The initial Portuguese investigation failed to preserve the scene adequately, so the opportunity to gather forensic evidence from Madeline McCann's room at the Ocean Club was lost. Long-term residents remember joining in uncoordinated and ad-hoc searches of the town.

The 3-year-old girl's 2007 disappearance sparked one of the most publicized missing-person investigations in British history. The case is open again.

Portuguese and German police were on Thursday wrapping up their search in Portugal's southern Algarve region for evidence related to the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann 18 years ago.