HW 4
30 minutes may not seem like a long time to most people, but thats all the time it took for one of the most famous disappearance cases ever to take place. In May of 2007, then 3 year old Madeleine McCann was vacationing in Praia de Luz, in the Algarve region of Portugal with her younger twin siblings and parents, Kate and Gerry McCann. On the night of May 3rd, 2007, the parents put the children to bed and went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant with friends. The adults took turns going to check on their respective children every 30 minutes, but when Kate went to check on Madeleine and the twins around 8:30pm, their worst nightmare started. In just the 30 minutes since Gerry had last checked on them, the window and door were open and Madeleine was nowhere to be found. Only her stuffed cat and blanket were left.
The following hours and days launched one of the largest searches for a missing child that has ever taken place in Europe. The Portuguese police came under criticism for their slow initial response, however before long multiple nations were involved in the search and investigation. Official investigators of the case included the Policia Judiciaria of Portugal, Leicestershire Police, London Metropolitan Police, and The Scotland Yard, all of the UK. The investigation included extensive searches of Praia de Luz and the greater Algarve region, forensic testing of the apartment and the family vehicles, use of cadaver and blood sniffing dogs, closure of international borders, and many interviews of the family and anyone present at the resort that night. In following years after initial investigations were closed, multiple private investigations have been launched. The McCann family started a fund to raise money for a private investigation, and other countries including Germany most recently have done their own investigations.
Despite the massive efforts spanning over a decade, there are still no answers as to what happened in those 30 minutes, and no Madeleine. 14 years later, Madeleine would be 18 now and very different from the young child that has been seen in the media across the world. This case has been labeled the most heavily reported missing persons case in modern history, and while the media has provided tips and coverage, it has also taken on a life of its own. The McCann's were highly criticized for "marketing" their daughters disappearance, however they remain firm in their belief that keeping her name out there and keeping up public appearances will help get answers. Even 14 years later, they keep a public presence and continue to advocate to bring their daughter home. Media tips and reports have led investigators to potential suspects and persons of interest over the years, however none have been officially been charged with anything relating to the case.
While in disappearance cases such as this, worldwide media attention can be incredibly helpful, it can also easily get out of hand and become counterproductive. The prime examples of that in this particular case are the relentless accusations against the McCann's, and the false leads that have been published and circulated. From the start, Portuguese police deemed the McCann's suspicious, and once news sources got wind of that it was game over. Even as investigations have progressed and they have been cleared, the media still perpetrates unfounded rumors and accusations that the McCann's had something to do with their daughters disappearance. Wether they did or did not, it is not up to the media to determine that, only the investigators can and that often happens behind closed doors. People love to speculate, and everyone has their opinions, even I do, when it comes to this case. No matter what our opinions are, it is the job of the media to report the confirmed and unbiased facts, not spread rumors that reopen wounds and distract form the main focus: finding answers. everyone wants to know what happened on that night in 2007, but when the media spreads tabloid clickbait leads or alleged sightings, it can cause more harm than one may think. These clickbait leads cause pain and false hope for those close to the case, and it causes issues for the investigators as they have another avenue now to go down even if it is a dead end simply to prove the lead is false.
This case is an example of how extensive media coverage is a double edged sword. It keeps the publics interest and keeps the case in peoples minds, yet it can create more issues than it solves. In high profile cases, especially ones that are cold cases or ones that only get leads every so often, it is vital to act and report with respect and in an ethical way. There are real people involved with real feelings and the investigators are the ones who should be chasing leads and making their lists of who is a suspect and what is a plausible theory. There is a line between investigative journalism and overstepping the bounds of ones profession, and unfortunately some of the media did that when covering this case. There is nothing I wish more than for the McCann family to get answers as to where Madeleine is, and I truly hope that the media is able to help achieve that and not hinder it.
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