Julia Wendell, a 23-year-old Polish woman, made headlines worldwide in 2023 after claiming she was Madeleine McCann — the British girl who mysteriously vanished from a Portuguese resort in 2007.
Her shocking allegations sparked massive controversy, with many dismissing her claims as a hoax.
But now, the case has taken another dramatic turn.
Using the social media handle @IamMadeleineMcCann, Julia pleaded for help, specifically asking to speak with Maddie’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann.
She pointed to supposed physical similarities as proof and even appeared on Dr. Phil to share her story. However, after facing intense backlash — including death threats — she later retracted her claims and apologized to the McCanns.
Julia explained that during therapy she realized the memories of her childhood were patchy, which led her to wonder if she had been adopted. When she asked her family members, though, they dismissed her claims, after which Julia began trawling missing persons websites.
“I never meant to hurt anyone – including [the] McCanns,” Julia explained. “I really wanted to know who I am.”
She added that things would have played out differently if she had a chance to do it again. “I would never go on social media. It can destroy you.”
DNA test results shake things up
But now, the case surrounding Julia Wendell, also known as Julia Faustyna or Julia Wandelt, has taken yet another turn.
According to Daily Mail, the 23-year-old claims she has taken a DNA test, with the results reportedly examined by a “world-renowned expert” who compared them to DNA from the crime scene of Madeleine McCann’s 2007 disappearance in Portugal.
This unnamed expert allegedly concluded that the results “strongly suggest” Gerry McCann could be her father. She has also taken to her new social media account to share the ”results” of this latest DNA test, which she claims Kate and Gerry McCann refused to participate in.
Adding to the controversy, the unnamed expert allegedly concluded that Julia’s DNA is a ”perfect match” with samples taken from the holiday apartment where Madeleine McCann disappeared in 2007.
Beyond the DNA results, she also alleges that experts examined her eyes, teeth, and voice, comparing them to those of Madeleine—the 3-year-old who disappeared from her bed in Praia da Luz on the night of May 3, nearly 18 years ago.
Dr. Monte Miller, a forensic expert from Loma Linda University in California, analyzed the findings.
“The simple answer is that the suspect is not the definitive source of the DNA in the evidence,” Dr. Miller told Metro.
“However, the match is stronger than what I would expect from pure coincidence, and there is a specific pattern that suggests an almost certain family connection.”
McCann and Wendell Families Refuse DNA Testing
Despite the shocking results, neither Julia’s Polish parents nor the McCanns are willing to take a DNA test to settle the matter once and for all.
This latest announcement contradicts the earlier statements made by private investigator Dr. Fia Johansson, who in 2023 revealed Ms. Wandelt’s DNA results, which confirmed that she was, in fact, fully Polish. Julia’s parents insist she is their biological daughter and has no relation to the missing British girl.
Madeleine McCann’s disappearance remains one of the world’s most infamous unsolved cases. Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have always maintained that she was abducted after they left her and her siblings alone in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal to have a meal at a restaurant close by.