Myth #1 - Madeleine's DNA was found in the hire car

[John]

Myth #1 - Madeleine's DNA was found in the hire car

This is false on every level.  Madeleine's DNA was never identified as having been in the McCann hire car which was rented several weeks after the disappearance.

The Forensic Science Service in England (now defunct) offered their services to the Portuguese authorities in order that samples recovered from the McCann apartment and the hire car could be analysed.  A short time before the results were officially announced the Portuguese Press ran with a story that the DNA recovered from these samples matched with that associated with Madeleine McCann.  They were in error.

The official results disclosed no link between the samples and Madeleine McCann.

[debunker]

Glad that this has been settled. Possibly Eddie reacting to blood next?

[Angelo222]

I like the idea of telling people about these myths because myths have a habit of becoming fact over a period of time.  The Press are to be condemned for printing those lies.  No wonder the McCann's sued them and won.  I for one applaud them.

[fizzbomb]

In the objects recovered from the Scenic, there were around 15 blonde/fair hairs similar to the reference hairs from SJM2, 4 and 5. However, as it was not possible to do solid [definitive] or significant [forensically meaningful] tests it is not possible for me to determine if, or not, these could have been from Madeleine McCann.

The conclusions expressed in the present deposition are based on information available at the date of the examination. In the case that there are changes to that information, or additional information becomes available, it may be necessary to reconsider my interpretation and conclusions. That re-evaluation will be most effective when done immediately prior to any judgement.

A.L. Palmer

[fizzbomb]

I like the idea of telling people about these myths because myths have a habit of becoming fact over a period of time.  The Press are to be condemned for printing those lies.  No wonder the McCann's sued them and won.  I for one applaud them.

The Express Group and other newspapers were reporting , what was coming out of Portugal , even sky news had reported Body Fluids etc .i'm surprised they capitulated though ?
 The Goncalo Amaral libel trial will be of interest as those points raised in the UK National media will once again be brought in the public domaine and , i very much doubt team McCann want that ? hence the stand off

[Mr Moderator]

A hire car by its very nature will have had hundreds of different people in it so attempting to establish a link to one person would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Ultimately, the PJ failed to prove any link between the Renault Scenic hire car and Madeleine McCann because there isn't any. End off!!

[Carana]

A hire car by its very nature will have had hundreds of different people in it so attempting to establish a link to one person would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Ultimately, the PJ failed to prove any link between the Renault Scenic hire car and Madeleine McCann because there isn't any. End off!!

I'd have to double-check, but it seems to have been a relatively new hire car. That said, various people amongst several dozen could have deposited a bit of DNA in the boot.

Hints at tufts of hair and gooey gory substances just didn't exist.

[Mr Moderator]

Senor Amaral thought he had the golden bullet when there was talk of a DNA match between samples taken in the hire car and Maddy,   The poor fellow must have been gutted to find out that there was no match after all.  It must have broke his heart to then have to release both McCanns from his hitherto imposed arguido status.

[Robittybob1]

Myth #1 - Madeleine's DNA was found in the hire car

This is false on every level.  Madeleine's DNA was never identified as having been in the McCann hire car which was rented several weeks after the disappearance.

The Forensic Science Service in England (now defunct) offered their services to the Portuguese authorities in order that samples recovered from the McCann apartment and the hire car could be analysed.  A short time before the results were officially announced the Portuguese Press ran with a story that the DNA recovered from these samples matched with that associated with Madeleine McCann.  They were in error.

The official results disclosed no link between the samples and Madeleine McCann.

It would have been good to quote the actual results of the DNA and blood found in the rental car.

[IndigoJ]

I always thought this was not true.

[Billy Whizz Fan Club]

I always thought this was not true.

Are you convinced your own speculative musings have been proved correct? The fact is that the DNA found in the hire car following indicative alerts from cadaver and blood dogs could have belonged to Madeleine McCann but the results were at the time "too complex for meaningful interpretation/inclusion". i.e it is possible that Madeleine McCann 's DNA was found in the hire car but this remains "unproven" and inconclusive... To quote from the preliminary report:

"A complex LCN DNA result which appeared to have originated from at least three people was obtained from cellular material recovered from the luggage compartment section 286C 2007 CRL10 (2) area 2. Within the DNA profile of Madeline McCann there are 20 DNA components represented by 19 peaks on a chart. At one of the areas of DNA we routinely examine Madeleine has inherited the same DNA component from both parents; this appears therefore as 1 peak rather than 2, hence 19 rather than 20. Of these 19 components 15 are present within the result from this item; there are 37 components in total. There are 37 components because there are at least 3 contributors; but there could be up to five contributors. In my opinion therefore this result is too complex for meaningful interpretation/inclusion.

Why - ...

Well lets look at the question that is being asked

"Is there DNA from Madeline on the swab "

It would be very simple to say "yes" simply because of the number of components within the result that are also in her reference sample.

What we need to consider, as scientists, is whether the match is genuine and legitimate; because Madeline has deposited DNA as a result of being in the car or whether Madeline merely appears to match the result by chance..... "

[Holly Goodhead]

Are you convinced your own speculative musings have been proved correct? The fact is that the DNA found in the hire car following indicative alerts from cadaver and blood dogs could have belonged to Madeleine McCann but the results were at the time "too complex for meaningful interpretation/inclusion". i.e it is possible that Madeleine McCann 's DNA was found in the hire car but this remains "unproven" and inconclusive... To quote from the preliminary report:

"A complex LCN DNA result which appeared to have originated from at least three people was obtained from cellular material recovered from the luggage compartment section 286C 2007 CRL10 (2) area 2. Within the DNA profile of Madeline McCann there are 20 DNA components represented by 19 peaks on a chart. At one of the areas of DNA we routinely examine Madeleine has inherited the same DNA component from both parents; this appears therefore as 1 peak rather than 2, hence 19 rather than 20. Of these 19 components 15 are present within the result from this item; there are 37 components in total. There are 37 components because there are at least 3 contributors; but there could be up to five contributors. In my opinion therefore this result is too complex for meaningful interpretation/inclusion.

Why - ...

Well lets look at the question that is being asked

"Is there DNA from Madeline on the swab "

It would be very simple to say "yes" simply because of the number of components within the result that are also in her reference sample.

What we need to consider, as scientists, is whether the match is genuine and legitimate; because Madeline has deposited DNA as a result of being in the car or whether Madeline merely appears to match the result by chance..... "

But since the source of the human cellular material (hct) is unknown it is also possible that MM's DNA was in the car due to contamination. 

LCN DNA is capable of producing a result from a sample as small as a millionth the size of a grain of salt.  Any items placed in the car that MM had contact with would undoubtedly transfer her DNA to the car: skin cells, sweat from fingerprints, droplets from breathing and any sneezing etc, etc.