New probe being carried out in the Madeleine McCann case

[Markhor]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24513267

The man featured in two e-fits released by UK police investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance was seen carrying a child towards the beach.

Police say a family saw the man with a blond-haired child of three or four, possibly wearing pyjamas, heading away from the McCanns' holiday apartment.

Madeleine, from Rothley, Leics, was three when she went missing on 3 May, 2007, in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

The e-fit images will feature in a BBC Crimewatch appeal later.

The witnesses said the man was white, 20 to 40 years old and of medium build. He had short brown hair, was clean-shaven and of medium height, they added.

Det Ch Insp Andy Redwood, the senior Metropolitan Police investigating officer, said he could be the man who took Madeleine but there could be an innocent explanation.

The Met Police opened up a new investigation earlier this year and have been reassessing all the gathered material.

As a result, according to the police, the timeline and "accepted version of events" surrounding Madeleine's disappearance have significantly changed.

A new probe had been launched earlier this year into the case of the missing child, Madeleine McCann. It has been a case that has received a lot of press attention, partially due to the fact that the McCann parents are rather well to do, both doctors and seemingly are able to put in a lot of resources into a well-orchestrated press and legal campaign.

I won't say anything libellous about an ongoing case, but ultimately the McCanns made a catastrophic error of judgement in leaving Madeleine McCann in an unlocked apartment with access points out of their line of sight in a foreign country while they decided to go to a restaurant with some friends.

Why would you ever, ever leave your children out of your sight in a foreign country ? It is common sense not to do so.

It was gross negligence, and whilst I have every sympathy with the parents, I do feel that if this was a black British kid or a poor white kid who has abducted off a sink estate, we would not even know their name. But as its a white, middle-class, well to do family who were able to go abroad on a holiday, the tabloids ever since May 2007 have constantly bombarded the public with the case of one, albeit extremely tragic case, whilst there are thousands of poor young kids who being trafficked or abducted, and abused around the world whose name do not even get a mention.

I also find it extraordinary how with the technology available today, that Madeleine has still been tracked down, one cannot simply disappear off the face of the earth and certainly there was been failings on the part of the Portuguese investigatory team.

At the end of the day, I just hope that the truth eventually prevails about this case.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

I'm amazed that these two have not been charged with neglect. Social services should also get involved to make sure they are fit and proper parents to their other children.

I'd like to see what this new piece of evidence is because so far there is very little evidence at all to confirm that an abduction even took place - this is the view of the Portuguese police anyway.

 

[t_kaay]

Various news agencies reporting that the people that live in the resort where this happened are fed up with the ongoing publicity. The general feeling is that children, both younger and older that Madeline are going missing around the world all time. What makes this case so special? I agree to an extent. Wouldn't want to go through what the parents have been through, but like I said, it's not an isolated case.

 

[in_cutter]

So they release a e-fit 7yrs later? Whatever.

It's time the McCann's were done for neglect. They are to blame for the poor girl's disappearance.

 

[Saj]

Anyone seen the new documentary on Netflix regarding this case?

If so, what are your thoughts on it and what happened?

 

[fawad_wellwisher]

I'm amazed that these two have not been charged with neglect. Social services should also get involved to make sure they are fit and proper parents to their other children.

I'd like to see what this new piece of evidence is because so far there is very little evidence at all to confirm that an abduction even took place - this is the view of the Portuguese police anyway.

They have lost their child. That's enough punishment for them. They made a mistake and paying a huge price. That doesn't make them unfit parents. Cut them some slack.

 

[gazza619]

They have lost their child. That's enough punishment for them. They made a mistake and paying a huge price. That doesn't make them unfit parents. Cut them some slack.

True. It must have required a lot of courage for them as parents to face the media for so long.

The only concern I have had on this whole saga is that the amount of money and resources that were spend to look for one child, you could have fed half of africa for 6 months and saved children dying of hunger

 

[fawad_wellwisher]

It was gross negligence, and whils... (still) paying for it by losing their child.

 

[fawad_wellwisher]

True. It must have required a lot of courage for them as parents to face the media for so long.

The only concern I have had on this whole saga is that the amount of money and resources that were spend to look for one child, you could have fed half of africa for 6 months and saved children dying of hunger

I am sure your argument can be used to reduce all kinds of government expenditures but unfortunately the real world does not operate on idealistic principles. Why blame them? Of coursed they are biased towards getting their child back and using all that is in their power to get her back. Given the choice I would not blame the parent for choosing their child over feeding hungry children in Africa.

