Madeleine McCann Inspector: I Want Extended Leave Of Absence
Filed under: News | By: JP
Posted on: October 4, 2007 | 9 Comments
The Madeleine McCann investigation has been plunged into chaos today after it emerged that a second senior detective on the case has requested to leave the case. Chief Inspector Tavares Almeida, 48, who was the one to question Kate McCann, is said to have put in a request with his superiors for extended leave of absence.
Mr Almeida was Mr Amaral’s deputy and is head of the unit within the Judicial Police in Portimao that has been investigating Madeleine’s disappearance on May 3. It has been reported that he made the request to leave before his boss was sacked on Tuesday.
Talking to Portuguese newspaper 24 Horas, a police source said, “As a rule, requests of a short, medium or long duration are granted. It is very unlikely to be denied. If that happened it would be the first time in the PJ (Judicial Police).”
Mr Almeida refused to confirm the report saying, “I don’t speak to journalists.”
If Mr Almeida also quits, two senior officers on the inquiry will have to be replaced. The new head will be handpicked by the national leadership of the force in Lisbon.
Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann have said they will be willing to return to Portugal to meet the new inspector.
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Yes, I’m sure the McCanns will be wanting to meet the new inspector. As Mr. McCann once said in a videotaped interview, they can control the investigation better from Portugal. Though I must say, they are doing a marvelous job of controlling it from Britain!
These people are suspects. Hard to believe they are allowed to interfere to the extent they already have.
Interesting that he asked for the leave before his boss was removed from the case. Is that because he did not agree with the line of questioning his boss insisted on? He is not very honest if he was gona take a leave instead of tell the truth. I think he should go too. Put someone in that wants to find Maddie and stop accusing the parents untill and unless you have a body and clear evidence that only the parents could have done this. I believe this child was kidnapped for a child sex ring and these police have done nothing to find her. Are they a part of the child sex ring?????
Sounds like the deputy did not agree with his boss and wanted to leave the investigation rather than tell the truth. Let him go!!! Put someone in charge that clearly believes this child was kidnapped and is going to look for her. Also he should sign an agreement that there will be no more accusing the parents unless or untill they have found a body and have clear proof that only the parents could have done it. I believe this child was kidnapped for a child sex ring and the actions of the Portuguese police make me think that they the police are part of the sex ring.
Remember there is another mother in jail there because the police beat a confession out of her while forcing her to kneel on glass ash trays. She has recanted..her 8 year old is dead and there is no proof of her being involved.
Don”t take your kids there!!!
Oh, come on. Where is the proof of your allegations, Jodi? There is none at all. The McCanns are suspects because of DNA findings, and sniffer dogs who detected the scent of death. I’m not saying they did anything more than neglect their kids (that’s bad enough), but any good police force should name them “persons of interest” until this is cleared up.
I suggest you read up on the the other case you mention, too. There’s a lot more to it than the press has led us to believe.
Look at the facts in the McCann case. I don’t think any of us should presume to know what happened. Given the facts, the police must follow up on what they imply. To date, there is no proof whatsoever of abduction — but there is evidence of death.
Sabrina….Sniffer dogs may detect death but no time line can be applied. A sniffer dog detects a scent in an apartment or car which may have been there for years. In my life I have always believed that if there is reasonable doubt ..the person must be found not guilty….A person is not guilty until PROVEN guilty. These police like many others are simply out to end a case without regard for the possibility of acussing the inocent. In this case there were 4 couples and each left the kids sleeping while they checked every half hour. Yes I agree that this was a poor judgement and could be called neglect. But since that is what they were doing for 6 or 7 nights in a row, it makes perfect sense that a kidnapper was watching and knew when he/she had a half hour to steel a child
Gerry McAnn checked his kids at 9:05PM and noted the bedroom door open slightly but thought only that the child may have been up to use the bathroom or get a drink…
At 9:15PM, one of the mothers in the group going back to the dinner table sees a man carry a small child in a blanket near the McAnn room. Child has the same PJ print Maddie was wearing.
