Madeleine McCann’s Photo Used in Travel Promo, Kidnapped Tot Remains Missing
Madeleine McCann’s photo has been circulated around the globe for many years, and the kidnapped toddler’s face is recognizable to many after she vanished on vacation in Portugal half a decade ago.
It was nearly five years to the day of the incident in Algarve, Portugal during which the tot vanished without a trace that Madeleine McCann’s photo was used in a way her family says was both upsetting and unauthorized. Considering the little girl famously disappeared on a family vacation, it’s probably the most traumatic application of all for her likeness to be appropriated to shill travel packages, but according to the McCann family, that’s exactly what happened.
The controversy surrounding Madeleine McCann’s photo came after the image of the girl, pictured smiling at the age of four, was spotted on VoucherDigg.co.uk. Exactly how Madeleine McCann’s photo came to be on the site is not known, but McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell told press:
”The misuse of Madeleine’s picture in this way is utterly appalling and frankly unforgivable. Kate and Gerry [Madeleine’s parents] were horrified when they found out about it. It is offensive in the extreme. Whether it’s a mistake or hacking it’s an utter disgrace.”
Complicating matters, according to ABC News, is the fact that VoucherDigg was working on behalf of a different travel deal site, lowcostholidays.com. That company’s CEO Lawrence Hunt is understandably a bit freaked by the situation, and says that his business is currently pursuing its legal options after the controversy:
“We have no contract with VoucherDigg to advertise our holidays, and we are doing all that we can to contact the website and get the picture removed. We apologize for any distress this may have caused, which is completely beyond our control and are disgusted by the use of this image.”
News of the inappropriate use of Madeleine McCann’s photo comes just a week after British authorities confirmed that they are investigating new leads in her disappearance.
