Who is Madeleine McCann? What to know about search for toddler who disappeared in 2007
The British toddler vanished at a Portugal resort in 2007. The search for her is resuming.
Sixteen years after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, a British toddler who vanished from the resort she was staying at with her family, police are resuming their search.
Madeleine’s disappearance has sparked international interest over the years, with public look-alike sightings, documentaries, and true crime podcasts centered around her story.
Portuguese police confirmed Monday they were resuming the search for Madeleine in the country’s Algarve region at the request of German authorities and in the presence of British officials.
Police were seen erecting tents and roping off areas about 31 miles away from where Madeleine was last seen. By Tuesday morning, law enforcement was spotted entering the water at the Barragem do Arade reservoir.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Madeleine McCann?
As a toddler, Madeleine was a fun-loving, social child who loved dolls, dresses, and “anything pink and sparkly,” according to her parents. She enjoyed running, swimming, and, when it came to soccer fandom, supported Everton like her mom and grandpa. Her nickname was “Maddie.”
When is Madeleine McCann’s birthday? How old was she when she disappeared?
Madeleine was born on May 12, 2003. She was 3 years old at the time of her disappearance and would be 20 today.
Her parents posted on their blog on May 12 to commemorate Madeleine’s 20th birthday.
“We love you and we’re waiting for you,” they wrote. “We’re never going to give up.”
When and where was Madeleine McCann last seen?
Madeleine was last seen on May 3, 2007, in her bed at Rua Dr Agostinho da Silva, the resort in Portugal’s Praia da Luz municipality where her family was staying. The toddler was in the same room as her brother and sister, 2-year-old twins. Their parents were having dinner with friends at a nearby resort.
Are there any suspects?
In mid-2020, German police identified Christian Brueckner, a 45-year-old German citizen who was in the Algarve in 2007, as a suspect. Brueckner has denied any involvement.
He remains under investigation on suspicion of murder in the McCann case, but has not been charged. Brueckner spent many years in Portugal, including in Praia da Luz around the same time as Madeleine’s disappearance.
German prosecutors have charged Brueckner in several separate cases involving sexual offenses allegedly committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2007.
German prosecutor Christian Wolters said in a statement Tuesday that German police officers are investigating in Portugal on the basis of “certain tips.”
Who are Madeleine McCann’s parents?
Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, are physicians from Rothley, Leicestershire, who met in 1993 and married in 1998. Madeleine was their eldest daughter. The couple have appealed for international aid in her search over the years.
Together, they run findmadeleine.com, a blog that posts updates and attempts to connect the dots surrounding their daughter’s disappearance.
In 2020, when Brueckner was announced as a suspect, the parents said in a statement: “We would like to thank the police forces involved for their continued efforts in the search for Madeleine ... All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice. We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.