Twenty years since Denise's disappearance, Piera Maggio: "A continuous suffering"
September 1, 2024
MAZARA DEL VALLO (TRAPANI) (ITALPRESS) – It has been 20 years since the mysterious disappearance of Denise Pipitone, which occurred in Mazara del Vallo on September 1, 2004. She was only four years old.
She was playing, around noon, in front of her house, on Via Domenico La Bruna, at the corner with Via Castagnola. She was with her grandmother when she left the garage-kitchen to chase after a little cousin. She turned the corner of the street and then nothing more was ever known about her. The last sighting was by an aunt who said she saw her for the last time around 11:45 heading home, where she would never return. From that moment, in those few minutes, all traces of the little girl were lost.
“I certainly remember that day as the total change in my life, from bad to worse – says Piera Maggio to Italpress – I lived a daily life that, at least on a personal level, was built on an appearance of a lived life. It was a montage of appearances in which we maintained an almost normal core, but there was nothing normal between us as a couple, but we went on. From September 1 onwards, everything that has come to light over all these years emerged, even my personal life was laid bare.”
Piera Maggio was attending a computer course that day when she received a call informing her that Denise had disappeared and that everyone was looking for her. Via Domenico La Bruna immediately filled with law enforcement and onlookers: the search began. Piera repeated to investigators that her daughter would never have gone off alone because she was shy and did not trust strangers. “Maybe in the mind of someone watching from the outside everything seems fast, but in reality behind it there are 20 years of continuous suffering on our part – adds Piera Maggio -. I, as Denise's mother, but also Denise's biological father, have a suffering that continues, even if he is not always on the front line, but he is the one who has supported me all these years. These are twenty years of suffering, of sorrow, even at the judicial level because I want to remind everyone, even if it is often forgotten, Denise is a case apart. There are not many cases like Denise. Ours was the first case in which there was a trial, up to the third degree, in which there was a defendant, acquitted up to the third degree for lack of evidence. This is something that is forgotten – she continues – not only do you live the painful ordeal of losing a daughter, but we also had to go through years of trials where there was all the possible suffering even in following them inside the courtrooms. I want to remind you that we did not miss a single one, neither Pietro nor I. So, consequently, suffering for what was happening inside the courtrooms. We were there, in some ways even shocked by what was happening inside.
Something unimaginable. There, feelings are set aside and so cases become just files. Sometimes treated like numbers. We have always had clear ideas about what happened on September 1, we have always expressed our opinions and feelings dictated also by concrete facts that occurred even before Denise's abduction. The judicial part does not always correspond to the real part.”
“I have made enough appeals – recalls Piera Maggio -. Mine is no longer an appeal, I don't want to call it an appeal and I don't want to make appeals anymore. What I feel like saying is that the truth exists, children do not disappear into thin air, Denise was abducted in front of her house against her will, so it is a kidnapping. Our determination, mine and Pietro's, is to carry forward everything concerning justice and truth in this case. We always hope to be able to hug my daughter again, until proven otherwise. We have always said it and we repeat it endlessly because otherwise we would be writing another story. Missing children must be searched for, not filed away. I feel like saying that we are absolutely convinced that the truth is in there, in those files. It really takes the goodwill of a magistrate to take charge of everything that is in there. What can be recovered because, unfortunately, there are mistakes that cannot be undone.
Mistakes of those who have come and gone over time. No one came to Mazara del Vallo to take Denise Pipitone from a suburb. Consequently, whoever took Denise knew who she was.”
“After twenty years since the abduction of our daughter, we have nothing more to add than what we have already said all these years,” writes Piera Maggio on Facebook, adding: “On the day of the sad anniversary, our pain mixed with anger for the failure to find Denise and for the lack of justice is renewed even stronger – she continues – this case is one of the Italian shames: the absolute failure of those poor in spirit and in human sense. We will never stop asking for justice and truth. Nor will we forget the wickedness we have suffered: not everyone has a conscience. On the contrary, we feel we must thank our lawyers, all the professionals who have alternated over the years, all those who are still close to us today and hope together with us to know where our Denise is, who has become the daughter of all Italy – she concludes – we are convinced that sooner or later the guilty will pay for the harm caused, whether it be an earthly or divine punishment. Denise, wherever you are, mom and dad will never stop looking for you and hoping for your return until proven otherwise. Missing minors must be searched for, not forgotten!”.
