A woman facing accusations of stalking the family of Madeleine McCann has expressed uncertainty about whether she is the missing daughter. Julia Wandelt, a 24-year-old Polish national, has reportedly asserted that she could be Madeleine, who disappeared during a vacation in Portugal in 2007. Wandelt, from Lubin in Poland, is accused of perpetuating the belief that she is Madeleine by sending emails, making phone calls, and showing up at the McCanns’ residence.
During questioning at Leicester Crown Court, prosecutor Michael Duck KC asked Wandelt if she still believes she could be Madeleine McCann. Wandelt responded by stating that she is undecided and would like to see conclusive documentation to confirm her identity. When pressed further, she reiterated her uncertainty, describing her stance as being “in between.”
Wandelt emotionally expressed a desire for an investigation into her own disappearance and the reasons for her current situation. She indicated that if provided with comprehensive paperwork disproving her identity as Madeleine, she would walk away from the situation.
Addressing a letter she sent to Mrs. McCann, which was signed as “Madeleine,” Wandelt explained that she did not apologize for causing distress as she did not acknowledge herself as the source of that distress. She also defended her actions at the McCanns’ home in 2024, stating that she did not find it intimidating as she would expect a missing child’s parent to engage with someone claiming to be their lost child.
Julia Wandelt, along with co-accused Karen Spragg from Cardiff, is currently on trial for allegedly stalking the McCann family for over two years while asserting she is Madeleine. Spragg faces one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress for her purported actions towards the McCanns. The trial is ongoing.