More important things to do than to find Maddie  

IMO, I don't think they should just give up. However they could just be saying that so the media will leave them alone and let them do their job. No missing persons case should go where the police just give up. I think that they are just tired of all of the media.

I think her fate was sealed when they bungled investigating just about everything in this case in the first place. Why didnt anoyne think to question why her parents left their three little children ALONE in a hotel room while they were out socializing? I don't care that it was 300 yards away, if you can't SEE the kids then you are too far away!
If that had happened here the parents would have been in jail formthe first day, ebven if they child wasn't missing, it's called abandoment.
The keystone cops also waited over a year before they came up woth a sketch of anyone they think may have taken her, yeah too little, too late.
Poor little kid!
I don't think they will ever solve it, because they wasted time and screwed everything up from the beginning.
And why are her parents allowed to keep the other two kids? They left them unattended too!

I don't think that they are saying that they intend to give up. Just that they have exhausted all the current leads and that they need to get on with other Police priorities. If it were my daughter that had gone missing in Portugal and the Police said "sorry, but we can only afford to spend time on the McCann case" I might be just a little annoyed. There isn't a parent in the World whose heart doesn't go out to the McCanns, but crime still goes on, even in Portugal.

Of course I feel this case should be pursued especially since they have a sketch of a person of interest to check up on.

I can't believe that. They do not have time.... What a crock of $hit if you ask me. What if it were their child here in the US and our police departments told them the same thing. You have to always look at everything in life with the shoe on the other foot. What would they do if it were me doing that?

I agree that since the parents left her alone in the hotel room that they are responsible. Who in their right mind would do such a thing. I just do not understand the iggnorance of people when it comes to their children.

In my humble opinion all such cases especially involving children should be kept open until
a reasonable solution is found.
In Australia , such cases are never closed.

Unfortunately...as much as I'd love for there to be no such thing as a "cold case" the reality is they have to exist..And as much as I'd love for the police to NOT give up...the cards are seriously stacked against them (and Maddie) at this point so they have to be realistic about it...

Hhmm...her parents however, SHOULD be brought up on charges of some sort, negligence or something becuase the FACT is they ARE responsible for her disappearance...That child should NEVER have been left alone at HOME let alone in some hotel room in a foregin country!!!

I really can't remember when this story happened but I know it was awhile ago. I think it would be optimal to continue until they find the girl but its just not possible. So many children go missing every year and are never found. Its very sad but police just do not have the resources to find them all. If there are no leads on the case I say put it in the cold case files.

I'm sure they're busy too but what could be more important than finding a missing tiny child? I'm always a bit reluctant to blame the parents of a lost or murdered child unless the evidence is overwhelming because they're already suffering enough if they're not involved. I've had my own opinion about them leaving her in their hotel room while having dinner, regardless of how close they were but I've heard it said that's a very "common European custom" which bothers me, I must say. I certainly hope and pray the police continue to pursue this case and do not give up no matter how long it takes!
Annie