EMOTIONAL dad Gerry McCann praised his “princess” yesterday.
He spoke as fresh DNA clues put him and wife Kate, both 39, back under
suspicion.
It was revealed that 15 of 20 samples from the boot of their hire car, used
after Madeleine vanished, are said to match the profile of the missing
youngster.
And reports in Portuguese papers claim that police believe that could be enough
to back up their theory that Madeleine died accidentally in her room and that
the McCanns then disposed of her body.
But last night the couple insisted Madeleine is alive and was abducted from
their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal,
exactly six months ago yesterday.
Gerry said: “Today marks six months since Madeleine was taken from us. It is an
incredibly long time for us but must be even longer for Madeleine.
“It is so painful for us simply being separated, but all the more distressing
when we have to speculate about the situation Madeleine finds herself in.
“We have no idea whether she is suffering but we have to hope and pray that she
is being treated like a princess, as she deserves.”
The couple from Rothley, Leics, released a snap of
Madeleine taken 20 days before her disappearance, riding on a pony.
Meanwhile the Portuguese daily Publico said the
direction of the investigation had not altered.
It said: “The police theory remains the same that the child died by accident in
her room, and suspect her parents committed the crime of hiding her body.”
The results from a second batch of DNA from the car and apartment, according to
the newspaper, are alleged to have reinforced earlier claims that Madeleine’s
blood was found in the flat and a corpse was in the hired Renault Scenic.
Partial results from the car boot are said to show a match to Madeleine’s DNA
profile in 15 samples. But last night the couple’s spokesman Clarence Mitchell
said any DNA found can be “wholly innocently explained”.
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