At 9:30PM one of the fathers checking his child stops at the McAnn room and pokes his head in to listen for sounds of a child awake but hears nothing….he did not actually see Maddie at that point but notes that the McAnn room is brighter than his.
At 10PM Kate finds Maddie is missing and the window is open which is why the room is brighter.
Logic says this child was kidnapped and as a juror I would never find guilty when any reasonable explanation exists.
If as you say the McAnn’s accidently killed her …..how is it that as tourists with paporazzi following constantly…they hid a body…Oh Please…If that were true even these cops would have found the body.
If there is more to the other case then these cops blew it when they beat the woman and had her kneel on glass ash trays in order to get a confession. I could get you to confess using those tactics and you don’t even know the girl.
Thanks, Jodi, but you don’t seem to realize that I do believe in innocent until proven guilty, and that I nowhere in my post stated that the McCanns accidentally killed their daughter.
I haven’t a clue whether the McCanns are guilty of any more than child neglect (which I simply cannot write off! It was appalling; four couples one of whose child was vomiting, leave their kids alone? Unbelievable. They all should be charged), but I also think the evidence — which at this point is not conclusive — has to be looked into.
What proof do you have that the police are trying to tie things up? You’re simply assuming. Please think about why you’re assuming this. From what I’ve read, it was the British police who first suggested that the McCanns might be suspects.
The McCanns thought the police were wonderful, until they themselves came under suspicion.
I won’t go into all the factual reasons I think the McCanns could be guilty. What’s important is that they have reason to be investigated very thoroughly - and no charges have been laid.
Nothing that has been done to them by the police is unjust. What these parents are doing — trying to sway public opinion, buying influence — is sickening.
They should let the case unfold without interference. IF they are charged, that might be different, though they should not be allowed to state their case in the papers before coming to trial.
That’s what the justice system is all about, flawed as it may be.
I still can’t believe some comments being made, do Madeleine a favour and get off the path of these poor parents. If I had their acess to higher people I would have done the same thing, on top I would have dug up Portugal with a spade if needed to find my baby.
Just because these parents aren’t lying down and accepting this horrific crime, does not mean they had anything to do with this. As long as posters keep saying they did it and taking the focus of the real culprit you are doing Maddie not favours, so stop it.
After the situations that have accured in Portugal and good police leaving of their own free will!!!! Geez people that’s got to say something in it’s self. Even to the deaf, dumb and blind (no offence intended) but for those who have all those benefits and to still post such rubbish, give us a break.
I don’t believe Maddie is dead, but the kidnappers are doing a good job at distracting you all so they can move her to her destination intended. Focus and get back to looking for Maddie. The time you spend typing this rubbish you could be looking for her. How many of you posters are wearing a LOOK FOR MADDIE band? if your not wearing one save your comments to your self.
It only takes one person in the group that took Maddie to feel the parents pain and ring or take Maddie to a safe place. Do it, If the Portugal Police and resdidents want this to go away. FIND HER……
Good police are leaving perhaps because they are sick and tired of being abused in the British press.
As for “distractions”, posting an old picture of a Moroccan woman with a blond child is a pretty good distractions. As is some trumped-up story about a disgruntled maid.
By the way, that picture? The child on the woman’s back doesn’t look a whole lot like the “real” child. The real child’s hair is a lot lighter, shorter, and parted on a different side. I suspect the photo was doctored to make it look more like Madeleien.
By the way, isn’t leaving children under the age of six unattended a criminal offense in Portugal? How about England? It is in the States and Canada
I cannot understand how anyone could leave children alone in an unlocked apartment with such steep steps, access to the main road, and close to a swimming pool. The parents couldn’t see the apartment from the restaurant.If the child woke up and wanted her parents, she would have to walk down the steep steps. I can’t see any parent knowingly putting their child in this danger.
I agree with critizicing the PJ on one point — for not arresting the McCanns for the evidence they already have.