Potter author adds to U.K. reward fund

[bicentennial_baby]

LONDON -
Harry Potter author
J.K. Rowling has pledged a major contribution to a $3 million reward fund for the safe return of a British girl who has gone missing in Portugal, a Sunday newspaper said.

The News of the World said Rowling had offered the single largest contribution to the fund started by the tabloid newspaper. It called Rowling's pledge "staggering," but said the author asked the amount be kept secret.

Madeleine McCann, 4, disappeared on May 2 after her parents left her, and her brother and sister, both aged 2, alone while they went to a restaurant at Praia da Luz, their vacation resort in Portugal's Algarve region. Portuguese police continue to search for her.

The newspaper said the amount Rowling offered was larger than the $495,000 pledge from Topshop owner Sir Philip Green.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070513/ap_on_en_ot/people_rowling

:applause: for Ms Rowling!

[RetroLounge]

1. They went out to eat and left their kids alone?

a 4 yr old and a pair of 2 yr olds? Alone? So they could eat?

I post a reward for whomever slaps the shit out of these parents...

(Hope their kids returns soon)

RL

[NewJeffCT]

2. That was my thought, too

I heard it on the radio this morning, and I didn't hear them say anything about a babysitter or anything like that, so wasn't sure about what was going on. But, that is stunning by itself - the parents could be arrested in the US for leaving children that age by themselves. I realize there are differences between cultures, but four years old in another country is extreme.

[LeftyMom]

6. I'm floored by that, too.

My kid's definitely a few years away from being permitted to be out of adult eyesight, and he's six. I try to have sympathy for people who leave the kids alone due to economic circumstance, but if they could afford vacations and dinner out they could spring for a sitter. Jeebus.

[DS1]

3. ah, these two kids won the 'media jackpot' while thousands of others

go missing each year and they're lucky if they get on the side of a milk carton.

Not bitching about the reward offer, but it's a sad state of affairs when there's such an imbalance going on.

The parents probably killed them anyway.

[Bassic]

4. She's working on her image because

she killed off Harry Potter :D

[skygazer]

5. Idiots like that shouldn't be allowed to breed

Much less take nice vacations. What the hell is wrong with people? :wtf:

[SmokingJacket]

8. It's pretty usual in some places for parents to leave kids in

hotel rooms while they eat. They're just doing what everybody else does -- and 99.99% of the time, it's fine.

I'm not saying I'd do it -- I wouldn't -- but statistically, it's probably not as dangerous as speeding on the Jersey Turnpike.

[kay1864]

9. These parents had other options

I looked up the resort (looks to be a nice one), and found this:

We offer a ‘dining out service’ (only available for parents using the Millenium and Tapas restaurants). in the crèche on a drop-in basis in the evenings for children aged 4 months to 9 years. For those parents wishing to dine at alternative restaurants in the village, babysitting is available on request at additional charge.

They were eating at the Tapas restaurant.

[kay1864]

7. Found some details...

Here is a chronology of developments:

May 3 - The girl goes missing from her bedroom between 9.30 and 10 p.m. while her parents Kate and Gerry are dining just 100 yards away at the Mark Warner Ocean Club holiday resort in Praia da Luz. A window and shutter are open and she is presumed to have been abducted.

May 4 - McCann family members and British media criticise local police for what they call a slow initial response, failure to take the disappearance seriously at first, failure to notify ports and borders in time, and failure to secure the crime scene, which may have led to vital clues being lost.

More:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070514/tts-uk-portugal-girl-chronology-ca02f96.html



Kate McCann, the mother of missing girl Madeleine McCann, walks past a poster announcing a reward with a photo of Madeleine Monday, May 14 2007, in Praia da Luz, southern Portugal. The British 4-year-old girl Madeleine disappeared May 3 from the resort apartment where she was on vacation with her family. The police believe she was abducted. The poster announces a 2 million euro reward for information to find Madeleine. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

[Connonym]

10. so just the one child is missing?

I do hope that she's not been taken by perverts. I wonder at the significance of only 1 of the 3 being taken. Poor little girl I hope she comes home safely soon.