In 2007, the world was stunned when 3-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared from a holiday apartment in Portugal. Despite worldwide media coverage and an ongoing investigation, her whereabouts remain unknown. However, recent developments have once again sparked interest in the case, as a Polish woman has come forward claiming to be the missing child. This has led to a new flurry of investigation and debate over the veracity of her claims. In this article, we will delve into the latest developments in this puzzling and heartbreaking case.
Police in California have launched an investigation into claims made by a Polish woman in relation to the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann. The woman, Julia Wendell, gained global attention when she claimed she was the missing child after displaying marks on her body that she said matched those of Madeleine. Police have seized a mobile phone as part of the inquiry, after the Orange County Sheriff’s Department contacted Wroclaw police to inform them they had obtained a device belonging to Wendell. Last month, private investigator Dr. Fia Johansson brought Wendell to California from Poland after she received death threats. Since discovering she is 100% Polish, Wendell has stated her intentions to take a second DNA test in Poland, questioning the samples submitted by Johansson in California.
The story began when Wendell took to Instagram last year to proclaim herself as Madeleine McCann, and quickly gained over one million followers. Last month, she apologised to the missing girl’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, claiming that it was “a possibility that I could be Madeleine”. In a statement, Wendell said that “it wasn’t my intention to bring sadness or any other negative emotion to anyone, especially to McCann’s family”. Despite this, she expressed her disappointment at the results of the tests carried out in California, which indicated that she was not Madeleine.
A representative for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the agency’s involvement in the case, but provided no additional details. A department spokesman, Sgt. Mike Woodroof, stated that the police were allowing the investigation to develop: “Our investigation is taking a deep look into it, and we’re going to let them [the Wroclaw police] do their investigative duties”.
Wendell’s case has attracted interest around the world, with her Instagram account receiving over one million followers. However, she has since deactivated the account.
