The parents of Madeleine McCann were said to be very
upset yesterday after detectives appeared to blame them for the investigation's
failure.
Officers said Gerry and Kate McCann had dealt a potentially 'fatal' blow to the
hunt for their daughter by accidentally destroying crucial evidence as they
frantically searched their holiday apartment in the minutes after the
four-year-old was discovered missing.
In their panic, the couple allowed two dozen people into Madeleine's bedroom to
help and they contaminated the scene by touching furniture and opening and
closing doors and windows, police said.
Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa told Portuguese
newspaper Diario de Noticias:
"The presence of so many people - especially in the room where the little
girl slept with her brother and sister - could have at least complicated the
work of the forensic team.
"At the very worst they would have destroyed all the evidence.
"This could prove to be fatal for the investigation."
The comments, which follow sustained criticism of the police investigation to
try to find Madeleine, were said to have "dismayed" the McCanns.
A source close to the family said: "It's insensitive at the very least. Of
course the family are going to search the apartment.
"If your child goes missing, you search under the beds, in the wardrobes,
behind the doors, everywhere.
"It's inevitable that there were people in the bedroom. Even if what the
police are saying is true, it's very unhelpful to say it publicly."
The McCanns intend to stay in Portugal
at least until the end of the summer even though Mr McCann's compassionate
leave runs out at the end of the month.
Mrs McCann has said she cannot contemplate going back to work as a part-time GP
and has thought about turning her attention to child welfare and trafficking
issues full-time.
An unidentified sample of DNA found in the bedroom following Madeleine's
abduction from the apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on May 3 is being checked against 500 people
interviewed in the connection with the case.
But so far no link has been found, and as Portugal does not have a DNA
database detectives are unable to compare it with samples from previous child
abduction investigations.
The hunt for Madeleine appears to have come to a standstill after police last
week called off a short search of scrubland nine miles from Praia da Luz that followed an anonymous letter to a Dutch
newspaper.
The only suspect detectives have is Robert Murat, who looks increasingly likely
to be cleared of any involvement in her disappearance.
Detectives were criticised for a string of failures in the first days of the
investigation, including failing 'lock down' the resort immediately after
Madeleine was reported missing because they initially believed she had simply
wandered off.
Officers also failed to alert border officials of her disappearance for 12
hours.
Yesterday the McCanns, from Rothley in Leicestershire, attended a two-hour
church ceremony in Praia da Luz where prayers were
said for Madeleine.
Mrs McCann, with yellow and green ribbons in her blonde hair,
held her daughter's favourite soft toy Cuddle Cat and a copy of the Bible.
On Friday the McCanns plan to release 50 balloons from 50 countries to mark the
50th day since Madeleine's disappearance.
Germany, France, Australia,
Dubai, Canada,
America and El Salvador are among those countries expected
to take part, as well as 10 cities in the UK.
• A 33-year-old woman was remanded in custody today after pleading guilty to
making a bogus collection for the fund to help find Madeleine.
Cannock Magistrates' Court was told that Debbie Clifton made various attempts
to collect cash after calling at addresses in the town earlier this month,
successfully persuading one elderly resident to hand over spare change.
Adjourning the case until July 9 for the preparation of reports, magistrates
warned Clifton
that all sentencing options would be considered.
Sonia Durrant-Clarke, prosecuting, told the court
that Clifton, of Boswell Road, Chadsmoor,
Cannock, was detained on June 2 after telling
an elderly woman, who gave her £2.70, that she was collecting funds on behalf
of Madeleine McCann.
"She made various attempts to collect further money but they proved futile
and she was arrested and admitted the offence," the prosecutor said.
Clifton pleaded
guilty to theft in connection with the door-to-door collection and to smashing
a pub window after arguing with her brother about the nature of her offending.
She also pleaded guilty to the unrelated theft of a garden ornament worth £4. |
