Content Warning: This article contains references to child abuse and sexual assault, which some readers may find distressing.
Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have uncovered disturbing evidence that suggests the missing girl may no longer be alive.
It has been 18 years since Madeleine vanished at the age of three from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007. Despite a Europe-wide investigation, authorities were unable for many years to determine her fate.
A breakthrough emerged in 2016 when a cadaver dog discovered a suspected grave on a property belonging to Christian Brueckner, a convicted sex offender. The property—a disused factory in Neuwegersleben, central Germany—was allegedly purchased by Brueckner a year after Madeleine disappeared.
Although the grave contained only the remains of Brueckner’s dog, police also found a wallet containing six USB drives and two memory cards. According to investigative findings reported by The Sun, these devices reportedly held deeply disturbing material, including images of child abuse, online conversations with other paedophiles, and evidence of Brueckner’s alleged fixation on abducting children.
In addition to the digital material, investigators reportedly found over 70 children’s swimsuits, various toys, masks, chemicals, and three firearms at the site. Some of the recovered images depicted young girls believed to be between four and five years old.
A photograph of Brueckner was also said to place him near the area where Madeleine disappeared in 2007. Authorities have described the digital images as “crucial evidence” suggesting that Madeleine likely died not long after her disappearance.
Months after the 2016 search, Brueckner was arrested and later convicted of child abuse unrelated to the McCann case. In February 2016, he was found guilty of sexually abusing a five-year-old girl in a park. After initially fleeing, he was captured in Italy in 2018 and extradited to Germany in 2019.
Madeleine McCann went missing at the age of three in 2007 (FindMadeleine.com)
In December, 2019, after his DNA was matched to the crime scene, Brueckner was found guilty of the rape of a woman in Praia da Luz in 2005 and sentenced to seven years – a sentence he is still currently serving.
He was later named as a suspect in Madeleine’s case in 2020, with German prosecutors stating for the first time they believe the missing girl is no longer alive.
However, in October 2024, Brueckner was cleared of carrying out five sex offences in Portugal between 2000 and 2017 and prosecutors also haven’t charged him in relation to Madeleine’s case – Brueckner repeatedly denying any involvement.
The Sun’s investigation follows Madeleine’s parents marking the 18th anniversary of her disappearance, noting while they had ‘no significant news to share’ their ‘determination to ‘leave no stone unturned’ is unwavering’.
The statement resolved: “May is also Madeleine’s birthday – her 22nd this year. No matter how near or far she is, she continues to be right here with us, every day, but especially on her special day. We continue to ‘celebrate’ her as the very beautiful and unique person she is. We miss her.”
The Sun’s full investigation airs on Channel 4 at 9pm (GMT) today (May 7).
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org
