The possibility that Julia Wendel, 21, is the missing British girl Madeleine McCann has been ruled out by police in Poland.
The officers reportedly told Polish news outlet Gazeta that they ruled out the possibility after the woman’s family denied her claims and said in a statement that they were ‘devastated at this current situation.’
Police said that they are still investigating but they had already concluded that Wendel is not Maddie.
According to the New York Post, Wendel’s family refused to take a DNA test to prove that they are genetically related to her.
But Wendel’s mother told the news outlet that she can prove Wendel is her daughter through a birth certificate and photos.
The young woman has gone viral on social media after she created an Instagram account where she shared photos and videos claiming to be Madeleine, who vanished at the age of 4 when she was on a holiday with her family in Portugal.
Wendel said that her parents avoided any discussions about her childhood. She also claimed that her parents told her she had attended the same primary school the whole time but her teacher told her that it was not true.
In a statement posted on the Polish Missing For Years Facebook page, her family said: “It is obvious to us as a family that Julia is our daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and stepdaughter. We have memories, we have pictures.”
“We always tried to help her get back on her feet,” the statement continued. “Julia has been of age for several years. She moved out of the house. She refuses treatment, does not take medication regularly. She also did not take advantage of the possibility of treatment at a very good center in Poland, which agreed to accept her.”
Wendel’s family also said that Julia had always wanted to become famous and suggested that she had made such claims to gain popularity.
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