The original interviews that the parents gave were very *up* on the stranger danger that they had warned their children of, it must be doubling the heartbreak for them knowing from the cctv footage how far their children had covered without telling anyone where they were going

Like everyone else, I hope that the 2 girls are found safe and well very soon. My thoughs are with their families and friends.

Still no word on Amanda Dowler either.

---

by Desire


I'm not trying to blame the parents at all, but I do wonder what on earth they were doing letting ten year old children on the internet unsupervised/in another room? I know there are ways kids will get around that, but still... I would like to think if I had children that I knew what they were doing up there. Especially cnsidering that nowadays most kids know more about the net than their parents.

---

Hehe, well I remember I first went online when I was 11/12 and my parents were really strict, they were always supervising me, i was only allowed to have an email and go on websites that were educational (well, apart from BUK) and yet I knew common sense, not to speak to strangers, go in un-moderate chatrooms, and that was before all these internet related scams and abductions. Although these girls are 10 years old, they must've known it was wrong or they would've told their parents. I really really hope this puts real fear in some people who are planning to meet up with people who they don't know (I know i'm a hyprocrite as I went to Alton Towers last year and I didn't know anyone, but at least I went with my mum )
And yes Desire, I do know more about the net than my mum, lol

Have just heard on the news that police are investigating 2 mounds of freshly disturbed earth in Newmarket, where the taxi driver saw a car, with the driver acting suspiciously, driving to. Holly & Jessicas parents must be going through hell even more now.....

They've just said now that the man who found the mounds had earlier in the week reported to police that he heard children screaming near there last Tuesday night. What the hell were the police doing?



(Edited by Teresa 13/08/2002 19:17)

I was just about to post this news. It sends shivers down my back thinking that the two little girls maybe buried underneath it...

Teresa- apparently the police have had up to 10,000 calls regarding Jessica and Holly and they have found it hard to keep up with all of them

I hadn't heard this news... it sends shivers down my spine too at the possible implications....

This will sound really morbid - but I am *in a tiny way* relieved about this.
Even though not in the best way.. at least this could end the wondering and worrying about what could've happened, and just give the family answers.

But of course, I pray they are still alive, though in my heart of hearts I don't think they are

I feel sick i'm staying up incase there's any more news

Still hoping that the mounds are someone's idea of a sick joke.

---

by coolkat
This will sound really morbid - but I am *in a tiny way* relieved about this.
Even though not in the best way.. at least this could end the wondering and worrying about what could've happened, and just give the family answers.

---

I know what you're saying... with no sign of Milly Dowler either I was starting to fear, to put it bluntly, that there might be an export market going on and they were abroad within hours of being abducted. At least this would rule that out.

When I heard the news about this tonight it sent a cold shiver down my spine - I hope to God its not them and they are found safe and well

---

by Sydney
i'm staying up incase there's any more news

---

I doubt they'll be anything else new tonight. It'll be first thing in the morning that we find out

Seems to have been nothing Which still leaves the main worry about just what has happened to the girls

---

by Random
(quotes)
I know what you're saying... with no sign of Milly Dowler either I was starting to fear, to put it bluntly, that there might be an export market going on and they were abroad within hours of being abducted. At least this would rule that out.

---

Thats exactly what I was thinking about

Well according to the 9am update on The Guardians website they haven't found anything under the disturbed earth. I don't really know what to think about this, like a few people have said if they had been found it would have at least brought an end to the whole ordeal. I really think that given teh time scale its highly unlikely that they are still alive

I feel so sorry for the families with what they've had to go through over the last 24 hours.

Just found this on Reuters:

Police quiz couple from girlsÂ’ school
16/08/2002 16:38


LONDON (Reuters) - Police hunting for missing 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman say they are questioning a school caretaker and his girlfriend, a teaching assistant at the girlsÂ’ school, in what they say is an "active" development.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Hebb told reporters that Ian Huntley, 28, and his partner Maxine Carr, 25, had agreed to give witness statements to police.

He added that investigators were about to begin a search of the coupleÂ’s house in the town of Soham, Cambridgeshire, where the girls disappeared.

"In the last few minutes a 28-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, both from the Soham area, have been spoken to by police officers and have agreed to give witness statements to us," Hebb said. "They have both been taken to police stations elsewhere in the county for that purpose."

"A police search team is about to start carrying out detailed examination of their house in Soham for any evidence that may point to the whereabouts of Holly and Jessica."

They are also searching Soham Village College.

Hebb said the questioning of the two people was "one of many active and interesting lines of inquiry" but said it would not be appropriate to say anything further at this stage


Lets hope it has a good outcome.

i find this a little strange
if its just a witness statement, why are they being taken to police stations in different parts of the country
apparently only the guy saw them so why take his girlfriend in too
and why the search on their house?...after all they are only witnesses..
bah, i'm sure theres definetly more to this than we're being told.

The girlfriend was a classroom assistant to one of the girls, that's her connection from what i've been led to believe. Let's hope there is a positive outcome to this latest line of enquiry and that the girls are found safe and well and returned to their parents. They've been missing almost two weeks now

For what it's worth...

I can't agree with the idea that ten year old kids should be monitored 24x7. That would be paranoia of the highest level. And let's just take a step back. How many kids, as a percent of the total child population, go missing each year? And how many of these end up being cases of abduction? Now compare this with the percentage of children involved in household accidents, ill health to allergic reactions to things like milk or paracetamol. Bad things happen. All you can do is take reasonable precautions, teach your kids to be cautious - but not paranoid, and let them get on with being children.

Panicking at every story in the news and wrapping your kids up in cotton wool is no way to live life.

And finally, we're far from knowing all the details. Maybe they just run off, maybe it's a big practical joke, maybe they were abducted, maybe the internet was involved, maybe the parents are the next family West. None of us know. And speculation won't change anything.

Here's hoping it all turns out all right in the end.

---

by Jayjay
Panicking at every story in the news and wrapping your kids up in cotton wool is no way to live life.

---

I hear what you're saying and I couldn't agree with you more, but there is NO WAY my children are allowed to play outside on their own or even in the back garden without me pressing my face up against the window watching their every move. I only wish I could relax more I do feel sorry for them 'cos when I was little I used to leave the house at 10am, take a packed lunch and not return 'til 7pm. I know that statistically they'll be fine but I'm not prepared to take the risk of lessening (is that a word ) my guard and something happening to them.


(Edited by Teresa 17/08/2002 00:21)