The disappearance of Joana Cipriano and why was she not reported missing sooner?

[John]

The known facts are as follows.

Joana Isabel Cipriano Guerreiro (8) was sent to buy some groceries from a village store near her home in Figueira, at around 8pm on September 12, 2004.  She bought a tin of tuna and some milk from the Ofelia store, and was last seen by a neighbour walking back near the village church, some 200 yards from her home.  At around 9.30 p.m. João Cipriano left the house, headed towards the store where he met Leandro Silva and MM, who were already there, and whom he told that Joana had not returned home.  Leandro Silva and MM returned to the Cipriano home and when it was confirmed to them that Joana was in fact missing they went out to look for her.

Between 10.30 and 11.00pm the child's mother, Leonor Cipriano, joined her partner Leandro Silva and MM, to whom she reiterated that Joana was missing, and only at that point in time did she go to store and asked the owner (NN) if Joana had been there caliming that she had disappeared.

Leonor Cipriano didn't inform the police authorities about the missing child despite there being GNR officers on duty in Figueira as a popular fair called "Mussels Party" was taking place at the time.  It was the shop owner (NN) who made the call at around 12.44am on the 13 September, when she heard that Leonor hadn't yet done so.  It was as a result of this telephone call that Leonor ended up talking with GNR officers near the church in Figueira.  She told the officers that she hadn't telephoned them because she had no credit on her mobile phone.

Later at around 2.00am, Leonor was seen to buy cakes in a pastry shop in the village.

The next morning Leonor went to the GNR Station, in Portimão, accompanied by partner João Cipriano, where they filed a complaint over the disappearance of Joana.



Joana never returned and, like the McCanns, her mother Leonor mounted a campaign to find her.  Like them, she and her brother Joao became suspects.

Was the disappearance of two children unknown to each other, within a period of four years in a seven-mile radius, simply a huge coincidence?

[Redblossom]

Why not?

She ws EIGHT and missing all night

[Mr Gray]

What time did they call the police?

[Benice]

Why not?

She ws EIGHT and missing all night

Well the GNR knew about it at 12.45a.m.   So why didn't they do anything about it?

[Benice]

I'm not ignoring it Redblossom, I simply don't  know enough yet  - about what happened between 8.00 pm and 12.45am  when Joana's disappearance was reported to the police to make a comment at the moment.   

But that doesn't alter the fact that the GNR apparently did nothing at all when it was reported to them.

This is Portugal not the UK - different culture, different attitudes - the very fact that in Portugal children have siestas and stay up late is one of them.    I would need to find out much more before condemning anyone.



       

     

[AnneGuedes]

This is Portugal not the UK - different culture, different attitudes - the very fact that in Portugal children have siestas and stay up late is one of them.    I would need to find out much more before condemning anyone.

Children have no "siesta" in Portugal. Pre-school and school start at 8:00.
Holidays allow obviously a different routine.

[DCI]

Children have no "siesta" in Portugal. Pre-school and school starts at 8:00.
Holidays allow obviously a different routine.

September the 12th 2004, was a Sunday! I presume there is no school on a Sunday?

[Mr Gray]

Why not?

She ws EIGHT and missing all night

You haven't answered the question. what time were the police called

[Benice]

Children have no "siesta" in Portugal. Pre-school and school start at 8:00.
Holidays allow obviously a different routine.

IIRC Anne I think the point was made in the McCann case that the Portuguese found it strange that the McCann children went to bed so early.

[AnneGuedes]

IIRC Anne I think the point was made in the McCann case that the Portuguese found it strange that the McCann children went to bed so early.

They found it early, especially for Madeleine, being on holidays. In Portugal children go to bed around 8:30, except for Friday and Saturday because there's no school the following day.

[AnneGuedes]

September the 12th 2004, was a Sunday! I presume there is no school on a Sunday?

I was answering to the "siesta" argument. The siesta tradition is Spanish.

[DCI]

Children have no "siesta" in Portugal. Pre-school and school start at 8:00.
Holidays allow obviously a different routine.

I was answering to the "siesta" argument. The siesta tradition is Spanish.

Where did you mention Spain?

[AnneGuedes]

In Spain and in summer, because it's very hot, people, not only children, had traditionally a siesta. With air conditioning this has changed.

[sadie]

Yep this freedom of speech malarkey is a right b*gger at times, isn't it Eleanor !

There is never freedom to tell lies though

[sadie]

Joana was reported missing in less than 5 hours after she set off to the shops

It was a special festival that day.  I think Anne told us about it.  No doubt her mother would think that she had joined in the festivities, or was visiting a friend, or relative.

Finally when she got really anxious she would have to visit all the places Joana might be.  It was fiesta so it is quite possible that Leonor with kiddies, or Leandro, did not return home until quite late themselves.  Men like to drink at festivals.

Once home and the little ones were in bed, can you tell me how a woman with several kiddies can leave them to go searching?



There could be all sorts of reasons why she was later than most of us would be in reporting the loss of her daughter.  Joanas grandma was in the next village IIRC.  She could have been there ... or dozens of other places, especially with fiesta.

All as I suspect you must know.