McCanns tell twins Madeleine is missing as police rule out cafe girl

Published on Sunday 19 August 2007 00:17

POLICE hunting for Madeleine McCann have confirmed that a girl spotted in Belgium is not the missing child.

Last month, a woman claimed to have seen the four-year-old sitting in a cafe in the east of the country with two adults.

But yesterday, detectives said the girl had now been identified and there was no connection to the McCann case.

The eyewitness had claimed to have seen Madeleine at a roadside cafe in the town of Tongeren where she was accompanied by a Dutch-speaking man and an English-speaking woman. The police were alerted because the woman said the youngster was identical to Madeleine and seemed unhappy and nervous in the woman's company.

But Belgian police have now identified the mystery girl as the four-year-old daughter of a Belgian man from the nearby town of Hoogstraten who had been at the restaurant with her father and his female friend from Poland.

Guy Duchateua, police chief in Tongeren said: "The Polish woman spoke in English. But the young girl was ill at ease because she (the woman) did not act like her mum."

Meanwhile, in Praia da Luz, the Portuguese holiday resort where Madeleine was snatched 108 days ago, the missing girl's parents have decided to tell their other children what has happened to their sister.

Gerry and Kate McCann decided to inform their two-year-old twins, Amelie and Sean, after consultations with a child psychologist.

A family friend of the McCanns said: "Kate and Gerry have been advised to be very open and to answer the twins' questions very truthfully.

"Kate told them: 'Madeleine has gone missing and mummy and daddy are looking for her'.

"The twins understand the concept of missing in the same way they would miss a favourite toy. Madeleine is spoken about a lot and the twins do say they miss her.

"The twins understand that it is more serious than a missing toy because they realise their sister is missing and they miss her as well."

The friend continued: "As time has gone by, Kate and Gerry have changed the language they use. It was not an easy thing to do.

"It is very difficult trying to explain what has happened to a two-year-old, especially when it is their big sister.

"They had a really good relationship with Madeleine and she adored them.

"Kate and Gerry are very mindful and careful not to upset the twins and that is why they have taken advice on how to approach this issue.

"They have always tried to do what is right for Madeleine and the twins.They are still looking for Madeleine but they are also keeping a close eye on their twins' welfare."