[Ammi]

A New Zealand girl repeatedly mistaken for missing Madeleine McCann has given police a sample of her DNA which will be sent to Scotland Yard.

The girl, who has not been named, is understood to have a similar eye defect to Madeleine, prompting members of the public to believe she is the missing child.

The DNA sample is a conclusive way of proving her identity, said Detective Senior Sergeant Kallum Croudis of Dunedin Police.

"The results of this process will not be known for some time," he told New Zealand newspaper The Southland Times.

On New Year's Eve police launched a five-day investigation when a retailer became suspicious of a man and a young girl, who bore a resemblance to Madeleine.

However, they said they were "absolutely satisfied" she was not Madeleine, and it was not the first time she had been mistaken for the missing girl.

Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished from her family's Portuguese holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in 2007 as her parents dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.

Madeleine's parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, have never abandoned their high-profile campaign to find their eldest daughter, who would now be nine.

Sightings have also been reported in Sweden, Belgium and Australia.

It is not the first time a child has been DNA-tested in relation to the case of the missing British girl.

In 2011, a young girl spotted in India with a Belgian man and French woman was tested and was also found not to be Madeleine




..I wonder if Madeleine's disappearance will ever be solved.....

[Marc]

Imagine if that was her

[Ammi]

..yeah, I somehow don't think it will be though...I can't imagine what a living nightmare her parents lives must be..not knowing...

I doubt it will ever be solved. She's more than likely buried in the Portuguese countryside.

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Jesus.H.Christ

I doubt it will ever be solved. She's more than likely buried in the Portuguese countryside.

Have to agree unfortunately...

[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by Jesus.H.Christ

I doubt it will ever be solved. She's more than likely buried in the Portuguese countryside.

Yes sadly this is my conclusion also...!!!!

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Jesus.H.Christ

I doubt it will ever be solved. She's more than likely buried in the Portuguese countryside.

Yeah, i think this is most likely as well

[Vanessa]

I really hope it's her.

Originally Posted by Vanessa

I really hope it's her.

It's not her though. That's why she's handing over a DNA sample, so she can bring it to a close.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Jesus.H.Christ

It's not her though. That's why she's handing over a DNA sample, so she can bring it to a close.

I'm still hoping she's alive.

Originally Posted by Vanessa

I'm still hoping she's alive.

And I'm still hoping Heidi Klum realises I'm the one she wants to be with.

[Kizzy]

I do too vanessa, we can only hope.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I do too vanessa, we can only hope.

What are the chances that this kid has the same eye defect? It's bizarre to ay the least!

Originally Posted by Vanessa

What are the chances that this kid has the same eye defect? It's bizarre to ay the least!

About 1 in 20,000 have it.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Jesus.H.Christ

And I'm still hoping Heidi Klum realises I'm the one she wants to be with.

..there's probably a higher chance of that tbh, so don't give up hope....

[Kizzy]

I read 1 in 10'000, and there is always a chance. Look at Ben Hardwicks family they have never given up hope.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I read 1 in 10'000, and there is always a chance. Look at Ben Hardwicks family they have never given up hope.

I think there's always hope.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I read 1 in 10'000, and there is always a chance. Look at Ben Hardwicks family they have never given up hope.

I suppose best case scenario would be she's being raised by another family and is oblivious to everything, it just seems so unlikely.

[InOne]

Stories like this pop up about Maddie every few months. It's the parents trying to keep it fresh in peoples minds.

[Ramsay]

Instead of these stories of ''madeleine lookalike seen'' coming up every now and again, i'd just rather they'd leave it until she's legit found, if she ever is

Originally Posted by InOne

Stories like this pop up about Maddie every few months. It's the parents trying to keep it fresh in peoples minds.

Yeah that's probably it

[Nedusa]

Watching the News today there is new hope apparently that Madeleine McCann may still be alive and that the Police have some new leads. The recent stories of young women being kept prisoners for over a decade has perhaps injected a bit of momentum into an otherwise stalled investigation.

But I wonder what has actually changed in the last 48 hours for the McCann story to be mentioned in the news again...???

[Ammi]

..I think it said that they had around 20 new leads though Nedusa, which still seems to be a bit vague to me..and the Portugese police are refusing to look into them..?...as much as I would like to see the McCanns get some answers to what happened to their daughter, I fear it won't ever be so....

[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..I think it said that they had around 20 new leads though Nedusa, which still seems to be a bit vague to me..and the Portugese police are refusing to look into them..?...as much as I would like to see the McCanns get some answers to what happened to their daughter, I fear it won't ever be so....

I agree , but its a shame to keep raising and dashing the hopes of the McCanns with news reports like these. How are they ever going to get closure on this ??

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

I agree , but its a shame to keep raising and dashing the hopes of the McCanns with news reports like these. How are they ever going to get closure on this ??

..I think though that their hopes are always right up there..they refuse to accept that she's not alive and try so hard to maintain all enquiries and to keep it in the public eye, so that new leads can be discovered..their frustrations must be with the Portugese police and that they won't follow the leads..but I don't think they have any faith in them anyway..maybe they have private detectives following them..?...but until they find her they won't ever, ever let this go, themselves....and obviously, that's completely understandable..the 'not knowing' must be the most awful thing a parent can ever face...

[lostalex]

in cases like these it's hard to know what would be worse, if she was killed long ago, or if she's been kept alive but in sexual slavery for all these years. which is worse? i don't know.