Madeleine's mum to be officially named a suspect
 

After interviewing Madeleine's parents separately yesterday the police are now going to officially name Madeleine's mum as a suspect.

here's the story on Skynews

Kate McCann is on her way to a Portuguese police station, where she is expected to be declared a formal suspect in the disappearance of her daughter Madeleine.
She is said to be "horrified" at the latest development in the investigation.

Mrs McCann's lawyer arrived at the police station in Portimao ahead of her.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said the move doesn't mean that police are close to charging Madeleine's mother.

"The police are doing this so they can ask her a list of 22 questions about the night Madeleine disappeared," he said.

"There are specific questions they need to ask and they can only do that if she is a suspect."

But a family friend said: "They are treating Kate McCann as if she is involved in some way in the death of her daughter."

It is thought Kate will face questions linked to the results of DNA tests on samples taken from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz.

Martin Brunt said tests have also been carried out on a car the McCanns hired five weeks after Madeleine's disappearance.

"They weren't using it at the time she went missing," he said.

Brunt added that Mrs McCann is "horrified to be under suspicion".

The McCann family spokesman said: "She is shocked and surprised in several ways. First of all that such an accusation could be made against her.

"And obviously she is concerned that such a line of investigation can become a distraction from further attempts to find Madeleine."

Gerry's brother John McCann said the prospect of Kate becoming a suspect was "unbelievable".

"We just want to see exactly what the Portuguese police are saying," he said.

"We cannot believe the line that they are going down - we just find it unbelievable."

Mrs McCann, who was questioned for nearly 11 hours yesterday, expects to be made an "arguido", a formal suspect, in the case.

In all honesty, i seriously thought the parents were involved from day 1.

***Update***
The mother could be charged today!

The police could charge the mother of madeleine mccann today for the "accidental death" of her daughter!!

Sky sources have said Kate McCann could be charged with the accidental death of her daughter.
Mrs McCann's lawyer has warned her she may face charges today, said a family friend.

Madeleine's mother has been made a formal suspect in the case, the friend added.

Portuguese police suggested to Mrs McCann that traces of Madeleine's blood were found in a car the family hired 25 days after the girl went missing.

It is thought Kate is being asked more questions linked to the DNA tests on samples taken from the car.

Mrs McCann told them there was "no way" her daughter's blood could have been found inside the car and she continues to protest her innocence, the friend said.

However, her lawyer, Carlos Pinto de Abreu, has told her she could be charged today.

Madeleine's aunt Philomena McCann told Sky News that the suggestion Kate killed her daughter by mistake was "ludicrous".

The McCann family spokesperson Justine McGuiness said: "The police are treating Kate as if she is involved in the death of her daughter.

"That suggestion hasn't been put to Gerry, so they are treating them differently.

"It is a ridiculous suggestion."

The McCanns announced on August 31 that they would take legal action against a Portuguese newspaper which claimed they killed Madeleine.

A large crowd whistled and shouted as Kate arrived back in Portimao for more questioning.

Mrs McCann was greeted by journalists, locals and holidaymakers, many of them whistling and shouting at her.

One British tourist shouted: "We believe you, Kate." But there were apparent jeers from other people in the crowd.

Madeleine's mother has been made an "arguida", a formal suspect, in the case, according to her friend.

An arguida receives more protection under Portuguese law, including the right to remain silent in formal interviews.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "The police are doing this so they can ask her a list of 22 questions about the night Madeleine disappeared."

"There are specific questions they need to ask and they can only do that if she is a suspect."

The friend added: "She is shocked and surprised in several ways. First of all that such an accusation could be made against her.

"And obviously she is concerned that such a line of investigation can become a distraction from further attempts to find Madeleine."

Gerry McCann is due to be re-interviewed this afternoon.


SOURCE

Wow, this is getting stranger and stranger.

I really don't see how they can charge her of "accidental death", when no body has been found to confirm that Madeline is actually dead. I really, really hope she wasn't involved. I don't understand how a person could do something like that and blatently lie to everyone who's been so supportive in helping find their daughter :( It's such a horrible thought.

Jesus christ, its hard to know wether to believe it or not :(

There was apparently her blood found on the inside of their rental car 25 days after she was missing.

It's seriously messed up if they have "Hidden" her death and played it off as a kidnapping, i mean all the campaigns, all the searches, all the donations. It would be atrocious..

Whoever it was, it's awful.

Thing is, they hired the car 25 days after she was missing, so if her body was put in the car - hence the blood - then where would have they put the body before that? The police were on the scene pretty early on, and 25 days is quite a long time, with pretty decent police involvement. Hm.

To be honest, I've never really got to involved with the whole Madeleine case, but whoever did it - whether it be a parent, or a complete stranger - and whatever they did to her, then I hope they're punished correctly. x

:|
But why just the mother?

^ I don't think they've got round to questioning the father yet...? x

I think they should have started the whole thing with the parents being suspects. It's what they do when a person dies or is murdered or whatever, question all the immediate family to rule it out.

I have no sympathy for them.

And also, the amount of coverage the media gave at the beginning pretty much passed a death sentance on the little girl if she was kidnapped, because who'd actually keep her alive with the whole world on the lookout for them.

Whatever happened to her, she's not alive, and it's so sad.

^^ I agree even if she was alive in the begining theres no chance whoever took her would risk keeping it that way

what kind of parent leaves their kids unattended anyway? it's sick.

Its really strange, they bang on about how caring they are as parents,, then leave their children alone. There is the sad fact that most people who get hurt or murdered, its someone they know that did it to them.

I dont know what to believe, however, if it was her, I will be so angry at all the lies she told for attention and money being spent on a lost cause.

The fact she says there is no way that there was Madelines blood in the car, means she is denying the fact, I honestly believe someone they know did this if it wasnt them. But on a family holiday who would they have brought with them?? It was just them..

All I can say is wtf.

I'm not quite sure what to belive about this, I wondered whether the parents had anything to do with from the start, but where would you keep a little girl's body for 25 days before hiring the car? =S

I know this is going to sound bad, but the way the keep having it in the papers all the time when there is no new evidence or leads was, well, desensitising. It is an awful thing to happen. But I'd much prefer to read new of them actually finding a new lead or getting somewhere than just putting in filler.

The mother thing is a twist. Its been over 4 months and now they think her mom did it? How could someone keep the dissapearance so public if they did it? And where on earth would they have hidden her? Kidnappers for some blonde child trade makes more sense... Have to wonder though, why police were searching the hire car if they did rent it 25days after the dissapearance. What with the grounds being searched so much, if she had indeed murdered the child, they would have moved her fast. Not waited so long when its so public.

I don't think i'd want to know where they'd hide a kids body for 25days. If they managed to do that, it sounds like it was planned. And thats even worse.

My thoughts exactly.

I'm not sure what to think any more. I'm surprised that they weren't suspects from day one.

Indeed, especially at that age. Checking on them every half an hour isn't enough - they're so unpredictable at that age.

TBH, I don't care about this anymore. It's getting boring. And the media are going on like someone has never gone missing before, even though 100s (if not 1000s) of children have gone missing since.

oh my..