“AS LONG AS I HAVE HOPE, I WON’T STOP LOOKING” — MADELEINE McCANN INVESTIGATOR MAKES EMOTIONAL NEW APPEAL NEARLY 20 YEARS AFTER LITTLE GIRL VANISHED
Nearly two decades after Madeleine McCann disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal, a private investigator who has spent years pursuing answers says he has no intention of giving up.
Julian Peribañez, the Spanish detective who was hired by Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, in 2008, has spoken out again about the case that changed the course of his life.
In a recent interview, he reflected on the long search for the missing little girl, shared his personal theory about what may have happened and made a renewed appeal to anyone who could have information.
His message was clear: the passage of time has not ended his determination to find answers.
A THEORY THAT HE REFUSES TO ABANDON
One of the most striking parts of Peribañez’s latest comments concerns what he personally believes may have happened to Madeleine.
The investigator believes she could have been taken by an organised Eastern European trafficking network operating in the region at the time.
He is particularly appealing to people in Portugal’s Algarve area who may remember encounters, individuals or events that could be relevant to his enquiries.
“If you’ve had encounters with people who fit the profile, please reach out,” he urged.
“All I need is a name. Give me a name, and I’ll chase it wherever I have to.”
However, his theory remains a personal investigative belief. It has not been established as an official finding, and no confirmed evidence has publicly proved that such a network was responsible for Madeleine’s disappearance.
Peribañez is asking people to come forward with information that can be examined, rather than claiming that the mystery has been solved.
THE CASE THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE
Madeleine was just three years old when she disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.
Her disappearance triggered an international search and became one of the most widely followed missing-child investigations in modern history.
Peribañez joined the private investigation team hired by her parents the following year. What began as an effort to find one missing child eventually shaped much of his professional life.
In 2024, he founded Guardianes de la Inocencia, an organisation focused on protecting vulnerable children and exposing 𝘢bu𝘴e and exploitation.
He has also written Stolen Innocence: The Price of Power, a book examining major child 𝘢bu𝘴e scandals.
Speaking about the connection between his work and Madeleine’s case, he told The Olive Press: “This book came from Maddie. Her story is not in it, but it all stemmed from my search for her.”
Although his work has expanded into wider child-protection efforts, Madeleine’s disappearance remains an unresolved chapter that he continues to pursue.
“I DON’T KNOW IF SHE’S ALIVE OR NOT”
After nearly 20 years, one of the most painful questions remains unanswered: what happened to Madeleine after she vanished?
Peribañez admitted that he does not know whether she is still alive.
“I don’t know if she’s alive or not, because hardly anyone on Earth does,” he said.
“But as long as I have hope, I won’t stop looking.”
His words reflect the uncertainty that has surrounded the case for years. Despite extensive investigations and international attention, there is still no publicly confirmed account of what happened to Madeleine.
His latest appeal is directed particularly at anyone in the Algarve who may have information from the period surrounding her disappearance.
A name, a remembered encounter or a detail that once seemed insignificant could, he hopes, provide another lead worth examining.
There has been no confirmed breakthrough announced in connection with his latest comments, and his theory should not be mistaken for an official police conclusion.
For Madeleine’s family, the wait for answers continues. For Peribañez, the search is not over.
Nearly 20 years have passed since a three-year-old girl disappeared during a family holiday. Yet the question that has haunted the case remains:
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO MADELEINE McCANN?
