Today marks the 12th anniversary of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
On May 3, 2007, the British toddler vanished from her bed while on holiday with her family in Portugal.
She was sleeping in her family’s holiday apartment with her twin siblings, while her parents dined 55 metres away at a tapas bar in the complex with friends.
Here is the trailer from the eight-part Netflix documentary released this year into the case of Madeleine McCann. Post continues after video.
She was discovered missing by her mother, Kate McCann, late that evening during a routine check of the children.
Maddie’s story has been at the centre of debate ever since. There has been no sign of the little girl since she went missing, despite being the most publicised missing person in modern history.
New photos have been released to mark the 12th anniversary of her disappearance, but her parents are furious and have hit out at the age-progressed images, which they claim are bogus.
The Official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page said: “We have received questions about a new age-progression image that was circulated on Instagram.
"This image was not commissioned by nor endorsed by Gerry and Kate or Operation Grange [the Met Police team in charge of the case].
"Any other accounts sharing age-progression images are not from us or Operation Grange. Thank you for helping in the search for Madeleine."
Madeleine is remembered around the globe as the angel-faced fair-haired toddler wearing a scarlet dress. A second photo of her clutching tennis balls, the last picture ever taken by her parents, is also iconic.
The last computer generated images of what she would look like were released in May 2012, showing a nine-year-old Maddie. But US forensic experts have warned she would be "unrecognisable" now.
A year ago, the McCann's were urged to have new pictures drawn up of their daughter - who would now be 15.
The American experts suggested pictures of missing kids should be updated every two years.
So far Kate, 51, and Gerry, 50, have failed to follow this advice. Their spokesperson revealed it was because it was a lengthy, costly and emotionally draining process.
The two doctors have been at the centre of a fresh torrent of abuse since the release of a new Netflix documentary examining the facts surrounding the case.
The doco-series strongly suggested the pair might have been involved in their daughter's disappearance.
Scotland Yard are still chasing "a final line or two" of inquiry, reports The Sun, with a new government cash boost believed to be as much as AUD $279,000 set to be approved.
A family friend told the publication: “If and when the Metropolitan Police advise Kate and Gerry that new images of Madeleine as a mid-teenager could aid their investigation they will strongly consider going through the process again."
New pictures aside, the only real distinctive tell tale sign that will be unmistakably Maddie should she ever be found - is the distinctive blemish in her right eye.
For more on this topic:
How a nightmare about Madeleine turned Kate McCann into police's prime suspect.
Inside the sex trafficking theory linked to Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.
What we know about the twin siblings of Madeleine McCann.
“This could be the breakthrough”: Madeleine McCann Netflix documentary claims she’s still alive.
Top Comments
So, pictures made by someone on Instagram, with no input from the family or the investigating team. The family have said they don’t want them shown - so you’re showing them, why? Do we even know who made these pictures? How experienced are they in making age progression pictures, what qualifications do they have? Is this a professional person, or some rando with photoshop?