Woman who believes she is Madeleine McCann submits DNA samples for forensic tests

13 March 2023, 14:46 | Updated: 15 March 2023, 14:34

Julia Wandelt (l) who claims to be Madeline McCann (r) and with Dr Fia Johansson (inset)
Julia Wandelt (l) who claims to be Madeline McCann (r) and with Dr Fia Johansson (inset). Picture: social media/alamy

By StephenRigley

The woman who believes she is Madeleine McCann has submitted DNA samples that she claims could prove whether she is the missing girl.

Last week Julia Wandelt, 21, was taken to California by private detective and self-professed medium Dr Fia Johansson, having received death threats in her native Poland.

She has hit the headlines after claiming to be Madeleine, who vanished while on a family holiday in Portugal in 2007.

Speaking to RadarOnline, Dr Johansson said Julia has sent off three DNA samples for forensic analysis as well as a genetic test to establish her ancestry.

Read More: Woman who thinks she is Madeleine McCann could be American family's 'missing daughter'

"If the results come back that she’s British or from that area then we are going to continue our investigation into Madeleine McCann and communicate with the detectives in Portugal.

"We have a lot of evidence right now that shows Julia was definitely trafficked to Poland."

Julia's family in Poland have denied her claims.

Julia Wandelt with Fia Johansson
Julia Wandelt with Fia Johansson. Picture: social media
Kate and Gerry McCann with an age progression image of Madeleine five years after she went missing
Kate and Gerry McCann with an age progression image of Madeleine five years after she went missing. Picture: Alamy

Madeleine was nearly four, when she went missing from her family's apartment on holiday in Portugal on May 3, 2007.

Julia says she believes she could be Madeleine because she says she was sexually abused by a man she believes was a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case.

She also points out she has moles in similar positions to Madeleine's and a marking in her eye, similar to Madeleine's coloboma which means her pupil is a different shape.

Julia's family in Poland spoke out to deny the claims saying they're "devastated" but Dr Johansson hit back urging them to take the DNA test to solve any mystery about the young woman's parentage once and for all.

Dr Johansson - also known as the Persian Medium - says she has worked with law enforcement on cases around the world after realising she had psychic "gifts" as a child.