British resident Ken Ralph, residing in Portugal, claims Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's abduction, once sought his help finding a child for a childless couple, Sky News reported.
Ralph alleged that Brueckner approached a mutual friend, living in poverty near Portugal's Algarve coast, with this plot. Upon hearing news of McCann's disappearance, just a week later, Ralph reported the incident to the police, according to multiple media reports.
When he returned to Portugal, his friend and his tent had vanished, as had Brueckner. He hasn't seen them since. The 2020 release of Brueckner's identity sparked Ralph's memory, leading him to share his story again.
Was Madeleine McCann kidnapped and sold?
Ralph told media outlets that he knew Brueckner from their shared campsite at remote Branco Beach, where Brueckner reportedly hid and sold drugs. Brueckner's acquaintance reportedly claimed the suspect discussed selling children, possibly to Morocco. This aligns with Scotland Yard's police belief that McCann's abduction was meticulously planned, mirroring Ralph's testimony.
While Brueckner, whose full name remains undisclosed due to German privacy laws, maintains his innocence and faces no charges in McCann's case, he remains the central figure in this agonizing quest for answers. He currently serves a seven-year sentence in Germany for an unrelated rape committed in Praia da Luz in 2005.