Normal procedure in the circumstances to wind down an active search where no witnesses have come forward. Winding down the actual search on the ground though is a separate matter from the actual investigation which continued.
This group consisted of no-one who had any experience with working on behalf of exploited and/or missing children.
There were experts based in Porto, I believe, who were never called in. And I think the CEOP assistance shipped in from Britain was less than graciously received.
I think that quite simply - they were out of their depth and too arrogant to acknowledge it.
That situation was rectified when Amaral was sacked and replaced by Rebelo who had worked the Casa Pia investigation.
But by that time the golden hours were long since gone along with Madeleine and whoever had taken her.
I cannot recall hearing of the search for a missing child being wound down a week after the disappearance.