A Polish woman became an internet sensation when she claimed she was the missing Madeleine McCann – despite her own parents labeling her claims as “lies and manipulation.”
Julia Wendell, 21, has even appeared on the US show Dr Phil, where she said she began to suspect she was the missing British girl in June last year, without providing any evidence to back up her claims.
Wendell says she submitted DNA tests – the results of which have not yet come back – after claiming she was Madeleine.
She has provided no evidence to support her claims, with even her own parents from Poland saying Wendell fabricated the claims and that “it’s clear she’s not Madeleine.”
Madeleine, then 3, disappeared during a family vacation to Praia da Luz in Portugal in 2007, which would now make her about 19, two years younger than Wendell — another reason to dismiss her unsubstantiated claims.
Here MailOnline takes a look at who Julia Wendell is and her baseless claims.
Julia Wendell, 21, has even appeared on the US show Dr Phil, where she said she began to suspect she was the missing British girl in June last year, without providing any evidence to back up her claims.
Madeleine, then 3, (pictured) disappeared on a family holiday to Praia da Luz in Portugal in 2007, which would now make her about 19, two years younger than Wendell — another reason to dismiss her unsubstantiated claims
Who is Julie Wendall?
Julie Wendall, 21, is an aspiring musician and model who has claimed on Instagram that she is Madeleine McCann.
Wendall hasn’t spoken much about her personal life, but she has claimed she had a boyfriend who “wants to leave me because of this case.”
She has also claimed that she has been attending school sporadically.
Wendall claims she cannot remember large parts of her childhood and is unsure of her age because she has not seen her birth certificate – a claim strongly refuted by her Polish parents.
“I don’t remember most of my childhood, but my earliest memory is very strong and it’s about holidays in a warm place with a beach and white or very light-colored buildings with apartments,” she said. “I don’t see my family in this memory.”
What are her claims?
Wendall has appeared on Dr Phil in the US and repeated her claims that she is Madeleine.
She claims she began to suspect she was the missing British girl in June last year, without providing any evidence to support her claims.
Wendall insisted, “I believe I’m Madeleine McCann,” as Dr. Phil questioned her about her nonexistent evidence, including no DNA evidence.
Dr. Phil showed Wendell side-by-side photos of her and Madeleine, which the Polish woman had used to promote her theory on social media.
Wendell claimed she had many similarities to the missing Madeleine, and that the rare eye defect she reportedly shares with Madeleine had “faded” after Dr. Phil questioned her about it.
She said she also had a similar smile and dimple with the missing girl.
Wendall (pictured) claims she began to suspect she was the missing British girl in June last year, without providing any evidence to support her claims
Wendell claims her mother would always change the subject when Wendell brought up her birth and “wouldn’t show me any evidence.”
She also claimed that no photos of her early years or a birth certificate were ever shown to her, and that her Polish health pass used to track health-related items such as vaccinations had six blank pages in the beginning. This has been denied by Wendall’s Polish parents.
Dr. Phil said to her, “She [Wendell’s mother] says she went to the hospital and gave birth to you,” to which the 21-year-old replied: “She said yes.
“When I asked her for DNA before this whole situation, when I asked her for some photos from her pregnancy, some photos from her childhood…she refused.”
She was asked why she had not sent her DNA samples to the police – since her parentage could be verified once and for all with the test.
Wendell claimed she tried to contact the British and Polish embassies when she first thought she could be Madeleine, but no one would listen to her. She insists she would take any test necessary to prove her claims.
A private investigator involved in Madeleine’s case has said Wendall’s claims are “not true.”
“Without knowing the details thoroughly, it doesn’t make sense to me,” detective Francisco Marco told the Spanish newspaper El Independiente. “I don’t think it’s her.”
Who is Doctor Fia Johansson?
Wendall is assisted by Dr. Fia Johansson, a private investigator and psychic medium, when submitting DNA samples.
Dr. Johansson, 40, who moved Wendell from Poland to the United States after receiving death threats, said: “If it turns out she is British or from that area, then we will continue our investigation into Madeleine McCann and communicate with the detectives in Portugal.’
The psychic medium alleged that Wendall was trafficked from Poland from another country by an international sex group, without providing any evidence.
“We are still conducting an investigation, but Julia is definitely not the biological daughter of her parents in Poland,” Dr. Johansson without evidence.
Dr. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Johansson described himself on Instagram as a Doctor of Psychology and Human Behavior.
Wendall (right) is assisted by Dr. Fia Johansson (left), a private investigator and psychic medium, at the submission of DNA samples
What did Julie Wendall’s family say?
While Wendall has claimed that she is Madeleine and that she was never given any photos of herself or a birth certificate in her early years, her Polish parents have been quick to disprove these claims — and provide evidence.
Her parents said in a statement: “For us as a family, it goes without saying that Julia is our daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, niece and stepniece. We have memories, we have pictures.
“Julia has these photos too, because she took them from the family home with the birth certificate, as well as numerous hospital discharges.
We always tried to understand all the situations that happened with Julia. Julia’s threats to us, her lies and manipulations, activities on the Internet… we’ve seen it all and we’ve tried to prevent it, explain it, we’ve asked her to stop.’
They added: We always tried to get her back on her feet. Julia has been of age for several years. She left the house.
“She is refusing treatment, not taking regular medication. She also did not take the opportunity to be treated in a very good center in Poland, which agreed to accept her.’
They explained that they had offered to provide Wendall with therapists, medicines and support over the years, adding, “Julia wanted to be a singer one day, a model. She always wanted to be popular. What is happening now is she [has] 1 million followers.
The internet won’t forget, and it’s clear that Julia isn’t Maddie. We are devastated by this current situation.’