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German police have found compelling evidence which suggests that Madeleine McCann is dead, according to reports.
What happened to the Brit toddler after she disappeared in Praia da Luz, Portugal, back in May 2007 has remained a mystery for the last 18 years.
Her parents, Kate and Gerry, vowed to never give up hope of finding their daughter alive - but have previously prepared themselves for the worst, given the lack of prominent leads.
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"All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice," the couple said in 2020, as per People.
"We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know, as we need to find peace."
But it seems the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance may have just turned a corner, after German authorities reportedly made a string of damning findings.
After raiding long-time suspect Christian Brueckner's bolthole, cops discovered masks, unlicensed guns and ammunition, children’s toys and bikes - although he has no children himself.
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Up to 75 children's swimming costumes were also chillingly found, according to The Sun, while six USB sticks and two memory cards containing disturbing material were said to have been uncovered.
The publication also alleged that stories written by Brueckner discussing his obsession with snatching children was also found by cops during a raid in 2008 at a disused factory in Neuwegersleben, that he reportedly bought for £20,000.
Images which show the prime suspect at the Arade Dam, an area situated around 35 miles from where Madeleine first went missing, were also found on Brueckner's computer, it has been claimed.
Police also supposedly have proof which definitively demonstrates that he was at a festival in April 2008 where he allegedly confessed killing the little girl to a friend, as he is said to have told the pal that Madeline 'did not scream'.
Authorities have been compiling a cache of evidence against Brueckner for years, despite him denying any involvement - so let's take a look back at how they have now reached the conclusion that Madeleine is sadly deceased.
Madeleine, who would be turning 4 in a few days, disappeared from the apartment her family were staying in during a holiday to the Praia da Luz resort in Portugal.
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A huge investigation which spanned across the globe was launched to find the then-three-year-old.
Brueckner came on the cops' radar in regards to Maddie after a neighbour reported a possible 'grave' at his so-called lair in the east of Germany, The Sun reported.
Officers are then said to have found the USB sticks which contained horrifying content, prompting a full-scale search of the abandoned property.
Brueckner was found guilty of abusing a girl, aged five, in a park after police found chilling images on his computer.
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He received a 15-month sentence - but he was already on the run.
Around the time of the ten-year anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance, an information hotline received a call from a man known as Helge B.
The caller alleged that Brueckner confessed taking the little girl in Portugal, saying he was compelled to share the information after watching a TV programme about the notorious missing person's case.
Brueckner is apprehended in Italy while on the run, regarding outstanding drugs charges.
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He was extradited back to Germany a year later.
Brueckner is convicted on home soil for the rape of a US woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
His DNA was found at the scene and he was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Authorities in Germany announced that they have a prime suspect in Madeleine's disappearance in custody, while suggesting they believed the missing girl is dead.
The suspect in question was later identified as Brueckner by local media.
Brueckner stood trial for rape and sexual assault charges, which did not relate to the Madeleine's case.
It was hoped that they could nail a conviction, with German lawmakers reportedly intending on then prosecuting him in Madeleine's case.
Months later, Brueckner was sensationally cleared of all of the allegations.
German prosecutors lodged an appeal against the ruling, the outcome of which is still yet to be decided.
Brueckner is set to be released from prison on 17 September later this year in relation to his seven-year sentence.
He has never been formally charged in relation to Madeleine's disappearance.
