A court has heard that a Polish woman, accused of stalking Madeleine McCann, turned to ChatGPT seeking answers about her potential connection to the missing three-year-old. During the trial at Leicester Crown Court, it was revealed that 24-year-old Julia Wandelt engaged with the AI chatbot, which suggested a “possibility” of her being Madeleine based on DNA comparisons but emphasized the need for further evidence to confirm any link.
Wandelt reportedly requested the chatbot to analyze her DNA against a sample from the location where Madeleine disappeared in Portugal. However, forensic analysis indicated that the DNA did not match that of Gerry McCann, the father of the missing child, debunking any paternal relationship claims.
Prosecution barrister Michael Duck KC presented interactions between Wandelt and the chatbot, where she questioned if she could be Madeleine McCann. Wandelt allegedly perpetuated the myth of being the missing girl while stalking Mr. McCann and his wife between June 2022 and February this year.
Further scrutiny of the DNA evidence by a DNA expert, Rosalyn Hammond, supported the conclusion that Wandelt is not biologically related to the individual linked to the floor DNA profile. The expert clarified that the DNA profile did not align with Gerry McCann’s profile.
The court also heard that Wandelt had contacted a missing persons charity claiming to be different missing individuals, including a girl from Germany named Inga Gehricke and another named Acacia Bishop. However, investigations led to the dismissal of these claims as there were no substantial resemblances or evidence to support her assertions.
The trial involving Wandelt and her co-defendant, Karen Spragg, who both deny the charge of stalking, is ongoing at Leicester Crown Court.