Confirmation child bones found in SA do not belong to Madeleine McCann
Madeleine McCann has been ruled out as a possible murder victim, after a child's bones were found inside a suitcase beside a South Australian highway.
Investigators have ruled out the possibility the remains belonged to the missing British girl after they were contacted by UK investigators.
The officer in charge of the South Australian Police Major Crime Investigation Branch, Detective Superintendent Des Bray today said that 43 children had been eliminated as potential victims.
"I can confirm that Madeleine McCann has been totally excluded as a potential victim and UK Police have been advised," he said.
"Task Force Mallee has no further comment to make about this line of inquiry."
To date there have been 511 reports made to Crime Stoppers since the child's remains were found - along with a faded suitcase, items of clothing and a degraded quilt - near the Karoonda Highway about 2km west of the Wynarka township in the Murray Mallee region on 15 July.
While the remains are believed to belong to a girl aged between two and four, local police have now dismissed the possibility they could belong to the high-profile missing child.
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told reporters yesterday investigators were "prepared to consider any possibility but to suggest something like that at this point in time would purely be speculation for the benefit of getting attention".
UK investigators working with Operation Grange - the task force set up to find Madeleine - said they were aware of the remains found earlier this month. Scotland Yard contacted investigators in SA as precaution.
The highly unlikely connection was immediately dismissed by local authorities.
Three-year-old Madeleine went missing from her holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007.
Some overseas websites had reported on the SA discovery, speculating whether the remains belonged to Madeleine.
So far police know the child:
Is believed to be a girl.
Was aged 2.5-4 years at time of death.
Is most likely Caucasian.
Had fair hair, 18cm long.
Was 90-95cm tall.
Was killed at another location.
Was killed some time since the start of 2007.
Anyone who has any information that may assist the investigation, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at https://sa.crimestoppers.com.au
