The disappearance of Madeleine McCann, on the evening of May 3, 2007, remains one of the most heavily reported missing-person cases in modern history. Then 4-year-old Madeleine went missing from an apartment in Praia da Luz, in Portugal, while her parents were out having dinner. Doesn’t it make your skin crawl just thinking about it?
17 years after she vanished, her parents are convinced that she’s still alive. On her 18th birthday, May 12, 2022, her devastated mom and dad shared a heart-wrenching message. ‘We love you and we’re waiting for you and we’re never going to give up.’ This kind of love doesn’t just go away, you know?
In 2020, detectives investigating Madeleine McCann’s case expressed their belief that she had been murdered. German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters reportedly stated that he does not think the suspect in the case, Christian Brueckner, transported Madeleine from Praia da Luz to Germany, as many have speculated, but instead killed her in Portugal. Wolters also said, ‘I am optimistic we will solve this case.’
And who is this prime suspect? German pedophile Christian Brueckner, 44, is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. Additionally, he is awaiting trial for a separate case in which he is accused of raping an Irish tour representative in 2004. Talk about a sketchy character!
The case of Madeleine experienced a dramatic revival after a 21-year-old woman named Julia Wendell from Poland claimed she was Madeleine. However, DNA tests revealed that she was not the missing child. Not even close, Julia!
Recently, Madeleine’s mom, Kate McCann, shared that she believes a note written in the restaurant’s reservation book could have contributed to her daughter’s disappearance, as per the Netflix’s documentary series The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Spooky, isn’t it?
Kate also opened up about these suspicions in her book Madeleine: Our Daughter’s Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her. The note outlined the group’s plan to leave their children sleeping in their nearby apartments while they dined. However, it was reportedly visible to the restaurant staff and possibly to the rest of the guests at the Ocean Club Resort in Praia da Luz.
Kate has suggested that this note might have been accessible to individuals with ill intentions, possibly contributing to Madeleine’s abduction. Her fear is that this note provided crucial details about the McCanns’ routine, making it easier for a perpetrator to target their apartment. Just imagine the horror of realizing that your own plans might’ve given someone the chance to snatch your child.
‘To my horror, I saw that, no doubt in all innocence and simply to explain why she was bending the rules a bit, the receptionist had added the reason for our request: we wanted to eat close to our apartments as we were leaving our young children alone there and checking on them intermittently,’ Kate wrote. ‘We will continue to regret it deeply till the end of our days.’ There’s no undo button for life’s biggest mistakes, unfortunately.
In one of Madeleine’s parents’ latest social media posts, they expressed their disappointment at their defeat in the legal case against Portuguese officer Goncalo Amara, whom they are convinced hindered the search for their daughter. The emotional turmoil must be unimaginable.
We truly hope Madeleine is still alive and that she will eventually be reunited with her parents who have never lost hope of finding her.
So, dear reader, the next time you think your dinner plans are foolproof, remember that a simple note could hold more weight than you imagine. The McCanns learned this the hardest way possible. Spread the word, hug your loved ones a little tighter, and keep Madeleine and her family in your thoughts.
