The parents of a Polish woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann have fled their home and gone into hiding after their daughter was arrested at Bristol airport for stalking the McCann family.
Julia Wandelt, 24, appeared in court yesterday following her arrest on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm and distress to Kate and Gerry McCann and their two other children.
Dorota Wandelt-Cholewinski, who owns a fashion boutique, and her husband Piotr Cholewinski have been forced to leave their home in Wroclaw, southern Poland, due to mounting public attention.
The couple are reportedly "at their wits' end" over their daughter's actions.
The couple are reportedly "at their wits' end" over their daughter's actions
Instagram @iammadeleinemccann
A source close to the couple told The Daily Mail: "This has been going on for almost two years and every time the daughter gets publicity around the world her parents' distress deepens."
"I last saw Dorota a few days ago and she just said 'It's happening again, we have to go' and that was it. I know that the last time all this happened they had weird messages and even death threats," the source added.
Staff at Dorota's shops would only confirm she had "gone away for a few days" due to the publicity surrounding Julia.
Another family friend said: "Dorota is just beside herself with anxiety, she can't believe how this has snowballed."
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Julia claims she cannot remember most of her childhood, except for memories of holidays in a hot place with a beach and light-coloured apartment buildings.
She appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court yesterday, where it was alleged she visited the McCann's home in Rothley twice, on 2 May and 7 December.
The court heard she sent WhatsApp messages to Kate and Gerry McCann and Instagram messages to Madeleine's siblings.
Records at a Wroclaw registry office confirm Julia's birth certificate matches the details she provided to the court.
The real Madeleine McCann vanished aged three from an Algarve holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007.
Julia was raised in a wealthy suburb of Wroclaw after her mother split from her biological father, who moved to Germany.
Her mother Dorota, a successful businesswoman running a chain of clothes shops, provided Julia with a private school education alongside her stepfather Piotr, who works in finance.
A former school friend revealed Julia had previously claimed Dorota wasn't her mother, saying she was a missing Polish child.
The real Madeleine McCann vanished aged three from an Algarve holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007
PA
The Polish charity Zaginieni przed Laty disclosed that Julia had also contacted them claiming to be missing German schoolgirl Inga Gehricke and American toddler Acacia Bishop.
"For Julia's family she is a much-loved daughter, sister, niece, cousin and granddaughter," the charity said.
Julia was remanded in custody until 7 April when she will appear at Leicester Crown Court.
Court documents allege she continued to visit the McCann family home between 3 January 2024 and 15 February 2025.
"Julia is not well and Dorata just wants her to get the help she needs," said a family friend, "Dorota loves her daughter with all her heart even after all this and she just wants her daughter to get treatment as quickly as possible."
The family's friends insist nothing in Julia's upbringing explains her behaviour, describing her as increasingly "mixed up" as she went through school.
