IS THIS MADELEINE MCCANN?
DNA evidence could finally reveal the truth
APolish woman is shockingly claiming to be missing English girl Madeleine Mccann, 16 years after the three-year-old disappeared from a Portuguese holiday apartment.
“I think I can be Madeleine,” Julia Faustyna, 21, posted on social media, alongside a series of annotated pictures to provide “proof” of the similarities between her and Madeleine.
“I have a defect in my eye, in the same eye,” she explains, referring to the distinctive marking in Madeleine’s right eye.
But Francisco Marco, an investigator once hired by the Mccanns, has doubts. “Without knowing the details in depth, it doesn’t add up to me. I don’t think it’s her,” he told El Independiente.
Sexual abuse survivor Julia believes discrepancies in her childhood memories could be explained by her being the missing child. She says the toddler’s parents, Gerry and Kate Mccann, have agreed to a DNA test. However, The Sun newspaper quotes a source who says these claims will only cause “unnecessary pain” to Madeleine’s mum and dad.
Julia's own family have reportedly shunned her and denied their daughter’s request to also do a DNA test. A Facebook post apparently issued by them last week made clear their concern at Julia’s claims, writing, “We are devastated at this current situation,” and alluding to her having mental health challenges and that she “refuses treatment”.
None of this has stopped Julia’s now more than one million followers on social media being caught up in what would be a miraculous conclusion to one of the world’s most famous missing persons cases.
Madeleine, who would be 20 in May, vanished on the evening of May 3, 2007, from an apartment in Praia da Luz while her parents were at a nearby restaurant.
After multiple investigations and inquiries, British police concluded Madeleine was probably the victim of a planned abduction or disturbed burglary.
Most recently, jailed German paedophile Christian Brueckner has been under suspicion, although he continues to deny the accusations and hasn’t been charged.
The Mccanns still hold out hope that Madeleine might be found alive. Last year, on the 15th anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance, Gerry and Kate issued a moving statement thanking investigators and supporters.
“It’s a huge comfort to know that regardless of time passed, Madeleine is still in people’s hearts and minds,” they said.