Police in UK and Australia are now at odds over the possible identity of the skeletal remains of a murdered child dumped by the roadside in the Southern Australian bush.
While Australian police have dismissed suggestions that the bones could be those of Madeleine McCann, a source from Scotland Yard has told the UK’s Daily Mirror “we cannot rule it out”.
Elsewhere in the British media, the Guardian and Independent have both run stories confirming that British investigators have been in touch with Australian police over the grisly find beside a highway, 138 km east of Adelaide, three weeks ago.
As reported in the Resident on Saturday, there are at least three Australian links in the baffling case of Madeleine’s disappearance from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz over eight years ago (click here).
And since police in Australia alluded to the fact that the child’s bones date back as far as 2007, speculation that they could indeed be those of Madeleine McCann has been increasing.
Nonetheless, detectives leading the case insist the speculation is unwarranted and more for the “benefit of attention”.
“There is absolutely no evidence at this point in time that the child is Madeleine McCann,” stressed Australian police commissioner Grant Stevens.
Intriguing too is the fact that this angle keeps changing.
Only last night Adelaide’s The Advertiser stressed that “32 children have been excluded as potential victims including the world’s most high-profile missing girl, Madeleine McCann”.
Quoting detective superintendent Des Bray who has become the face of the police appeal for information, the news service informed:
“It is highly unlikely that the victim is Madeleine McCann.”
“At this time our inquiries will focus on where the evidence leads us in this investigation and at this point that primary focus remains within Australia,” confirmed Des Bray.
Back in UK, a source close to Madeleine’s parents is reported to have said: “Kate and Gerry hope that if anything of substance is found linking the body in Australia and Madeleine they will be told straight away”.
Article courtesy of the Portugal Resident http://portugalresident.com/
