A woman from Arkansas has sparked international attention after publicly insisting she is Madeleine McCann—the British toddler who disappeared in Portugal in 2007. Eugenea Collins launched her claim on social media, saying she has “DNA proof,” though specialists and the wider public have overwhelmingly dismissed her assertions.

Collins says she began questioning her identity after watching a Polish woman, Julia Wandelt, make similar allegations on television. She explained that age-progressed images of Madeleine reminded her of herself and that this resemblance prompted her to pursue genetic testing. Collins, born in 2002, is close in age to Madeleine and noted that her ancestry test showed a high percentage of English and Northwestern European heritage. However, she admits there is no DNA match to the McCann family.

Authorities have shown little interest in her claims, and her attempts to contact Operation Grange—the UK investigation into the case—have yielded no response. Online, skeptics have highlighted clear discrepancies, including the absence of Madeleine’s distinctive eye defect. Collins has attempted to explain away differences, suggesting scars on her ears might account for mismatched features.

She has also drawn attention for alleging that the man she grew up believing was her father resembles Christian Brückner, the convicted offender identified as a suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance. Brückner was released from prison in 2025 after serving time for an unrelated crime.

Despite widespread doubt, Collins maintains she is the missing child and says she has long felt a sense of disconnection that she believes this discovery explains. For now, officials say there is no evidence supporting her claim.