Credit: Facebook/Alamy
American Woman Who Claims To Be Madeleine McCann Has DNA ‘Proof’
An American woman has made the extraordinary claim that she is missing British child Madeleine McCann.
Eugenea Collins, from Arkansas, has launched a controversial social media campaign in which she alleges she is the young girl who disappeared while on vacation with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007.
Although Collins insists she has ‘DNA proof’ to back up her theory, both experts and members of the public have largely dismissed her claims.
A theory sparked by a TV appearance
Collins, who has blonde hair and blue eyes, said she first began questioning her identity after watching Polish woman Julia Wandelt on Dr. Phil.
Wandelt previously attracted international attention after claiming she was Madeleine McCann, though those allegations were never substantiated.
According to Collins, seeing Wandelt’s story prompted her to compare herself with age-progression images of Madeleine, leading her to believe there were striking similarities.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Collins said: “If it wasn’t for me seeing her (Wandelt) on the Dr. Phil show, I would’ve never known. In a way, her stupidity actually helped me find my family.
“I saw the age progressions, and it was like I was looking in a mirror. I just know I saw pictures of myself online, and it says I’m missing.”
Collins was born on October 23, 2002, just months before Madeleine, who was born on May 12, 2003.
Why Collins believes she could be Madeleine
As part of her search for answers, Collins took an ancestry DNA test that showed she is 68 percent English and Northwestern European, something she believes strengthens her case.
However, she has admitted that the test did not uncover any direct connection to the McCann family.
Despite her confidence, Collins said she has become frustrated by what she sees as a lack of interest from Arkansas law enforcement.
She also revealed that she attempted to reach out to Operation Grange, the Metropolitan Police unit responsible for investigating Madeleine’s disappearance in the UK.
“I just know that my mom is looking for me, and I have always had this feeling of longing and loneliness my whole life, and I finally figured out why I felt that way,” Collins said.
“Especially after hearing that Julia stalker making her cry, saying she was her daughter. I heard that, and it broke my heart because I’m right here.”
Critics point to major inconsistencies
Collins’ allegations have faced intense scrutiny online, with many social media users highlighting what they view as significant differences between her and Madeleine.
One of the most frequently mentioned discrepancies is the distinctive eye abnormality that Madeleine was known to have, which Collins does not appear to share.
A commenter said: “Not to be rude here, but your eye doesn’t have that defect in it like she does.”
Another added: “The reason I’m not convinced is because I don’t see the same spot on the eye in any photo.”
Responding to the criticism, Collins suggested that some physical differences could be explained by scarring.
“People keep saying something about [my] ears not being a match, but I have scars on mine,” she claimed.
“Never noticed them until they pointed out they were different. I had my boyfriend look at the back of them, and they have scars on them.”
The startling claim involving Madeleine’s prime suspect
Collins has also made an even more sensational allegation involving Christian Brückner, the convicted p***phile who remains the prime suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance.
She claimed that the man she grew up believing was her father, Eugene Collins, bears a striking resemblance to Brückner.
“I saw pictures of the suspect, and he looks like my biological father, or who I’ve been told is my biological father my whole life,” she alleged.
“I never had any relationship with this man whatsoever, and I was always told he was a little off in the head. When I first saw the photos of Christian Brückner, I instantly recognized that man.”
Brückner was officially identified as a suspect in 2020 and has convictions for several unrelated offenses, including child s**ual abuse and drug crimes.
In September 2025, he was released from prison after serving a sentence for the r*** of a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal in 2005.
Collins also criticized Wandelt, who was recently arrested over allegations of harassing the McCann family.
Wandelt appeared on Dr. Phil in 2023 and continued to insist she was Madeleine until DNA testing ultimately disproved her claims.
While Collins remains convinced that she is the missing child, investigators and experts have not accepted her theory, citing a lack of credible evidence to support the allegation.
Related Article: Madeleine McCann Case Hit By Bombshell Update That Could Change Everything
Related Article: Madeleine McCann’s Mom Shares Horror At Finding Note Hotel Staff Wrote
Want more stuff like this?
Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox!
