By Katie Franklin and Caroline Gammell in Praia da Luz Link
3:49PM BST 07 Sep 2007
Portuguese police have released Kate McCann after a second day of questioning, but fears remain she could be charged with the death of her daughter Madeleine.
Mrs McCann, who has been made a formal suspect or "arguida" in Madeleine's disappearance, left a police station in Portimao after being interviewed by detectives for five hours.
Police have suggested the four-year-old's blood was found in the back of the family's car which was hired five weeks after she went missing.
Among the questions put to Mrs McCann was the suggestion that she was responsible for Madeleine's death.
"She has been made a suspect, an 'arguida'. She is suspected of accidentally killing her daughter," a family spokesman said.
A family friend said Mrs McCann was bearing up, but was "upset and frustrated" that attention had been taken away from the search to find Madeleine.
Mrs McCann's husband Gerry arrived at the headquarters of the Policia Judiciaria to undergo separate questioning shortly before his wife left.
He was still being treated as a witness rather than an arguido at the start of the interview, a family spokesman said.
Earlier, it was revealed that Mrs McCann had been advised by her lawyer that it was possible that she could be charged with Madeleine's death.
Ahead of his appearance at the station, Mr McCann dismissed any suggestion of his wife's guilt on his blog.
"Anyone who knows anything about the 3rd May knows that Kate is completely innocent," he wrote. "We will fight this all the way and we will not stop looking for Madeleine."
Mrs McCann also insisted the allegation was "ridiculous". But the 39-year-old part-time GP now fears that she will be accused of being responsible for Madeleine's death and has been warned to be prepared for such a move by her lawyer Carlos Pinto de Abreu.
A family friend said: "Kate's lawyer has advised her that she may be charged with her death. Kate know that she may be arrested, Gerry also knows that it's a possibility that Kate may be arrested and charged. But she has done nothing wrong."
Mrs McCann was declared an arguida in order for police to ask her a further 22 "difficult" questions surrounding Madeleine's disappearance.
As she arrived at the police station today, she was greeted by whistles and jeers as well as shouts of support from hundreds of on-lookers.
Mrs McCann, still carrying Madeleine's favourite toy Cuddle Cat, kept her head down as she strode past the waiting cameras.
The Portuguese police's allegations centered on the suggestion that traces of Madeleine's blood were found in the silver Renault Scenic hired by the McCann's 25 days after she went missing.
The McCanns' spokeswoman said Kate "robustly" defended herself against the claim.
"She was taken aback by the suggestion," she said. "It was the first time she had heard the allegation that blood had been found in the car. There was a suggestion that it was Madeleine's blood."
The extended McCann family today dismissed the allegations as "ludicrous", "insulting" and an "outrage".
Philomena McCann, Madeleine's aunt, told ITV's This Morning that it appeared the Portuguese police were trying to set up Kate and Gerry.
"There they are - the victims of this horrendous crime - and now the police are trying to sully their names in this disgusting manner with this smear campaign - it is just unbelievable," she said.
The McCann spokeswoman said questions should be asked about the quality of the forensic testing on the night Madeleine disappeared.
"The policeman only had a pair of gloves on when taking Kate and Gerry's fingerprints. They were taken so badly that had to be retaken the next day.
Previously Mr and Mrs McCann had always met police together and officials described the meetings as informal. Both have denied any involvement in their daughter's disappearance.
The only other named arguido in the case is 33-year-old British expat Robert Murat who lives 150 yards from the apartment where the little girl disappeared in Praia da Luz on May 3.
As an arguida, Mrs McCann has greater legal protection than a witness, including the right to remain silent during questioning and the right to legal representation.
The McCann's had planned to return to the UK this Sunday, but their plans were put on hold after they were contacted by the Portuguese authorities on Monday and called for interview.