That they are making sure it stays in media and getting the word should be appreciated and be a lesson for all parents that they keep their kids safe when travelling to foreign countries.

 

[rhony]

True. It must have required a lot of courage for them as parents to face the media for so long.

The only concern I have had on this whole saga is that the amount of money and resources that were spend to look for one child, you could have fed half of africa for 6 months and saved children dying of hunger

That's because this case resonates with every parent in the world. It is also the worst nightmare of every parent.

 

[IMMY69]

Anyone seen the new documentary on Netflix regarding this case?

If so, what are your thoughts on it and what happened?

Just finished expisode 4..
Extremely eye opening regarding the sniffer dogs and Maddie’s little teddy that Kate carried around with her...

Reserving judgement until i’ve finished the series.

 

[Pakistanian]

There are some convincing theories on twitter, her parents seem to be complicit and guilty. if there's anything this case and the casey anthony case share in common is that sick greedy people can also be parents.

 

[Theo_14]

The only concern I have had on this whole saga is that the amount of money and resources that were spend to look for one child, you could have fed half of africa for 6 months and saved children dying of hunger

Believe me, when you have slight possibly of bringing a loved one back from the dead or be able to rediscover them after they have been kidnapped, then you will not think of Africa, or poverty in a village in South East Asia; your priority and focus will only be to find your loved one.

It’s their daughter, they were already financially strong and had a lot of wealthy sponsoring them; they had every right to utilise that to find their daughter.

So many stories you hear of people being found after being kidnapped and abducted for 20-25 years; so no way parents should stop.

 

[James]

Worth mentioning, because people often get angry about these things, that the majority spend on trying to find Madeleine (£11 million total) has come from private voluntary donations into the McCann charity, mostly from independently wealthy people - with only a relatively low ratio coming from the Portuguese and British taxpayer’s purse.

Watched the documentary. Starts off a bit slowly with a retread of familiar information, but then gathers pace in the middle (as the investigation gets grubbier), and ultimately wraps up on the right note.


My conclusions are:

1. Madeleine’s parents were grossly neglectful to leave their children in that situation. This uncomfortable truth needs to be discussed more often AND possibly also by the police.

2. Dad checked on the children at 9PM; Friend half-checked at 9:30PM but didn’t see any of their faces clearly; Mum checked at 10PM and by this point Madeleine had disappeared. The bedroom door was persistently being found to have changed from slightly ajar to wide open during this hour. This means that the abductor was already hiding in the apartment during Dad’s 9PM check.

3. Friend noticed that the bedroom window had been opened further by 9:30PM, and the “man carrying an unconscious child” sighting was around 9:45-9:50PM (from the people who saw this). Madeleine had therefore already been abducted before Friend checked the apartment, probably just before 9:30PM.

4. As implied in one of the theories put forward by the documentary - Madeleine McCann has since completely forgotten her previous identity, due to a combination of brainwashing techniques and forced recreational drug addiction, and she is somewhere in Northern or Eastern Europe being regularly sex-trafficked.

 

[Rana]

Will watch the documentary tonight. The biggest punishment for humans in this world is the loss of their children. I hope the McCanns get some closure very soon.

 

[Pakistanian]

Will watch the documentary tonight. The biggest punishment for humans in this world is the loss of their children. I hope the McCanns get some closure very soon.

dude you do realize that they may very well be complicit. You should definitely check out some threads about this case on twitter. Losing your own child is awful for most parents but not for some sick parents/child traffickers.

 

[in_cutter]

Waste of time the Netflix documentary. Brings nothing new to the table.

 

[Rana]

dude you do realize that they may very well be complicit. You should definitely check out some threads about this case on twitter. Losing your own child is awful for most parents but not for some sick parents/child traffickers.

Its very hard to put up a charade of this kind if they were guilty. The guilt slowly eats away your soul. They were neglectful but I dont think they are guilty. Mrs Mccann would have broken by now.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

They have lost their child. That's enough punishment for them. They made a mistake and paying a huge price. That doesn't make them unfit parents. Cut them some slack.

You are correct - have changed my mind on this case in recent years.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

4. As implied in one of the theories put forward by the documentary - Madeleine McCann has since completely forgotten her previous identity, due to a combination of brainwashing techniques and forced recreational drug addiction, and she is somewhere in Northern or Eastern Europe being regularly sex-trafficked.

