The horrified family of a woman who convinced herself she’s missing girl Madeleine McCann has spoken out about their refusal to do a DNA test. Buckle up guys, this is a wild ride.
By now you’ve probably come across Julia Faustyna (also referred to as Julia Wendell and Julia Wandelt online), a 21-year-old Polish woman who went viral after she claimed to be Madeleine McCann, the little girl who vanished from a Portuguese holiday resort in 2007. If Madeleine was still alive today, she would be 19.
Julia posted a series of photos and videos online which compare her own looks to the little girl. They’re both blonde and have the same eye defect, but the resemblance ends there (to me, at least).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cou2m5Dt7vs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Julia also claimed her family wasn’t able to provide her evidence that she was theirs, so she demanded a DNA test. She claimed Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine’s parents, agreed to one but her parents wouldn’t.
Julia’s family, obviously distraught, have now come forward and broken their silence on her insistence that she is Maddie.
“For us as a family it is obvious that Julia is our daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and step niece,” the family said in a statement issued to a Polish missing persons website, per news.com.au.
“We have memories, we have pictures. Julia also has these photos, because she took them from the family home with the birth certificate, as well as numerous hospital discharges.”
They then claimed Julia had always wanted to be famous and accused her of chasing clout.
“Julia once wanted to be a singer, a model. She always wanted to be popular,” the family said.
“Now is she has got 1 million followers. The internet won’t forget, and it’s obvious that Julia isn’t Maddie. We are devastated at this current situation.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CowbtCMtq7s/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Julia hired psychic medium and private investigator Dr Fia Johannson to be her representative, who spoke to the media about a lawsuit the two are now considering filing against Julia’s parents.
“When I’m talking to her … she’s crying and saying, ‘I just need to understand the truth, all I want is for my mum and dad to do the DNA test with me’,” Dr Johansson told 7 News.
“But basically her father said, ‘No, we are not going to’
“If they are not going to do it [of their own] free will, then we have to go to court.”
Admittedly, I don’t know why they won’t just do it to end this mess right now.
Dr Johannson also told The Sun that they didn’t want to hassle Kate and Gerry McCann for a DNA test yet (the couple had reportedly refused one) because they wanted to do one with Julia’s mother first. If that came back clear, there would be no need to figure out who Julia’s real family is. Which is pretty strange given Julia’s Instagram bio claims the McCanns have already agreed to one.
“I have been personally talking to Julia’s mother and told her we will make her safe and secure in any way she needs but she is still refusing to take the test,” she said.
“She claims she has Julia’s birth certificate but our worry is that you can easily forge this.”
London Metropolitan Police and the Find Madeleine campaign have both refused to acknowledge Julia’s claims, suggesting her case isn’t being treated seriously.
Madeleine McCann went missing from her bed in a resort in Portuguese town Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007. Her parents were having tapas at a restaurant just metres away from their rooms.
While police have investigated multiple suspects in relation to the McCann disappearance, no charges have been laid for this case specifically.
