disappearance disappeared evening bed holiday apartment resort region portugal sparking newspaper called heavily reported missing person case modern history whereabouts remain unknown holiday parents kate younger twin siblings group family friends children twins left asleep ground floor apartment friends restaurant metres away parents checked children evening mother discovered missing portuguese police accept abduction british dna analysis came believe died apartment declared suspects september cleared portugal attorney general archived case july parents continued investigation private detectives opened inquiry released fit images men wanted trace including man seen carrying child beach night shortly portuguese police reopened inquiry scaled disappearance attracted sustained international interest coverage reminiscent death diana subjected intense scrutiny false allegations involvement daughter death particularly tabloid press twitter received damages page testified british press misconduct lending support arguing press regulation people born leicester lived family request parents ward court england shortly disappearance gave court statutory powers act behalf described having blonde hair blue green eyes small brown spot left distinctive dark strip iris right eye released age progressed images looked age commissioned age kate parents physicians practising roman catholics née born near liverpool attended notre dame high school valley graduating degree medicine moved briefly finally general practice born glasgow attended obtained physiology sports science qualifying medicine obtained research degree glasgow consultant leicester met glasgow married born twins boy girl years later seven holiday seven friends children including adults evenings resort restaurant result media dubbed friends group consisted marketing manager partner physician children physician wife recruitment consultant daughter physicians children mother important witness reported seeing man carry young girl away resort minutes reported missing arrived saturday april seven night spring break village population known little britain concentration british booked british holiday company placed apartment owned retired teacher liverpool privately owned properties rented company bedroom ground floor apartment fifth block group apartments known lay perimeter resort resort facilities scattered town matthew door floor located corner francisco accessible public sides sliding glass doors living room overlooked ostensibly private pool tennis courts restaurant bar doors accessed public francisco small gate set steps led balcony living room door opposite block children slept bedroom door kept locked bedroom waist high window metal exterior controlled cord inside window kept closed holiday window overlooked narrow walkway residents car park separated low wall street slept single bed bedroom door opposite room window twins travel middle room single bed underneath window thursday restaurant thursday penultimate day family holiday breakfast asked didn come brother cried night disappearance parents wondered meant entered children bedroom mother noticed large brown stain children spent morning resort family apartment heading pool mother took known photograph afternoon sitting pool father year old sister children returned mother took father went tennis lesson children bed left asleep short pink white marks comfort blanket soft toy parents left friends open air restaurant metres crow flies pool walk seconds according mother staff left note message book swimming pool reception area asking table overlooked apartments block booked friends message said group children asleep apartments mother believes seen note friends left restaurant roughly half hour check children doors locked inside allow enter way left drawn doors closed unlocked closed child safety gate stairs gate leading street father carried check children asleep recalled having left children bedroom door slightly stood wide open pulled nearly closed returning restaurant time saw sighting sighting man carrying child night important early investigation left restaurant check daughter passing father way restaurant check stopped chat british man recalled having seen issue portuguese police given narrow street led accuse having invented sighting noticed man child cross junction ahead heading east away carrying child wearing light coloured pink floral pattern legs described man white dark haired tall southern european mediterranean appearance years old wearing gold trousers dark jacket said look like tourist told portuguese police pass description media hired forensic artist create image man right released october seen man face sighting important offered investigators time frame abduction came view red herring october said british identified man seen returning apartment collecting daughter night took photographs man wearing similar clothes ones wearing night standing pose similar reported daughter wearing matched report said certain sighting related abduction smith sighting sighting man carrying child night reported martin holiday ireland concluded smith sighting offered approximate time kidnap saw man yards apartment walking beach carrying girl aged years blonde hair pale skin wearing light coloured bare feet man slim normal build short brown hair wearing cream trousers look like tourist according uncomfortable carrying child reported missing mother intended check children offered checked children apartment door noticed children bedroom door wide open hearing noise left apartment looking far room bed recall bedroom window exterior open point early investigation portuguese police accused involvement volunteered check suggesting handed bedroom window kate check said probably taken moments kate recalled entering apartment doors noticed children bedroom door wide open