Establishing the identity of an abducted child by DNA.

[Eleanor]

Could we get back on topic now.  Especially as this Thread disrupted another Thread.

[Lace]

Thank god there are people who still have hope.   Even though it could be Madeleine is dead [no doubt you will think 'told you so']   until it is revealed what happened to her and where she is dead or alive,   there is still hope she will be found alive.

All your posts about there being no sign of her for eight years are just nothing really,   there could be sightings of her but people don't realise it is Madeleine,  especially if she is in a country where there is not so much talk about her.    Actually apart from people on these forums and such and when Madeleine is in the papers,   how often do you think people are talking about Madeleine in Britain?

[Brietta]

Please don't forget this case when it comes to DNA testing proving who the biological parents of a child are.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/south-african-parents-reunited-with-daughter-17-years-after-kidnapping-1.2975257

Madeleine could be anywhere in the world living with people who may have 8 years of "legal" documentation, records & photographs - and a large percentage of the world knows next to nothing about her.

If she was a 'replacement' child there would already be documentation, birth certificate, photographs, records of jabs etc ... family members could also have been fooled.
Once enrolled in a school everything else just drops into place for the future.

Bearing in mind that children who not only looked like Madeleine but shared the same mark in the eye have been investigated ... only DNA would determine who she is.

[mercury]

Do near four year olds get stolen as replacement children? I thought it was babies out of hospitals.

How would it work exactly in this  scenario anyway?

[Brietta]

Do near four year olds get stolen as replacement children? I thought it was babies out of hospitals.

How would it work exactly in this  scenario anyway?

Wouldn't it be fun to actually make a contribution to the debate on the forum once in a while rather than emanating negativity with every post.

Might I refer you to the recent posts by Anna and myself in ... News and current affairs from the Portuguese Algarve ... which tell of a mother thinking her missing son was a young man in a photograph but unfortunately it wasn't.
The photograph showed a man indistinguishable from the missing man and fooled all his friends and relations.

In the case of a child missing for a long period, quite obviously facial recognition would never do ... a DNA test would be a necessity.

[Eleanor]

If someone were in the market for an abducted child then things like birth certificates would already be in hand, like the child in Romania.

Photographs can always be arranged, although I have no photographs of my children at a very young age.  Sadly, I am not a photograph taker.

Six months away from the limelight, on a boat or in an isolated house would take care of the child's memory.

DNA is the only way to establish the true identity of any child, and a refusal would in itself be suspicious.  In which case The Police would have a mandate to insist.

[slartibartfast]

If someone were in the market for an abducted child then things like birth certificates would already be in hand, like the child in Romania.

Photographs can always be arranged, although I have no photographs of my children at a very young age.  Sadly, I am not a photograph taker.

Six months away from the limelight, on a boat or in an isolated house would take care of the child's memory.

DNA is the only way to establish the true identity of any child, and a refusal would in itself be suspicious.  In which case The Police would have a mandate to insist.

To stray into sadieland, do you think someone with enough money/power would not be able to doctor a DNA test and obtain a child that way?

[jassi]

I'm sure there are ways and means of substituting a false DNA sample for analysis

[G-Unit]

The general tone of this thread seems to be that every parent in the world, if approached by the police, should happily agree to a DNA test on their child to prove the child is theirs and not Madeleine McCann.

I think the police would have to follow a process before they got to the stage of asking for tests.

1. They must have reasonable cause to think the child is Madeleine.
2. They must have a reason for rejecting any other proof offered.

[Eleanor]

To stray into sadieland, do you think someone with enough money/power would not be able to doctor a DNA test and obtain a child that way?

No.  The test is done by an official on the child itself and in the presence of witnesses.  It is then bagged and sent to a laboratory.

[Eleanor]

The general tone of this thread seems to be that every parent in the world, if approached by the police, should happily agree to a DNA test on their child to prove the child is theirs and not Madeleine McCann.

I think the police would have to follow a process before they got to the stage of asking for tests.

1. They must have reasonable cause to think the child is Madeleine.
2. They must have a reason for rejecting any other proof offered.

There is already a process in place.  And no one with nothing to hide who isn't just downright bloody minded would refuse.

[jassi]

No.  The test is done by an official on the child itself and in the presence of witnesses.  It is then bagged and sent to a laboratory.

Officials can be bribed, as can witnesses.

[G-Unit]

No.  The test is done by an official on the child itself and in the presence of witnesses.  It is then bagged and sent to a laboratory.

Is it? Where is that info please?

[slartibartfast]

No.  The test is done by an official on the child itself and in the presence of witnesses.  It is then bagged and sent to a laboratory.

I think bagged and sent is the week link.

[Eleanor]

Officials can be bribed, as can witnesses.

This is just silly.  Unless you are suggesting that the child actually is Madeleine, and some powerful body doesn't want anyone to know.