German prosecutors launched an investigation on Friday into whether the suspect in the Madeleine McCann case may have been involved in a similar disappearance in Germany.

The German case concerns a 5-year-old girl named Inga who disappeared while on a family trip to a forest near the eastern town of Stendal in May 2015. 

The suspect in the McCann case reportedly owned a property in the town of Neuwegersleben located 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Stendal when the girl disappeared.

Suspect investigated for murder

On Wednesday, German prosecutors announced that they were investigating a 43-year-old German man in connection with the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann.

The man is being investigated as a murder suspect in the case, although German authorities have yet to reveal why they believe she is dead or how exactly the suspect was involved in her disappearance.

Read more: Cold cases: Madeleine McCann breakthrough puts spotlight on German real crime show

The then 3-year-old disappeared while on holiday with her family at a resort in Portugal and has not been seen since despite years of police investigations. 

The suspect is a sex offender with multiple convictions, including sexual abuse of children. He is currently serving multi-year sentence in prison for offenses unrelated to the McCann case.

rs/rt (AP, dpa, Reuters)