A woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann has shared a shocking new update regarding her DNA results.
Julia Wandelt, also known as Julia Faustyna and Julia Wendell, gained worldwide attention in 2023 when she suggested that she might be Madeleine, the missing girl at the center of one of the world’s most well-known disappearance cases.
Madeleine was just three years old when she mysteriously vanished from her family’s vacation apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007. At the time, she had been sleeping alongside her twin siblings, Sean and Amelie, while their parents dined at a nearby restaurant.
Despite extensive international investigations and millions spent on the case, her whereabouts remain unknown. However, authorities continue to pursue leads.
The U.K. Home Office recently allocated an additional $248,000 to aid the investigation, while German prosecutors maintain their focus on Christian B., the primary suspect. Currently imprisoned for an unrelated crime, Christian B. has remained a person of interest, even after being cleared of other charges earlier this year.
Wandelt’s Claims
Julia Wandelt has drawn significant attention with her claims of being Madeleine. She points to physical similarities, such as a rare eye condition called coloboma, and says she has vague memories of being abducted and abused as a child.
Last year, she even attended a prayer vigil for Madeleine, reportedly hoping to deliver a letter to the missing girl’s parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, asking them to cooperate in a DNA test. However, she later expressed frustration at the lack of response, stating: “I have never stopped believing I am Madeleine McCann… No, I am not crazy. I am not a liar.”
Wandelt has also spoken about her alleged abduction on the Break The Ice Podcast, recalling: “I remember being taken… I remember that I was put into the car. I remember that someone used something like a syringe to put something [in] my body.”
She further described being handed over to a man with dark hair and tanned skin, though she could not remember his face.
DNA Testing and Disputed Results
To support her claims, Wandelt underwent DNA testing during an appearance on Dr. Phil. Her representative, Dr. Fia Johansson—a self-described psychic medium—revealed the results, stating: “She is absolutely 100 percent from Poland. She is a small percentage of Lithuanian and Russian, but the test results show she is Polish.”
These findings directly contradict Wandelt’s belief that she could be Madeleine. However, she remains adamant about her claims.
Dr. Johansson believes Wandelt’s mother is likely her biological parent, though there are still questions surrounding her father’s identity.
Despite the setback, Wandelt continues to seek additional proof. She claims to have reached out to forensic DNA expert Dr. Monte Miller for his professional analysis.
According to Wandelt, Dr. Miller told her that Madeleine’s DNA profile contains genetic markers from at least three closely related individuals. She alleges that her own DNA profile matches Madeleine’s “fairly well.”
Wandelt believes this makes sense, as Madeleine’s DNA profile likely includes contributions from multiple relatives, which could result in a partial rather than a complete match.
She further claims that Dr. Miller’s findings indicate a possible familial relationship, such as that of siblings or a parent-child connection.
Additionally, Wandelt points out that Kate McCann once mentioned all three McCann children—Amelie, Sean, and Madeleine—shared a single toothbrush, which she speculates could have affected the DNA evidence.
Based on Dr. Miller’s analysis, she remains convinced that the findings strongly suggest a close genetic connection between herself and Kate and Gerry McCann.
Recent Developments
Wandelt recently claimed to have met with Madeleine’s parents and shared a recorded exchange on Facebook. According to her, Gerry McCann dismissed her claims, expressing skepticism and refusing to discuss the matter further.
In her latest update, Wandelt announced that she is moving forward with her investigation without Gerry and Kate McCann’s involvement.
Posting on Instagram, she wrote: “Since my parents in Poland and Kate and Gerry McCann have refused to take a DNA test, my DNA results were submitted to a world expert who compared them to the DNA found at the Madeleine McCann crime scene in Portugal.”
She also shared contact details for Mr. Surjit Singh Clair, who is handling all media inquiries related to her case.
Despite the controversy surrounding her claims, many people have shown their support in her comment section.
One follower wrote: “Good! This is exactly what you should have done ages ago.”
Another added: “I hope you get the answers you are looking for, Julia.”
“This is amazing to me,” someone else shared. “I’m so happy I’ve been listening to your story!”
