5 million bucks for one little girl?

[Mouse]

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/story_pages/news/news1.shtml

So, basically, one little girl goes missing and everyone is flailing about trying to find her and - the best part, 5 million bucks as a reward.

As if money is going to get someone who was witholding information up until this point to give it up. As the amount of the reward increases, people are just loosing out on their money, not helping find her. And honestly, even if it did, why is ONE little girl worth so much money? That money could go towards programs that could prevent shit like this from happening in the first place, and honestly, she was left alone with two other small children while her parents went out to eat. I have no sympathy for dumb fucks like that. And I doubt she's even alive, as much as that sucks. I'm not heartless or anything, I just wonder if people care so much if she wasn't cute, blonde, blue-eyed and white.

On MySpace and shit people even have crap saying, "ZOMGZ FIND MADDIE!!111" as if someone who has been living in a cave is going to come outside, log onto MySpace and go, "Oh! I totally know where she is!" Christ.

But, anyway. What do you guys think?

[RapidRod]

Five million is not a lot of money if it can help find the child. The question is, how much is a life worth? I don't believe you can put a dollar figure on a childs life.

[ACinKC]

I'd pay it for both my daughters safe return.  I'd pay ten times that amount. (note to kidnappers, I dont have that kind of money but I'll be happy to give you ALL of the debt I DO owe to people).

Money doesnt make you happy but it does give you options.  And those with the most money have the most options available to them.  They utilize it when its needed.  Can't fault them for it.  Any parent would give all that they have in the world including their own life to protect their children.  Least I would.  Just so happens that "all they have in the world" is very different for different people.

It's raising attention and may have an added bonus of temporarily boosting donations to the projects you talk about.  Overall, it doesnt make much difference to me, but, I hate to see anything happen to a child.  Tears me apart.

[BT65]

I would pay whatever I needed to for my grandkids!  I would somehow GET the money.

[milker]

It bothers me when it's a tabloid making those offers. I would rather have them discreetly put the funds in a trust fund, then have the trust fund announce that there is a $5million reward. They make me feel uncomfortable about their real intentions.

Milker.

[anniebc]

I agree Milker, all they are doing is buying the sole rights to the story...but having said that I would take the money from the Devil himself to get my child back, I don't think it matters to the parents where the money is coming from as long as it helps get her back...and I pray they do get her back.

Hugs
Jan

[fondeveau]

I think what Mouse is asking about is how ironic he finds it that a missing girl is worth $5M while millions of children (and others) go without basic healthcare, food, education, etc. 

[RapidRod]

fondeveau, there is no comparsion between the two. 

[milker]

fondeveau, there is no comparsion between the two. 

I think what Mouse was saying is that he's wondering why those $5 million have not been offered to help people in the world that are starving. AnnieBc already gave the answer. It's all about publishing rights. It is very sad that people take advantage of a tragedy.

Milker.

[fondeveau]

I'm not sure how anyone can agree that the child is of immeasureable worth, then criticize the organization that got the ball the rolling and raised the millions for her return.  Surely, her parents did not have this kind of funding available.  And all this money did not come from the newspaper.  Will JK Rowling sell more Harry Potter books for having made a donation?  Will more people fly Virgin Airlines?

The newspaper used its ability to publicize what it considered a good cause, and somehow evil motives are attributed to it.

[Mouse]

I think what Mouse was saying is that he's wondering why those $5 million have not been offered to help people in the world that are starving. AnnieBc already gave the answer. It's all about publishing rights. It is very sad that people take advantage of a tragedy.

Milker.

More or less.

It's not so much that her family doesn't have the right to do anything to get their child back, but more so in that all these famous people and groups are putting all this money towards one girl when - where are they when there are TONS of missing kids and abused, starving, mistreated kids that are virtually ignored except for local stories. Why is THIS one so special?

[RapidRod]

I wouldn't say this child is any special than any other child. Her family is lucky to have the people that were able to put that kind of money up.

[Ann]

Um, it's NOT five million, it's ONE POINT five million.

Just sayin'.

Still a lot of spondoolies no matter which way you count it.

Call me a cynic, but something just doesn't seem to add up with this whole thing. Who in their right mind leaves twin toddlers and a four year old on their own? Seems like asking for a tragedy of some sort.

I feel sorry for the little girl that she had such idiot parents. The parents should be charged with gross child neglect and the other kids taken off them until they've taken parenting classes and served some time or community service. I don't really have much sympathy for them, sorry. For the rest of the family, yes, but not for the selfish parents who put an evening out in a restaurant before their children's safety.

I hope they find the little girl safe and sound (although I kinda doubt it) and I hope they charge the parents. What they've done is criminal, no two ways about it. If you can't act responsibly when it comes to your own children, you shouldn't bother having them.

