A FUNNY STATEMENT

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I have been following the Madeleine McCann mystery abduction since day one.  One particular statement has constantly kept my attention.  Apparently when Kate found Maddie missing she is reported to have said:
"They've taken her."
To my mind this was a very unusual statement to make!
Who are "THEY"?   And who is "HER"?   What was Kate really saying?
Would it not be more normal to say something like, "Has anyone seen Maddie?"  "Does anyone know where Maddie is?"   "Maddie is not in her bed."    "Is Maddie with you?" .  Certainly such expressions would be more in keeping with the actual circumstances.  How is it that her mind seems to have immediately thought of an abduction?   Was this a slip of her tongue?
The statement  made by Kate, to me, implies that there was already some knowledge of what had happened.   With a reported 35  British Police now on the case, I hope for everyone's sake the whole matter can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
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