They were just 50m away, just like dining in ones back garden?

[Alfie]

There was no reason why they would expect an abductor to enter the apartment and take one of their children and there's no evidence that it happened either, so bringing abduction cases into the mix is irrelevant.

If the McCanns thought their children wouldn't wake up as Benice argues, she needs to explain why Gerry's first thought was that Madeleine may have moved the bedroom door so as to go into her parent's bed to avoid the noise made by her siblings. (10th May statement)

That doesn't suggest that waking and crying were ruled out when the decision to leave the children was made.

It's a simple explanation.  In such a circumstance it's likely that your first thought would be to look for the simplest most plausible explanation.  Madeleine waking up and moving beds (even if it wasn't a habitual occurrence) is way more likely than Madeleine being abducted in the  night by a stranger.  Once you'd quickly established that she hadn't moved to another room then your mind might shift to more sinister reasons for your child's absence.

[G-Unit]

It's a simple explanation.  In such a circumstance it's likely that your first thought would be to look for the simplest most plausible explanation.  Madeleine waking up and moving beds (even if it wasn't a habitual occurrence) is way more likely than Madeleine being abducted in the  night by a stranger.  Once you'd quickly established that she hadn't moved to another room then your mind might shift to more sinister reasons for your child's absence.

Well he did quickly establish that she hadn't moved, but he thought no more about it and left them again.

[Alfie]

Well he did quickly establish that she hadn't moved, but he thought no more about it and left them again.

And your point is...?

[jassi]

I suppose the point is that it wasn't much of a check at all.

[G-Unit]

And your point is...?

My point is the same as it was in the beginning. Leaving small children home alone for 30 minutes means they may wake and cry for 25 minutes or leave their beds and hurt themselves. That's why people don't do it.

[Alfie]

My point is the same as it was in the beginning. Leaving small children home alone for 30 minutes means they may wake and cry for 25 minutes or leave their beds and hurt themselves. That's why people don't do it.

As Gerry had established that she and her brother and sister were sleeping soundly as usual he saw no reason to suppose the situation would be any different on the next check.  How many minutes did you leave between checks on your sleeping children when they were two or three years old?  After all, even if you were downstairs and 5 seconds away you'd be none the wiser if they'd woken up and climbed out the window, stuck their fingers in a plug socket, got their head caught in the blind cord and hung themselves etc etc etc.  Or maybe you never left them unattended at all and slept in the same bedroom as them every night with your arms wrapped tightly around them?

[Alfie]

I suppose the point is that it wasn't much of a check at all.

What should he have done on the check then, apart from look to see that she was asleep?  Wake her up and ask her if she was OK?

[jassi]

What should he have done on the check then, apart from look to see that she was asleep?  Wake her up and ask her if she was OK?

A visual check that she was there would have seemed reasonable. He did that for the twins.

[sadie]

A visual check that she was there would have seemed reasonable. He did that for the twins.

He saw a good section of the bed, nothing was in disarray and he thought that all was well.

And a million out of a million and one times that would be fine.  Matt was unfortunate.

[stephen25000]

He saw a good section of the bed, nothing was in disarray and he thought that all was well.

And a million out of a million and one times that would be fine.  Matt was unfortunate.

No Sadie, it was Madeleine who was unfortunate.

I do get the distinct impression sometimes, that you are more concerns with the welfare of the McCann's and their associates than Madeleine.

[slartibartfast]

As Gerry had established that she and her brother and sister were sleeping soundly as usual he saw no reason to suppose the situation would be any different on the next check.  How many minutes did you leave between checks on your sleeping children when they were two or three years old?  After all, even if you were downstairs and 5 seconds away you'd be none the wiser if they'd woken up and climbed out the window, stuck their fingers in a plug socket, got their head caught in the blind cord and hung themselves etc etc etc.  Or maybe you never left them unattended at all and slept in the same bedroom as them every night with your arms wrapped tightly around them?

Most of us could hear if our kids got out of bed, even from downstairs. Especially with a listener.

[Robittybob1]

What should he have done on the check then, apart from look to see that she was asleep?  Wake her up and ask her if she was OK?

Probably the safest thing to do.

[G-Unit]

As Gerry had established that she and her brother and sister were sleeping soundly as usual he saw no reason to suppose the situation would be any different on the next check.  How many minutes did you leave between checks on your sleeping children when they were two or three years old?  After all, even if you were downstairs and 5 seconds away you'd be none the wiser if they'd woken up and climbed out the window, stuck their fingers in a plug socket, got their head caught in the blind cord and hung themselves etc etc etc.  Or maybe you never left them unattended at all and slept in the same bedroom as them every night with your arms wrapped tightly around them?

Who or what moved the door? He seems to have given up on that question quite quickly.

[Robittybob1]

Who or what moved the door? He seems to have given up on that question quite quickly.

The reason he gave didn't have much logic to it, but we can't say if it was true or not.  He thought Madeleine had moved it herself and put herself back to bed.  That is possible.  But personally I think it shows they had visitor(s) after they left to go to the Tapas Restaurant.

[G-Unit]

The reason he gave didn't have much logic to it, but we can't say if it was true or not.  He thought Madeleine had moved it herself and put herself back to bed.  That is possible.  But personally I think it shows they had visitor(s) after they left to go to the Tapas Restaurant.

The point isn't whether it was logical or true, the point is that he believed it was possible. If it was possible at 9.05 or whenever it was possible at 8 pm too.

Therefore the decision to leave the children was made despite knowing that there was a risk of waking, crying and wandering about.