The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann Madeleine McCann, a 3-year-old British girl, disappeared in Portugal in 2007. The case remains one of the world's greatest criminal mysteries. A prime suspect is Christian Brueckner, a German criminal. In 2026, German prosecutors requested a new trial, raising hopes for a breakthrough in the case. đź“Ś German police believe the girl may have been murdered, but there is no definitive evidence.
The case against Christian Brueckner, the main suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, could take a dramatic turn after the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office submitted a 44-page report to the Court of Appeal (BGH).
According to Olive Press, this document “completely dismantles” the acquittal decision handed down by Judge Engemann in Braunschweig, calling it “chaotic” and flawed. The Federal Prosecutor General now argues that the acquittal on five counts of rape and child abuse should be immediately overturned, paving the way for a new trial.
The challenge comes after a thorough analysis of a 680-page appeal filed by prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters in October 2024. The report points to serious flaws in the way the judge handled the case, especially in constantly raising doubts about the credibility of crucial witnesses, such as rape victim Hazel Behan.
Behan, who was attacked in the Algarve in 2004, has already stated through sources close to her that she is “fully prepared” to return to court should a new trial be ordered, which is expected to take place in a higher court in Leipzig.
While awaiting the Federal Court of Justice’s decision on whether to retry the case, Madeleine McCann’s name has resurfaced in recently released documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
According to the files, a protected witness claimed to have seen, in 2009, a woman resembling Ghislaine Maxwell, accompanied by a child resembling Madeleine.
However, these allegations remain unverified, and German authorities continue to focus on Brueckner, who currently lives in social housing in Kiel after a period of homelessness.