Unverified Witness Statement in Epstein Files Sparks Renewed Attention on Madeleine McCann Case
Among millions of pages of legal documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein, a single witness statement has quietly surfaced, reigniting speculation in one of the world’s most enduring missing-child cases.
The account describes a brief encounter on a quiet street involving a girl resembling Madeleine McCann and a woman whose appearance startled the witness, though authorities caution that no official connection has been confirmed.
The recently unsealed statement, dated July 7, 2020, recounts a sighting from 2009. The witness reported seeing a young girl “looked like Madeleine McCann” walking with a woman described as resembling Ghislaine Maxwell. Social media attention followed quickly, though law enforcement has emphasized that no verified link exists.
Madeleine McCann was three years old when she vanished on May 3, 2007, while vacationing with her family at the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were dining roughly 100 yards away, leaving Madeleine and her two-year-old twin siblings asleep. When Kate returned, Madeleine was gone. Despite immediate searches and international investigations, she has never been found.
Details from the Witness Statement
Can we talk about how Ghislaine Maxwell looks similar to Madeline McCann’s female abductor sketch? pic.twitter.com/YCvK8FQUbi
— Conspiratorial Report (@CnsprtrlRprt) July 7, 2025
The statement comes from a UK resident who reportedly reported the 2009 sighting to local authorities. According to the account, the witness observed a middle-aged man ahead of a woman and a young girl on a quiet Sunday afternoon. The child “looked like Madeleine McCann,” and the woman appeared anxious about the witness’s presence. Notably, the girl “held her hand over her right eye,” a detail matching Madeleine’s rare coloboma — a feature often highlighted in public appeals.
The witness said they did not give the encounter much thought at the time but later submitted the account to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center after seeing social media discussions linking Maxwell to McCann theories.
Previously, private investigators working with the McCanns produced a composite image of a woman resembling a “Victoria Beckham lookalike,” reportedly seen in Barcelona days after Madeleine’s disappearance. Authorities have never confirmed any link between this figure and Maxwell.
Authorities Urge Caution
U.S. and U.K. officials have emphasized that the witness statement is uncorroborated. The Department of Justice noted that “this production may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents, or videos, as everything sent to the FBI by the public was included in the production responsive to the Act.”
At present, the statement remains a single account amid millions of pages of documents. No new investigative steps have been publicly confirmed, and authorities have not connected the sighting to Epstein or Maxwell’s crimes. Investigators stress the importance of distinguishing between documented evidence and unverified claims to prevent confusion or false hope.
Conclusion
The resurfacing of Madeleine McCann’s name in Epstein-related documents underscores that even decades-old cases can prompt new questions.
While the 2009 sighting described in the witness statement is unverified, it serves as a reminder of the enduring public interest and the ongoing search for answers. Authorities continue to investigate, holding out hope that one day the truth behind Madeleine’s disappearance will be uncovered.