A Polish woman named Julia Wendell has gone viral after sensationally claiming that she is Madeleine McCann, the missing British girl who vanished from a holiday resort in Portugal in 2007, aged three.
The case, which captured the attention of the world, has never been solved, and there remain any number of theories as to what actually happened.
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.
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The case saw a dramatic revival after the naming of German prisoner Christian Brueckner as a potential suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance in 2020, and the subsequent confirmation in 2022.
As per reports, Brueckner is a prolific burglar with previous convictions for sex crimes against young girls. At the time of writing, he is in prison for the rape of a 72-year-old woman, and has been further charged with multiple sex offenses alleged to have taken place between 2000 and 2007.
Now, though, there’s been a new twist in the tale as a 21-year-old Polish woman, Julia Wendell, has surfaced with assertions that she is the Madeleine.
Wendell has sought to support her claim with pieces of “evidence” posted on social media, including side-by-side comparisons of physical characteristics she shares with Madeleine.
At the weekend, Wendell created an Instagram account named “Help me, I need to talk with Kate and Gerry McCann” – the username is “iammadeleinemccan”.
Not only does Wendell outline how she shares certain physical similarities with the missing Madeleine – such as the famous rare eye defect and other facial features – but she also says she remembers little to nothing of her childhood.
In statements made to the Daily Star, Wendell said:
“I have lived a very hard life and suffered a lot of trauma, my abuser was a German paedophile who was a suspect in the Madeleine McCann investigation,” she said.
“I had not heard of this case until I started asking my parents questions about my childhood as I have little to no memory of it. The memories are all very blurry and when I have had conversations with my parents, things don’t seem to add up and they always try to change the subject.”
And yes, the abuser she is referencing is thought to be the aforementioned Christian Bruckner.
As per the latest reports, Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry are willing to follow up on the lead and may well choose to take up Julia on her offer of performing a DNA test.
Via her Instagram page, Julia confirmed: “Thank you for support! Kate and Gerry McCann agreed for DNA test!”
The 21-year-old has also revealed how her own family have turned their backs on her and said she is “horrible” for giving false hope to the McCanns.
I don’t know about you, but I hope the McCanns can get some measure of peace soon.
Do you think that this young woman might be Madeleine? Let us know in the comments.
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