Madeleine McCann’s Sister Speaks Publicly For First Time On Anniversary Of Disappearance

It seems the McCanns were about as convinced as everyone else was that the Polish girl on Dr. Phil was their missing daughter Maddie, as they paid tribute on the 16th anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance this week.

Maddie’s sister Amelie, now 18, was pictured as she joined her parents to light a candle in memory of Madeleine last night at a gathering in Rothley, Leicestershire. Amelie spoke publicly for the first time since her big sister’s disappearance in 2007, saying the following (via The Mirror):

“It’s nice that everyone is here together but it’s a sad occasion.”

And that’s literally all she said. Well it’s not like she was going to ask her parents why they left the kids alone in an unsecure room in Portugal while they went drinking with their buddies. Speaking of which, Amelie’s twin brother Sean was absent from the event. Kate McCann’s close friend Fiona Payne, who was on holiday with the McCann family in 2007, was among the crowd.

Twins Amelie and Sean would’ve been 2 years old when Maddie was taken, so we can only imagine what it’s been like having to grow up in the shadow of their missing sister and all the media and conspiracy theories surrounding their parents. They obviously won’t remember much/anything before that. They may even feel a degree of guilt that they weren’t abducted too. So fair play to Amelie for having the guts to say a few words all these years later.

Amelie also joined in with chants including “Never never give up”, “leave no stone unturned”, “don’t forget about me” and “still missing, still missed”. The vicar of the local parish Reverend Rob Gladstone led the service and said:

‘We are here this evening to show our loving concern for Madeleine and for all young children who have been taken away from their families against their will.

We are also here to encourage one another to keep up hope and pray for a renewal of strength even after this long time.’

The main suspect in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance is Christian Brueckner who was arrested on suspicion of her kidnap and a ‘no body’ murder. The 45-year-old is serving a jail sentence in Germany for the rape of an American tourist in the same Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz Maddie vanished from. Unfortunately, the convicted paedophile may never face a trial over Maddie’s case because of a legal technicality over foreign courts’ jurisdiction.