Woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann releases 'bombshell new DNA test results' - 18 years after the British toddler disappeared in Portugal
A woman from Poland who has claimed to be the missing British child, Madeleine McCann, has now unveiled a fresh set of DNA test results.
Julia Wandelt, a 23-year-old, gained widespread attention online in February 2023 when she created an Instagram account under the handle ‘@IAmMadeleineMcCann’, asserting that she was the long-lost daughter of Kate and Gerry McCann.
Also recognized as Julia Wendell, she eventually appeared on the American talk show Dr. Phil to discuss the unlikely scenario. However, she later expressed regret over the entire situation in an interview with the BBC last year, where she apologized for the controversy.
Nonetheless, Ms. Wandelt has now turned to her latest social media profile, ‘@AmIJuliaWandelt’, to disclose what she calls the ‘findings’ of another DNA test—one that she claims Kate and Gerry declined to participate in.
According to her, the results were analyzed by a ‘world-renowned specialist’ who compared them to evidence from the crime scene related to Madeleine McCann’s disappearance in Portugal in 2007.
Ms. Wandelt further asserts that experts examined her eyes, teeth, and voice in comparison to the toddler, who vanished from her bed in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the night of May 3, nearly 18 years ago, when she was just three years old.
In a series of posts on her platform last week, the 23-year-old revealed that her ‘source’ was convinced that the genetic findings ‘strongly indicate’ that Gerry McCann could, in fact, be her biological father.
With backing from professionals in DNA analysis, Ms. Wandelt shared the initial part of the test results, which reportedly confirmed that she has British and Irish heritage—contradicting previous claims that she was entirely of Polish descent.
This announcement directly challenges the statements made by private investigator Dr. Fia Johansson, who, in 2023, released a different set of DNA results that identified Ms. Wandelt as being fully Polish.
The 23-year-old stated that she had struggled to comprehend those earlier results from two years ago and alleged that Dr. Johansson had been misleading, though the investigator firmly denied any falsehoods.
Meanwhile, the second portion of the DNA analysis was examined by a ‘highly esteemed and globally recognized’ expert, Dr. Monte Miller, and was subsequently shared by Ms. Wandelt.
Dr. Miller, who holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Loma Linda University in California, reviewed the genetic material and provided an update to Ms. Wandelt, who had previously referred to herself as a ‘dreamer’.
In an email sent to the 23-year-old, Dr. Miller stated: ‘To put it simply, the individual in question is not the contributor of the DNA found in the evidence, as their genetic material is not fully present in all locations.
‘However, there is a notable similarity—more than what would typically be expected by mere chance—and a distinct pattern emerges, suggesting a highly probable familial connection.’
The final evaluation of the genetic data led to the most sensational claims in her three-part social media posts. According to Ms. Wandelt, her source identified a ‘perfect match’ between her DNA and samples collected from the site where Madeleine disappeared.
The anonymous source allegedly analyzed ‘hair retrieved from the floor at the crime scene in Portugal’ as well as ‘saliva gathered from the bedding at the location.’
Upon cross-checking, the source asserted that the test results indicated a 69.23% match, implying a potential biological link between Ms. Wandelt and the missing child.
Furthermore, it was claimed that Ms. Wandelt’s DNA could be entirely traced back to her ‘father’s genetic profile’, which was purportedly taken from Gerry McCann’s sample.
The final statement from the analysis concluded: ‘The genetic evidence provides significant support for the possibility that McCann is Julia Wandelt’s biological father, as the results align precisely with a parent-child genetic relationship.
‘If this assessment is accurate and the DNA samples were correctly derived, the connection between McCann and Julia Wandelt is consistent with that of a father and daughter.’
Previously, Ms. Wandelt spoke with BBC disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring, revealing that she had suffered sexual abuse as a child. She explained that she first suspected she might be Madeleine McCann after noticing similarities between police sketches of possible suspects and her abuser.
The 23-year-old claimed that these experiences caused memory lapses, which fueled her suspicions about her upbringing—especially after her parents dismissed her questions regarding whether she was adopted.
Ms. Wandelt also stated that she was never shown childhood photographs or a birth certificate. However, her parents have strongly denied these allegations and presented evidence to refute them.
In a statement, they declared: ‘To us as a family, it is evident that Julia is our daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin, and step-niece. We have memories together, and we have photographs.
‘Julia has access to these pictures as well, as she took them from our family home, along with her birth certificate and multiple hospital discharge documents.
‘We have always tried to understand the challenges Julia has faced. Her threats towards us, her falsehoods and manipulations, and her online activities—we have seen everything. We have attempted to intervene, provide explanations, and pleaded with her to stop.’
Speaking with MailOnline, Ms. Wandelt’s media representative, Surjit Singh Clair, revealed that she wants both her Polish parents and the McCanns to undergo DNA testing, but they have continuously declined.
He stated: ‘Even though there are indications that she shares genetic links with Gerry McCann, neither he nor Kate is willing to take a DNA test.
‘Authorities dismissed the idea of arranging a DNA test after hearing Julia was Polish on the BBC. However, even if she were just “a random Polish citizen,” how could they account for her DNA being present at the crime scene?
‘The investigation has already cost £20 million, yet they are unwilling to spend £60 on a DNA test—even when she has offered to cover the expenses herself.’
According to the Metropolitan Police, the Home Office continues to finance Operation Grange, an investigation initiated on May 12, 2011, to utilize the force’s expertise in solving the Madeleine McCann case.
The Met remains in collaboration with law enforcement in Portugal and Germany as the case continues.
