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O.C.NANNY |
378 to 381
Witness statement of
Charlotte Elizabeth
Alice Pennington 2007.05.07
382 Copy of
Charlotte Elizabeth Alice Pennington's
passport |
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02-Processos Volume II,
378 to 382 |
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TRANSLATION BY INES |
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02_VOLUME_IIa_Page_378 |
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02_VOLUME_IIa_Page_379 |
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02_VOLUME_IIa_Page_380 |
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02_VOLUME_IIa_Page_381 |
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02_VOLUME_IIa_Page_382 |
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Pages 378 to 381
Witness statement
Charlotte Elizabeth Anne Pennington
Date/Time: 2007/05/07 14H30
Childcare Worker
Irish Citizen
Translator Robert Murat
- Has been in Portugal since April
28th, the day upon which she began
working for the Ocean Club tourist
Complex in Luz, Lagos, and where she
is employed as a child educator. Her
work contract was completed in the
U.K. with MarkWarner;
- The witness clarifies that between
the 19th of April and the 04th of
May 2007 she worked with a group of
children staying in the
aforementioned complex between the
ages of 4 months and one year of age
(the Baby Club);
- The witness further clarifies that
the BabyClub group was divided in
three sub-groups, with each group
composed of two babies, so that each
group had a different infant
educator allocated to it;
- With relation to the facts of the
investigation, the witness states
that in the course of her work, she
came across Madeleine McCann many
times, explaining that, even though
she [Madeleine] did not belong to
her [Pennington's] group, this was
normal, as the physical space where
the children groups are located is
contiguous;
- The witness clarifies that
Madeleine was registered with the
'MiniClub', a group with children
between 3 and 4 years of age. The
principal space where the children
from MiniClub and BabyClub are
situated is in the same building as
the Ocean Club complex reception and
this is why the witness had personal
contact with the identified child.
However, she clarifies that it was
normal during "siesta"-- understood
to be between the hours of 09H00 and
10H30 and 14H30 and 15H00, at the
exact time that children are brought
into the crêche by their
parents—when the children under her
guard are asleep, that she would
participate with the children and
the activities in the MiniClub;
- Witness states that on two
different days, Sunday, 29th of
April 2007, and on Thursday, 03rd of
May 2007, she had direct contact
with Madeleine McCann, telling her
stories and speaking with her.
- Witness states that as she was an
intelligent child, timid at first
contact, and who later felt more
comfortable, was a child who
conversed normally for her age, and
was of a calm demeanour. She adds
that it was usual for Madeleine to
be called "Maddy", as this is how
she [Madeleine] presented herself to
the witness;
- On the 3rd of May 2007, around
22H15, the witness was working
during "dinner hour", together with
her colleagues Jackie and Amy, when
an unknown woman came to them
indicating that she was a tourist
lodged at the complex and asked them
if they had heard about a
disappearance of a child, whose name
she referred to as "Maggie" or
"Maddy";
- The witness also clarified that
the crêche in the complex also
offers complementary services
allowing parents to leave their
children with baby sitters during
dinner-time, between the hours of
19H15 and 23H00;
- She advised the aforementioned
individual that no one had told them
of the disappearance, who she
believed by the name given, was
Madeleine, also for the reason that
Amy contacted via telephone her
supervisor, Lyndsay, who informed
her that Madeleine had indeed
disappeared;
- After this situation, they began
the "search procedure for a missing
child" which consists of an
organised search involving different
areas of the complex in question;
- The witness states that she
participated in the searches,
together with her colleague, Amy,
searching various areas of the Ocean
Club establishment. She also states
that she searched the patio area of
the residence where Madeleine stayed
with her parents and siblings, and
during which, she encountered many
individuals inside the apartment but
was not able to tell if they were
complex employees or friends of the
couple. She did not enter the
residence in question;
- She participated in the searches
until 01H30 on the 4th of May, 2007,
when she returned to her residence;
- During the search, she noticed,
together with her colleagues from
the Ocean Club, that other people
participated in the searches
(tourists, and proprietors from the
complex in question);
- She was not aware of the time but
believes it was around midnight when
she noticed that the local
authorities (police) were present
and assessing the situation;
- States that the searches carried
out by the Ocean Club elements
terminated at around 04H00 the next
morning, 04 of May, 2007, with
negative results;
- States that she did not maintain
contact with the minor in question,
Madeleine McCann, but only to the
extent that she was a child
educator, as she was located
together where the missing child was
being watched in the crêche. She is
unaware of Madeleine's habits and
that of her parents, not having
perceived any odd situation related
to the child or any other during her
work period in Portugal;
- The witness also states that
Madeleine was normally left by her
parents around 09H15 in the crêche,
as her parents left the twins
beforehand in the Toddler Club;
- Is not aware of any situation that
seemed odd/strange related,
directly, or indirectly to the
disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Nothing more to declare.