Ann
(who never left her daughter home alone below the age of twelve)

[James1941]

Ann,

I sort of disagree with you on this - the children were left in a HOTEL room - should have been safe.

However, I did read a newspaper report a few days back that they had emerged from the hotel to take the twins to a creche.  This I find totally weird - they are going to leave the twins AGAIN  ?  Maybe the police should be looking at the parents.

Shit a brick, I think that if I was the parent, those twins would not be out of my sight for even one second.  My son has 2 children by his first wife and twins with his second wife, if (God forbid) anything happened to either of the children, I would be over to his place as quick as I could camping there to protect the twins.

James

[thunter34]

Hotel room, schmotel room.

Malarkey.  That kind of "parenting" is unheard of where I come from. 

[sweetasmeli]

I sort of disagree with you on this - the children were left in a HOTEL room - should have been safe.

And if one of the toddlers or 4 year old had woken up and climbed out onto the balcony or stuck a finger in an electric socket or simply woke up in a panic...? etc

Maybe the police should be looking at the parents.

Sorry James, but maybe? Maybe??

As a teacher, I've dealt with way too many products of neglectful/abusive parenting (neglect=a form of abuse). Some humans are not fit to be guardians to pets, let alone parents to vulnerable and dependent humans.

Stories like this make my blood boil. Of course I tend to take most tabloid reports with the several pinches of salts they deserve. However, if the reports so far about the parents’ actions that night turn out to be facts, then that needs seriously seriously addressing.

Melia

[manchesteruk]

I think this is a little harsh on the girls parents.  She was taken through a window for a start and they were checking on the children throughout the night and were yards from the hotel room, you can't watch children 24 hours a day.   As for the reward money the vast majority of it has been donated by two extremely wealthy businessmen it's there money to do as they please really isn't it.  As for the money going on programs to prevent this from happening Madeleine's family have already set up a fund for that exact purpose.  The end of the day you can't put a price on a childs life.  And sure this case seems to have attracted much much more attention than probably hundreds of similar cases but thats not the parents fault it's says more about the tabloid press if anything.

[sweetasmeli]

I think this is a little harsh on the girls parents.  She was taken through a window for a start and they were checking on the children throughout the night and were yards from the hotel room, you can't watch children 24 hours a day.

Chris, my comments were only about the parents leaving the 3 children unattended that night.

I don't think it is harsh at all. Children are not pets that you can leave locked in house when you feel like a night out. It just doesn't work like that. Accidents can happen in an instant, for example, especially with toddlers. Just ask any parent.

To leave 2 toddlers and a 4 year old on their own, at home, let alone in a hotel room in a foreign country is utterly irresponsible. Especially in this day and age. Responsible parents just wouldn't do it. True enough, you can't watch children 24 hours a day, but you can do your utmost to protect them as much as possible. And leaving 3 children under the age of 5 unattended in a hotel room while you have a night out at a restaurant is not doing your utmost to protect them. And 'popping back' to check on them through the night just isn't good enough.

Melia

[fondeveau]

Benign neglect that unfortunately took a tragic turn.  While the money may not be earmarked for other less fortunate children, perhaps, it is the publicity and ensuing outcry that will ultimately aid all children who will find themselves the object of a little more attention.  Perhaps, those of us who are able should put our money where our mouths are and make donations to help needy children. 

[sweetasmeli]

Perhaps, those of us who are able should put our money where our mouths are and make donations to help needy children.

I already do.

Melia

[fondeveau]

I already do.

Melia

Good for you.

[Dragonette]

As far as I read, they were very close to the kids, and checked on them every 1/2 hour. If this is true, this is equivalent to having your kids sleep upstairs and sitting in your garden to a meal.

I agree about the money, but my God, so much money is being spent on things like plastic surgery, celebrities' wardrobes, football star's salaries, hip hop artists jewlery, shitty movie budgets, this is just a drop in the bucket.

I once read that in British women spend 8 times more on cosmetics annualy than the entire NHS budget. At least this money will not be spent on meaningless status symbols (and yes, every time we buy a brand, we pay 1000s times its real worth for the status).

So to some people this money is peanuts. And yes it could buy an awful lot of vaccines and save an awful lot of lives, but out here in the West, it doesn't amount to that much. The world is unfair and unbalanced but then again, just the money spent on that family's package holiday (or on the interent bill for any of us) is worth an awful lot in poor countries. We just can't compare to countries where the average salary is 50 US$ a month or much much much less...

[Dragonette]

On more thing: about putting the kids in a creche. I don't want to even imagine what these parents are going through and what races through your mind when something like this happens to your child. I think I would need to be hospitalized and injected with murphium to get through a tragedy like this which is worse than death. They could be stupid yobs not worthy of raising kids as implied here, and they could be just falling apart and not wanting to traumatize their kids or just plain needing a break from the madness.