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She was not a fan of the new Netflix docu-series.
By Emily Blackwood — Written on Mar 27, 2019
The disappearance of Madeleine McCann is one that's puzzled investigators and stumped armchair detectives alike for over a decade. Since the 3-year-old vanished from her bed while vacationing in Portugal with her family on May 3, 2007, everyone has been searching for answers as to what happened to her and where she might be now — if she's still alive.
Of course, hundreds of theories about her case have come out since that awful day, with fingers pointed everywhere from human trafficking rings to even her own parents.
Even after coming under some intense speculation, Gerry and Kate McCann have not stopped searching for their daughter, something that is evident in the new Netflix docu-series about her disappearance.
So what happened to Kate McCann? Here's everything we know about where she is now.
1. She did not like the new Netflix series.
When filmmakers for Netflix reached out to Kate and Gerry McCann to participate in the documentary, they declined saying that they didn't think it would help them get any closer to finding their daughter.
"We are aware that Netflix are planning to screen a documentary in March 2019 about Madeleine's disappearance," the couple said in a statement.
"The production company told us that they were making the documentary and asked us to participate. We did not see and still do not see how this programme will help the search for Madeleine and, particularly given there is an active police investigation, could potentially hinder it. Consequently, our views and preferences are not reflected in the programme. We will not be making any further statements or giving interviews regarding this programme."
2. She's still married to Gerry.
Kate and Gerry are still married.
Incredibly, Gerry and Kate McCann have managed to still stay together and raise their other two children — now 13-year-old twins named Amelie and Sean — despite the nightmare they have lived through losing Madeleine.
They met in 1993 while they were both living in Glasgow. Kate and Gerry married five years later in 1998 and have been together ever since. Kate recently told The Sun that they tell the twins everything about their missing sister.
"The twins are doing really well," Kate told The Sun. "They’ve grown up essentially without Madeleine, knowing their sister is missing and they want her back. They are up to date, they know everything, they know if we are meeting police. There is nothing kept from them."
3. She's not working.
Kate McCann, born Kate Healy, is originally from Huyton. After graduating in 1992 with a degree in medicine from the University of Dundee, she went on to work in obstetrics and gynecology.
She then tried her hand at anaesthesiology before settling in general practice. Kate later quit her job working as a GP and instead decided to work for children's charities, something that was near and dear to her heart.
Her last role was working part-time as a locum. After Madeleine vanished, she handed in her notice and has not returned to work.
4. She's been bombarded with hate mail.
Since the documentary has been released, Kate and Gerry McCann have reportedly been dealing with a lot of trolls and negative comments. So much so that the official campaign website that the couple set up to help find their missing daughter has had to give out a warning that it won't tolerate any verbal abuse.
"As a reminder, all posts are hidden until they are approved. If you make a nasty comment, your post will be deleted and you will be banned," the site posted.
Friends of the McCanns said that the couple is angry with all the false stories and theories surrounding them.
"Kate and Gerry are angry and upset that people continue to write false and malicious things against them," the source said. "Every time a positive story appears the trolls kick in with even more abuse. It’s been going on for nearly 12 years. Thankfully the website is not airing their vicious bile."
5. She was questioned in her daughter's case.
The September following Madeleine's disappearance, the Portuguese police named Kate and Gerry McCann as "arguidos," which translates to suspects. However, it actually only means that the person is being questioned under caution.
In June 2007, an article suggesting that the parents were involved in their daughter's disappearance came out in a Portuguese weekly. It stated that they had provided inconsistencies between their statements. It also said that the infamous "Tanner sighting" — a woman named Jane Tanner claimed she saw a man carrying a child on the night of the girl's disappearance — had been invented.
They were cleared by investigators that following summer, even though theories that they accidentally overdosed and killed their daughter while trying to sedate her so they could enjoy an evening out have still persisted.
Emily Blackwood is a writer and editor living in California. She covers all things news, pop culture and true crime.