“The abduction of Denise Pipitone reaches four decades that do not bring luster to justice but above all to the real truth of what happened. All the actors in this tragic story should seriously question themselves and reflect on what went wrong,” lawyer Giacomo Frazzitta, Piera Maggio's attorney, told Italpress. “We should sit around a work table to resume the threads of this story in discussion. Unfortunately, I don't think it will happen, common sense and law are often far apart and instead common sense should govern justice,” he adds.
“September 1 is a date that recalls and renews the great pain that for 20 years Piera Maggio, Piero Pulizzi and their families have constantly lived due to the disappearance of Denise Pipitone,” writes Salvatore Quinci, mayor of Mazara del Vallo, in a note on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the disappearance of Denise Pipitone, kidnapped on September 1, 2004. “Since that dramatic September 1, Denise's disappearance has been shrouded in mystery and unfortunately to this day neither the perpetrators of the kidnapping are known nor, unfortunately, is there any news of Denise's fate – adds the mayor – an atrocious pain that only the family can fully understand but to which the community of Mazara del Vallo joins – he continues – Denise is the daughter of Piera and Piero but she is the daughter of the whole City that despite everything would hope for a 'miracle' to be able to hug her again.” The Mayor concludes his message by saying: “'Chi sa parli' is the phrase we have invoked almost as a prayer. And surely there is someone who knows and is silent. But the majority of Mazara's people, almost all except for the 'bad apples' that are everywhere, are close to mom Piera and her family. Bye Denise, wherever you are, may our embrace reach you!”.
By Angelo Barraco
https://www.italpress.com/venti-anni-dalla-scomparsa-di-denise-piera-maggio-una-sofferenza-continua/
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September 1, 2024 MAZARA DEL VALLO (TRAPANI) (ITALPRESS) – Twenty years have passed since the mysterious disappearance of Denise Pipitone, which occurred in Mazara del Vallo on September 1, 2004. She was only four years old. She was playing, around noon, in front of her house, on Via Domenico La Bruna, at the corner of Via Castagnola. She was with her grandmother when she left the garage-kitchen to chase after a little cousin. She turned the corner of the street and then nothing more was ever known about her. The last sighting was by an aunt who said she saw her for the last time around 11:45 heading home, where she would never return. From that moment, in those few minutes, all traces of the little girl were completely lost. “I definitely remember that day as the total change in my life, from bad to worse,” Piera Maggio told Italpress. “I lived a daily life that, at least on a personal level, was built on an appearance of a lived life. It was a montage of appearances in which we maintained an almost normal family unit, but there was nothing normal between us as a couple, yet we carried on. From September 1 onwards, everything that has come to light over all these years emerged, even my personal life was dissected.” On that day, Piera Maggio was attending a computer course when she received a call informing her that Denise had disappeared and that everyone was looking for her. Via Domenico La Bruna immediately filled with law enforcement and onlookers: the search began. Piera repeated to investigators that her daughter would never have wandered off alone because she was shy and did not trust strangers. “Maybe in the mind of someone observing from the outside, everything seems fast, but in reality, behind it are 20 years of continuous suffering on our part,” adds Piera Maggio. “I, as Denise’s mother, but also Denise’s biological father, have a suffering that is ongoing, even if he is not always on the front line, he is the one who has supported me all these years. These are twenty years of suffering, of sorrow, even at the judicial level because I want to remind everyone, even if it is often forgotten, Denise is a case unto herself. There are not many cases like Denise. Ours was the first case in which there was a trial, up to the third degree, in which there was a defendant, acquitted up to the third degree for lack of evidence. This is something that is forgotten,” she continues, “not only do you live the painful ordeal of losing a daughter, but we also had to go through years of trials where there was all possible suffering even in following them inside the courtrooms. I want to remind you that we did not miss a single one, neither I nor