PORTIMAO (Portugal), Sept 7: The mother of a missing British girl whose disappearance sparked an international search was formally named as a suspect by the Portuguese police on Friday, as relatives said they feared she would be charged over her daughter’s death.

The girl’s aunt said police had suggested 4-year-old Madeleine McCann might have been killed accidentally.

Madeleine’s mother, Kate McCann, was questioned for more than three hours on Friday, her second day of questioning, and family friends said she had been declared a suspect under Portuguese law. Earlier, family friend and former spokesman Clarence Mitchell told The Associated Press that police told Kate McCann and her husband, Gerry, that they would both be named as suspects.

Gerry McCann arrived for questioning at the police station in the Portuguese town of Portimao just after 3:30 p.m. local time (1430GMT).

Family spokeswoman Justine McGuinness said the Portuguese police had alleged that Kate McCann might have been involved in her daughter’s death.

’’They believe they have evidence to show that in some way she is involved in the death of her daughter, which is completely ludicrous,’’ McGuinness told BBC television.

McGuinness said the allegations related to traces of blood found in a car rented by the McCanns. She said the car was not rented until 25 days after Madeleine disappeared on May 3.

Gerry McCann’s sister, Philomena McCann, said police were suggesting Kate might have killed Madeleine accidentally.

’’They are suggesting that Kate has in some way accidentally killed Madeleine, then kept her body, then got rid of it,’’ she told Sky News. ‘’I have never heard anything so utterly ludicrous in my entire life.’’

On the Web site www.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.

Under Portuguese law, the legal move grants certain protections to suspects, but allows police more latitude in questioning. Police also have to show suspects whatever evidence they might have against them.—AP