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Witness Says 'Creepy Man' Kidnapped Maddy

New sketch sparks worldwide manhunt

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 20, 2008 9:19 PM CST
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(Newser) – A second sketch of Madeline McCann's alleged kidnapper sparked a worldwide manhunt yesterday, the Daily Mail reports. Maddy's parents revealed the drawing, based on a UK witness' account of a "creepy man" she saw after Maddy vanished in Portugal last May. She reported him to Portuguese police, but the sketch was only made months later by the McCann's private eyes.

“He made my blood run cold,” said witness Gail Cooper, who blasted Portuguese cops for holding her description of the man. A McCann family friend said the sketch “strongly resembles” a man she saw carrying a kid away when Maddy disappeared. A million posters are now circulating in Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula asking for information about the alleged kidnapper.

Kate and Gerry McCann, the parents of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann arrive back in the UK to East Midlands airport with twins Sean and Amelie, after taking a flight from Faro airport on September 9, 2007 near Birmingham, England. The McCanns have been made formal suspects in the disappearance of...
Kate and Gerry McCann, the parents of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann arrive back in the UK to East Midlands airport with twins Sean and Amelie, after taking a flight from Faro airport on September...   (Getty Images)
Madeline McCann's parents released two sketches today of a man they claim could be involved in their daughters disappearance. The sketches are based on a description given by a British holidaymaker of a man acting suspiciously in the holiday resort in Portugal where the child went missing. Family spokesman Clarence...
Madeline McCann's parents released two sketches today of a man they claim could be involved in their daughters disappearance. The sketches are based on a description given by a British holidaymaker of...   (Associated Press)
McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell holds up a new artist impression at a press conference in London, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, of a man they claim could be involved in Madeline McCann's disappearance. We believe this man could be linked to Madeleine's disappearance, Mitchell said. If he is innocent we...
McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell holds up a new artist impression at a press conference in London, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, of a man they claim could be involved in Madeline McCann's disappearance....   (Associated Press)
In this handout photo, relased September 16, 2007 missing child Madeleine McCann smiles. The McCann family have returned from Portugal after local police questioned them on the disappearance of daughter Madeleine, who vanished from their hoiliday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007. Portugal's public prosecutor is...
In this handout photo, relased September 16, 2007 missing child Madeleine McCann smiles. The McCann family have returned from Portugal after local police questioned them on the disappearance of daughter...   (Getty Images)
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Portuguese police were reluctant to release sketch
Telegraph (UK)

Maddy was taken to Africa, McCanns say
Times (UK)

 
Morocco • Tunisia • Madeleine McCann • Portugal • Gerry McCann • Kate McCann • Britain

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