That really is the stuff of nightmares. Not knowing what has happened to her must be soul destroying for her family - having a child just disappear like this is worse than having your child die imo. At least with the latter you'll get some closure.

 

[Rana]

Ok so currently on episode 4 of the documentary.

I find it astonishing how they want to implicate the parents and their group of friends yet they miss out key information regarding what the Portugese police actually thought about the group of doctors. Its a very basic and censored documentary, often goes off topic and hard to keep concentration. What is interesting though are some very basic details in the McCanns original police statement and the contradictions noted by the Police, but one has to question why the police took over 50 days to realise that there are contradictions.

Just goes to show that investigative journalism can ruin peoples lives if they are just throwing out crazy theories for stories and publicity.

 

[Major]

I actually went to a spiritual baba who my extended family follows. I showed him the pic and asked whether the girl was alive or dead. He said she was alive, and was taken by very very bad people. I asked would she ever be found and he said probably not

I asked where she is, he said she is still in the same country from where she was abducted.

 

[Major]

I think the only way she could be found if someone from the child/sex trafficking world gets caught, or someone who uses the services of this world comes forward.

Problem, even the service users of this world cant come forward as even their own deed will be bought forward.

 

[Saj]

I've watched 7 episodes of the series and honestly cannot decide what has happened to this girl.

The documentary swings one way then the other and it's so difficult to make a judgement.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Another case where nobody has been found guilty but a large number of people have decided in their minds, the parents are guilty of their own childs murder. They have to be criminal geniuses to get away with this.

 

[shaz619]

I think the only way she could be found if someone from the child/sex trafficking world gets caught, or someone who uses the services of this world comes forward.

Problem, even the service users of this world cant come forward as even their own deed will be bought forward.

) I could have told you that me self

 

[Saj]

Watched the full series now.

Feel sorry for the parents and what they have been through.

I really recommend this series - very interesting viewing.

 

[Savak]

I remember being in the US when the Natalie Holloway case happened and the coverage was sensational in 2005. Even to this day i am really curious as to what really happened to that girl on that night in Aruba.

 

[Saj]

The new suspect in the Madeleine McCann case is a German man already being investigated over alleged child sex offences, Sky News can reveal.

He is one of two suspects who are currently the focus of teams of detectives in Portugal and the UK.

The man was on remand in prison in Germany when police there decided to alert the Portuguese team which is working with Scotland Yard on the Madeleine case.

It has led to a boost in funding and manpower for the Portuguese detectives, who are based in Porto.

The suspect is thought to have been living on the Algarve coast when Madeleine vanished 12 years ago.

He had not been a suspect at the time, though many alleged paedophiles were investigated and eliminated.

The development comes at a time of renewed optimism in the small Scotland Yard team, which has asked the Home Office for a whole year of funding to keep its part of the investigation going.

In the past two years, it has restricted its government funding requests to six months at a time.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said: "We have active lines of inquiry and I think the public would expect us to see those through. A very small team continues to work on this case with Portuguese colleagues."

Madeleine was nearly four when she disappeared from the apartment as her parents and friends dined nearby in Praia da Luz on 3 May, 2007.

Portuguese police abandoned their investigation after 15 months after finding no evidence of what happened to her.

They reopened it in 2012, before Scotland Yard was asked to investigate, too. The two forces worked separately at first, but now share information.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann insist their daughter could still be alive, in the absence of any evidence she has come to harm.

In a statement on the 12th anniversary of her disappearance, they said: "As much as we'd like to fast forward the first couple of weeks of May, there's no getting around it. The months and years roll by too quickly.

"Madeleine will be 16 this month. It's impossible to put into words just how that makes us feel.

"There is comfort and reassurance though in knowing that the investigation continues and many people around the world remain vigilant."

 

[Sher Khan]

Can we please just accept the parents negligence and move on?

 

[MenInG]

Adverts for a burger van that featured pictures of Madeleine McCann have been banned for being offensive.

The ads for the Otley Burger Company, which ran over Mother's Day, showed the missing girl and her mother, Kate McCann, with the caption: "With burgers this good, you'll leave your kids at home. What's the worst that could happen?"

In the background, a man was shown running with a smaller image of Madeleine in his hands, alongside the words: "Happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there."

