Missing Maddie – Parents Officially Named as Suspects

Update: Saturday September 8th, 0800 hrs

Portugese police have now  formally named both parents as suspects in the case of their missing daughter Madeleine.  This come after the couple were questioned at length at the Policia Judiciaria headquarters in Portimao over the past two days.

Investigators have not said why they are now focusing on the McCanns, but a relative has said that it  appears that traces of Maddies blood was found in a car rented by the family 25 days after she went missing. 

At present, no charges have been made and both parents deny any involvement over their daughters disappearance.  This could also be  aploy to take attention away from the inept handling of the investigation in the early stages.  There was nothing of any significance found until British forensic experts moved in with specialist equipment and sniffer dogs.

The authorities now have the power to stop the parents leaving the country, as it is known that they planned to return home to the UK.

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Update: Friday September 7th, 2200 hrs

A relative of the McCanns has disclosed that the Portugese Investigators want Kate McCann to ‘confess’ to accidentally killing her daughter, offering her a deal that would ‘guarantee a 2 year jail sentence, or less because people feel sorry for her’. 

There has been no confirmation of this from the Portugese Police, who remain tight-lipped about this weeks events.  This follows 11 hours of questioning yesterday and a further 13 hours today for Kate.  Her husband Gerry is still being questioned ny the authorities. 

It would also seem that the pink fluffy toy that Kate carried everywhere as a reminder of Maddie has also been kept by the investigating team.

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Today police in Portugal confirmed that Kate McCann, mother of missing Madeleine, was now being formally treated as a suspect in her daughters disappearance.

This comes as it was announced that traces of Maddie’s blood was found in a car that the family had rented some 25 days after her disappearance. 

Kate McCann spent 11 hours yesterday at the Policia Judiciaria headquarters in Portimao and looked visibly shaken as she left, and had to return there again this morning for further interviews with investigators.

Her husband, Gerry, is now also being re-interviewed by investigators.

The Portugese police have made no public statements on what is happening at present nor any mention of the results of forensic tests carried out in the UK.

Relatives are quoted as saying that police are suggesting that Kate accidentally killed her daughter. 

The authorities have always maintained that the McCanns were never suspects, only being questioned as witnesses, but both now are formal suspects in the case, which offers them greater legal protection.

Maddie’s Parents To Be Made Suspects

Madeleine McCann’s mother Kate McCann is expected to be made a formal suspect today by police investigating the case of missing Maddie.

Kate McCann was questioned at the headquarters of the Policia Judiciaria – Portugal’s CID in Portimao for almost 11 hours yesterday as investigators try to find out exactly what happened on the night of 4 year-old Maddie’s disappearance.

Kate McCann is expected to return to the police station again today after investigators told her that they had more questions to ask, which would also require her to be given the status of ‘arguido’ (suspect).

The status of ‘arguido’ gives more protection including the right to remain silent and the right to legal representation.

Her husband, Gerry, is also due to be questioned separately this afternoon and it is also expected that he too will be given ‘arguido’ status.

It is common under Portugese law, for people involved in criminal investigations to declare themselves ‘arguidos’ so that they receive greater protection than witnesses.

Investigators have not revealed why they want to speak to the McCann’s again, but it appears to be linked to the latest forensic results taken from the holiday apartment in Praia da Luz by British investigators, or it may simply be because of the family’s intention to return to the UK.

There is no confirmation as to what questions have been asked but Kate McCann is said to be deeply upset at these developments, and it could also be another distraction from the attempts to find Maddie.

Until now, there has only been one suspect in the case, Robert Murat.