Madeleine: Parents' fury as Portuguese press claims they drugged their children

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On what would have been missing Madeleine's first day at primary school smears against her parents in the Portuguese press continue to dog Kate and Gerry McCann.

The latest claims allege 'a syringe with tranquilisers' was found in the apartment where the little girl went missing.

Newspaper Correio de Manha suggested Madeleine's parents, both doctors, could have drugged Madeleine to help her sleep, accidentally giving her an fatal overdose.

The McCanns have angrily denied the accusations, saying it was normal for their children to sleep through the night.

A spokeswoman for the couple said: "I can categorically say the McCanns did not have syringes or sedatives with them on holiday. They do not use sedatives on their children.

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Madeleine's father Gerry, pictured here with mother Kate days after Madeleine first disappeared, has issued a desperate plea for her return

"This story is absolute nonsense, it is totally untrue. Kate and Gerry are responsible and loving parents. They have said in the past they have never used sedatives on their children."

It is 119 days after Madeleine McCann disappeared into the night and her parents are marking another miserable milestone: today is the day the four-year-old was due to start at Bishop Ellis Catholic Primary School in Thurmaston, Leicester.

Instead of meeting her new classmates, however, she will be remembered in prayers and with candles, as the children of Bishop Ellis pay tribute to their missing classmate.

Madeleleine was enrolled in the "Four Plus" reception class. Although there is not a specific space with her name on it, there will be one empty chair and one empty coat-peg when the children arrive.

In the hope that she returns, the school has ensured that it has everything ready for her.

"We are deeply saddened that we cannot yet welcome Madeleine McCann, who was due to start in our Four Plus class today," said headteacher Gail Neill.

"A place has been prepared here for Madeleine, in exactly the same way as it has been for the other new children.

"It will remain ready and waiting as we continue to pray, along with her parents, in the hope of her safe return to her family.

"We keep a candle burning for Madeleine in our school.

"It symbolises our hope and prayers and her spirit. It will continue to burn until she is returned.

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Madeleine, who disappeared on May 3, was due to start her first day at school on August 30

"A special prayer will be said, on the first day, for Madeleine and for all children who, for one reason or another cannot start school at the correct time."

For Madeleine's would-be classmates, their first day will be a private affair. There are no plans for a media photocall or interviews with teachers.

It was perhaps with this looming milestone in mind that Madeleine's father Gerry yesterday made an extraordinary plea, begging her captor directly to end the family's nightmare.

Gerry said the abductor could still save their soul from the torment and guilt of snatching the toddler.

He said people sometimes acted in a moment of madness and it was not too late for them to return his "beautiful little girl".

The appeal was being seen as a last-ditch attempt by the McCanns to get their daughter back before making the painful decision to return home to Rothley, Leicestershire, after almost four fruitless months in the Algarve looking for her.

They are expected to go back to Britain in the next two weeks.

Writing on his Internet blog on the Find Madeleine website, Mr McCann said: "We do not know who has taken Madeleine or why. Sometimes people do things for reasons that even they cannot understand. An act of madness, an accident or sudden impulse can lead to consequences that people may never have imagined or intended.

"Faced with such a situation we believe any human soul will ultimately suffer torment and feelings of guilt and fear.

"If you have done something you regret, if you find yourself in a situation you never intended, it is not too late to do the right thing. Please come forward, return Madeleine, leave her in a place of safety."

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Bishop Ellis, the school where Madeleine was supposed to start classes today

Mr McCann, who has repeatedly said that he and his wife Kate believe Madeleine is still alive, added: "At the very least, help us by letting us know what has happened to our beautiful little girl."

The couple's spokeswoman said there was "nothing significant" in the timing of the appeal, adding: "It was not prompted by the police or by anybody else. It is coming up to four months since Madeleine disappeared and Gerry knows somebody must know something. It is written from the heart, there was no help from police or psychologists."

The appeal is also a way of grabbing back the initiative in the investigation, which in recent days has descended into a mire of wild allegations suggesting the McCanns are somehow responsible for Madeleine's disappearance.

She vanished from her bed at the Mark Warner holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3 while her parents ate tapas with friends nearby.

Madeleine's great uncle Brian Kennedy said Kate and Gerry were hoping to return home shortly and "get back into the routine of village life".

The couple have not specified a date for going home but family members have said it is likely to be in the middle of September, when the lease on their rented villa runs out. Their campaign manager, Justine McGuinness, is also due to return to Britain before September 10.

She said: "The McCanns have still to make a decision on when they are coming home. There is no date fixed but they do know they have to come home at some point."

She added: "Kate has not set a date to return to work. Her priority at the moment is to be a mother."

Mrs McCann cannot see herself returning to her job as a part-time GP, with its daily face-to-face contact with patients. She is expected to stay at home with the twins, with family members regularly visiting in support and the couple living off Mr McCann's salary as a consultant cardiologist.

Detectives in the Algarve are still awaiting the results of a series of forensic tests on blood and other samples taken from the apartment where Madeleine was abducted. It has been more than three weeks but the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham said the testing was still "ongoing".

Mr McCann said: "We, like everyone else, await the results of the forensics from the recent searches."

 

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