The family of a woman who has made repeated claims that she is missing toddler Madeleine McCann have broken their silence on the matter, denying their daughter’s assertions.
Polish woman Julia Faustyna has garnered worldwide attention after sharing pictures and memories from her childhood to support her belief that she is the missing child, adding to the intrigue surrounding Madeleine’s fate.
In a recent post to Facebook, Faustyna claimed, “I think I can be Madeleine.”
“I don’t remember my childhood practically at all, but I do have a few memories,” she said.
“The earliest of these are vacations – I remember baby turtles (turtles hatch in May/June just from what I’ve read) and white apartment blocks, a bar where there was a performance by some ladies in costumes (folk costumes, I think, I don’t know), but I completely don’t recall my mother being there, for example, or my stepfather, much less my dad.”
She has also made reference to the physical similarities she shares with Madeleine, including a defect in her eye.
Despite Faustyna’s belief that she is the missing toddler, her family has refuted her claims in a statement issued to the Polish missing person’s organisation, Missing Years Ago.
“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,” the statement read.
“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.
“We always tried to help her get back on her feet. Julia has been of age for several years. She has moved out of the house (she) refuses treatment, doesn’t take medicines regularly. She also did not take advantage of the treatment opportunity at a very good center in Poland, which agreed to accept her.
“Julia once wanted to be a singer, a model. She always wanted to be popular. What’s happening now she got 1 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. At the same time, we would like to announce that we will not do interviews, publish any photos, comment on articles. Please direct any questions or concerns to the Spokesperson of the Provincial Police Command in Wrocław, who is conducting proceedings in Julia’s case and to whom we have provided all the necessary evidence in this case.”
In addition to Faustyna’s family and the many who have taken to social media to invalidate her claims, a private investigator who was hired by Madeleine’s parents to look into their daughter’s disappearance has also broken his silence on the matter.
“Without knowing the details in depth, it doesn’t add up to me. I don’t think it’s her,” he recently told the Spanish newspaper El Independiente.
In 2007, while on vacation with her parents in Portugal, three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from her bed at a resort, sparking a worldwide search. Despite extensive investigations, her whereabouts remain unknown.