Madeleine McCann [PHOTO]: DNA Tests Prove New Zealand Look-Alike Not Young McCann, Search for Missing Girl Continues

The search for Madeleine McCann has taken a giant step back after a New Zealand girl, thought to be the missing British youngster, was proven not to be McCann after DNA testing. This New Zealand girl (who is remaining anonymous for privacy reasons) was identified two times by the public to be Madeleine, first in March of 2012 and the second just on New Year's Eve. To be completely sure, DNA testing was ordered in New Zealand and then sent to Scotland for comparison. The young girl voluntarily contributed the sample and no match was found.

Detective Inspector Steve McGregor stated the following:

"We have received confirmation from Scotland Yard that a DNA sample provided voluntarily from a girl mistaken as missing British girl Madeleine McCann on New Year's Eve in Queenstown last year does not provide a match for that of the missing girl. At the time of the sighting police made thorough inquiries and were completely satisfied that the girl was not Madeleine McCann."

On May 7, 2007, Madeleine McCann disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve in Portugal. Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were at a restaurant with friends at the time. Madeleine was just about 4-years-old. Kate and Gerry McCann have vigorously campaigned for information on their daughter's location, attempting to get the Metropolitan Police to review the case. This battle has been going on for 18 months. After failing to come to any conclusions on Madeleine's whereabouts, Portuguese police closed the case in 2008. The files on the case are still open for review in case more evidence comes to the attention of investigators.

The disappearance of Madeleine McCann has sparked a number of false sightings around the world. This particular sighting was in New Zealand but others have been reported in Spain, Morocco, and, of course, Portugal, where she went missing. Madeleine's Fund: Leave No Stone Unturned is a fund-raising company set up in the aftermath of the disappearance to help Madeleine's family with costs and continuing the investigation. However, the funds raised by this company are not used to pay for the McCann's legal costs.

Rumors around the case are varied and dramatic. There are many theories as to what happened to the little girl. One of a family taking the girl for their own, another saying the McCann's were actually behind the whole incident, and even one of a mysterious British man seen snooping around the apartment before the disappearance. The case is still open and the McCanns are still searching for anything to help lead them back to their Madeleine.