tried close door slammed shut draught found bedroom window open pink blanket bed gone briefly searching apartment kate ran restaurant screaming taken father sent ask resort reception desk police resort activated missing child search protocol staff guests searched assuming told channel_4 dispatches end hear people shouting early response police officers arrived resort miles away midnight briefly searching alerted criminal police said officers arrived minutes alert patrol dogs brought resort search rescue dogs police officers leave cancelled started searching waterways wells caves ruins widely acknowledged mistakes crime scene secured people entered apartment closed according chief inspector according mother officer placed tape doorway children bedroom left securing apartment case file released showed lay month disappearance let tourists sealed august forensic tests similar situation arose outside apartment crowd gathered door including children bedroom window entered left potentially important evidence officer bedroom window exterior wearing gloves protective clothing border marine police given descriptions officers appear extensive door door inquiries according mother place morning police request motorway surveillance pictures vehicles leaving night road real santo spanish border company monitors road said approached information took days issue global missing person alert media criminal investigations portugal governed secrecy clause code means official press journalist wrote leads culture leak speak gossip hard counter breaking law officer acknowledged suspicious start couple turned inquiry officer called media circus described approaching mass representing dealt media days british government sent press officers daily_mirror journalist director media monitoring government withdrew mitchell non government representative took september company briefly involved september windows stepped forward offered cover mitchell salary later paid mitchell resigned position started working appeared cover people magazine group journalists flew rome belonging british businessman sir meet pope placing page british newspaper sell extra copies page british day months menu options portuguese tabloid published articles july june seven million posts videos returned search youtube portuguese inquiry witness statements witnesses described men oddly near apartment day disappearance thursday days leading believe men engaged reconnaissance abduction black haired men visited apartments close ostensibly collecting seen block april looking man tourist broken english collecting money described years old dark hair large teeth man seen walking gate leading away apartments tried close gate quietly hands looked left blonde haired men seen balcony apartment doors blonde haired man seen near blonde haired man seen standing block hour disappearance reported blonde haired men seen nearby street speaking raised voices realized noticed reportedly lowered voices walked away witness reported seeing blonde haired man april road remembered uneasy described ugly pitted skin large nose day different witness saw man standing wall near car park pool staring apartment block white van parked monday april girl grandparents saw blonde haired man leaning wall path apartments saw near car park pool restaurant looking described short hair ugly spots wearing black leather jacket light coloured shirt jeans belt trainers thick framed sunglasses person given suspect status days disappearance local british portuguese property consultant found centre media allegations continued months lived mother home yards apartment direction man sighting walked british tabloid journalist told police asking questions case police briefly signed official interpreter members said seen near resort evening disappeared mother said home evening house searched pool drained cars computers phones video tapes examined garden searched ground radar dogs associates questioned link disappearance cleared july case archived portuguese case opened questioned witness time behalf early suspicion early indication tide turning publicly came june german journalist asked press conference berlin involved disappearance june series articles critical couple appeared portuguese weekly reporters names mobile numbers witness appeared leak inquiry later articles portuguese press invariably followed allegations based evidence years social media included seven pact silence happened night disappearance children apparent inconsistencies seven statements result translation problems police asked questions portuguese replied english interpreter translated officer statement portuguese verbally translated english sign likelihood emerge high inconsistencies entered apartment door checking children according case file told interview entered locked door checks second interview entered unlocked doors door locked night told sunday_times december couple door checks earlier week children bedroom started doors instead issue exterior bedroom window opened outside said window closed bed open discovered missing husband told alerted disappearance lowered gone outside discovered raised outside police said raised outside forced sign forced entry according journalist non metal linked roller blind housed box inside window controlled pulling writes gravity fed rolled locked place outside window raised inside contributed view abduction kate shout taken viewed suspicion paving way abduction story suspicions developed theory died apartment result accident help stay asleep parents hidden body month driving unknown place car hired weeks disappearance british dogs july national search adviser arrived help ground search recommended bringing eddie dogs crime scene investigation csi dog trained alert traces human blood eddie enhanced victim recovery dog alerted scent human dogs taken beaches house