The promotional images were posted on the company's social media sites and were later reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Madeleine McCann suspect claims it would have been 'absurd' for him to have abducted her

Three complaints were filed to the regulatory body, all claiming the ads were likely to cause distress and serious or widespread offence.

The ASA said it considered the nature of the content to be so concerning that it asked Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to remove the posts and suspend the account pending its investigation.

Responding to the complaints, the Leeds-based takeaway said all the ads had been removed and would not appear again.

However, it was still available to view on Facebook on Wednesday morning.

An Instagram post featuring the content has been removed by Meta, the technology giant said, and restrictions have been placed on the burger van's account.

Twitter confirmed that a tweet showing the advert has been deleted.

Madeleine McCann was nearly four when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, on Portugal's Algarve, on 3 May 2007.

Her disappearance sent shockwaves around the world and is still widely known, which the ASA said meant the images used in the ad would be "instantly recognisable to many people".

"We further considered that any reference to a missing child was likely to be distressing and that in the context of an ad promoting a burger company the distress caused was unjustified," the authority added.

It continued to say the image of a man running away with a superimposed photo of Madeleine "trivialised the circumstances" around her disappearance and "made light of a distressing news story".

The Mother's Day timing of the posts was "likely to have compounded the distress of those who saw the ads, and particularly for those who may have experienced the disappearance of a child", the watchdog said.

Ultimately, the ASA ruled the ads must not appear again and the takeaway company has been notified.

https://news.sky.com/story/distress...ng-light-of-missing-madeleine-mccann-12594149

 

[MenInG]

Convicted child abuser Christian B has been made an official suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

The Portuguese prosecutor's office confirmed "a defendant was appointed this Wednesday".

Christian B is in prison in Germany after being convicted of raping a 72-year-old woman in 2005, in the same town where Madeleine went missing.

Madeleine was three years old when she disappeared from the family's rented holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007.

Christian B has been informed he is now an "arguido" - a formal suspect - but has not been charged.

The decision is said to have been prompted by the 15-year limit for prosecuting serious crimes in Portugal, with authorities looking to "keep their options open".

German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters confirmed to Sky News that it was "apparently only for formal reasons, to prevent a statute of limitations in Portugal".

A Portuguese source added: "The legal grounds for making [Christian B] an arguido include the fact that he allegedly confessed to a friend he had snatched Madeleine and mobile phone records placed him in Praia da Luz the night she vanished."

Christian B stayed silent after being informed he was a formal suspect and declined to be questioned, according to the source.

He has denied being involved in Madeleine's disappearance.

The development came after a formal letter of request from Portuguese authorities to their German counterparts.

It paves the way for potentially flying him to the Algarve for formal questioning. However, there are not thought to be any immediate plans to do so.

Christian B had travelled between Praia da Luz and Germany in a VW camper van for several years before Madeleine vanished and previously said he survived by dealing drugs.

It is understood German investigators are focusing their forensic work on the vehicle.

Christian B, who is in his 40s, became a suspect after allegedly confessing to kidnapping Madeleine while sitting in a German bar on the 10th anniversary of her abduction.

Portuguese authorities insisted earlier this month they would continue to investigate despite reports that Scotland Yard was planning to end its probe after 11 years.

Police sources in the country have said closing their long-running cold case review was "completely out of the question".

A Lisbon-based lawyer, who asked not to be named, said: "Police and prosecutors in Portugal will be acutely aware of the time limits hanging over the Maddie case.

"Our statute of limitations brings with it the probability that within a matter of weeks, the person responsible for her disappearance may never be brought to justice in the country where she vanished even with an arrest and confession."

Portugal's attorney general agreed to reopen the investigation in October 2013, more than five years after it was archived, following a formal request from the Policia Judiciaria.

PJ chief Helena Monteiro is heading an ongoing review from the northern city of Porto.

In 2013, she quizzed the widow of a former worker at the complex where Madeleine's parents were staying when she vanished.

Serial thief Euclides Lopes Monteiro, who died in a tractor accident in August 2009, has never been publicly ruled out as a suspect despite calls from his family for police to confirm his innocence.

SKY

 

[Rana]

I have a feeling they are desperately clutching at straws with this suspect

The only known rapist in town at the time Madeleine went missing so it is convenient to try and pin a case on him.

