On May 3, 2007, Madeleine McCann disappeared from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal. The then three-year-old British girl slept in a room with her younger siblings while their parents went to a nearby restaurant. When the mother was taking care of the children, one bed was suddenly empty. Since then there has been no trace of Maddie. Her younger siblings have never been public until now.
Amelie McCann, now 18, spoke out on Wednesday on the 16th anniversary of the disappearance. “It’s nice to have everyone here together, but it’s a sad event,” she reportedly said at a memorial service for her sister in her home village of Rothley, Leicestershire.
It was Amelie’s first public appearance, her twin brother Sean did not appear at the memorial service. Photos posted on social media showed Amelie lighting a candle for Maddie and other missing children.
Madeleine McCann’s younger sister Amelie, 18, speaks publicly for the first time at candlelight ceremony to mark 16 years since her disappearance, calling it ‘a sad occasion’ pic.twitter.com/WOhWsZjOgY
— HÜSEYİN AVNİ KEMAL (@Hak_2861) May 3, 2023
Kate and Gerry McCann, Maddie’s parents, did not address the approximately 70 people in attendance. However, on the website findmadeleine.com, they wrote on Wednesday: “Today marks 16 years since Madeleine was abducted. She is still missing… and still very much missed.” It was hard to find words for how they felt – so they published a poem. They also thanked the supporters.
Maddie’s case has been in the news again in recent weeks: on the one hand by the Polish Julia W., who claimed to be Madeleine on Instagram. A DNA test proved otherwise:
The suspect will be released soon
It was also announced that the suspect in the case, Christian B., who is currently serving a prison sentence, can be released. Investigators assume that the German kidnapped and killed Maddie. There are many leads, but the chain of evidence is not closed and the principle of the presumption of innocence applies.
The suspect is currently serving a multi-year sentence in a German prison for the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz – the place where the McCanns also vacationed.
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More on the Maddie case:
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