apartments dogs gave apartment including living room bedroom parents august told arisen removed boxes clothes house rented das cat took diary started disappearance friend bible borrowed passage bible owner marked samuel death child item interest copied police case file portuguese translation august took couple hired days went missing eddie placed room clothes items taken underground public car park car parked alongside including eddie dog gave alert outside car inside boot trunk dogs gave cat clothes bible according sunday_times apparent video released directing dogs particular spots inside apartment car lawyer said smell corpses kate clothes caused contact deceased family doctor british dna analysis hair collected areas apartment car eddie reacted sent birmingham dna arriving august technique known low copy number dna analysis cells available test controversial vulnerable contamination september police liaison british portuguese police told prior sample car boot contained dna components result complex meaningful interpretation complex low copy number dna result appeared originated people obtained cellular material recovered compartment section dna profile dna components represented peaks chart components present result item components total components contributors contributors opinion result complex meaningful interpretation inclusion point according sunday_times abandoned abduction theory email translated portuguese september day according mother proposed admit died accident apartment hidden body serve year sentence husband charged free leave parents given status september interviewed day advised lawyer answer questions answer kate declined told dna found car boot apartment journalists portugal told dna evidence percent match british tabloid headlines included corpse car london evening standard brit lab car dna sun reported hair found car reporter british tabloid told march leaks come directly portuguese police disappeared chief constable police force coordinated british input told inquiry knew dna evidence interpreted portuguese charge inquiry decision correct reporters told involved force priority said maintain good relationship view finding return despite status allowed leave portugal arrived england september following day head signed police report concluding died apartment result accident concealed body faked abduction september volume case file passed judge dos authorized seizure mother diary father taken items england police retained copy diary september control risks british security company took hair samples twins parents request anonymous donor paid services concerned given children twins slept apartment reported missing despite requests portuguese police taken samples took sample allegations medication trace drugs found october inquiry coordinator portugal removed post telling newspaper british police pursued leads helpful replaced deputy national director team detectives expanded case review began november members portuguese investigation including vice president portugal forensic crime service police headquarters investigation closed july seven interviewed police england april including attendance planned following month hold reconstruction seven actors cancelled seven declined participate poor relationship portuguese police evident month day couple brussels promote monitoring system missing children interviews leaked spanish television national director resigned long citing media pressure investigation publicly said police hasty naming suspects portuguese prosecutors examining charges including abandonment child abduction homicide corpse months later july portuguese attorney general announced evidence link disappearance status lifted case closed august released pages case file media rom days case closed excerpts diary taken august dogs published permission portuguese tabloid translated english portuguese despite portuguese judge ruling june seizure privacy violation copies destroyed september news world published extracts permission translated poorly english book bad feeling reached height officer coordinated investigation october chief inspector resigned june write book alleging died accident apartment faked abduction little contact head inquiry telling portuguese newspaper october british police pursued leads helpful transferred days case closed july book truth lie published portugal november sold copies began libel action awarded damages interest court lisbon decision overturned judge issued injunction publication sales book lisbon overturned ban stating violated freedom expression ban reinstated libel ruling lifted appeal succeeded case inquiry month went missing officers charged offences related investigation disappearance year old portuguese girl vanished seven miles body found murder weapon identified mother launched campaign find daughter brother convicted murder killing mother retracted confession saying beaten police police accounted face body saying thrown stairs police station present beating alleged taken place accused having covered convicted related investigation received month suspended sentence parents campaign private detectives family set limited company finance search windows stepped forward september year help financially appeals public figures screened football matches britain million raised news world offered reward million fund criticized october having mortgage payments unable work hired firms private investigators caused friction portuguese police shortly disappearance anonymous paid services british security company hired spanish agency months month company investigators case europe morocco kennedy went morocco look sighting investigators working attempted question british denied involvement declined speak died cancer germany december year retired detective working released fit august woman said asked british