In 2007 whilst on holiday with her siblings and parents in Portugal, three year old Madeleine Beth McCann disappeared from her bed, which would soon spark one of the biggest missing child investigations in the world.
Since the night of May 3 2007, her parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, have fought to find their daughter with the hopes that one day she would be found.
Now, almost 15 years since she vanished, investigators are said to have formally identified German national Christian Brueckner as suspect in her case.
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The public originally heard about Brueckner back in 2020 however it was only yesterday (April 21) that he had been declared an official suspect by Portuguese prosecutors, according to the BBC.
So what is the timeline of events when it comes to Madeleine's disappearance? PA have compiled the key dates.
April 29 - McCann's leave for holiday
Kate McCann said in the Netflix documentary 'The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann' that they left to go on holiday at the end of April with nine adults and each of their children.
May 3 2007 - Madeleine disappears from her bed
Just days before her fourth birthday, Madeleine went missing from her bed whilst her parents, Kate and Gerry - who was born in the city and graduated from the University of Glasgow - dined out with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant - about 100 yards walking distance, according to the Netflix documentary.
Gerry went to check up on his kids in apartment 5A just after 9pm however when Kate went to check up on them again at 10pm, she finds Madeleine missing.
Jane Tanner, one of the McCann friends who was dining with them at the tapas, reports having seen a man carrying a child at around 9:15pm away from the apartment.
According to the Netflix documentary, the child was wearing light coloured pyjamas and had bare feet which Tanner thinks could have been Madeleine.
Another family staying in the area also said that they saw a man carrying a child around 10pm.
Border police and airport staff are alerted to the missing child and hundreds of volunteers join efforts to find Madeleine.
May 26 2007 - Police issue description
The BBC said that on this date, police issue a description of a man seen on the night of Madeleine's disappearance, possibly carrying a child.
June 2007 - Scene not protected
A Portuguese police chief admits vital forensic clues may have been destroyed as the scene was not protected properly.
May 14 2007 - Formal suspect named
Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese property developer Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an “arguido” - or formal suspect – but this is later withdrawn.
August 11 2007 - Investigators say Maddie could be dead
Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.
September 7 2007 - McCann's listed as formal suspects
During the questioning of the McCanns, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter’s disappearance – but this is also later withdrawn.
September 9 2007 - McCann's fly back to England
The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.
July 21 2008 - Suspect status lifted
The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the “arguido” status of the McCanns and Robert Murat.
May 12 2011 - Madeleine: Our Daughter's Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her
Kate McCann publishes a book about her daughter’s disappearance on Madeleine’s eighth birthday.
Scotland Yard launches a review of the case after a request from Home Secretary Theresa May, supported by Prime Minister, David Cameron.
April 25 2012 - Madeleine age progression picture
Scotland Yard detectives say they believe Madeleine could still be alive and release an age-progression picture of how she might look as a nine-year-old, and call on the Portuguese authorities to reopen the case, but Portuguese police say they have found no new material.
July 4 2013 - Operation Grange
Scotland Yard confirms it has launched its own investigation, Operation Grange, into Madeleine’s disappearance two years into a review of the case.
It has "genuinely new" lines of inquiry and has identified 38 people of interest including 12 Britons.
October 24 2013 - New lines of inquiry
Portuguese police confirm that a review of their original investigation has uncovered new lines of inquiry, and they reopen the case.
January 29 2014 - British detectives go to Portugal
British detectives fly to Portugal amid claims they are planning to make arrests.
June 3 2014 - Dogs brought in
Sniffer dogs and specialist teams are used to search an area of scrubland close to where Madeleine went missing.
December 12 2014 - Questioning people who may have information
Detectives begin questioning 11 people who it is thought may have information on the case.
September 16 2015 - Cost of Operation Grange revealed
The Government discloses that the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine has cost more than £10 million.
October 28 2015 - Changes to Operation Grange
Scotland Yard cuts the number of officers working on the inquiry from 29 to four.
April 30 2017 - BBC interview with the McCanns
The McCanns prepare to mark 10 years since their daughter’s disappearance with a BBC interview in which they vow to do “whatever it takes for as long as it takes” to find her.
May 3 2019 - Potential suspect
Local media reports say Portuguese detectives are investigating a foreign paedophile as a suspect in the abduction of Madeleine.
June 3 2020 - Christian Brueckner named
Police reveal that a 43-year-old German prisoner, later named as Christian Brueckner, has been identified as a suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance.
June 4 2020 - Operation Grange update
Scotland Yard’s Operation Grange, which had received £12.3 million in funding up to April 2020, is still a missing person inquiry as detectives have no “definitive evidence whether Madeleine is alive or dead”.
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May 4 2021 - Happy 18th birthday, Madeleine
Kate and Gerry McCann post a statement on the Official Find Madeleine Campaign website saying they still cling to the hope of seeing their daughter again as they prepare to mark her 18th birthday a week later on May 12.
April 21 2022 - Christian Brueckner named as formal suspect
Christian Brueckner is made an “arguido”, a formal suspect, by Portuguese authorities.
The BBC reports that the 44-year-old man has not been charged and denies any involvement in her disappearance.
They also report that Jim Gamble, a former police officer who led a 2010 review of the case commissioned by the Home Office, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the case against Christian B was credible.
He said: "This seems like a really strong case and that's why I don't think it is a procedural tick in a box to make sure they don't miss out because of the statute of limitations.
"I think there's been a growing case and we should not underestimate the confidence of the German police."
He continued: "I think the circumstantial evidence that I know exists is extremely strong… I wouldn't be surprised if charges follow. It would just be fantastic to be able to give the McCanns peace of mind so far as knowing exactly what happened."
May 3 2022 - 15 years since Madeleine vanished
The BBC have stated that on 3 May 2022, it will be 15 years since Madeleine was reported missing.
They added that "under Portuguese law, it would no longer be possible to declare someone a person of interest beyond this date. Declaring someone a person of interest is a necessary step to any criminal charges."
