Camilla Jessen
A new documentary revives chilling questions in the Madeleine McCann case.
For almost 20 years, the world has searched for answers in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the British three-year-old who vanished from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.
But as the newly released documentary The Unseen Evidence casts a renewed spotlight on the prime suspect and the deeply disturbing discoveries made in Germany, it also resurfaces a personal torment that Kate McCann has never shaken.
It’s the fear that a single, innocent decision may have helped the perpetrator find their daughter.
The dinner Request that Became a Possible Clue
According to Newsner, in the days before Madeleine vanished, Kate and Gerry McCann had made what seemed like a reasonable request—they asked for a specific table at the resort’s tapas restaurant, one that provided the best view of their apartment, where their children were asleep.
What they didn’t realize was that a receptionist logged the request, noting the reason in writing: that the children were alone, and the parents would return regularly to check on them.
That note was kept in a publicly accessible logbook, visible at the pool reception area.
“To my horror, I saw that the reason for the table request was written down in black and white,” Kate later wrote in her book Madeleine.
We regret it bitterly and will do so for the rest of our days.
The possibility that a predator could have seen that message—that it inadvertently revealed their vulnerability—has haunted Kate ever since.
New Evidence
The documentary airing in the UK this week includes unprecedented details about Christian Brueckner, the main suspect in the case.
During a police raid in Germany, investigators reportedly found:
- 75 pieces of children’s swimwear
- Toys and other items linked to children
- USB sticks and memory cards buried beneath Brueckner’s dog’s body, containing compromising material
The findings are chilling, though the McCanns have remained silent about their contents.
Instead, they continue to focus their public messages on Madeleine’s memory and the ongoing search for answers.
Just days before the documentary aired, Kate and Gerry McCann released a message marking the 18th anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance—and what would have been her 22nd birthday.
“She is with us every single day – but especially on her birthday,” they wrote.
“We may not have new information, but we will not give up. We refuse to leave any stone unturned.”
They also thanked their “loyal supporters,” whose dedication has not waned over nearly two decades.