German police have finally spoken up, describing the recent search for Madeleine McCann as “very constructive”.
Clothing and bones have been sent for forensic analysis. The Olive Press reports that two firearms were also found.
Last week, the high-profile search for Madeleine McCann was largely seen as unsuccessful when police appeared to leave the area near Praia da Luz empty-handed. However, new information might change that.
German officials have confirmed that fragments found during a renewed search for the missing British toddler Madeleine McCann are currently being tested forensically — raising hopes that these pieces could finally connect suspect Christian Brueckner to her disappearance in 2007.
“Very constructive”
The three-day search took place last week at a secluded location in Portugal where Brueckner, 38, is thought to have camped before. During the excavation, police found items such as clothing and what looked like bones in a rough area known locally as Brueckner’s “rat run.”
The Sun has reported that although the bones were initially thought to belong to an animal, prosecutors have kept them for thorough forensic examination.
The collaboration between German and Portuguese police forces was labeled as “very constructive” by Hans Christian Wolters, the chief prosecutor in Braunschweig, indicating a rare sense of hope in a case that has been filled with sorrow and dead ends.
As reported by The Olive Press, two firearms were discovered during the search conducted last week.
“We found two guns in total, but we’re unsure if they are connected to Christian Brueckner or his crimes,” a source informed The Olive Press.
“We haven’t received much information, but we also came across several bones, likely not human, along with some bone fragments, all of which have been sent to Germany for forensic examination by specialists,” the source continued.
Images from the location
The area that was searched is close to where Madeleine disappeared from a resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, just days before her fourth birthday. Despite years of global focus and numerous leads, she has never been located.
Images from the site depict police utilizing heavy machinery and ground-penetrating radar to examine the area. Although initial reports deemed the findings inconclusive, today’s update could signify a crucial shift.
Christian Brueckner, who is now 48 years old, is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for raping a woman in Praia da Luz in 2005 — just two years prior to Madeleine’s disappearance. He has denied any connection to her case, but German authorities insist he is still the primary suspect.
A new documentary called Madeleine McCann: Inside the Secret Evidence has just been released, providing a closer look at Brueckner’s history.
The film showed a disturbing collection of items that were allegedly discovered at his old factory hideout, such as children’s swimwear, a toddler’s bike, toys, masks, and weapons. It also explained how Brueckner had previously written about using ether to kidnap a mother and her child from a preschool.
However, without any forensic evidence linking him to the Maddie McCann case, prosecutors claim they might find it difficult to obtain the warrant necessary to keep him in jail. Brueckner is set to be released in September 2025 — unless the police uncover something new.