The people who must shoulder the burden of responsibility for the disappearance are Gerry and Kate McCann. They let her down by being selfish and indulging in their own pleasures leaving her alone and vulnerable. If they wanted that type of holiday they should have left the kids at home.

They were on the razz every night that week through their own admission. The children unfortunately got in the way of their "me time". These people are doctors and in their professional lives would not hesitate to point the "abuse" finger at any other parent who left their children alone like they did.

I do think the McCann's have acted somewhat oddly throughout this investigation, particularly the mother. I can't quite see it as natural for a mother in her position to make one of her immediate priorities in the days immediately following the disappearance of her daughter a visit to the Pope – without her remaining children.
Even female doctors are subject to domestic abuse whether it be mental, physical or psychological bullying. Kate looks to me to be very submissive to Gerry. Her eyes dart towards him when the couple are questioned by the media. It's as though she can't speak up for herself.

The running was another strange one. The last thing on my mind would be to go for a run if one of my kids was abducted. I would be spewing venom and throwing my stomach up. As I already said, if the child been from a working class family on a council estate (colour irrelevant) and the parents had gone over the road to the pub for an hour, the story would have been totally different, charges would have been brought by now, and if the child was still missing, it would still be in the news.

You know as well as what I do that a single parent from a council estate, would have been singled out and social services would be all over them like a rash. The parent would probably be blamed from the start, but for some reason people are skirting around this issue.

As a parent I personally would never have dreamt of leaving my child, let alone children/babies on their own, just to have something to eat. In fact I would never have left my child alone full stop. I hope I don't sound too heartless because I am not, I am just coming from a parent who cannot understand how any parent would leave their children alone in a strange country, that don't speak the same language as you, where you don't know really what the area is like. Would you do it in England? I don't think many would, so I don't understand why being in a different country, with a language barrier on a 'Family' holiday would be OK.

Some of the comments on this thread amaze me, a crime has been committed. Leaving children alone is a crime. Should we ignore this fact ?

I made no secret of my own feelings about the case from the first day. I think the child neglect charges will be the least of the McCann's worries.

No doubt mudcats "Little Caesar" will have some comment or biblical verse for me !