By Angela Beswick
Police have identified the child and family thought by a Dunedin retail assistant to be Madeleine McCann and say she is not the missing British girl.
Security pictures from a Warehouse outlet in south Dunedin emerged yesterday, showing a young girl walking hand-in-hand with an adult male, and accompanied by a woman and a boy who appears to be about 12.
The image was captured around 9pm on December 5, 2007. A former checkout operator, Taryn Dryfhout, alerted police after speaking to the girl and the blonde-haired woman she was with.
She approached TVNZ last night, saying there was “no doubt” in her mind the little girl was Madeleine.
“She told me her name was Hayley and was quite apprehensive,” she said.
“She sort of stammered over her words when she was trying to think of her name.”
She said the woman and the man were “a little bit suspicious”.
Acting Southern Police District Commander Inspector Dave Campbell said police will not name the family or provide any details of their identity – other than to confirm the girl in the pictures is not Madeleine.
Police have requested all pictures portraying the child and family be removed to protect the family’s privacy.
Madeleine vanished from her room at the Praia da Luz resort while on vacation with her family in Portugal on May 3, 2007 – just days before her fourth birthday.
“New Zealand police are mindful of the stress on the Mccann family from possible sightings of their daughter worldwide,” Acting Southern Police District Commander, Inspector Dave Campbell said.
Kate McCann told Oprah Winfrey last year that Madeleine’s bedroom is being kept ready in anticipation for her safe return.
3 News