Madeleine McCann Case: Operation Grange Shrinks

0:00On March 30th, the Madeline McCann case just took a tough hit right before the 19th anniversary of her disappearance. Operation Grange, the long-running UK probe, got funding approval from the home office, but it's way smaller than before. Now it's down to just three officers and one part-time staffer pushing forward. Back in 2007, the three-year-old banished from her family's vacation apartment in Portugal. Her parents, Jerry and Kate, got cleared early on as suspects. Fast forward, and German authorities zeroed in on prime suspect Christian Bruchner, a 48-year-old with a dart pass including a seven-year. Rape sentenced for attacking a 72-year-old woman in the same area back in 2005. Bruchner denies any role, but searches turned up creepy stuff. Like child abuse images, a weird Skype message about grabbing something small. Adolescent swimsuits, and kids close matching Madeline's age. Still, after years of digging, no charges have stuck against him. He got out of prison last September and is laying low.

1:01The McCanns keep facing heartbreak from fakes, like that Polish woman Julia Wondout, who claimed to be their daughter and harassed the family even. Targeting their younger kids, she got hit with a six-month sentence for harassment late last year, plus restraining orders for her and an accomplice. With the budget squeezed and leads cold, this probe hangs in the balance, leaving everyone hoping for that one break to finally bring closure after. All these years, stay in the know-with-entertainment and celebrity news today. AI-powered updates. I'm Corey with The Story.