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Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann, was released from a German prison on Wednesday after serving seven years for an unrelated sex crime.

 

Brueckner, aged 49, has convictions including child abuse and drug trafficking and was named a suspect in the McCann case by German prosecutors in 2020 while serving time for raping a 72-year-old woman in Portugal’s Algarve - the same region where Madeleine vanished.

 

Brueckner’s lawyer denies any link to the Madeleine McCann case. Upon his release, Brueckner was driven out of prison by his lawyer in an Audi, escorted by a police van. As part of his release conditions, he must wear an electronic tag for five years, report to a parole officer monthly, and inform the court of any changes in residence. Violations can result in fines or imprisonment.

 

Madeleine, then aged three, disappeared from her holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while her parents dined nearby. Police in the UK, Germany, and Portugal have long sought conclusive evidence to link Brueckner to the disappearance. British police revealed on Monday that Brueckner declined an interview request related to the case. Their investigations continue.

 

Of note, there were two alleged sightings of Madeleine on Mallorca in 2008, near Cala d’Or. A British couple holidaying there reported seeing a young girl resembling Madeleine on two occasions, accompanied by two women with dark complexions. Separately, another British family later spoke of seeing a girl matching Madeleine’s description sitting in a pushchair on Cala Gran beach, wearing what appeared to be a wig.

 

Madeleine’s parents continue to campaign tirelessly for their daughter, who would now be 22, regularly issuing heartfelt messages marking the anniversary of her disappearance. “We love her dearly and miss her beyond words,” they wrote on their website.

 

The mystery surrounding Madeleine McCann’s fate remains one of Europe’s most poignant unresolved cases, with Brueckner’s release underscoring the ongoing quest for answers.

 

 

Image: Madeleine (Maddie) McCann Information Discussion Group/Facebook