In 2023, a 23-year-old Polish woman named Julia Wendell gained global attention after claiming she was Madeleine McCann—the British girl who vanished from a Portuguese resort in 2007.
Julia’s shocking claims sparked widespread controversy, with many dismissing them as false. But now, the story has taken yet another unexpected turn.
Using the Instagram account @IamMadeleineMcCann, Julia pleaded for help and publicly asked to speak with Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann. She even appeared on Dr. Phil, citing physical similarities as “proof.” However, after facing intense backlash—including death threats—she eventually retracted her claims and apologized to the McCann family.
Julia later explained that therapy had prompted her to question her past, especially since her childhood memories felt blurry. When she asked her family whether she was adopted, they denied it. Still searching for answers, she began combing through missing persons websites.
“I never intended to hurt anyone, especially the McCanns,” Julia wrote on Instagram. “I was simply trying to understand who I am.” She added that, if she could go back, she would avoid using social media entirely. “It can destroy you,” she said.
But the story didn’t end there.
According to The Daily Mail, Julia—who has also gone by Julia Faustyna and Julia Wandelt—recently announced that she underwent a DNA test reviewed by a “world-renowned expert.” This expert allegedly compared Julia’s DNA to evidence collected at the scene of Madeleine’s 2007 disappearance.
Stunningly, the expert reportedly concluded that Julia’s DNA was a “perfect match” to samples found at the Portuguese resort, even suggesting that Gerry McCann could be her biological father. Julia shared what she claimed were test results on a new social media account, though she also said the McCanns declined to participate in the testing.
The expert further compared Julia’s eyes, teeth, and voice to Madeleine’s. Forensic specialist Dr. Monte Miller from Loma Linda University in California reviewed the findings and told Metro, “The DNA evidence does not come from a random person—there’s a clear pattern indicating a strong familial connection. The match is too precise to be coincidence.”
Despite these claims, both the McCanns and Julia’s Polish family have refused to undergo DNA testing to confirm or deny a biological link. This stance contradicts an earlier DNA analysis revealed by private investigator Dr. Fia Johansson in 2023, which concluded that Julia was 100% Polish and had no connection to the missing British girl. Julia’s parents continue to assert that she is their biological daughter and not Madeleine McCann.
Madeleine’s disappearance remains one of the world’s most haunting unsolved mysteries. Her parents have long believed she was abducted from their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dined at a nearby restaurant.