Madeleine McCann Case: German Woman at Centre of Hit-and-Run Theory Speaks Out

Published: 08 September ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk

A German woman at the centre of a long-discussed hit-and-run theory in the Madeleine McCann investigation has broken her silence, denying any involvement in the disappearance of the three-year-old British girl in Praia da Luz in 2007.

Seven years ago, Portuguese and German authorities briefly investigated the woman after a theory emerged suggesting that Madeleine may have woken up, left her family’s holiday apartment through an unlocked patio door, and been fatally struck by a car. The inquiry was later overshadowed by the emergence of Christian B as the primary suspect in the case. Christian B, a convicted child sex offender, is expected to be released from a German prison next week, where he has been serving a sentence for the rape of an elderly woman in Praia da Luz in 2005.

Speaking to reporters, the German woman said she was unaware she had been under suspicion. She explained that on the night of Madeleine’s disappearance, she had been working at a restaurant near the Praia da Luz beach and returned home around 10:30 pm. Her British partner, who worked as a chef at the Ocean Club and served the McCanns and their friends that evening, was already home at the time.

“I don’t even know if there was a car accident, because I was working,” she said. She also recalled a second search of her flat by Portuguese police, during which she was asked to empty her freezer. “I asked them, ‘Do you think I’ve cut her up in little pieces and I’m going to have her for dinner?’” she said.

The woman stated that German authorities contacted her more than a decade later, solely to ask if she knew Christian B or had seen him near the McCanns’ apartment. She emphasized that she had never seen the suspect or his van during that period. She also dismissed suggestions that she may have borrowed a car. “Do you think I ran her over? I didn’t even have a car at the time,” she said.

Reports of the hit-and-run theory were first published in Portugal’s Correio da Manha in June 2025 but did not identify her. She said she only became aware of the story when informed by journalists.

Christian B remains under investigation in connection with Madeleine’s disappearance and has been warned not to return to Portugal upon his release. While investigators consider him the primary suspect, he has not been charged and denies involvement. German prosecutors have described him as “very dangerous,” noting that similar sexual offences are expected in the future. Measures including an electronic tag, curfew, fixed address, or travel restrictions may be sought by German authorities to monitor him upon release.

Locals in Praia da Luz, including former residents and witnesses, have expressed concern over Christian B’s potential return. Ken Ralphs, a former community campaigner, described him as an “injurious monster” and warned that he would remain under close observation by the community.

The case continues to draw international attention as police in Germany, Portugal, and the UK work together under the guidance of Scotland Yard’s Operation Grange. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “We continue to support Madeleine’s family to understand what happened on the evening of 3 May 2007 in Praia da Luz. This includes working with our colleagues in Germany and Portugal. Our thoughts remain with the family, and it would be inappropriate to comment further while enquiries continue.”

Madeleine’s mother, Kate McCann, has consistently rejected the idea that her daughter could have left the apartment on her own. In her book, Madeleine, she wrote that it would have been impossible for a three-year-old to navigate multiple barriers and locks to leave the flat alone.

As Christian B nears the end of his sentence, authorities and the community remain vigilant, aware that the case continues to cast a long shadow over all those connected to it.