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THE TRANSLATION
BELOW IS TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH |
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TRANSLATIONS BY ANNA |
It is May 7th
2007. The interviewing of individual employees is
continuing; employees of the Kids Club, the Tapas Bar and
the Millennium. Today, Charlotte Pennington was interviewed.
The interpreter who translated what she said was none other
than Robert Murat.
On the matter at hand, it is said:
The informant was heard as a witness. The informant, being
of English nationality, having no command of the Portuguese
language either in written or in spoken form, the interview
takes place in the presence of a translator: Robert Murat.
She arrived in Portugal on April 28th, the date from which
she started working for the OCEAN CLUB as a nanny.
The informant states that in the period between April 29th
and May 4th, her job entailed working with a group of
children on holiday with the above mentioned company, in the
age group of four months to one year. this group is called
the "Baby Club". The "Baby Club" group is subdivided into
three other groups of two babies and each sub-group is the
responsibility of an individual nanny.
In the context of the current investigation, the informant
advises that in the course of her job at the OCEAN CLUB,
there were various times when she was with a child called
MADELEINE MCCANN. Although not belonging to the group for
which she is responsible, it is normal, given that the two
groups are in adjacent rooms. Thus, Madeleine McCann belongs
to the group called the "Mini Club" with children aged
between 3 and 4 years and, she explains that the "Mini Club"
group and the "Baby Club" are in the same building , close
to the OCEAN CLUB's reception, the reason why the informant
has been personally in contact with the missing minor.
The informant states that it was usual during "siesta time"
which is approximately between 9am to 10.30am and between
2.30pm and 3pm, for the informant to get involved at the
"reception" for children in her group but also for her
colleagues, given that the children she was looking after
were sleeping. She also went over to the "Mini Club" to
participate more closely in some activities with the
children there.
The informant states that on two definite days, those being
Sunday April 29th and Thursday May 3rd, the informant was
personally in contact with Madeleine McCann, reading stories
to her and speaking with her.
And so, the informant describes Madeleine McCann as being an
intelligent child, shy at first but once she gets to know
the people she is with, she talks normally for her age and
stays calm.
The informant adds that Madeleine was usually called
"Maddie" given that it was under that name that Madeleine
introduced herself to the informant, the shortened form of
her first name.
On May 3rd, towards 10.15pm, while the informant was working
for the Mini Club group in the Dinner time, service,
together with her colleagues Jackie and Amy, a woman she did
not know, but who must have been a tourist, went to their
building asking if they were aware of the disappearance of a
child called Maggie or Maddie.
Questioned about dinner time the informant states that the
companys childcare offers parents the free service of
leaving their children in the care of creche leaders during
dinnertime between 7.15pm and 11pm.
With the confirmation that a female child had disappeared
and, on the basis of the name the woman had given them, they
guessed that it must be Madeleine, for which reason Amy
telephoned her boss, Lyndsay, who informed them of
Madeleines disappearance. The procedure for searching for a
lost child was put into action. It was an organised search
in different areas of the company concerned.
Thus, the informant participated in that search in a team
with her Colleague Amy and, they covered various areas of
the company, which were assigned to them. In covering the
area backing onto the residences where Madeleine, the twins
and the parents were staying, she could see that, in the
meantime, there were various people in the apartment without
being able to say if they were friends or employees. She was
involved with the searches until 1.30am (May 4th 2007) and
she then went to her own place.
In the searched that she carried out together with her
colleagues, other people participated (tourists, company
employees). Later, without being able to say what time, she
stated that the police were on the spot and that they set up
the measures for this type of situation. The informant
states that the search by members of the OCEAN CLUB ended at
around 4.30am on May 4th 2007, without result.
To our question, the informant states that she had very
little contact with Madeleine and only as a nanny present in
the neighbouring room. She did not know the routines of the
child or her parents and she did not notice any situation
that she found strange concerning the missing child during
the time she worked in Portugal.
The informant adds that Madeleine was usually dropped off at
the creche at 9.15am and that the parents dropped the twins
off afterwards.
To our question, the informant reports that she has no
knowledge of any situation that she suspects could be linked
in any way, directly or indirectly to Madeleine McCanns
disappearance.
She has nothing more to add. After reading in the company of
the translator who explains to her, she goes on and signs. |
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