In a case that has reignited the world’s fascination with one of the most enduring mysteries in modern history, a 24-year-old Polish woman named Julia Wandelt has thrust herself into the spotlight with astonishing assertions about her identity. Wandelt, who has variably gone by Julia Wendell or Julia Faustyna online, claims that DNA evidence links her directly to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the British toddler who vanished without a trace in 2007. “I’m a 70% DNA match for missing Maddie—you can’t dispute the facts,” she allegedly messaged Madeleine’s mother, Kate McCann, in a barrage of communications that have now landed her in a British courtroom. As Wandelt stands trial for stalking the McCann family, her story unfolds as a mix of personal desperation, scientific controversy, and the lingering pain of a family still searching for answers after nearly two decades. This latest chapter, unfolding in October 2025, highlights the dark underbelly of high-profile missing persons cases: how they attract opportunists, conspiracy theorists, and those grappling with their own traumas.

Wandelt’s journey into the public eye began in earnest around 2023, when she launched an Instagram account under the handle “@IamMadeleineMcCann.” At the time, she was a young woman living in Lubin, a modest town in southwestern Poland, far removed from the sun-drenched beaches of Portugal where Madeleine disappeared. Posting a series of photos and videos, Wandelt drew attention to what she described as striking physical similarities between herself and the missing girl. She pointed to a blemish in her right eye—a coloboma of the iris, a rare condition Madeleine was known to have—as proof of her identity. “Look at my eyes, my teeth, my voice,” she urged followers, amassing a significant online following almost overnight. Wandelt claimed fragmented memories of a childhood barbecue where she asked her “mother” for a ball, and hazy recollections of the night of the abduction, where she tried to cry out “mummy and daddy” but couldn’t. She even appeared on international talk shows, defending her story against skeptics who dismissed her as a hoaxer or someone seeking fame.

But Wandelt’s claims went beyond anecdotes. In early 2023, she underwent a series of genetic tests, including forensic DNA examinations and ancestry kits similar to those offered by commercial services. Initial results painted a picture of Eastern European heritage—predominantly Polish, with traces of Lithuanian and Romanian roots—which directly contradicted any link to the McCanns, who are British. Devastated but undeterred, Wandelt initially apologized to Kate and Gerry McCann for the distress her assertions caused, acknowledging in a public statement that she might have been mistaken. “I never meant to hurt anyone,” she said at the time, stepping back from the limelight as media scrutiny intensified. For a brief period, it seemed the episode was over, just another footnote in the long list of false leads that have plagued the McCann investigation.

Yet, by February 2025, Wandelt resurfaced with what she called “bombshell” new evidence. On a fresh Instagram account, “@amijuliawandelt,” she shared results from an analysis conducted by an unnamed genetics expert. According to her, these tests revealed partial British and Irish ancestry, aligning with the McCanns’ background. More sensationally, she claimed a 69.23% DNA match with samples recovered from the “crime scene”—specifically, hair from the floor and saliva from a bed quilt in the Portuguese apartment where Madeleine was last seen. “This strongly supports that I am related to Gerry McCann,” she posted, referring to Madeleine’s father. Wandelt insisted the data was consistent with a father-daughter relationship, urging both the McCanns and her own Polish parents to submit to independent testing. She offered to fund it herself, decrying authorities for refusing a simple procedure despite millions spent on the case. “If I’m just a random Polish person, how does my DNA link to the scene?” she questioned, fueling online debates and conspiracy theories.

This resurgence of claims escalated into direct confrontations with the McCann family. Between June 2022 and February 2025, Wandelt allegedly bombarded Kate McCann with dozens of text messages, voicemails, and emails. In one voicemail, played during her trial at Leicester Crown Court, Wandelt’s voice, thick with a Polish accent, pleaded: “You are my mother, it’s science—no one can deny it. I am not a scammer, I am your daughter.” She sent messages every few seconds on some days, over 60 in a single instance, insisting Madeleine was alive and that an “official” DNA test would prove everything. “What if I’m her? I know you think Madeleine’s dead, but she’s not,” she wrote, adding emotional details about alleged abuse and rape she suffered, which she linked to her “real” identity. Wandelt explained her appearance—”I know I am ugly and fat, but it’s because of medication I was given”—and begged for a meeting. In one particularly harrowing message, she claimed: “I was raped and molested underground. I saw other children being abused so badly. You can stop this torment; you can help me.”

