Madeleine McCann’s younger sister was among those who gathered to light candles to mark the 16th anniversary of her sibling’s infamous disappearance.
Amelie McCann, who has not been pictured since she was a toddler, joined her parents, Kate and Gerry, and a crowd of well wishers, in the village of Rothley, Leicestershire, England. Her twin brother Sean did not attend.
It’s hard to believe 16 years have now passed since the mysterious vanishing of Madeleine from a holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007. Madeleine’s parents have always maintained that she was abducted after they left her and her siblings alone to have a meal at a restaurant close by.
The case, which captured the attention of the world, has never been solved, and there remain any number of theories as to what actually happened.
Peter Macdiarmid / Staff
Ahead of the 16th anniversary of the little girl’s disappearance, Kate and Gerry McCann issued an emotional statement that read: “Still missing…still very much missed. It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel.”
They later added: “The police investigation continues, and we await a breakthrough. Thank you to everyone for your support – it really helps.”
According to the Daily Express, Madeleine’s family gathered in their home village of Rothley yesterday evening to light candles in her memory.
It marked the first time her younger sister Amelie has been pictured in well over a decade. Amelie, now 18, sported long blonde hair, and perhaps could give something of an insight into how Madeleine might look today.
“It’s nice that everyone is here together but it’s a sad occasion,” Amelie said. She also took her turn to light a candle for Maddie and other missing children at a war memorial.
Individuals in the gathered crowd, some 70 strong, read out mantras including “Never never give up”, “leave no stone unturned”, “don’t forget about me” and “still missing, still missed.”
Needless to say, Madeleine’s family are still clinging to the hope that she may be alive.
Just what befell Maddie, who was three when she disappeared, remains one of the most vexing mysteries in modern history. In recent months interest in her case has once again surged following a 21-year-old Polish woman’s claim that she was the missing girl.
Julia Wendell went viral in February after sensationally claiming that she is Madeleine McCann, and demanded a DNA test to prove it.
Ultimately, a test showed that she was not, but Wendell’s claims served to remind the public that there is yet a chance – no matter how slim – that Madeleine is still alive.
WPA Pool / Pool
In 2020, German authorities asserted their belief that Madeleine was murdered after her abduction, naming convicted German sex offender Christian Brueckner as a key suspect.
All of our thoughts and prayers are with the McCann family at this time.
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