poor little girl

and poor family
they must be going through so many emotions at the moment

my heart goes out to them

Becky have you got kids?

It's just awful and I hope she's found.

We've all made mistakes as parents, were not perfect however hell would freeze over before I left my kids anywhere where I couldn't see them.

I agree, although I do feel for the family involved, and I hope to god she is found safe and well, I just cant understand, no matter how far they were, why anyone would leave there children unattended, asleep or not

I just hope she is found safe and well

No I don't have kids but I used to babysit many children when I lived in Essex, taking peoples kids out to zoo's etc and I always kept my eye on them.
If Ellie Lawrensons grandmother was irresponsible then so too are these parents. Both of them have to live with the decisions they have made and, as per usual, it is a vunerable, innocent child that has suffered because of the actions of an adult supposedly their protector. Maybe I see being a parent completely differently to others but that's how I feel.
Having a child isn't a right it's a priviledge and if you feel in any way that it will 'impact' negatively on your life i.e. you wont be able to go out then I think you should seriously reconsider having kids. They really are our future, in beautiful packages that need to be nurtured and cared for to grow to be beautiful citizens.
I hope she is found alive but sadly I don't think that will be the end result.
Becky

i think its awful and tragic - however like becky i have to agree - as a mother I wouldnt leave my child alone in an apartment - whether on holiday or in my house alone - i just wouldnt - hindshight is a wonderful thing - but so is common sense - sorry but would these parents leave their children in a house by themselves whilst they went out for dinner in this country ??

take the example of the girl that was stolen from her own bathtub whilst her mother was in the house ???? if that can happen then frankly i do think that leaving your child in a room by themselves and then going out is irresponsible especially when on mark warner complexes babysitters are readily available.

i really hope madeleine is found

But I bet there are plenty who have left children unattended in the garden when they are in the house, or children in bed asleep while they have a BBQ in the garden etc etc. This doesn't make them bad parents. I am absolutely sure that Madeleine's parents are putting themselves through the mill for leaving their children alone now. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I think some of the comments on this thread are incredibly insensitive!

As I have said, I think its unwise to comment and judge them untill the full facts are known and untill she is found I doubt we will, after all the media who are reporting this are wanting to sell papers or get more veiwers so will make it sound as dramatic as possible.

While people will say " i would never leave a child for a minute", I belive while they say that it may not be true. As brundog said the case of the girl being taken from the bath while the mother was in the house. Parents ask yourself this, have you ever left your kids alone at all, if you had to go nextdoor for something did you take them? you left something in the car and nipped out to get it, did the kids go with you? In a peferct world you would be with them 24/7 but this is far from a perfect world and there are nast people out there, if you left them for a minute they could have all sorts of accidents.

In defence of the parents, they have been to this complex before, they knew alot of people all ready there and they are not stupid so probably assumed it was safe, they also kept checking the children, but sadly it was not safe and if something has happend they will have to live with it every day of their lives. So I dont think its right sniping about them.

I must agree we all think the worst and the best of people in time's like this and what we would have done or not....but at the end of the day how would you feel if this was your child...don't blame them, you were not there.
My heart goes out to them and I hope they find this beautiful little girl safe and well.

The difficulty I'm having is that nigh on everyone here agreed that Ellie's grandmother should be done for manslaughter as she was irresponsible in allowing the dog into the house yet parents who leave 3 children under the age of 3 alone in an apartment while they went for a meal aren't irresponsible?
I don't see the difference.
Becky