I hope for a happy outcome for this little girl.

I'm a non-parent myself but wonder how many parents on here would allow a 5 year old to still be out at 7 pm? It's almost dark here at that time.

I have to say i thought the same thing, my sons were NEVER out at 7 pm at that age without me or thier dad even just out the front.
But that said my heart goes out to the family, i hope she is found, but i don't feel it will be a happy outcome.

I have a bad feeling about this too. I keep checking the news for updates. I feel terrible for the family and of course April herself.

I did think that but presumably the further you go up the country, the lighter it remains until later. It isn't pitch black at 7pm here on the south coast so presumably it is lighter in mid Wales at that time.

You get the impression that it is a small rural community so I suppose you could understand why parents thought it was 'safe'. When we moved down to the south coast from London as kids, the youngest of us would play out from aged 4 or 5. We thought nothing of it and it was a normal thing. We would play until dusk, like April was, then go in. We always stuck in groups.....April was also with friends.

I do hope against hope that the little one is found and is OK. Unfortunately, the longer it goes on, the bleaker the outlook.

Still nothing then

One thing that struck me watching the news last night, was watching the rescue vans going off to do the night shift, and one of the vehicles they used, did strike me as being "very small at the front and big at the back" just like April's friends had commented on the vehicle that took her. If it stuck out to ME like that, then of course, it stuck out to those kids, and I don't think that discovery they've impounded has the same "look" about it does it?

I'm assuming the rescue trucks are the real Landrovers then? Maybe that's the vehicle they should be looking for?

I also don't have a good feeling about this.

I have heard via somewhere else it was the baby sitter that allowed her to play out at 7ish the parents were at the school parents evening.

I will say I was surprised she was out at this time dusk or dark at that age neither of my boys were allowed out of the garden to play even in daylight hours unless with a trusted adult.

I am hoping there will be some positive news today. The family must be going through hell.

Also hoping there is a positive outcome, and hope they find her today.

My own 4 year old son is in bed by 7pm, but I would hate to think it wouldn't be safe outside at that time. Never in their wildest dreams would April's parents have expected her to be abducted like this

The first thing that struck me was why was she out playing without an adult in the street in the dark, as I read it was 7.30pm it happened when it certainly was dark and a school night.
But none of us really know the circumstances, only what the media says and so whether it was the parents fault or not they are certainly paying for it now by going through the worst sort of hell imaginable. I do feel for them, but even more I feel for this poor innocent little child, who I hope will be found safely, but sadly I have a bad feeling about it all.
With all the child abductions over the years, I wish parents would learn not to let the most precious thing they will ever have in their lives out to roam the streets alone at such young ages. But unfortunatly (and I am not saying these parents are like this) but many don't seem to learn or don't care. I see lots of under school age kids round here out after dark, so their parents can have a bit more peace and quiet. Don't they realise they could end up never seeing that child again.
So sad and avoidable.

He has been now arrested on suspicion of murder...

I still can't give up hope and pray she is somewhere, with someone else "looking after"her.