- Madeleine McCann went missing in May 2007.
- Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were named as suspects in 2007, but called the claims "ludicrous."
- The couple still searches for their daughter today.
The story of Madeleine McCann has consumed the world since she went missing on May 3, 2007. The young girl was just three years old when she disappeared from the resort apartment she was staying in with her family during their vacation to the Portuguese town of Praia da Luz.
The new Netflix series, The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, chronicles the mysterious case that took the British media by storm. Despite the many confusing details about the event, there are still two figures that stand at the center of it all: Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann. Here’s what to know about the couple who lived out this terrifying public nightmare.
First, what happened to Madeleine McCann?
Kate and Gerry’s lives were forever changed when they went to the room where their daughter was sleeping, only to find a stuffed animal and a blanket in her place. The Atlantic reported they had been having dinner a mere 180 feet away, and had been checking on their three kids—including Madeleine’s siblings, Sean and Amelie—every half hour or so.
Multiple suspects have been named throughout the years, including Robert Murat and Sergey Malinka, but she still remains missing today.
What did Kate and Gerry McCann do for a living?
Madeleine: Our Daughter's Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her
Madeleine: Our Daughter's Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her
Kate and Gerry, now both 51 years old, were British doctors. Kate is also an author, as she penned a memoir called, Madeleine: Our Daughter’s Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her.
“It ultimately boils down to whether what we are doing could help us to find Madeleine,” she said as her reason for writing the book. “What follows is an intensely personal account, and I make no apology for that.”
Were Kate and Gerry suspects in Madeleine’s case?
In September 2007, multiple outlets including BBC News, The Telegraph, and ABC News reported Kate was named a suspect. She was allegedly offered a plea deal of two years or less if she admitted to accidentally poisoning her daughter.
Gerry was given “arguido” status 12 hours later, meaning he was officially a suspect and had the rights to remain silent and have a lawyer present. “The suggestion that Kate is involved in Madeleine’s disappearance is ludicrous,” Gerry reportedly wrote following the news of his wife. “Anyone who knows anything about 3 May knows that Kate is completely innocent."
Ex police chief Goncalo Amaral, who had been leading the search before he was taken off the case in October 8, wrote a book suggesting the couple faked Madeleine’s abduction. The McCann’s sued him for libel and won in 2015, according to BBC.
Will they be in the Netflix documentary?
According to Deadline, the series commissioned 120 hours of interviews from more than 40 contributors, archival news footage, and reenactments. Kate and Gerry, however, opted to not take part in the documentary, which will be released on March 15. They issued the following statement on their website:
“We are aware that Netflix are 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, 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.”
How do they cope today?
The McCans are still searching for Madeleine, and make updates to their website often. The site also includes a section for donations.
Kate visits Praia da Luz often, as well. “I do go back for personal reasons,” she told BBC. “It’s obviously the last place we were with Madeleine and I still walk those streets and I guess try and look for answers. It helps me, most of the time.”
Megan Stein is the executive editor for The Pioneer Woman, and oversees entertainment, features, and news for the website. Whether it's catching up on the latest true crime podcast, or re-watching the best '80s movies for the zillionth time, she's always here to talk about anything and everything relating to pop culture.
