"We do not see how this will help the search for Madeleine," Kate and Gerry McCann said.
The parents of missing British child Madeleine McCann are denouncing the new Netflix series about her disappearance.
"We do not see how this ... will help the search for Madeleine, and, particularly given there is an active police investigation, could potentially hinder it," Kate and Gerry McCann said in a statement ahead of the docu-series' release.
They reportedly even asked their friends not to cooperate with the series, titled "The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann."
Their daughter was just 3 when she vanished during a family vacation in Praia da Luz, Portugal, 12 years ago.
On May 3, 2007, Madeleine and her younger twin siblings, Amelie and Sean, were put to bed in the family's room before Kate and Gerry joined friends for dinner nearby. Throughout the evening, the friends took turns checking on the children. But at 10 p.m., Kate found a window open and Madeleine's bed empty.
Suspicion fell on the couple, who insisted Madeleine was snatched from her bed, but they were later cleared.
Madeleine's disappearance has consistently made headlines since 2007. There have been reported sightings of her through the years, although they have been debunked.
The question remains: Is Madeleine still alive today?
One theory is that she was kidnapped by a pedophile ring. Another is that a childless couple raised her as their own.
The Netflix docu-series explores the idea that a predator in a surgical mask snatched Madeleine.
In their statement, the McCanns said they were asked to participate in the series but refused. "Consequently, our views and preferences are not reflected in the programme," they said.
In December 2018, they shared a message of faith on their website, Finding Madeleine.
“We miss Madeleine dearly. Christmas will never be the same without her, but we will continue to make the best of what we have,” the couple said. “The investigation is ongoing and our hope remains.
"May 2019 be a peaceful and positive one for us all.”
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