Wandelt didn’t act alone. She enlisted the help of Karen Spragg, a 61-year-old woman from Cardiff, Wales, who became her ardent supporter. The pair allegedly planned visits to the McCanns’ home in Rothley, Leicestershire, turning up unannounced to demand a face-to-face confrontation and DNA swab. In emails to Kate, Spragg vouched for Wandelt: “Julia is not crazy; she is of sane mind. Julia has proof of this.” Prosecutors describe their actions as a “well-planned campaign of harassment,” causing immense distress to a family already burdened by years of grief and media intrusion. The McCanns, both 57 and still actively involved in the search for their daughter, testified about the emotional toll. Kate, a former doctor, spoke of feeling “distressed” and fearful, while Gerry recounted answering a call only to be met with Wandelt’s insistent pleas. The couple, who have two younger children, have attended annual prayer vigils for Madeleine, but this ordeal has forced them to relive their nightmare in a courtroom.

The turning point came with Wandelt’s arrest in February 2025 at Bristol Airport, alongside Spragg. Seizing the opportunity, British police obtained a voluntary DNA sample from Wandelt, which was compared to Madeleine’s profile under Operation Grange—the Metropolitan Police’s long-running investigation into the disappearance. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, leading the probe, testified that the results “conclusively proved that Julia Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann.” He visited her in prison to deliver the news personally: “Your sample was submitted to the laboratory, and a profile was established. This has now been compared to the profile of Madeleine McCann—they do not match.” Wandelt reportedly questioned the integrity of the test, referencing her own 70% match claims, but Cranwell stood firm, emphasizing that science doesn’t lie. He admitted the decision to test her weighed heavily, as it deviated from policy—Operation Grange typically avoids DNA on claimants to prevent a flood of copycats—but Wandelt’s harassment had crossed a threshold.

Cranwell’s testimony shed light on the broader challenges of the McCann case. Since 2021, 12 individuals have claimed to be Madeleine, each triaged through a rigorous process: keyword searches for phrases like “I am Madeleine,” visual comparisons focusing on her distinctive eye condition, and background checks. Wandelt was ruled out early based on photos—her eye blemish was similar but differently placed, and experts confirmed Madeleine’s coloboma wouldn’t fade. The operation, now part-time with a skeleton crew, has generated over 42,000 documents, 21,000 nominals (including witnesses and suspects), and thousands of emails. It collaborates with Portuguese and German authorities, investigating leads like a suspect with initials “CB.” Despite £39.7 million invested, no resolution has come, leaving the McCanns in limbo.

Madeleine McCann’s disappearance on May 3, 2007, remains a global enigma. The three-year-old was sleeping in a ground-floor apartment at the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal, while her parents dined nearby with friends, checking on the children periodically. At around 10 p.m., Kate discovered the bedroom window open and Madeleine gone. Initial suspicions fell on the parents, but they were cleared, and the case evolved into an abduction theory. Sightings poured in from around the world, but none panned out. The family’s resilience—through books, campaigns, and vigils—has inspired many, but false claimants like Wandelt underscore the cruelty of unresolved trauma.

As the trial at Leicester Crown Court continues, Wandelt and Spragg deny the stalking charges, with Wandelt sobbing during evidence playback. Jurors must weigh the line between delusion and malice. For the McCanns, it’s another painful intrusion, a reminder that their daughter’s fate draws not just sympathy but obsession. Wandelt’s “crazy” claims, as she once called them, have amplified the family’s plea: let science and justice prevail, not speculation. Whether this episode brings closure or more shadows, it highlights the human cost of a mystery that refuses to fade.