German police have issued a statement after they found a hard drive with ‘proof’ that Madeleine McCann is dead.
Three-year-old Madeleine went missing in May 2007 from her hotel in Praia da Luz, Lagos, Portugal.
Her parents, Gerry and Kate, were out eating with their friends when Madeleine and her two-year-old twin siblings were left alone in their hotel room.
Kate McCann went back at periodic times to check on her children when she noticed that her oldest daughter was missing. She called the authorities and a worldwide manhunt began for the three year old.
The case has since been described as ‘the most heavily reported missing-person case in modern history.’
The McCanns shared an update last year, for the 17th year of their daughter’s disappearance: “It’s 17 years since Madeleine was taken from us,” it read. “It’s hard to even say that number without shaking our heads in disbelief. Whilst we are fortunate in many ways and able to live a relatively normal and enjoyable life now, the ‘living in limbo’ is still very unsettling. And the absence still aches.
“Your support continues to encourage us and bolsters our strength to keep going. We know the love and hope for Madeleine and the will to find her, even after so many years, remains, and we are truly thankful for that.
“Thank you again for remembering Madeleine and all missing children. Kate and Gerry.”
In 2022, it was reported that German prosecutors had named Christian Brueckner as a suspect.
In 2024, the 48-year-old was cleared of of r*** and s**ual abuse in another trial and is already serving a seven-year jail sentence for r***. Braunschweig Chief Public Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters confirmed that Christian Brueckner is seeking an early release from his jail sentence but that the court has not decided on this motion.
A source connected to the case shared: “Normally a move like his bid for an early release would be laughed out of court.
“But everyone is very nervous after what happened with his r*** trial last year.
“The court was surprisingly favorable to him.”
“Charging over Madeleine would be the only ace left up their sleeve for keeping Christian B. behind bars,” they continued. “Let’s hope they don’t need it.”
He was later acquitted and could be released as early as September 2025 – unless proof is found that he killed the child.
Now, German police have shared horrific evidence that suggests the child is dead.
When Bruckner’s ‘lair’ was raided, police found masks, unlicensed guns, ammunition, children’s toys, and bikes, despite him having no children.
75 children’s swimming costumes were also found.
There were photos of Brueckner at Arade Dam, around 35 miles from where the child went missing.
There was also evidence that he attended a festival where he allegedly told a friend that Madeleine ‘did not scream’. Insurance claims after a reported car crash prove that the suspect attended the festival in April 2008.
A hard drive was found, that could be crucial to bringing him down. Authorities have not shared what was found on the hard drive but some of it may be revealed during a documentary released on 7 May 2025.
German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said back in 2020: “We have strong evidence that Madeleine McCann is dead and that our suspect killed her.
“We don’t have the body and no parts of the body, but we have enough evidence to say our suspect killed Madeleine McCann.”
The hard drive also allegedly contains stories the suspect had written where he shared his obsession with snatching children and one story reads of him drugging a mother and her daughter outside a pre-school as well as abuse of a young, 4-year-old girl.
A spokesperson for the local police force, Braunschweig police, shared: “I can’t comment on the documentary because I haven’t seen it. In my opinion, the article in The Sun doesn’t contain any real news and also contains few direct references to Madeleine McCann.
“I assume the article was published only because of the anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance and not because of the timeliness of the alleged evidence.”
