In a startling twist in the months-old search for a four-year-old British girl in Portugal, both parents of the missing girl have been identified as suspects and called in for questioning by police.
Friday was the second straight day of interrogation for Kate McCann about the disappearance in southern Portugal of her daughter Madeleine McCann in May.
Portuguese police have confirmed they have a new suspect, but have not acknowledged that it is the girl's mother.
McCann's husband Gerry McCann was also questioned on Friday, and a lawyer told The Associated Press police have now named him as a suspect.
The couple was called in by police after investigators found traces of blood in their rental car.
Madeleine's aunt Philomena McCann told ITV news police had suggested Madeleine could have been killed accidentally and said Kate was offered a plea deal if she confessed.
"They tried to get her to confess to having accidentally killed Madeleine by offering her a deal through her lawyer - 'if you say you killed Madeleine by accident and then hid her and disposed of the body, then we can guarantee you a two-year jail sentence or even less," Philomena McCann told ITV news.
She has called the allegations "ludicrous."
McCann was interrogated for more than four hours on Friday, her second day of questioning. She left the police station just before 4 p.m. without being charged.
Gerry McCann was also at the police station on Friday for questioning.
A family spokeswoman for Kate and her husband, Gerry, said the interrogations stem from traces of blood that were found in a car they rented.
Justine McGuinness said the car was rented 25 days after Madeleine vanished on May 3.
"They believe they have evidence to show that in some way she (Kate) is involved in the death of her daughter, which is completely ludicrous," McGuinness told British Broadcasting Corp. television.
Norah Paul, the aunt of Kate and godmother to Madeleine, told CTV on Friday that the allegations are baseless. She described the parents and their three children as a happy family.
"It is absolutely ridiculous to even be able to talk like that knowing our Kate and knowing how desperately they wanted children and the work she went to get children, the IVF (in vetro fertilization)," said the Vancouver resident.
"When Madeleine came along, it was the answer to all their prayers and they just loved their kids. I was with them just before they went to Portugal, and they were just a very happy family unit."
Olegario Sousa, a police spokesperson, confirmed to The Associated Press that police had named a new suspect. However, citing privacy laws he declined to comment further on the identity of the suspect.
The couple vigorously professed their innocence Friday.
A friend of the family, Clarence Mitchell, told AP that Gerry would be named as a formal suspect.
On the website findmadeleine.com, Gerry McCann said any suggestion "that Kate is involved in Madeleine's disappearance is ludicrous."
"We will fight this all the way, and we will not stop looking for Madeleine," he wrote.
The disappearance
Madeleine vanished after her parents left her, and her brother and sister -- two-year-old twins -- alone while they went to a nearby restaurant within their hotel complex.
Police spokesman Olegario Sousa also confirmed that police have obtained results pertaining to forensic tests conducted on the apartment.
The tests -- on specks of blood, items of clothing and other items found in the apartment -- were conducted at a British laboratory.
Hughes explained to AP that police have 22 questions that they want to ask Kate McCann, requiring them to make her a formal suspect under Portuguese law.
The legal move provides police more latitude in questioning and grants certain protections to suspects. It also means police must show suspects whatever evidence they have against them.
According to Portuguese law, declaring a person a suspect indicates that police may think they're involved but does not necessarily mean that a suspect would be detained.
The move could also mean that the McCanns will be barred from leaving Portugal and that they would be more closely monitored by police.
The couple, both doctors from central England, have always maintained their innocence while launching an intense media campaign to raise awareness about their daughter's disappearance.
In August, Portuguese police acknowledged for the first time the possibility that Madeleine could be dead.
The only named suspect in the investigation is Briton Robert Murat who lives 150 yards from the Portuguese resort. While police have searched his home on a number of occasions, he has not been arrested.
With files from the Associated Press
