On May 3, 2007, the little girl, almost 4 years old, was on vacation with her family in Praia da Luz, a seaside resort in Portugal. That evening, Maddie McCann sleeps with her two little brothers in a hotel room. His parents, a British couple, are at a restaurant about a hundred meters away. In the evening, the mother, Kate McCann, notices the disappearance of her little daughter. Maddie McCann has never been found. Since 2020, investigators have claimed to have evidence of the little girl’s death. Twist in the case, the police are urgently looking for a new potential witness, as reported by the media Tea Sun. It would be Ralph H., a close friend of the main suspect, Christian Brueckner.
Ralph H. is missing. Armed police spent an hour outside her house outside Brunswick, Germany, trying to ask her questions about her connection to Christian Brueckner. But Ralph H. wasn’t home and he wasn’t answering his phone. According to neighbors, it had been a week since anyone had seen him. This 56-year-old man could have a decisive role in the investigation. Indeed, he is a long-time friend of the pedophile, Christian Brueckner. And for good reason, the latter rented a small house for three years near that of Ralph H. What’s more, Ralph H. recently admitted to having committed burglaries with Christian Brueckner. “I acted as a lookout during burglaries and as a getaway driver as well”, he admitted. Ralph is actively sought by the police. Her “partner in crime”, Christian Brueckner, is currently on trial for five other rapes and sexual offenses against children.
USB drives containing thousands of child pornography images
An investigation was relaunched last June, as revealed by the media Tea Sun. Indeed, Christian Brueckner lived in a campervan a few kilometers from the hotel where the McCann family was staying at the time of the events. According to German media, investigators discovered children’s swimsuits in the suspect’s camper van. They also allegedly got their hands on USB keys containing thousands of pedophile images, including some featuring the suspect. They were hidden where he had buried his dog. Christian Brueckner, described as “vagabond” by The Sun, would have taken the habit of photographing his victims as a “trophies”, but he never confirmed having taken a photo of little Maddie McCann.
Article written in collaboration with 6Médias
Photo credits: JLPPA / Bestimage