Madeleine - Still missing after 7 long years

Back again after another year to remind people that Madeleine McCann is still missing and show the efforts that have been put in by many to help solve this sad disappearance over the past 12 months. Like Madeleine, other children are still missing too so this blog is dedicated to them also.  I will include links to these other cases where possible, but please refer to individual websites which you will see in the side bar.

Today is Madeleine's 11th birthday. Sad that she is not here to enjoy it with her family and siblings but she will be very much in their thoughts, as she will be in the thoughts of many thousands around the world.  Hoping as always that Madeleine will be reunited with her family before her next birthday comes around.

If you are unaware of Madeleine's case this is a recent summary :-
 
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/madeleine-mccann-what-do-we-know-about-the-case-9330875.html

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Madeleine's case was featured on BBC Crimewatch.  Here are the updates and appeal from there

"I'm encouraged by the new information that has come to light as a direct result of the appeal in March. There has been a huge public desire to assist us with our investigation and I would like to thank those who have provided us with new information." Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood

An interview with Gerry and Kate McCann coming up to the anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance this year

These series of interviews were also to the highlight the new initiative which is backed by the McCanns to help when a child is abducted or in serious danger. 

If your child went missing wouldn’t you want the world to stop and look for them? A Child Rescue Alert is activated when a child is known to have been abducted or their life is believed to be at immediate risk. Every second counts and your support is vital.

Please support this initiative and sign up, it could save a child's life

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Life for the McCanns is much the same as any other family who has a child or a family member missing. They feel as if they are Surfing Through Life and often feel they are not getting enough help with the solving of their family member's case.  

The mother who wrote this article has a son missing from Isle of Wight. Damien Nettles disappeared from Cowes, IOW on 2 Nov 1996.  She writes with heartbreaking eloquence about her son's disappearance and her feelings as the mother of a missing son. Even after all these years she writes daily about her loss, not great diatribes, just how her daily life is never quite what it should have been, always something missing.

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"I felt desperate and distraught. I felt totally alone. Mystified. Extremely frightened. Panic. Sorrow. Deep primal sobbing from a place I never knew existed in my very core and soul. Distraught. Lost. Very Very Confused."

http://whathapenedtodamiennettles.blogspot.co.uk/

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Ben Needham is another child who disappeared abroad. He went missing without trace on 24th July 1991, almost 23 years ago, from Kos in Greece. Like Damien above, time has not diminished his mothers need to know what happened to him, nor the hope that one day they may be reunited.
Much has been done over the years to keep awareness going in Ben's case and his mother has continually followed any steps she could to trace Ben. Here is one recent story that helped build a bit of hope and one which must have made Ben's mum Kerry's heart almost stop. Kerry has recently become a grandmother, which is lovely and I wish her a wonderful time with her new grandchild. 

• http://www.helpfindben.co.uk/maria.html
  



• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/cyprus/10412882/Ben-Needham-not-man-from-Cyprus-DNA-test-finds.html
  
• http://aglasshalffull.weebly.com/1/post/2013/06/missing-children-on-404.html
  

Some more Ben Links :

• http://www.missingpeople.org.uk/help-us-find/ben-needham
  
• http://www.hamogelo.gr/3.2/Missing-Children?pg=3
  
• http://www.helpfindben.co.uk/book.htm

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Read some other developments or lack of them in these sad cases

Luke Durbin

Katrice Lee

Andrew Gosden

Claudia Lawrence

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International Missing Children's Day 2014

International Missing Children's Day is on 25th of May 2014. Please if you have any social media accounts sign up to this initiative and get the word out about about the 116 000 missing children's hotline.   

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What More Can You Do To Help Madeleine And Other Missing Children

• Keep up to date with information on Madeleine by following the  Official Find Madeleine Campaign on Facebook

• Follow Missing People who are a  lifeline when someone disappears, whether it is the family of the missing or the missing person themselves. 

• If you use other forms of Social Media such as Twitter look out for updates on Madeleine and other Missing People / children

• Remember 25th May is International Missing Children's Day.  Please do all you can to support this initiative.

• Take part in The Big Tweet For Missing People on 25th May 2013

• Join useful sites like Pinterest and look and share links for Madeleine and other missing children there. Make up some boards of your own with repins etc
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• Wristbands, Car Stickers, Luggage Tags and Prayer Cards etc are also available from The Official FindMadeleine Website to help raise awareness and also available on other sites eg. Ben Needhams 

• If you have a website consider adding this widget for Missing Kids and get their faces known

• Try to find out who is missing in your area by visiting your local police website or join up to their community alert schemes which can send messages to keep you updated about any relevant criminal or suspicious activity in your area. This is normally a free service.  Here is an example 

• Police also have Facebook and Twitter Accounts which can keep you up to date with missing people alerts