Gerry and Kate went out searching after everyone else had gone home.

[sadie]

'first thing to do is to ensure the child actually is missing'......then call the police, which neither parent did.

Stop repeating such disinformation WSpam.

They did it via Matt and OC Reception, then Gerry followed it up personally when no police arrived.

[sadie]

You are intent on continuing with an old canard which should have been put to bed many years ago because it is simply untrue.
There are many validated instances of Madeleine’s parents physically searching for her. 
What is ignored is that it should have been unnecessary for them to do so and should not have been allowed in the midst of a professional police search for many reasons.

(i) would they have been in any fit state either mentally or physically.

(ii) if they were responsible for the disappearance evidence could be interfered with ~ we already have a poster who is quite keen on stressing that lifting the lid of a dumpster in dread ~ infers just that.

(iii) if they had been unfortunate enough to find their child’s body they could have compromised evidence by rushing to her and disturbing the crime scene, a component of which would have been the body.

(iv) searching should be carried out by search professionals; volunteers should only be doing so under close official control; only the police would have been empowered to enter and search private premises if they had just cause.

(v) the best assistance parents can give to their child is to assist the police with information.

There is a litany ranging from the jogging and tennis lie for the fourth May to the dogs don’t lie mantra ~ Kate didn’t bother to search is in there too along with it was all their fault to begin with. 

I find it all quite pathetic as each is dragged out in it’s turn.


Your Role in the Search: The First 48 Hours
In the initial stage of the search, devote your time to providing information to and answering questions from investigators. Once you discover that your child is missing, you will desperately want to help with the search. You may, in fact, wonder how you possibly can stand by and let others look for your child. But the reality is that in most instances, the best use of your energy is not on the physical search itself. Rather, you need to provide information to and answer questions from investigators and to be at home in the event your child calls. The checklist Gathering Evidence in the First 48 Hours identifies the most crucial pieces of background information and evidence that law enforcement will need in the search for your child.
http://www.o[Name removed]dp.gov/pubs/childismissing/contents.html

Well put Brietta.

[Wonderfulspam]

Stop repeating such disinformation WSpam.

They did it via Matt and OC Reception, then Gerry followed it up personally when no police arrived.

Like I said, neither parent phoned the police.