Madeleine McCann Case: Police Received "Interesting" Pictures From Tourists That Could Help Solve Missing Child Mystery

The story of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann has intrigued millions across the world but the authorities have not been able to provide any concrete answers until recently. In 2020, Germany started investigating a known pedophile in his 40s, who is in prison for an unrelated matter, for the disappearance of the little girl back in 2007 from Portugal's Praia da Luz.

Prime suspect Christian Brueckner, 43, was reportedly in the area where Madeleine was staying with her parents and family friends in the summer of 2007. The British girls' parents have been formally told that their child is dead and there is "concrete evidence" of it, as per The Sun.

Germany Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said, "We have written to the McCanns to tell them Madeleine is dead and explaining we just ­cannot say what the evidence is. We have concrete evidence that our suspect has killed Madeleine. British police have been informed but don’t have all the evidence we have. The results of our investigation have been shared but not every detail has been passed to Scotland Yard. I don’t think the McCanns have been informed of all the details but they know the results." Hans also said that this was now a murder case and not a missing persons case.

The German prosecutor has denied the parents of the child access to the evidence. "I understand what the McCann family lawyer is saying. I sympathize with the parents but if we reveal more details to them it might jeopardize the investigation," said he. "I know it would be of relief to the parents to know how she died but it would hamper the investigation if we give away too much information."

For a while, it seemed that Christian would get out of jail as he was appealing to the courts based on a technicality. However, the courts have rejected his appeal and he will continue to be in prison in Germany, where the investigation has been ongoing.

Now, a new detail has been revealed in the case. The authorities investigating her disappearance have received photos taken by British tourists in Praia da Luz showing "interesting things," as per Mirror.

"We got leads from England, including ones from tourists on holiday in Portugal during this time," said Chief Prosecutor Hans. "We got some photos where there might be some interesting things on them. There are quite good leads we are following up."

Right when the investigation had gained momentum, it could face more hurdles. Hans added that it would take some time to investigate the new information and when the UK leaves the European Union because of Brexit, it could take even longer as "many things can’t just be clarified at short notice."

"In the EU everything was unified, and there was a uniform legal assistance between the European countries," added Hans. However, when the UK leaves the EU, Germany would have to "make a formal request, which means that we then write a very formal letter and then query everything individually." Meanwhile, police in Hanover denied that any searches carried out were linked to Madeleine's disappearance.

A search had been conducted in Hanover in July 2020. Back then, it was reported to be associated with the disappearance of the child. Police had searched an allotment plot on the outskirts of the city, as per the Guardian. "The operation is occurring in conjunction with our investigation into murder by the 43-year-old suspect," a spokeswoman for state prosecutors in Braunschweig told German media.

A Hanover resident saw up to 100 officers during the search at the allotment. Forensics officers in white suits, as well as sniffer dogs, were also reportedly on the scene.

References:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11871138/madeleine-mccann-dead-letter-kate-gerry/

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/police-madeleine-mccann-case-receive-23033004

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/28/madeleine-mccann-german-police-search-garden-in-hanover