Rebuttal of "Fact" 36


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36. Kate McCann, in 2007, said: “I know that what happened is not due to the fact of us leaving the children asleep. I know it happened under other circumstances”.

 

Verdict - There is doubt over the accuracy of this statement.

Source - Media articles.

 


 

Summary of Verifiable Facts

  1. This quote appeared in the Daily Mail on 18th September 2007. 
  2. However, the Daily Mail article claims to be quoting from an interview which Kate McCann gave to a Portuguese magazine called Flash!
  3. No evidence of the Flash! interview appears to exist online.
  4. According to CNN, the McCanns' official spokesman confirmed that the the interview did take place, but he said that the media incorrectly reported what she said. 

 

 

Discussion

 

British Media reporting what was being said in Portuguese Media 

Many of of the speculative and erroneous stories which were published about the case in the early days were attributed to one media source quoting another.  Coupled with the multiple translations and re-translations between Portuguese and English, it is unsurprising that the integrity of many stories was often compromised.

 

The Daily Mail reporting what was being said by the Portuguese Flash! Magazine 

 

 

 Speaking of the night Madeleine disappeared, she said: "I was sure immediately that she didn't walk out of that room.
"I never doubted that she had been taken by someone.
"I went through a phase of guilt for not knowing what happened to her. I blamed myself for thinking that the place was safe.
"But the certainty that we are truly responsible parents has helped me carry on.
"I know that what happened is not due to the fact of us leaving the children asleep. I know it happened under other circumstances."

 

 

Doubts about the Flash Magazine Interview

 

The following is taken from a transcript of a CNN report

 

Quote:

"But there's a Portuguese magazine called Flash, and they are saying that Kate McCann had given them an interview, now it's unclear through the family spokesperson when this interview was given, if it was done before or after she and her husband were named as suspects.

But in this interview according to the magazine, she said that the first six months of Maddie's life were very difficult. She cried practically for 18 hours a day. "I had to permanently carry her around." The magazine also said that Kate told them that after the twins were born, Madeleine started to demand lots of attention. "She would run up and down screaming in the background, shouting for my attention."

Now the spokesperson does confirm that Kate McCann did speak to that magazine, but says that is not what she said. The spokesperson says that Kate told him Kate did not complain to the magazine at all about Madeleine being colicky or demanding more attention.

On the ground here, we continue to talk to family and friends who are still coming out in support of Kate and Gerry McCann, saying they are wonderful parents."

 

 

Conclusion

Despite having the rather puzzling title of "50 facts about the Maddie case the media aren't telling you", many of the MMRG's "facts" are based entirely upon early tabloid media stories about the case and do not have primary sources.  This particular "fact" is drawn from a translated quote of a translated interview which the McCann spokesman says has been reported incorrectly.