The Maddie McCann affair, an unresolved international investigation, has marked Europe for more than 16 years. It is still unknown what happened to the British girl who disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal. According to lawyer Corinne Hermann, a specialist in unsolved cases, the broadcast of the girl’s photo created an emotional attachment with the public.
The main suspect in the Maddie case, a repeat sex offender, was acquitted on Tuesday by German courts in another case. Prosecutors appealed, hoping for a conviction and another prison term, which would allow them more time to investigate Maddie’s case.
>> Read about it: Maddie suspect acquitted in another case
Invited Wednesday on the show Tout un Monde, the French lawyer and criminologist specializing in unsolved cases Corinne Hermann explains that the Maddie McCann affair is particularly striking because the photo of the little girl aroused a strong emotional attachment among the public . “We all took ownership of the suffering of his parents and his face,” she adds.
The whole of France had adopted Estelle Mouzin. She had become the little girl of France.
She emphasizes that this phenomenon is recurring. Similar cases, such as that of little French girl Estelle Mouzin, who disappeared in 2003 at the age of 9, have also had a profound impact. Thus, these files influence not only public opinion, but also the evolution of “our law, police and judicial practices”.
The impact on parental vigilance today
More broadly, these disappearances have profound impacts on families, who completely question themselves. “In the regions where this is happening, there is a sort of electric shock. Children, now adults, tell us that their parents prevented them from going out because of these cases,” she says.
16 years ago, she remembers that many people criticized Maddie’s parents for leaving her in that room, “without knowing the precautions they had taken”, she regrets. Despite this, even today, many families do not realize how dangerous attackers are and do not always take sufficient precautions to protect their children.
The Importance of Tenacity in Unsolved Investigations
The criminologist believes that international collaboration could be an opportunity to solve the Maddie case. Each country having its own techniques and a desire to shed light on this disappearance, joint efforts increase the chances of success.
I think you should never give up, because at any moment you can receive someone’s testimony.
However, Corinne Hermann recognizes that the first steps taken upon disappearance are usually crucial and difficult to correct later.
The lawyer insists on the importance of never losing hope in the resolution of this type of case. In some cases, they can be resolved even after 30 or even 40 years, as seen in the United States. According to her, it is crucial to never give up, because at any moment a new testimony can emerge, often from people who, as adults, find freedom of speech.
Comments collected by: Eric Guevara-Frey
Adaptation web: Miroslav Mares
