Kate McCann, mother of the missing Madeleine McCann, has revealed a shocking detail that she believes may have contributed to her daughter’s mysterious disappearance. In a new update shared on the Finding Madeleine website, marking the 17th anniversary of her daughter’s vanishing, Kate opened up about a “horror” note in a restaurant reservation book that detailed how she and her husband, Gerry, left their three children alone in their holiday apartment.
Madeleine McCann, then just three years old, disappeared on May 3, 2007, from their apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, while her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant. The McCanns, along with a group of friends, would take turns checking on their sleeping children while they were at dinner. Despite the massive search efforts, Madeleine’s whereabouts remain unknown to this day, and the case remains one of the most widely covered missing-persons cases in history.
Kate and Gerry McCann have reportedly received an apology from Portuguese police. Credit: Alamy
In her 2011 memoir, Madeleine: Our Daughter’s Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her, Kate McCann revealed an unsettling discovery a year after police files were made public. While going through the documents, Kate found a note in the restaurant’s reservation book that described the reason behind their request for a reserved table close to their apartment for the rest of the week. The note, written by the receptionist, detailed how the McCanns had left their children alone in the apartment and were checking on them intermittently while dining.
Kate explained that she had been horrified to see this note in the public domain, as it suggested a lack of discretion in how the restaurant staff handled the details of their booking. The receptionist had, in all innocence, added the detail that the McCanns were leaving their children alone to explain why they had asked for a block booking. This was not something the family had intended to publicize, but it became accessible to guests and staff at the resort, raising concerns for Kate, who has since expressed regret about their decision to leave their children unsupervised.
A prime suspect has been named in the Madeleine McCann case, however, he’s denied any involvement in her disappearance. Credit: Alamy
Reflecting on the situation, Kate said, “We now bitterly regret it and will do so until the end of our days.”
The McCanns have continued their tireless search for Madeleine over the years, facing challenges both publicly and privately. In 2023, a delegation of senior officers from Portugal traveled to London to apologize to the McCanns for how the investigation was handled, but the case remains unsolved. The McCanns’ fight for justice and closure continues, despite the obstacles they have faced along the way.
This new revelation adds another layer to the complex case, highlighting how small details can sometimes take on unexpected significance in such a high-profile investigation.
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