Madeleine McCann: Family of woman claiming to be missing Brit 'devastated'

The family of a woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann have shared their heartbreak as they speak out to say they are “devastated”.

Julia Wandelt has gone viral online after claiming to be Maddie, who disappeared on a holiday in Portugal in May 2007.

Her family says they have proof that she is not Maddie and revealed that she has moved out of their home after refusing treatment for mental health issues.

Polish missing persons organisation, Missing Years Ago have released a statement on behalf of the family.

Julia's family she started to believe she was Madeleine McCann 'a few months ago'
@iammadeleinemccan

It reads: "For us as a family it is obvious that Julia is our daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and step niece. We have memories, we have pictures.

"Julia also has these photos, because she took them from the family home with the birth certificate, as well as numerous hospital discharges.

"We always tried to understand all situations that happened with Julia. Numerous therapies, medicines, psychologists and psychiatrists - Julia had it all guaranteed. She wasn't left alone.

“Threats to our address from Julia, her lies and manipulations, activity on the internet. We've seen it all and we've tried to prevent it, to explain, we've asked her to stop.

"Julia once wanted to be a singer, a model. She always wanted to be popular. What's happening now she got one million followers.

"We're afraid Julia will carry the inevitable. The internet won't forget, and it's obvious that Julia isn't Maddie.

"We are devastated at this current situation."

According to her family, Wandelt began to believe she was Maddie "a few months ago" after hearing "something" from her grandma.

Madeleine McCann went missing on holiday in Portugal in 2007
John Stillwell

The 21-year-old says she doesn’t remember large parts of her childhood but that she was abused by a German paedophile who was once a suspect in Maddie’s disappearance.

Wandelt has created an account on Instagram named @iammadeleinemcann to share her claims.

She also says that Maddie’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann had asked her to take a DNA test.

Madeleine, then three, vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3 2007.