CHARLESTON, S.C. — Madeleine McCann vanished from her family’s vacation apartment in Portugal on May 3, 2007, just days before her 4th birthday. While her parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, dined at a restaurant less than 200 feet away, their daughter was abducted from her bed and has never been seen again.
The Early Investigation and the McCann’s Struggles
The case quickly gained media attention. Initially, Madeleine’s parents were treated as suspects after forensic tests found traces of their daughter’s blood in a rented car. However, they maintained their innocence and were officially cleared in 2008.
In 2020, German prosecutors named Christian Brueckner as a suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance. Two years later, Portuguese prosecutors confirmed that they had identified an official suspect, but they did not reveal the name at that time.
Who is Christian Brueckner?
Christian Brueckner, also known by his birth name Christian Fischer, was born in 1976. He grew up in Germany and has a criminal history involving sexual offenses. In 1993, he started committing sexual crimes against children and was caught molesting a 6-year-old girl in 1994. Later, Brueckner was extradited from Portugal to Germany in 2017 after being convicted for child abuse.
In 2019, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in 2005. Brueckner has denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.
Brueckner’s Connections to Madeleine’s Case
Brueckner was named a suspect in Madeleine McCann’s case while appealing his 2019 sentence. Authorities have not disclosed how they linked him to Madeleine’s disappearance, but he did live in the Praia da Luz area from 1995 to 2007, the same time Madeleine went missing.
What Did German Investigators Find?
In June 2024, a German investigator testified that they found two of Brueckner’s email accounts, which allegedly contained evidence related to child abuse. One of the accounts reportedly had information about Madeleine’s killing, though these claims are yet to be fully verified.
Despite these findings, German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters has publicly stated that there isn’t enough hard evidence to charge Brueckner in Madeleine’s disappearance.
Madeleine McCann: Still Missing
Madeleine has never been found despite numerous sightings over the years. Prosecutor Wolters told Sky News in 2020 that, based on their investigation, Madeleine is presumed dead. However, her parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, have not given up hope. They continue to believe that there’s a small chance that their daughter is still alive.
In 2023, they expressed their support for the investigation into Brueckner, stating, “Even though the possibility may be slim, we have not given up hope that Madeleine is still alive and we will be reunited with her.”
Brueckner’s Ongoing Legal Battles
In October 2024, a German court acquitted Brueckner of rape and sexual abuse charges related to incidents in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. The court cited a lack of evidence, but prosecutors plan to appeal the ruling.
As of now, Brueckner remains in prison to complete his sentence for the 2005 rape, which will end in September 2025.
The Future of Madeleine’s Case
Prosecutor Wolters recently mentioned that, for now, there is no prospect of an indictment in Madeleine’s case. Although Brueckner remains a key suspect, authorities are still seeking more evidence to charge him.
