It is a year today since Madeline disappeared, and it is her birthday on 12th May. As a parent I can’t imagine the pain her family must be going through, not knowing if she is alive or where she might be. I think it is also brought closer to home by the fact that I belong to a May 2003 baby forum on the internet.
I signed up when I was pregnant with Ben, and “met” a whole group of ladies from around the country, the only thing we have in common is that all our babies were due, and born, in May 2003. It wasn’t until we all met up in 2005, that Andrew realised that one of the ladies I had been chatting with was in fact the lady who was opposite me in the hospital, and who I spent 3 or 4 days with – our children were born on the same day.
I can’t help but think that quite easily Madeline could have been one of the children in our group, and her mother could have been someone I knew or had met. Whatever did or didn’t happen on the night she disappeared, what should or shouldn’t have been done, despite all the rumours and speculation, the bottom line is that on the night of May 3rd, a little girl was taken away from her family and friends. And that is what we shouldn’t forget.