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Madeleine's father quizzed over decision to leave her on her own
Last updated at 23:52pm on 25.07.07The father of missing Madeleine McCann was yesterday forced to defend his decision to leave his daughter alone on the night she was snatched.
Gerry McCann was grilled by American TV networks about why he and his wife Kate did not hire a babysitter to watch their three children as they dined with friends.
Gerry, 39, is in the States on a fact-finding mission to see how they deal with the issue of child abduction and exploitation - as well as publicise Madeleine's case.
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Gerry McCann has appeared on US daytime TV programme Good Morning America as part of his search for Madeleine
Madeliene was abducted 83 days ago as she slept in her bed at the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Yesterday her father conducted a string of TV interviews with ABC, CNN and CBS.
Speaking on ABC's Good Morning America, the heart consultant said: "We were dining 50 yards away and we could see the apartment from where we were. It's like we were sat in our back garden, all be it at the end of our garden.
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Gerry McCann leaves the White House after his visit to publicise Madeleine's disappearance
"The kids were sound asleep and they were being checked regularly. We didn't think we needed a babysitter. "We are good parents and what we did felt perfectly reasonable at the time.
"Hindsight is an incredible thing. Clearly we couldn't have predicted what was to happen."
He was also quizzed about the possibility he and GP Kate, also 39, could be prosecuted for leaving Madeleine and two year old twins Sean and Amelie alone in the apartment that night.
He told CNN: "We have been assured by the authorities that what we did fell well within the boundaries of good parenting.
"Madeleine was targeted by a predator and we shouldn't have to be worrying about people getting into our homes and gardens and playgrounds. That is the real criminal act here."
Gerry visited the White House on Tuesday to meet with senior staff of First Lady Laura Bush.
Madeleine McCann has been missing since May 3
Mrs Bush has taken a personal interest in Madeleine's case but was unable to meet Gerry because of prior commitments.
Gerru has already met US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in Washington to discuss efforts to tackle child abduction.
He also met experts from the National and International Centres for Missing and Exploited Children.
He said: "Obviously my focus just now is on trying to get our daughter back. That's the key thing.
"But I think there is a lot of goodwill out there at the minute, that we might be able to leave something tangible for all children, and I think most people agree that these sorts of crimes should not happen and the perpetrators have to be pursued wherever these crimes are performed."
Mr McCann is on four-day fact-finding visit to the US to find out about America's "more advanced systems" to track down missing children.
"She knows very much that we love her and we won't stop searching for her."
Gerry McCann has taken his search for Madeleine from US daytime TV all the way to the White House.
He is said to be convinced that the high-profile campaign to find his daughter Madeleine could also help other missing children
The 39-year-old heart specialist is in America on his global crusade publicising the four-year-old's disappearance from a holiday apartment in Portugal at the beginning of May.
He has already met US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in Washington to discuss efforts to tackle child abduction.
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Gerry McCann is on fact-finding visit to find out about America's 'more advanced systems' to track down missing children
He also met experts from the National and International Centres for Missing and Exploited Children.
"Obviously my focus just now is on trying to get our daughter back. That's the key thing.
"But I think there is a lot of goodwill out there at the minute, that we might be able to leave something tangible for all children, and I think most people agree that these sorts of crimes should not happen and the perpetrators have to be pursued wherever these crimes are performed."
Mr McCann is on four-day fact-finding visit to the US to find out about America's "more advanced systems" to track down missing children.
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Madeleine's father met US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in Washington to discuss efforts to tackle child abduction
He and his wife, Kate, have mounted a vigorous campaign to find Madeleine since she disappeared from the apartment in the holiday resort of Praia da Luz.
"She knows very much that we love her and we won't stop searching for her."
Madeleine McCann has been missing since May 3.
The National and International Centres for Missing and Exploited Children were established in 1984 and 1998 respectively after six-year-old Adam Walsh was murdered after being snatched from a department store in Florida in 1981.
The case led to a major review of child abduction cases in the US and legislation passed last year - the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act - was named in his honour.
The Act significantly strengthens America's nationwide sex offender registration system and introduces harsher penalties for child sex offenders.
Reader views (14)
I hope Madeleine is found - safe and sound.
- Katelynne Robertsom, Glasgow
I am horrified by the recent turn of events that Gerry and Kate have been named as official suspects in this case. They are completely innocent
and they have already suffered enough by losing their dear, precious child. Please find her for her sake and the sake of her parents and siblings. They need closure, not more pain.
