Woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann’s final message for missing girl’s parents

Julia's issued a 17-page statement

Julia Wendell, who is also known by the names Julia Faustyna and Julia Wandelt, also explained that the post that made her story go viral around the world was due to an error.

The 21-year-old first went viral in February after sharing what she claimed as “evidence” on Instagram that she is the girl who went missing in Praia da Luz in 2007. The evidence included some freckles on her leg, an eye defect, and missing pages from her medical records. Julia, who would be two years older than Madeleine who would turn 19 next month, hasn’t stopped making headlines since, despite Polish police disputing her claims and her parents saying she is unwell. She recently told her story to Dr Phil.

Julia unleashed a frenzy of media reports after posting from an account called, @IamMadeleineMcCann, and calling for help to secure DNA proof that she was Madeleine. Those tests were finally revealed last week and showed she was not Madeleine, rather she was largely Polish, with some Lithuanian and Russian heritage. She had disputed that, and fallen out with the private investigator, Dr Fia Johannson, that helped her obtain them.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Instagram on Wednesday, Julia tried to explain how her quest to find out her true identity went wrong.

"It wasn't my intention to bring sadness or any other negative emotion to anyone, especially to McCann's family."

The Mirror noted that Julia's latest remarks were part of a 17-page statement where she also claimed never to have been Madeleine, only that she might be.

"I don't remember most of my memories, but I can remember some things and I never said that I am Madeleine McCann," she wrote.

"I used this sentence to create a nickname for my old Instagram account, it was my mistake and I know it and I apologise for that because I should use words 'Am I Madeleine McCann?' not 'I Am'. So, it was my fault."

Julia went on the say her "main purpose" was always to work out what happened to her during a very "hurtful past".

However, she then went on to say there is still a chance she is Madeleine, despite DNA proving otherwise.

"I still believe that it's a possibility that I could be Madeleine," she said.

Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry have not responded to Julia's apology or her claims.

Meanwhile, Julia has launched a GoFundMe page to help her "help myself" now that she is back in Poland with her boyfriend and cat, Monte. At the time of writing €631.00 (£556) had been raised.

Related links:

• Woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann now asks ‘am I Julia’ after DNA test shows she isn’t missing Brit
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• Woman who claims she is Madeleine McCann tells Dr Phil exactly what she will do to prove it
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