Don't be ridiculous, she thought it was important to point out how things affect you, many couples have split when their child has been abducted or gone missing.
To gain sympathy, why would you come to that conclusion, many parents have spoken about these things in their book.
There are, I imagine, many different reactions to such traumatic events. That's because each event is different and all the people involved are different. Kate wrote about the difference between her and Gerry getting back on track, as it were. He recovered much quicker than she did, she says. That's a common cause of marital break-up when one resumes 'normal' life before the other. Some people are permanently broken by these events.
Another reason is blame. That was never mentioned which seems strange if Kate was indeed unsure about leaving the patio doors open and he persuaded her. Mind, the door never came into it until a while after the event, it wasn't their first thought. Sod's law, really. You worry about leaving a door unlocked and the 'abductor' allegedly ignores the open door and opens some shutters on the off chance you forgot to lock the window. Then, having gone to all that trouble, he decides not to climb in.
A big problem is guilt. Most parents feel this even if they have no reason to. That's because it's their job to keep their children safe. In this case there's more likelihood of guilt eating away at the parents, but they managed to stifle it and turn the blame onto the 'perpetrator'. They largely deny blame and guilt, slowing a strength of mind and determination that few parents would have managed imo.