The German prosecutors said they have enough evidence against this guy but they have not yet charged him with the murder of Madeleine

 

[MenInG]

Madeleine McCann's parents have said they welcome the news convicted child abuser Christian B has been named an official suspect in the case of their daughter's disappearance.

In a statement signed "Kate & Gerry" the couple also said they hold out hope Madeleine is still alive despite German police treating the case as a murder investigation.

Investigators believe Christian B killed Madeleine, who was three at the time of her disappearance, after abducting her from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.

Kate and Gerry McCann's statement reads: "We welcome the news that the Portuguese authorities have declared a German man an 'arguido' in relation to the disappearance of our beloved daughter Madeleine.

"This reflects progress in the investigation, being conducted by the Portuguese, German and British authorities. We are kept informed of developments by the Metropolitan Police.

"It is important to note the 'arguido' has not yet been charged with any specific crime related to Madeleine's disappearance.

"Even though the possibility may be slim, we have not given up hope that Madeleine is still alive and we will be reunited with her."

The statement comes a day after prosecutors in the Algarve city of Faro, without naming Christian B, said a person was made an "arguido" by German authorities at the request of Portugal's public prosecution service.

Arguido translates as "named suspect" or "formal suspect".

In Portuguese law, arguido status can be a preliminary move ahead of an arrest being made or charges brought.

However, the decision is said to have been prompted by the 15-year limit for prosecuting serious crimes in Portugal, with authorities looking to "keep their options open".

The statute of limitations would have meant Christian B could no longer be charged in the country after 3 May.

German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told Sky News the move was "apparently only for formal reasons, to prevent a statute of limitations in Portugal".

A Portuguese source added: "The legal grounds for making [Christian B] an arguido include the fact that he allegedly confessed to a friend he had snatched Madeleine and mobile phone records placed him in Praia da Luz the night she vanished."

Christian B, whose surname is not given due to Germany's strict privacy laws, stayed silent after being informed he was a formal suspect and declined to be questioned, according to the source.

The suspect, who is in his 40s, travelled between Praia da Luz and Germany in a VW camper van for several years before Madeleine vanished and previously said he survived by dealing drugs.

It is understood German investigators are focusing their forensic work on the vehicle.

Christian B became a suspect after allegedly confessing to kidnapping Madeleine while sitting in a German bar on the 10th anniversary of her abduction.

He is currently serving a seven-year sentence in Germany for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in 2005 in the same town Madeleine went missing two years later.

A federal court in Karlsruhe, a city in south-west Germany, rejected an appeal against the conviction in November 2020.

In 1994, Christian B was convicted in Germany of sexual abuse of a child, attempted sexual abuse of a child, and carrying out sexual acts in front of a child.

Portuguese authorities insisted earlier this month they would continue to investigate Madeleine's disappearance despite reports that Scotland Yard was planning to end its probe after 11 years.

The Metropolitan Police continue to treat Madeleine's disappearance as a missing persons inquiry.

https://news.sky.com/story/madelein...-official-suspect-over-disappearance-12596268

 

[MenInG]

The man suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann insists he was many miles from the scene having sex in his camper van with a young woman who will back his alibi.

Christian B says he drove the woman to the airport at Faro, Portugal, for a flight home the next day and they were stopped and photographed at a police roadblock.

The suspect, a German drifter, claims she was arrested at airport security for carrying an illegal pepper spray and later appeared in court.

Christian B, as he is known under German privacy laws, believes Portuguese police must have a record of those events that will establish his relationship with the young German woman who was on holiday with her parents.

Apparently, German police found a photograph of the woman lying in his camper van during their investigation into a rape for which Christian B, 44, is now serving a seven-year jail sentence in Germany.

When he first spoke of his alibi he couldn't recall the woman's full name, but it's understood he has since been able to identify her.

Madeleine McCann's parents release statement after Christian B made official suspect over disappearance

Christian B, who is suspected in the murder of Madeleine McCann
Madeleine McCann: Christian B isn't the first official suspect in disappearance - but may be the last

Christian B has been informed he is now an 'arguido' in Madeleine's disappearance - a formal suspect
Madeleine McCann: Portugal names convicted child abuser Christian B an official suspect in disappearance as crucial deadline nears

If it's true, the alibi would contradict vital, but circumstantial, evidence from mobile phone data masts that police say puts him close to the apartment from where Madeleine vanished from her bed 15 years ago in Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007.

According to police, the suspect's mobile phone was in the village when it received a call from 7.32pm to 8.02pm.

