REVEALED: How Portuguese police put out BIZARRE sketch of Madeleine McCann kidnap suspect
PORTUGUESE police released a bizarre sketch of Madeleine McCann’s kidnap suspect which featured no face, three days after the three-year-old went missing, a controversial Netflix documentary reveals.
Madeleine McCann: Netflix releases chilling trailer
Madeleine McCann disappeared on the evening of May 3, 2007, from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal. What followed was arguably the most heavily reported missing-person case in history. Her fate remains unknown but a new Netflix series will attempt to shine light on the story that stunned the world.
The show, which is now available on the streaming service, revealed a sketch put out by Portuguese detectives three days after the youngster went missing.
The e-fit, which was showed to locals, featured the outline of a man's face, without a nose, eyes or mouth.
The second episode of the series reveals how officers showed the drawing to those living in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May, 2007.
Simon Russell, who owned an internet cafe in the resort town, said: "I smiled when they showed it to me. What else could you do?”
I smiled when they showed it to me. What else could you do?
Netflix promises the series had access to “never-before-heard testimonies from those at the heart of the story, including friends of the McCann family, investigators working the case and from those who became the subject of media speculation and rumour".
The programme will feature interviews with more than 40 people, including the Portuguese authorities first involved in the case.
Most prominently it features Jim Gamble, a senior child protection officer in the UK who believes Madeleine is still alive.
In a preview of the show, he said: “I absolutely believe that, in my lifetime, we will find out what has happened to Madeleine McCann.
“There's huge hope to be had with the advances in technology. Year on year DNA is getting better.
“Year on year other techniques, including facial recognition, are getting better.
“As we use that technology to revisit and review that which we captured in the past, there's every likelihood that something we already know will slip into position.”
However, Kate and Gerry McCann have refused to be involved.
A statement from the couple claims that the show could hinder police investigations.
It reads: "We are aware that Netflix is planning to screen a documentary in March 2019 about Madeleine’s disappearance.
"The production company told us that they were making the documentary and asked us to participate.
"We did not see – and still do not see – how this programme will help the search for Madeleine and, particularly given there is an active police investigation, it could potentially hinder it.
"Consequently, our views and preferences are not reflected in the programme. We will not be making any further statements or giving interviews regarding this programme."