Madeleine McCann disappeared from her holiday apartment in Portugal 17 years ago, and the case remains unsolved. Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have never stopped looking for their daughter. In a recent update to the Finding Madeleine website, Kate McCann revealed a frightening revelation that may have contributed to her daughter’s abduction. On the evening of May 3, 2007, three-year-old Madeleine vanished from her bed in a vacation apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Kate and Gerry were eating at a neighboring restaurant with friends when their daughter and twin siblings fell asleep. When they learned Madeleine was missing, they began a major search, but her whereabouts are unknown to this day. The case has been considered as the most widely publicized missing-person case in contemporary times.

A Suspicious Note

Before the current developments in the case, Kate McCann made a startling discovery while reviewing the police files. In her book ‘Madeleine: Our Daughter’s Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her,’ she stated that during the holiday that Madeleine went missing, her group of nine had a blocked reservation at a tapas restaurant. However, Kate was disturbed by how easily accessible the restaurant’s reservation book was.

“The note requesting our block booking was written in a staff message book, which sat on a desk at the pool reception for most of the day,” Kate wrote. “This book was by definition accessible to all staff and, albeit unintentionally, probably to guests and visitors, too.” The note also mentioned that the McCanns left their young children alone in the holiday apartment. This revelation left Kate horrified.

Regret and Understanding

“We wanted to eat close to our apartments as we were leaving our young children alone there and checking on them intermittently,” Kate told me. The group of nine had decided to provide their child-checking service while dining at the tapas restaurant rather than employing the apartment complex’s child service or bringing the youngsters with them. Kate expressed tremendous sadness over their decision.

Although it is unknown whether this note played a role in Madeleine’s disappearance, Kate believes it may have drawn unwanted attention and endangered her daughter. The McCanns have dedicated their lives to locating Madeleine and have received an apology from Portuguese cops for how they handled the case. As the search for answers continues, they hope to one day be reunited with their precious daughter.