Very good points MTI. To be fair though, if they weren't involved in Maddie's disappearance then they would have found it extremely difficult to sit in an apartment feeling helpless and despondent at their stupidity. In the pitch darkness there wasn't much they could do but as dawn broke they must have experienced the inevitable strong need to go outside and search around for themselves with the thought that Maddie might respond to their calls. Any panic stricken parents would want to do the same thing. IMO they then should have taken part in the official searches which had been organised around the town but that never happened.
Any grief stricken parent would indeed go out to search, after giving the police an account and description. I just find it a tad unbelievable they would go and search an area which was already searched, and why bemoan about no body searching and them being all alone- was no 0ne to get sleep at all- just search till they drop? they really are a couple of prima donnas IMO , wanting everything done their way, at their pace, when they say...None of their behaviour makes any kind of sense at all.