men barcelona spain shortly disappearance deliver new daughter private initiatives included portuguese lawyer financing search reservoir near february use ground radar south african property developer said showed bones beneath house international fund hired international washington detective agency months company owner arrested connection unrelated fraud allegation sent man team portugal led british police officer worked team engaged undercover operations rings community questioned significance sighting man carrying child near apartment focused instead smith sighting team produced fits based description sensitive issue september watched footage arriving portugal believed recognized man seen child smith came accept mistaken witnesses placed restaurant publication smith fits bore resemblance fed conspiracy theories submitted report november fund told report remain confidential relationship company fund dispute fees report critical friends suggested died accident leaving apartment unlocked doors fund passed fits police police october received involved august release include images suspects book suggested smith sightings crucial released fits reconstruction police inquiries present request british home secretary began discussions setting new investigation home secretary launched investigative review team detectives civilians inquiry june cost financed government fund request prime minister reportedly persuaded government involve british police team led commander detective chief inspector senior investigating officer reporting detective chief retired december replaced investigation scaled october number officers reduced funded final months investigation tune team tens thousands documents translated released updated age progressed image investigated lines inquiry potential sightings taken statements collected exhibits investigated persons interest sex offenders theory focusing theory taken gone wrong increase area january included block entered apartment windows weeks disappearance october year bbc staged reconstruction broadcast netherlands germany released fits including fit smith sighting men seen near apartment day disappearance days aired portugal attorney general reopened portuguese investigation citing new evidence mobile phone tracking techniques showed phone restaurant worker near resort evening disappearance identified media originally cape_verde west_africa died tractor accident fired theft suspicion breaking apartments finance drug habit june accompanied archaeologists dogs searched drains dug metres interviews took place july december conducted request attendance july portuguese citizens interviewed associate questioned shortly disappearance people interviewed december included wife husband year old tourist bus driver driver year old year old associates men near time disappearance admitted having broken apartments denied having taken inquiries inquiries included effort trace manual workers disappeared including british white van offering services british inquiries convicted jail scotland murder men running window cleaning service went missing said resemble smith sighting focus inquiry deceased swiss man implicated july murder year old living spain disappeared issued appeal march man entered holiday homes occupied british families incidents western occasions sexually assaulted white girls aged beds man spoke english foreign accent speech slow short dark hair skin view victims distinctive smell worn long white circle said believed employee cape_verde died tractor accident media coverage disappearance turned harsh spotlight increasingly familiarity bred contempt case media according feminist scholar involving white middle class family caught nightmare evil abroad news world offered million reward tabloid sun offered information disappeared council estate mother seven children men middle class status protective turned weapon harshly criticized having left children despite availability seventeen thousand people signed online petition june asking investigate argument ran working class couple faced child abandonment charges doctors holiday let hook hot lips tabloid called digging university nickname deemed attractive thin dressed intense controlled according media analyst commentary came female journalists journalism professor wrote kate joined long list women media sought transform figures including similar false story supposedly relevant bible passages said highlighted criticized kate crying public despite obvious distress portugal complained shed single tear called cynical strange relying portuguese police sources portray november testified british press standards inquiry heard editor particular obsessed lord justice called express articles complete described sustained campaign kate told inquiry photographers bang car left home twins obtain expression photograph british simply repeated portuguese tabloid stories turn mention sources sold hard ran headline libel actions seven brought libel actions newspapers sister sunday papers published page donated seven awarded donated apology associates sued newspapers libel relation articles published express group news group newspapers news international according observer largest number separate libel actions brought person relation issue awarded received public owns paid undisclosed damages agreed host apology website months social media writes narrative disappearance shaped social media twitter year old went missing source social media attacks reportedly included threats kidnap twins staged reconstruction talk false information sabotage appeal man ran website devoted criticizing couple received month suspended sentence village allegations following year twitter user found dead confronted wrote disappearance stand metaphor rise social media predominant mode public discourse
Disappearance of Madeleine McCann