Madeleine's parents said she disappeared between 9 and 10pm. Christian B insists that by 10pm he had driven miles along the coast east towards Faro.

German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters, who is leading the Madeleine investigation with Portuguese and British detectives, told Sky News: "I assume if he has anything that exonerates him that sooner or later he will share it with us and we would then check it out. What happens then, let's see.

"So far he has told us nothing, he's given us no alibi. So, we can only work on the evidence we have found so far in our investigation. And there was nothing to exonerate him."

But German prosecutors had never, until two weeks ago, formally interviewed Christian B, a convicted sex offender, even though he has been their chief suspect for more than four years.

They questioned him on 21 April on behalf of the Portuguese authorities who had just made him an arguido, a formal suspect, for their own purposes to avoid a statute of limitations on serious crimes under Portuguese law.

But as an arguido Christian B had the right to silence and refused to answer questions about his whereabouts on the night Madeleine vanished.

Madeleine was nearly four when she disappeared from the family's rented holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the Algarve coast.

Her parents Kate and Gerry McCann were dining with friends nearby on the holiday complex and had left her sleeping with her younger twin siblings. They and their friends were taking turns to check on the sleeping children every half-an-hour.

The McCanns were once suspects for their daughter's disappearance, but were later cleared of all suspicion. They cling to the hope she will still be found alive.

Portuguese police and UK detectives have investigated, but the German authorities took the lead in 2017 when a friend of the suspect told them Christian B had allegedly claimed to know what had happened to Madeleine.

Mr Wolters said: "We actually haven't found a single piece of the puzzle in the two years that would have somehow helped to exonerate Christian B. So it's really nothing that would somehow maybe be an alibi or something. Nothing of that has come to light, really at any point.

"What we found out, it all went in the other direction, so was rather incriminating, without me being able to elaborate on that now.

He added: "However, it is not foreseeable when we will come to an end. So I can't say that we will definitely conclude the investigations this year. That really also depends on how this develops."

Mr Wolters has said in the past he believed Madeleine was dead, but would not reveal what evidence he had.

He is also investigating Christian B over three other sex assault allegations, including the rape of a young Irish woman, Hazel Behan, who was working as a holiday rep on the Algarve in 2004.

She has spoken publicly about being raped in her apartment at Praia da Rocha and waived her right to anonymity.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

Madeleine McCann's parents say it is "essential" they find out what happened to their daughter, ahead of the 15th anniversary of her disappearance.

In a Facebook post, Kate and Gerry McCann said this year "feels no harder than any other but no easier either".

"Madeleine will always be our daughter and a truly horrific crime has been committed," they wrote.

Three-year-old Madeleine disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal on 3 May 2007. She has never been found.

Last month, Portuguese prosecutors made German man Christian Brueckner a formal suspect, although they did not formally reveal his name.

On the eve of the anniversary, the McCanns said: "This year we mark fifteen years since we last saw Madeleine... It's a very long time.

"Many people talk about the need for 'closure'. It's always felt a strange term. Regardless of outcome, Madeleine will always be our daughter and a truly horrific crime has been committed. These things will remain.

"It is true though that uncertainty creates weakness; knowledge and certainty give strength, and for this reason our need for answers, for the truth, is essential."

They also expressed gratitude to the UK, Portuguese and German authorities for their ongoing work, and their supporters "for their continued good wishes".

"It is a huge comfort to know that regardless of time passed, Madeleine is still in people's hearts and minds. Thank you," they said.

Alongside the post, they included a quote from Winnie the Pooh author AA Milne which read: "But the most important thing is, even if we're apart, I'll always be with you."

Tuesday marks exactly 15 years since Madeleine was reported missing, meaning under Portuguese law it will no longer be possible to declare someone a person of interest. Doing so is a necessary step to any criminal charges.

However, a Portuguese official previously said the move to declare Brueckner an "arguido" was not driven by timing, but by "strong indications" of the practice of a crime.

Brueckner is currently serving a prison sentence for drug offences in Germany and was also given a seven-year term for raping a 72-year-old woman.

The 45-year-old has not been charged and strongly denies any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police said it remained "committed to doing what we can to find answers".

The force launched its own investigation, Operation Grange, into Madeleine's disappearance in 2013.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, who leads Operation Grange, said: "Fifteen years on from Madeleine's disappearance in Praia Da Luz our thoughts, as always, are with her family.

