Madeleine McCann's parents have marked her 20th birthday today with a poignant message to their missing daughter: "We’re waiting for you”.
Madeleine was three when she vanished from her mum and dad Kate and Gerry's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007. Kate and Gerry, from Rothley, Leics, have never given up on the possibility that their daughter is alive, and say they still hope one day the family will be reunited.
The couple will mark Madeleine’s birthday at a small private family gathering today, reports the Mirror In a Facebook post on the official Find Madeleine Campaign page, they wrote: “Happy birthday Madeleine! We love you and we’re waiting for you. We’re never going to give up.”
They also posted a photo of their daughter taken on the fateful trip to the Algarve 16 years ago and a video of other photos. A caption underneath the clip read: “Madeleine McCann is 20 years old today. “She’s still missing, still missed and we are never going to give up trying to find her.”
In the post they wrote: “Happy birthday Madeleine. Still missing. Still very much missed. Still looking. For as long as it takes....”
The message was accompanied by a short video appealing for the public’s help in finding Maddie and sharing a number of images of her. Pictures included the youngster dressed up as a Disney princess.
German paedophile Christian Brueckner, who was living in a farmhouse close to Praia da Luz in 2007, has been named as the prime suspect. But the 45-year-old, who is serving a jail term in his home country for raping a pensioner in Praia da Luz, denies any involvement.
Earlier this month, the family held a candle lit vigil to mark the 16th anniversary of Maddie's disappearance. Neither Kate nor Gerry addressed the crowd but one of the 'Tapas Seven' - who was with Madeleine McCann's parents the night the toddler vanished - spoke at the vigil.
Dr Fiona Payne lit a candle and read the poem 'Hope is the thing with feathers' by Emily Dickinson, and then hugged Kate. She remained close to Kate as they were seen chatting at yesterday's emotive evening.
Fiona is part of what became referred to as the "Tapas Seven", who were the friends that were dining with Kate and Gerry while on holiday in Portugal on the night the three-year-old vanished in May 2007.
The Tapas Seven were three couples and the mother of one of the mums who joined the McCanns in Portugal's Praia da Luz for a joint holiday, and the nine adults (along with their eight children) spent time together during their vacation.
They were Dr Fiona Payne, her mum Dianne Webster, Fiona's husband Dr David Payne, Jane Tanner, her husband Dr Russell O'Brien, Dr Matthew Oldfield, and his wife Rachael Oldfield.
Each of them willingly co-operated with the Portuguese and British police investigation and none were ever made 'arguido' - persons of interest - in the enquiries.
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