Woman Arrested After Claiming to be Madeleine McCann and STALKING Parents

A Polish woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann has been arrested at Bristol Airport on suspicion of stalking and harassing the missing girl’s parents.

At a Glance

  • Julia Wandelt, 23, was arrested at Bristol Airport for allegedly stalking Madeleine McCann’s parents
  • Wandelt gained attention by claiming on social media to be the missing British girl
  • DNA tests disproved her claims, showing Polish, Lithuanian, and Romanian ancestry
  • Despite evidence, Wandelt continues to assert a connection to the McCanns
  • The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation by Leicestershire police

Arrest at Bristol Airport

Julia Wandelt, a 23-year-old Polish woman who gained international attention for claiming to be famous missing girl Madeleine McCann, has been arrested at Bristol Airport. Britain’s Leicestershire police confirmed that Wandelt, along with a 60-year-old woman from Wales, was taken into custody on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

The arrest comes after months of controversy surrounding Wandelt’s claims and her persistent attempts to contact the McCann family. Wandelt’s media representative, Surjit Singh Clair, expressed surprise at the arrest, stating that they were simply traveling to Cardiff where Wandelt’s friend resided.

Wandelt’s claim to be Madeleine McCann, who disappeared from a Portuguese resort in 2007, initially gained traction through a viral social media campaign. However, DNA tests conducted in April 2023 contradicted her assertions, revealing her ancestry to be Polish, Lithuanian, and Romanian.

She’s definitely lying – and now stalking the people she says she believes are her parents.

“Since my parents in Poland and Kate and Gerry McCann have refused to take a DNA test, my DNA results were submitted to a world expert who compared them to the DNA found at the Madeleine McCann crime scene in Portugal,” Julia Wandelt wrote on Feb. 10.

Despite the scientific evidence, Wandelt has continued to push for further DNA testing, claiming new results indicate British and Irish heritage. She has used social media platforms to share comparisons of physical features and voice samples, insisting on a connection to the missing child.

The arrest of Wandelt and her companion is part of an ongoing investigation by Leicestershire police. A spokesperson for the force stated, “Last night, two women were arrested at Bristol Airport as part of an ongoing investigation. A 23-year-old woman from Poland and a 60-year-old woman from Wales were arrested on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm/distress. They both remain in custody and enquiries are continuing.”

Wandelt’s lawyer, David Wells, has confirmed his representation but has not provided further comment on the case. The situation raises questions about the ethical implications of identity claims and the potential legal consequences of persistent pursuit of such claims, especially when they involve high-profile missing persons cases.

The McCann family has consistently dismissed Wandelt’s claims and has refused to participate in any DNA testing with her. The arrest highlights the ongoing emotional toll that false claims and public attention can have on families of missing children.

There are some real strange people out there…

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