Is Madeleine McCann dead? Fresh evidence found almost 20 years after child went missing in Portugal

A hard drive uncovered in a derelict factory once owned by Christian Brueckner - the main suspect in the Madeleine McCann case - allegedly contains evidence suggesting the three-year-old girl is dead, according to new claims.

German prosecutors believe Brueckner murdered Madeleine after she vanished from a holiday resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007. The hard drive was discovered in 2016 at a factory Brueckner purchased for £20,000 in 2008, the Sun has reported.

Investigators also recovered an insurance document placing Brueckner at a music festival where he allegedly confessed to the killing. A witness, Helge B, claims Brueckner told him Madeleine “didn’t scream.” Doubts have long surrounded Helge’s credibility.

The abandoned property reportedly contained disturbing items including children’s clothes, toys, masks, chemicals, and firearms. Police also found a wallet containing six USB sticks and two memory cards, initially detected by a sniffer dog.

Files allegedly uncovered included graphic descriptions of abuse, including one instance in which Brueckner spoke about drugging a mother and daughter, and another referencing the assault of a four-year-old girl.

Skype chats with other known paedophiles were also found, in which Brueckner allegedly discussed plans to “capture something small and use it for days.”

Authorities also reported finding child abuse images, dozens of girls’ swimsuits, small bicycles, and more toys. A sat nav device recovered during the investigation indicated Brueckner was in the Algarve region several times after Madeleine’s disappearance.

These claims are set to be explored in full in a new Channel 4 documentary airing tonight (May 7).