There are some similarities, but there are many differences. In the R case, there is no intruder indicated by evidence, and the dead child was in the home, a BIG marker for parental involvement in the crime. There was also a fake RN, likely written by a parent. The only leads ARE the parents, yet the DA refused to follow those leads. The puzzling behavior of the DA's office and their refusal to prosecute this case smacks of political hand-tying from higher-ups and back-door relationships between the DA's office and defense attorneys.
In the M case, there was an apparent sighting of a woman carrying a child from the area, there has been no body found as yet, and there are wildly inappropriate claims made by LE in Portugal- how can they make a statement saying the child was accidentally overdosed with cold medicine when there was NO body and NO autopsy done to prove it?
On the other hand- it is strange that Portuguese police have not investigated further the "disgruntled female employee" who may have had a key and may have been the woman seen carrying a child that night. Why state she fell on a step and died of a skull fracture? There is NO BODY. WHAT skull fracture? NO blood on the step, apparently, either. Why state such baseless drivel?
They have also not been forthcoming about those DNA traces supposedly found in the rental car. Is it Madeleine's or NOT? If it is bodily fluids, it will positively ID her. If it is hair or other mitochondrial DNA it may only indicate it COULD be hers. (it could also be a siblings, or her mother's).
BUT- There is also suspicious behavior by the parents- the laundering of a stuffed aninmal that Madeline always carried could help cadaver dogs find a body. They also claim that "bodily fluids" (meaning possible urine) found in the rental car were from UN-laundered clothing that she wore and they placed in the trunk. This is a puzzle- why WASH a toy that could help locate her and NOT wash clothes stained with urine and WHY have them in a car weeks after her disappearance?
The McCann's refused to leave Portugal without their daughter- they badgered the Portuguese authorities to do more- when Portugal dragged their feet- the police there seemed to "retaliate" by naming the parents as suspects- yet poiice have no clear indications that they are involved. THEN the McCann's left. I feel the Portuguese police named them just to get them out of the country. But I am on the fence on this one. With the Rs, I fell off that fence over 10 years ago.