Julia Wandelt, originally from Lubin in south-west Poland, has been found guilty of stalking Madeleine McCann’s family. Madeleine, who went missing in 2007, is a major figure ever since this case became national news. Wandelt led a long campaign for months—trying to persuade anyone who would listen that she was, in fact, the lost girl. She hosted regular live streams, made daily phone calls and text messages. On top of that, she even appeared at the McCann family’s home in England.
Last December, Wandelt chased down Kate and Gerry McCann and accosted them in their own driveway. She unsuccessfully begged for a DNA test to back up her allegations. Her strange antics were the result of her assertions that hypnosis had restored memories of having been abducted. She claimed that she had lived with the McCann family as a young girl. In her own words, Wandelt said she was “50/50” about her identity, switching back and forth between faith and doubt on her claims.
Hoping to make that personal connection, Wandelt mailed a letter to Kate McCann, greeting her as “mum.” Last April, she called and texted the McCann family over 60 times in a single day. Even if the metrics were satisfactory, the sheer volume of her outreach was overwhelming. These repeated contacts with the family turned into harassment, which eventually resulted in legal actions against them.
The court ruled Wandelt guilty of stalking the McCanns from June 2022 to February this year. After this guilty verdict was announced, Wandelt, it was reported, placed her hands to her face in horror. She had maintained throughout the trial that she genuinely believed she was Madeleine McCann, stating, “I do believe I’m her. I do remember them, but I’m exhausted, I’m completely exhausted with all of this.”
After her conviction, Wandelt was sentenced to six months in prison. But she has since served the entirety of her sentence. Now, she is dealing with even greater repercussions as she now has an order of deportation. To that end, her recent actions raise numerous questions about her motivations. Everyone is worried about the toll this will take on the grieving McCann family, as well.
The case has received national attention for its strange facts. The lingering consequences have taken an emotional toll on the McCann family. They have suffered through years of rampant speculation, media circus and public intrusion into the private lives involving their daughter’s disappearance. Wandelt’s actions have reignited discussions about the importance of sensitivity when it comes to victims’ families in high-profile cases.