A woman who insisted she was the missing Madeleine McCann has shared the reasons that led her to believe she was the missing British girl.
It has been 18 years since Madeleine, then three years old, disappeared from a holiday apartment complex in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were dining with friends at the complex while Madeleine and her younger twin siblings stayed in the apartment. During a check on the children, Kate discovered that Madeleine was missing.
The case triggered a broad police investigation across Europe, which remains unresolved.
Julia Wandelt, who stated she was Madeleine, was taken into custody in February 2025, accused of stalking the McCann family—an allegation she denies.
On Monday, October 27, Wandelt appeared at Leicester Crown Court in the UK to answer questions during her trial.
The 24-year-old, originally from Poland, recounted how she became aware of Madeleine in June 2022 while hospitalized.
She uncovered records about the missing child through online missing persons databases and became involved in Facebook groups focused on Madeleine McCann, according to Sky News.
“There were a lot of people talking about a lot of theories,” Wandelt stated in court, noting that she found clues in these social media groups that led her to think she was the missing girl.
During the court session on Monday, Wandelt also expressed doubts about being her parents’ biological child.
When asked to elaborate, Wandelt responded: “My mother has natural brown hair and brown eyes. My father has dark hair, now they are grey, but he had dark hair and brown eyes as well.”
A DNA test conducted earlier this year determined that Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell testified in court on October 14, stating, “It conclusively proved that Julia Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann.”
Further updates will follow.