Portuguese police took our girl into care because of the "Maddie effect.

[Brietta]

Well whatever it was it was serious enough that they should be monitored by Social Services (refer to the link in Brietta's post; edited ;sorry it was Buzz's post) when they returned home.
Last time I looked Belfast was in The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland so it would have been the British consul involved unless the folks hold Republic of Ireland passports.
Then would any one on this board really give a rats arse were it anywhere other than Portugal?

I've seen Brits abroad so have no illusions, but there certainly does seem to be a particular problem with incidents of this type in Portugal.
Social services in Belfast were involved at the behest of the Portuguese authorities, and have declared themselves perfectly satisfied that the child was not at risk, as were their counterparts in Portugal.

That the catalyst for what happened to this couple was Calpol is proven by the invasive procedures on their child to discover if she had been sedated.  The tests of course were negative.

[Brietta]

I predict CCTV evidence is suddenly going to go missing..  and suddenly a next door to the hotel witness, who has several apartments for rent is going to pop up with a statement that they saw the mother throwing the baby from the window..
It is soooooo predictable..

There are alleged witnesses to mum swaying about on the balcony with the child in her arms (probably sizing up the trajectory of the throw).  Sooo glad she decided not to.  Their room was located at the rear of the hotel, eight floors up and below them was a carpark.
It was reported in the papers ... must be true.

[jassi]

I've seen Brits abroad so have no illusions, but there certainly does seem to be a particular problem with incidents of this type in Portugal.
Social services in Belfast were involved at the behest of the Portuguese authorities, and have declared themselves perfectly satisfied that the child was not at risk, as were their counterparts in Portugal.

That the catalyst for what happened to this couple was Calpol is proven by the invasive procedures on their child to discover if she had been sedated.  The tests of course were negative.

Was this also something you read in the papers?

[Eleanor]

I don't think there is much doubt that the child was subjected to a drugs test.