"Officers continue to investigate the case and our dedicated team are still working closely with law enforcement colleagues from the Portuguese Policia Judiciaria as well as the German Bundeskriminalamt [federal police].

"At this time, the case remains a missing person's inquiry."

Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, went missing from a holiday apartment block in Praia da Luz, sparking a heavily-chronicled missing person case.

She would be due to turn 19 later in May.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Madeleine McCann's parents said their daughters is "still very much missed" in a heartbreaking statement issued to mark 16 years since she went missing.

Kate and Gerry McCann wrote an update on the 'Official Find Madeleine Campaign' Facebook page on the anniversary of her disappearance.

Maddie went missing on May 3, 2007 while on holiday with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

In the statement, the couple said: "Today marks the 16th anniversary of Madeleine’s abduction.

"Still missing…… still very much missed. It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel."

Thanking everyone who has supported them through the years the pair added that they "await a breakthrough" from the police investigation

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...tp&cvid=f0ec30d7545a4022a2f0c2dfc5246f25&ei=9

 

[MenInG]

Madeleine McCann’s sister has spoken publicly for the first time since Madeleine's disappearance 16 years ago.

At a vigil marking the anniversary, Amelie, now 18, said: “It's nice that everyone is here together but it's a sad occasion.”

The informal prayer meeting, with about 70 people, took place in the family's home village of Rothley in Leicestershire on Wednesday evening. Parents Kate and Gerry McCann took part, although Sean, Amelie's twin, did not.

They wrote: “Today marks the 16th anniversary of Madeleine’s abduction.

“Still missing…….still very much missed. It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel.”

Amelie, accompanied by a friend, joined in repeating mantras read out by individual people in the crowd including “Never never give up”, “leave no stone unturned”, “don’t forget about me” and “still missing, still missed.”

Gerry and Kate also shared a poem titled The Contradiction by Clare Pollard which they said “resonates strongly” with them.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...p&cvid=101b80b3262e4cd9930733481f3352f2&ei=16

 

[MenInG]

Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "never going to give up" on searching for missing Madeleine as they issue a statement to mark her 20th birthday.

In a heartbreaking message, Maddie's parents shared their hopes of one day seeing their daughter again.

They wrote: “Happy birthday Madeleine! We love you and we’re waiting for you. We’re never going to give up.”

The pair also shared a picture taken of the three-year-old while on holiday before she vanished.

Her parents are today marking her birthday at a small family gathering.

Earlier this month, Madeleine's sister lit a candle exactly 16 years after her disappearance.

Amelie, 18 was pictured for the first time since she was a toddler alongside Kate and Gerry at the prayer gathering in their home village of Rothley in Leicester.

Amelie's twin brother Sean did not attend.

At the time of the gathering, Amelie said: “It’s nice that everyone is here together but it’s a sad occasion.”

The family were hoping for a break through as they paid tribute to Madeleine 16 years since her disappearance.

German prosecutors announced they were dropping rape charges against suspect Christian B who is serving a seven-year sentence in Germany over the rape of a pensioner in Praia da Luz, the same area in Portugal which Maddie went missing.

The 45-year-old was charged with three offences of aggravated rape and two offences of the sexual abuse of children allegedly committed in Portugal.

These charges have now been dropped as they did not have jurisdiction over him.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...p&cvid=d7eea2acfcb34012a678d83ff20094ad&ei=30

 

[MenInG]

BREAKING: German police looking for Madeleine McCann will begin a major search of a remote Portugal reservoir

 

[MenInG]

BREAKING: German police looking for Madeleine McCann will begin a major search of a remote Portugal reservoir

Police divers have started searching a reservoir in Portugal in the long-running investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

A search of the Arade dam began on Tuesday morning, 31 miles (50km) from where the toddler went missing in Praia da Luz in 2007.

Christian Brueckner, 45, was made a formal suspect, or an "arguido", by Portuguese prosecutors in 2022.

BBC

 

[Rana]

They are doing everything in their power to pin it on this German bloke. The guy is most likely not getting out of jail anytime soon, don’t see why he wouldn’t confess had he truly been guilty of her abduction/murder

 

[shaz619]

Her parents should have behind bars a long time ago.

The public are paying for their crime and they’ve profited from their unforgivable mistake

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Why they dont uses psychics? I mentioned in this thread earlier i once show this to this spirtual baba and he claimed the girl was alive back than (5 years ago).