Pietro. So, consequently, in suffering for what was happening inside the courtrooms. We were there, in some ways even shocked by what was happening inside. Something unimaginable. There, feelings are set aside and so the cases become just files. Sometimes treated like numbers. We have always had clear ideas about what happened on September 1, we have always expressed our opinions and feelings dictated also by concrete facts that occurred even before Denise’s abduction. The judicial part does not always correspond to the real part.” “I have made enough appeals,” recalls Piera Maggio. “Mine is no longer an appeal, I don’t want to call it an appeal and I don’t want to make appeals anymore. What I feel like saying is that the truth exists, children do not disappear into thin air, Denise was abducted in front of her house against her will, so it is a case of abduction. Our determination, mine and Pietro’s, is to carry forward everything concerning justice and the truth about this case. We always hope to be able to hug my daughter again, until proven otherwise. We have always said it and we repeat it endlessly because otherwise we would be writing another story. Missing children must be searched for, not filed away. I feel like saying that we are absolutely convinced that the truth is in there, in those files. It really takes the goodwill of a magistrate to take charge of everything that is in there. What can be recovered because, unfortunately, there are mistakes that cannot be undone. Mistakes by those who have come and gone over time. No one came to Mazara del Vallo to take Denise Pipitone from a suburb. Consequently, whoever took Denise knew who she was.” “After twenty years since the abduction of our daughter, we have nothing more to add than what we have already said all these years,” writes Piera Maggio on Facebook, adding: “On the day of the sad anniversary, our pain mixed with anger for the failure to find Denise and for the lack of justice is renewed even more strongly – she continues – this case is one of Italy’s shames: the absolute failure of those poor in spirit and in human sense. We will never stop asking for justice and truth. Nor will we forget the wickedness we have suffered: not everyone has a conscience. On the contrary, we feel we must thank our lawyers, all the professionals who have come and gone over the years, all those who are still close to us today and hope together with us to know where our Denise is, who has become the daughter of all Italy – she concludes – we are convinced that sooner or later the guilty will pay for the harm caused, whether it be an earthly or divine punishment. Denise, wherever you are, mom and dad will never stop looking for you and hoping for your return until proven otherwise. Missing minors must be searched for, not forgotten!” “The abduction of Denise Pipitone reaches four decades that do not bring luster to justice but above all to the real truth of what happened. All the actors in this tragic story should seriously question and reflect on what went wrong,” lawyer Giacomo Frazzitta, Piera Maggio’s attorney, told Italpress. “We should sit around a work table to resume the threads of this story in discussion. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will happen, common sense and law are often far apart and instead common sense should govern justice,” he adds. “September 1 is a date that recalls and renews the great pain that for 20 years Piera Maggio, Piero Pulizzi and their families have constantly lived due to the disappearance of Denise Pipitone,” writes Salvatore Quinci, mayor of Mazara del Vallo, in a note on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the disappearance of Denise Pipitone, abducted on September 1, 2004. “Since that dramatic September 1, Denise’s disappearance has been shrouded in mystery and unfortunately to this day neither the perpetrators of the abduction are known nor, unfortunately, is there any news of Denise’s fate,” adds the mayor – “an atrocious pain that only the family can fully understand but to which the community of Mazara del Vallo joins – he continues – Denise is the daughter of Piera and Piero but she is the daughter of the whole City that, despite everything, would hope for a ‘miracle’ to be able to hug her again.” The Mayor concludes his message by saying: “‘Chi sa parli’ is the phrase we have invoked almost as a prayer. And surely there is someone who knows and is silent. But the majority of Mazara’s people, almost all except for the ‘bad apples’ that are everywhere, are close to mother Piera and her family. Goodbye Denise, wherever you are, may our embrace reach you!” By Angelo Barraco .