National
Madeleine McCann family want to question Santiago del Valle
By h.b.
Mar 27, 2008 - 12:42 PM

The parents of Madeleine McCann say they want to question Santiago del Valle, the man who has been arrested in Spain in connection with the disappearance of the five year old from Huelva, Mari Luz Cortés, whose body was found earlier this month 54 days after she disappeared.

Santiago del Valle lived just a few yards from the Cortés family in the Torrejón district of Huelva, and has reportedly told the police that he was involved in the death of the child, but that the child died by accident after falling down the stairs. His wife and sister and brother also face charges for covering up the case, and he has been taken to the courts in Huelva today where he is expected to declare before the judge later.

Santiago del Valle being transfered to the police station in Huelva today - Photo EFE

Given the geographical location of Huelva close to the Portuguese border, the McCann family say that they want to ask Salvador del Valle where he was on May 3, last year, the day that Madeleine disappeared from their holiday flat taken in Praia de Luz on the Algarve, a distance of about 90 minutes in the car from Huelva.

A spokesman for the McCann family has said it is important that the police is absolutely sure that there is no connection between the two cases.