The woman who claimed she was missing British girl Madeleine McCann has apologised to Kate and Gerry and explained why the post that made her story famous across the world was due to an error.
Julia Wendell, 21 from Poland, sent the internet into a frenzy after creating an Instagram account called "@IamMadeleineMcCann" where she questioned whether she could be Madeleine - who went missing from her parent's holiday apartment in 2007 when she was just three years old.
On her page she was asking for help in obtaining a DNA test which would prove one way or another whether she was the missing child.
After her blood was checked, it was confirmed that she was no relation to Maddie - due to her not having English roots.
In a statement on her Instagram today, she wrote: "It wasn't my intention to bring sadness or any other negative emotion to anyone, especially to McCann's family."
The comments were part of a 17-page statement she also claimed never to have been Maddie - rather that she had only questioned if she was.
She wrote: "I don't remember most of my memories, but I can remember some things and I never said that I am Madeleine McCann.
"I used this sentence to create a nickname for my old Instagram account, it was my mistake and I know it and I apologise for that because I should use words 'Am I Madeleine McCann?' not 'I Am'. So, it was my fault.
"My main purpose was always to find out who I am and what exactly happened in my very hurtful past."
However, Wendell said there is still a chance of her being the missing child, despite the DNA to prove otherwise.
She said: "I still believe that it's a possibility that I could be Madeleine."
Her initial suspicions were due to a number of key identifying features in her eye and on her leg.
After her claims went viral, a self-professed psychic investigator called Dr Fia Johansson involved herself in the case as Julia's spokesperson.
The pair have now fallen out in a very public Instagram battle.
Julia alleges that the 40-year-old was simply using her to grow her own following and to attract more business as a psychic "private investigator".
Julia - who Dr Fia took to the US for her "safety" - has opted instead to return to her hometown in Poland to stay with her father after being told she was "100% Polish" in her DNA results.
Now from a new account called "Am I Julia Wendalt", using a different version of her surname she is known to use, she gave a long update about her relations with the doctor.
She alleged: “When I first met Fia for the first time I thought she wanted to help me.
“Now I know she wants only new followers, new clients."