Bro wth

Of all the things to ask a psychic you asked about a random missing British girl?

 

[SM1989]

Her parents should have behind bars a long time ago.

The public are paying for their crime and they’ve profited from their unforgivable mistake

I am sure the grief they feel is a heavy punishment.

 

[Rana]

I am sure the grief they feel is a heavy punishment.

They didn’t kill her.

 

[Saj]

Well according to reports, the latest search hasn't been fruitful.

I just hope there is an outcome one way or another, for the sake of the family.

 

[SM1989]

They didn’t kill her.

I am not saying they did. But habitually leaving their 3 kids for extended periods without supervision is abhorrent and they are paying for it with the grief they have lived through the last 16 years.

 

[MenInG]

Guys - this is a serious thread.

 

[Saj]

It will take several weeks to analyse materials gathered during a new search in the Madeleine McCann investigation, German authorities have told the BBC.

A search of an area 31 miles from the Portuguese resort where the three-year-old disappeared ended on Thursday.

There had been good reason to scour the Arade reservoir area in the Algarve, a German prosecutor told the BBC.

Police in Germany believe Christian Brueckner, a 45-year-old German national, killed the toddler.

Brueckner, a convicted sex offender, was made a formal suspect by Portuguese prosecutors in 2022. British police continue to treat the case as a missing person investigation.

He has never been charged over Madeleine's disappearance and has denied any involvement in her May 2007 disappearance from a holiday complex at Praia da Luz on the Algarve.

Brueckner is serving a prison sentence in Germany for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz, two years before Madeleine went missing.

Speaking to the BBC, Braunschweig prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said the German-led investigation is ongoing out of the public eye and has included other searches.

He said: "We work continuously on this case but not everything we do is made public. We continuously investigate and interview.

"There are repeated searches, not all of them are in the eye of the public like this one was. Much of what we're doing you won't notice."

Digging equipment and dogs were used to scour a peninsula jutting out into the Arade reservoir from its western shore this week.

The lake is 31 miles (50km) from where Madeleine went missing while on holiday with her family in Praia da Luz 16 years ago.

Brueckner is thought to have often stayed in the area, which is known to have been used as an unofficial camping spot, in his Volkswagen T3 camper van.

Commenting on the investigation, Mr Wolters said: "Nothing has changed with regard to our suspect in the last three years. We have found nothing in the last three years that would contradict our suspicion.

"We haven't found anything which would exonerate him. We've found nothing which would rule him out. We haven't yet disclosed all the evidence against him and we don't want to do that now.

"Of course, you can rightly assume that within the last three years various pieces of the puzzle were added but it's not the right time for us to publish that."

German authorities have previously declined to say what triggered the new search but said they were acting on the basis of "certain tips".

BBC

 

[RexRex]

Why is there a fixation on this one girl compared to thousands that go missing every year? It is an interesting phenomenon to study, why people on focus on some cases more than others.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Why is there a fixation on this one girl compared to thousands that go missing every year? It is an interesting phenomenon to study, why people on focus on some cases more than others.

Because rarely do parents go on holiday, leave a toddler alone who goes missing and no clue as to where she is.

Its known as public interest in a case which will continue if the case remains open.

Its unlikely the girl is alive now but parents will always have hope.

 

[shaz619]

I am sure the grief they feel is a heavy punishment.

They’ve been using that grief to cash cheque’s at the bank

 

[MenInG]

The German prosecutor investigating suspect Christian B in the Madeleine McCann case has said 'a number of items' were recovered during the recent search of the Arade Dam in Portugal.

 

[MenInG]

Detectives in the Madeleine McCann case are comparing soil they believe could put the prime suspect at a Portuguese reservoir in the days after she went missing.

Soil from a reservoir in Portugal searched by police last month is being compared with samples from main suspect Christian Brueckner’s camper van, according to reports. Detectives in the case believe Brueckner visited the remote reservoir in Portugal in the days after Madeleine disappeared.

After launching a major search of the area last month, police now hope they can prove that Brueckner’s van was in the area at the time the three-year-old was abducted. An insider told the Daily Mirror, that if the soil sample analysis reveals a “positive match”, police may be able to further “close the net” around Brueckner, 45, who has not yet been charged.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...tp&cvid=9e498daae2634b7fbacffeb8f8ba2b7a&ei=9