- Lisa A, Salt Lake City, USA
Gerry and Kate keep strong and we all hope Madeleine will be home soon. My family and I pray for her every day.
- Sheila Reilly, Barrhead, Glasgow
My heart goes out to the McCann family, especially to Kate and Gerry. Although I parented differently from them, and we have always taken our three children wherever we went, they had clearly not encountered the evil which exists in this world before, and probably thought that abduction could not happen to them. I remembered poor Jamie Bulger, and resolved not to let that particular tragedy happen to any of our children, as that situation still affects me deeply.
I do hope that some sort of resolution can be brought to this tragic situation. It would be lovely if Madeleine reappeared, but sadly, the odds are stacked against that happening. We can still hope, try and pray.
However, if the worst has happened, could the perpetrator please own up, so that Kate and Gerry can say a proper "Good Bye". Please, please, that is the least that you can do!
My thoughts and prayers are always with you, and I am always checking the news, just in case a miracle happens. Take heart in thinking that you have shown how much needs to be changed about the way that child abduction is dealt with in Europe, let alone world-wide. Madeleine would be proud of you for that.
Keep strong, though it must be so very, very hard,
- Susanne, Oxford, UK
How awful - to be accused of kidnapping/killing your own child. Just think what the parents are going through - how many times they have regret that they left the kids.
I pray for the family. Good bless you all.
- Jane Mills Sandström, Stockholm, Sweden
I have all the sympathy in the world for the McCanns, it is terrible what has happened to them, but on the other hand I am sorry but I have three children and when we go abroad we go out together, eat together and sleep together. This is always something that has preyed on the back of my mind years before Madeline was ever born, there is too much media publicity regarding children being stocked and peodophilia going to take such chances. All the same I pray for her safe return, I also agree yes we should be able to leave our kids safely at home but there is too much evil to take such chances and the media are good friends to us for reporting it.
- Anna, London, United Kingdom
I think the McCanns are to be commended on the way they are conducting themselves ...You can see the strain etched on his face. In the past I have been critical but I realise I was wrong.
- Mike Hitchin, Australia
Good on the McCanns for having the money and resources to launch such a campaign to find their daughter. You can bet if it were my child missing, I would do exactly the same. I am certain they realize they "aren't the only people in the world with a missing child". Such a stupid argument, really. Why begrudge them the means to continue their search? I will never understand the human tendency to judge, especially not when a child's life is on the line. As for their trip to the States, we have more advanced processes and tools for finding missing children. Seems to me that Mr. McCann is hoping to learn from us. I hope they soon find Madeleine safe and sound.
- Alise, Washington, DC
There hasn't been a single day since May 3 that I haven't prayed for her to be found.
- Yada, Dublin Ireland
Why do people still persist in criticising the McCanns for their efforts to find their daughter. None of us are walking in their shoes - thank God. They know what they are doing. Going to the US will give them access to experts and techniques which they themselves can utilise in the search for their missing daughter. Also, there is so much nonsense said about them coming home and their twins. It is up to them where they choose to live, like all of us.
- M, Bedford
My heart breaks tremendously for Madeleine. I hope Jerry will get some vital help from the US. I hope they can help track down this baby. I hope she is not gone for good. I applaud Jerry for doing what he can to help Madeleine and other missing children.
- Sandra, Columbia, South Carolina USA
I think the McCanns are sincerely trying to help their daughter and other missing children. Their plight is internationally known and many people are now talking more about what to do to protect our children which is something that has been long overdue. Hopefully the information that Gerry McCann picks up from his trip to the States will be the building blocks for creating an integrated EU child protection service and a system that helps to find missing children with quicker results to help put perpetrators behind bars for a very, very long time. Anyone that abuses children in any way needs to be put away with a zero tolerance policy.
- M, London
Just what does this man hope to achieve on this trip? I wonder if Mr McCann has finally realised he is not the only person in the world with a missing child and that these other parents don't have the benefit of a huge charity fund to finance pointless trips like this one. We all know about the techniques Mr McCann is kind enough to tell us about. I assume the trustees of the Madeleine fund are going to pass on the money to such agencies.
- James, London, United Kingdom
It is good to see that Gerry is having an impact in the USA... The strain and worry of this whole affair is etched onto his face, but it is also good to see him and Kate keeping close, loving and hugging one another. May this come to a conclusion soon.
- Mike Hitchin, Australia
