Madelin McCan’s disappearance: Research on the girl who has been missing 18 years start again

German and Portuguese police have launched a new investigation into Madeleine McCan, whose disappearance almost two decades ago became the most well -known unmistakable police case in Europe.

Macan, who was three years old when she disappeared, has been supposed to be as distant as Australia, and the research has drawn the attention of the whole world and has become the subject of books and documentaries.

Portuguese police announced on Monday that this week it is conducting « extensive » investigations in Lagos in southern Portugal at the request of the German authorities.

Prosecutors of the city of Braunschweig in northern Germany said in a statement on Tuesday that « criminal proceedings are currently being carried out in Portugal as part of the Madeleine McCan investigation ».

The basic suspect

German Police have taken an active role in the investigation, as the main suspect is a German national identified by the media as Christian Bruckner.

The 48 -year -old is serving a seven -year prison sentence in Germany for the rape of a 72 -year -old woman in Portugal in 2005.

Bruckner, who has not been accused of the Macan case, lived in Portugal for many years, including in Praia da Luz, and denies any involvement in her disappearance. He has also declared his innocence in the rape case.

Christian Bruckner is the main suspect for Madeleine McCann’s disappearance on May 3, 2007.

If no new charges are announced, Brucker will be released at the end of the year. When this happens, Brucker said in an interview on the German television channel RTL from prison that he intends to hide.

In the interview he refused to discuss the case of Macan.

« From the beginning of the discussion, he made it clear to me that he did not want to comment on the case at all. He had agreed with his lawyers, « RTL reporter said in his report

Investigations

The new study in the South Algarve area is the first after two years and has led the researchers back to the area from which Macan disappeared on the night of May 3, 2007: the Portuguese countryside, several kilometers from the apartment complex where the toddler was vacationing with its parents.

The London Metropolitan Police, which had been involved in previous investigations, said in a statement that it was not present in this week’s investigation.

Last month, 18 years have passed since the disappearance of the unfortunate young man and her family expressed her determination to continue investigations.

What happened to the child remains a mystery, even almost two decades later, with British, Portuguese and German researchers cooperating.

A short timing of the case

• May 3, 2007: Madeleine McCan, from Leicester Rothley, disappears on the family vacation at the Ocean Club, Praia da Luz, Portugal.
• Her parents, Kate and Jerry Macan, are at dinner with friends, while Madeleine and her twin brothers stay alone in the apartment.
• There was a shift system to control the children, but when Kate McCan’s series came, he discovers Madeleine’s disappearance.
• Police are called, a large investigation with the participation of police, complex staff, volunteers and border police.
• May 12, 2007: Macan declares their anxiety and despair. Portuguese police believes Madeleine has been abducted and is alive.
• May 26, 2007: A description of a man who was seen on the night of the disappearance is probably carrying a child.
• June 2007: They admit mistakes in the police investigation, with the destruction of significant evidence.
• July 2007: British police sends dogs and investigations into an apartment and a car by Macan.
• August 2007: It took 100 days after the disappearance. Investigators acknowledge that it may not be found alive.
• September 2007: Portuguese police are investigating Kate McCan, a few days later characterized by parents. Macan returns to the UK.
• November 2007: Jerry McANan publishes a video, stating that he believes that the family was being watched by a « predator ».

2008

• January: Macan publishes a suspect sketches on the basis of a British holidaymaker.
• April: Portuguese police visits the United Kingdom for family friends interrogations.
• May 3: Kate McCan invites people to pray for her daughter.
• July: Portuguese police are submitting a final report and archives the investigation, removing the suspect status from Macan.

Nearby poster released by the McCann family on May 1, 2009, where their daughter Madeleine appears as she was when she disappeared (left) and an image with the prediction of her appearance over time.

2009-2010

• New images with a possible appearance of Madeleine are published.
• Macan expresses frustration over how the research is conducted.
• The couple signs a book writing contract on disappearance.

2011-2012

• The book « Madeleine » is released.
• Prime Minister David Cameron is seeking the help of the Metropolitan Police.
• New British review begins.
• Computing images are published on how Madeleine would look like at 9.

2013-2014

• Scotland Yard announces new suspects (41 possible).
• Portuguese police are repeating investigations alongside the British.
• Research and interrogations of suspects without significant results.

2015-2019

• The British government reveals that the investigation cost more than £ 10m.
• Basic suspects are excluded, but investigations continue.
• Financing for the investigation of the Metropolitan Police is renewed.

2020-2023

• June 2020: The German prisoner Christian B (Christian Bruckner) is recognized as a suspect.
• The German authorities consider the case of murder and believe that Madeleine is dead.
• April 2022: Christian Bruckner is officially suspected of Portuguese justice.
• May 2023: The Macan family commemorates the 16th anniversary of the disappearance and awaits significant development.
• Portuguese police apologizes for the mistakes of the original investigation.