Was it Tuesday or Wednesday night?

[Robittybob1]

Indeed. That's when fatal accidents can happen - very quickly.

At what age can they be in a bath on their own?

[G-Unit]

Google Books has some extracts from 'Madeleine' available to the public; the chapter Missing refers to the 'crying incident'.

There is a danger in picking over the detail, but this was a book that was unprompted and it was written without the pressure of a being in a Police interview, so IMO it is a useful source of information on the case.

An extract from the chapter Missing states:

At breakfast time, Madeleine had a question for us: 'Why didn't you come when Sean and I cried last night?'

We were puzzled. Did she mean when they were having their bath? we asked her.

I'm not sure what to make of that statement.

IMO you cannot leave small children alone in the bath even for seconds. If you cannot leave them alone you would know they could not have cried in that situation wihout your presence in the room.

Perhaps this is picking at the detail, but it seems odd, unless I'm misunderstanding the situation.

Obviously the parents would have been there at bath time, wouldn't they? Although Gerry also mentions bath time in his interview with Dermot Murnaghan;

 'Was it when they were bathing, getting them, you know, first putting them down in that period when they're really tired.
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/Nigel/id242.htm

[Innominate]

At what age can they be in a bath on their own?

https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/247331/the-two-minutes-that-can-lead-to-tragedy-toddler-drowns-in-the-bath-as-mum-gets-a-towel/

http://www.today.com/health/tub-drownings-can-happen-minutes-when-it-safe-leave-child-t65606

Probably rarer:

http://www.parenting.com/child/safety/what-you-need-to-know-about-dry-drowning

http://www.chron.com/news/medical/article/Dry-Drowning-signs-parents-aware-children-11225946.php

[misty]

If the children were crying then they weren't drowning.
Maybe they were crying during bath-time on the Wednesday night - Gerry went to the bar before Kate that night so possibly the children were fractious and he left Kate to deal with them.

http://mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/JEREMY-WILKINS.htm
snipped
That evening myself and my partner attended the 'Tapas' restaurant which is part of the hotel complex at the swimming pool. We sat down to eat at 7:30 pm. After about forty five (45) minutes Jerry appeared as did one of his friends. I believe it was Russell. They sat at the next table. We naturally engaged in conversation about everyday things. We spoke about childcare. That night my family were using the creche's facility. We found out that the group of families were occupying ground floor flats near the swimming pool and they were leaving the children by themselves in order for them to go to the restaurant in the evenings. They would then go regularly to check the children who would be asleep.

I found out that Jerry was a cardiologist in a Hospital. At this time his wife was putting the children to bed. We received a call from the creche informing that our son was awake. My partner left first and I followed shortly afterwards. The amount of time I spent with Jerry was about fifteen (15) to twenty (20) minutes we remained in the restaurant. By the time we left, Jerry was with about seven other people. I picked up my daughter from the creche and then returned to the apartment.

[slartibartfast]

Google Books has some extracts from 'Madeleine' available to the public; the chapter Missing refers to the 'crying incident'.

There is a danger in picking over the detail, but this was a book that was unprompted and it was written without the pressure of a being in a Police interview, so IMO it is a useful source of information on the case.

An extract from the chapter Missing states:

At breakfast time, Madeleine had a question for us: 'Why didn't you come when Sean and I cried last night?'

We were puzzled. Did she mean when they were having their bath? we asked her.

I'm not sure what to make of that statement.

IMO you cannot leave small children alone in the bath even for seconds. If you cannot leave them alone you would know they could not have cried in that situation wihout your presence in the room.

Perhaps this is picking at the detail, but it seems odd, unless I'm misunderstanding the situation.

I would disagree with your second paragraph. IMO, later recollection of traumatic incidents would tend to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.

[carlymichelle]

the bath thing puzzles me
why should sean and maddie cry in the bath??

[Robittybob1]

the bath thing puzzles me
why should sean and maddie cry in the bath??

Would Gerry expect Kate to bath the kids on her own?  If so why was it so important to go to the Tapas?  The Wilkins couple make it sound like the Wednesday night but Amaral had it on the Tuesday IMO.

[Robittybob1]

Indeed. That's when fatal accidents can happen - very quickly.

we know the twins survived.  If Madeleine drowned in the bath, who made the passing comment the next morning?

[sadie]

we know the twins survived.  If Madeleine drowned in the bath, who made the passing comment the next morning?

Didn't David make some comment in his statement about how lovely the children all looked in their pjays after their bath.

Nah, Rob,  I dont think that Kate would prop a dead Madeleine up to make her look alive ... do you?

[Robittybob1]

Didn't David make some comment in his statement about how lovely the children all looked in their pjays after their bath.

Nah, Rob,  I dont think that Kate would prop a dead Madeleine up to make her look alive ... do you?

99.99% of the file is truth! IMO.

[Innominate]

If the children were crying then they weren't drowning.
Maybe they were crying during bath-time on the Wednesday night - Gerry went to the bar before Kate that night so possibly the children were fractious and he left Kate to deal with them.

K and GMcC are trying to explain when Madeleine may have been crying, because they claim to have no recollection of Madeleine or Sean crying.

One of their suggested explanations is: 'We were puzzled. Did she mean when they were having their bath? we asked her.'

As an explanation that makes no sense to me.

IMO a health professional should know not to leave children in the bath, especially the twins. IMO it is an explanation that should not have occurred to K and GMcC.

At the same time Mrs Fenn appears to be describing the return of K and GMcC on the Wednesday evening. If this report is correctly describing the Wednesday night return then Madeleine was up and about when GMcC returned first.

I am trying to make sense of these discrepancies.

The crying incident was important enough for KMcC to have three conversations about it at the Tapas bar on Thursday with FP, RO, and JT. Both FP and JT reported an increase in intensity of checking, without being sure why this increase in intensity of checking occurred.

[Eleanor]

I nearly drowned in my bath when I was about three or four.  Can't remember what age, but I had soaped the back of the bath so I could slide down it.  Good heavens, the things one remembers. 
My mother hoiked me out by my hair, no great harm done.  And I certainly didn't think that she was neglecting me.  Although I suppose she might have been doing so.

[Robittybob1]

I nearly drowned in my bath when I was about three or four.  Can't remember what age, but I had soaped the back of the bath so I could slide down it.  Good heavens, the things one remembers. 
My mother hoiked me out by my hair, no great harm done.  And I certainly didn't think that she was neglecting me.  Although I suppose she might have been doing so.

Sounds like she had an eye on you.

[Eleanor]

Sounds like she had an eye on you.

No, she just heard me gurgling and choking as I very nearly drowned.  Mind you, I was never a great swimmer after that.

[Robittybob1]

No, she just heard me gurgling and choking as I very nearly drowned.  Mind you, I was never a great swimmer after that.

Sounds like it was fun while it lasted.