Police in California have seized a cell phone related to a case involving the Polish woman who claimed to be missing toddler Madeleine McCann, officials said.
Speaking to The Post on Tuesday morning, Sgt. Mike Woodroof of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that a cell phone tied to Julia Faustyna’s case was recently recovered, but declined to give further details.
Self-proclaimed psychic detective Dr. Fia Johansson, who brought Faustyna, 21, to California last month following a spate of death threats, previously told RadarOnline that the device was voluntarily handed over to investigators during a search and seizure.
It’s unclear what the nature of the investigation is.
Faustyna – also known as Julia Wendell – made headlines earlier this year when she posted on social media claiming to be Madeleine McCann, a British toddler who disappeared on vacation in Portugal in May 2007.
In addition to sharing childhood photos and theories under the handle @IAmMadeleineMcCann, Faustyna doubled down on her allegations during an appearance on “Dr. Phil.”
In early April, however, a DNA test reportedly proved that Faustyna was not the missing girl.
Julia Faustyna made headlines when she claimed to be Madeleine McCann.
Madeleine McCann, 3, vanished in Portugal in 2007. AP
Julia Faustyna reportedly went to California with investigator Dr. Fia Johansson, left.
“She is absolutely 100 percent from Poland,” Johansson told RaderOnline at the time.
Faustyna – who previously batted down her parents’ claims that she stole her own birth certificate and childhood pictures – subsequently apologized to Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann.
“It wasn’t my intention to bring sadness or any other negative emotion to anyone, especially to McCann’s family,” she wrote in the 17-page statement.
Faustyna doubled down on her claims on “Dr. Phil.” Dr. Phil“My main purpose was always to find out who I am and what exactly happened in my very hurtful past.”
She also slammed Johansson, who she said did not give her all the documents related to the test results and was “trying to scare [her.]”
In an interview with the UK’s Mirror, Johansson fired back that Faustyna was “immature,” “vulnerable,” and dealing with a myriad of mental health issues.
Kate and Gerry McCann have not commented on the DNA results. POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Investigators have named a German sex offender as a suspect in McCann’s disappearence. Rainer Droese/SIPA/Shutterstock
Madeleine McCann has not been seen since May 3, 2007. Getty ImagesMeanwhile, a spokesperson for Kate and Gerry McCann declined to comment on the DNA results.
The couple – who is also parents to a set of twins – were thrust into the spotlight when their three-year-old daughter vanished from their vacation apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal on the night of May 3, 2007.
After years of intense media scrutiny, the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance was closed by the London police in March 2022. One month later, German sex offender Christian Brueckner was declared a suspect in the case.
Although he has not been formally charged in the McCann investigation, Brueckner is already in prison on charges related to a string of sex crimes against adults and children that he allegedly committed in Portugal.
