the McCanns’ various detective agencies have, between them, been able to compile, so we know who to look for, and to give the public as much information as you are able to about what really happened to her. You have often been quoted in the newspapers as saying: “Our investigations are confidential…we cannot disclose the information our investigators have” etc. But this gives the public no help at all in knowing where to look for Madeleine.

I trust you will pass these comments on to your clients. At the same time we are raising with Mr Jim Gamble, Chief Executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), and other organisations concerned with the welfare of children, whether they approve of appeals for a missing child being made using images of that child in a pose for the cameras and with a considerable degree of adult make-up.

Yours sincerely

Tony Bennett,
Secretary

It will be interesting to see what else MWT thinks about this in the coming days and weeks.

He is a very brave man.

It rather looks like he should be given Gamble's job.

can i have mitchell's email address please

Hardlinemarxist on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] has just made a pertinent comment on his blog.

''Great letter, shame it didn’t mention the playful reclining and sucking of a lollipop pictures too. Bizarre trio of images ‘really..actually’…just what is the intended message and who is it intended for?
Still, persons who sway towards the children are highly unlikely to see anything wrong in the images chosen…just who did pick those photos?''

Be interesting to see if he replies to that Tony.
I was pleasantly surprised by M W-T's reaction to the photo.
He also tweeted that Kate & Gerry need to fully co-operate with the police, lately.

Ruby wrote .................. 'He also tweeted that Kate & Gerry need to fully co-operate with the police, lately.'

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Did they take any notice?

I really don't know what to think the photos are neve the same are they? mad looks different on them all

BLACK CAT wrote:I really don't know what to think the photos are neve the same are they? mad looks different on them all

Completely different BLACKCAT. Have you ever compared the tiny tot climbing the aeroplane steps with the tall robust child we see in the tennis ball photograph? Madeleine also seems to have shot up by a foot if we see how tall she was at Chrstmas 2006, and then look at her only four months later. Really rather extraordinary. No wonder they were all wearing each others clothes on this holiday, it must cost a working family a small fortune in clothing and shoes if the children are shooting up and shrinking back smaller every few weeks or months.

Am I right in remembering one of them tripped up over her name once, apart from saying they called her Madeleine, wasn't there also a reference made by GM in relation to the twins being our OWN children - then we have the photos of a girl who appears to look different. Very confusing!

Gerry McCann referred to Madeleine as Margaret

Yes I think that was it, rather odd to get the name of your child wrong I would have thought.

ufercoffy wrote:Gerry McCann referred to Madeleine as Margaret

They never cease to amaze us, do they?

At least he is has now learned how to spell her name. Not all the time obviously, but in the main he has done very well

I think Madeliene looksw different on all her photos ,did she ever really exist

Good evening Cloud9 and [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Thankyou for the reminder. Here we have photographs of Madeleine , not baby Madeleine but photographs supposedly taken up to and including 3rd May, just 9 days before her 4th birthday. When you look at them grouped in that way what a difference.
Now I know that we do change as we get older, but not so much surely in a young child.
It is the tennis photo, the Everton shirt photo that for me really show a different little girl.

Welcome to BLACK CAT and Cloud9

BLACK CAT wrote:I think Madeliene looksw different on all her photos ,did she ever really exist

BLACK CAT, welcome [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] and what a gorgeous cat that is.

You ask about Madeleine "did she ever really exist"? I am convinced that she did up to the holiday of May 2007, unless all her wider family are telling lies. Sadly though I think that she is dead and has been since the holiday of May 2007.

BLACK CAT wrote:I think Madeliene looksw different on all her photos ,did she ever really exist

Dear BLACK CAT, how would we have so many different photographs of her if she did not exist? Please would you watch out for the cheeky little chappie, because he swoops in and out without warning sometimes.

judge mental i sometimes wonder if eggs were taken and fertelized and implanted, maybe there was a margeret? or was there one of friends girls same age as mad.?looks a little alike? just a wild bit of imagiation on my part ,but its a possability with i v f. joyce1938

theolivebranch wrote:Good evening Cloud9 and [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Thankyou for the reminder. Here we have photographs of Madeleine , not baby Madeleine but photographs supposedly taken up to and including 3rd May, just 9 days before her 4th birthday. When you look at them grouped in that way what a difference.
Now I know that we do change as we get older, but not so much surely in a young child.
It is the tennis photo, the Everton shirt photo that for me really show a different little girl.

I think the McCanns have put out photos of 2 or 3 different 'Madeleines' but who are they? A couple of pics show a striking resemblance to the McCann side (one in particular I thought immediately as being very similar to John McCann). In others she seems to resemble Kate's side then there photos where she bears little or no family resemblance to and.

The tennis photo girl doesn't look like any of the others and if we are to accept that it is the same girl as in the pool photo, then we have to also accept that her facial features changed, her hair style and colour altered plus she had one hell of a growing spurt all within a few days!

I agree with you both about 2 or 3 girls pictures being used. Anyone I have ever shown the pictures to thinks the same. The tennis ball pic stands out especially.

This is slightly off topic given that the thread is about photos but there has been a mention about GMc referring to Madeleine as Margaret.

Can anyone locate the video in which Gerry made this slip? It would be very useful in the context of the research I am doing to help Kiko R.

Alison

Can you keep your eyes open for a report i watched of Gerry in the very early days saying something along the lines of 'it was important/essential that Kate continues to believe Maddeleine had been abducted'.

Please....sorry sausage fingers!

alison wrote:This is slightly off topic given that the thread is about photos but there has been a mention about GMc referring to Madeleine as Margaret.

Can anyone locate the video in which Gerry made this slip? It would be very useful in the context of the research I am doing to help Kiko R.

Did you find this video? I remember him calling Madeleine Margaret but have no idea how to find the video.