https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2230978/mystery-english-speaking-girl-living-streets-rome-madeleine-mccann-cop-say-not-maddie/

SO WHO IS SHE? English-speaking homeless woman at centre of Rome ‘Maddie mystery’ claims she is a 20-year-old Brit – as cops say she is NOT Madeleine McCann

The unidentified woman has been spotted sleeping near the Pantheon in the Italian capital. Do you know her?
Email corey.charlton@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4569

BY COREY CHARLTON, ELLIE FLYNN, TRACEY KANDOHLA AND SILVIA MARCHETTI 22nd November 2016, 11:40 am

40 COMMENTS
AN unidentified homeless woman in Rome at the centre of a whirlwind of Madeleine McCann speculation is in fact a 20-year-old Brit, it is claimed.

Met Police say she is not the British youngster who disappeared in Portugal in 2007, who if alive today would be aged only 13.

It was reported she responds to questioning only in English - leading some to believe she may be a Brit FACEBOOK

It was reported she responds to questioning only in English – leading some to believe she may be a Brit Madeleine McCann

Madeleine McCann went missing in Praia da Luz, Portugal, shortly before her fourth birthday in May 2007. On the right is an impression of how she may have looked aged nine Internet sleuths made the extraordinary claims she could be Maddie or missing American Amanda Adlai after she was photographed living rough on the streets of the Italian capital.

But a campaign group supported by Maddie’s parents Kate and Gerry has since alerted Met Police to the claims.

Today the group said: “Thank you all for contacting us regarding this child. We have passed on to Operation Grange. They do not believe this is Madeleine.

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They added: “This is someone’s child, so if you know who this child is, please contact the authorities in your country. Please keep sharing too.”

Maddie’s parents from Rothley, Leicestershire, have appealed to people across the world to “keep vigilant” as they continuing hunting for their daughter.

A source close to ex-GP Kate and heart doctor Gerry, both 48, said: “If there are any developments of any significance police advise them.

“They remain grateful that the public still have Madeleine in their minds. They are convinced this girl is not their daughter.”

A statement from the Met today added that officers continue to receive details of potential sightings and each one is “assessed accordingly”.

It comes as Rome’s military police, the Carabinieri, told The Sun Online the woman had been stopped a few days ago in an attempt to identify her.

She told them she was from the UK and she was 20 years old – though she was carrying no documents or ID.

Cops added that as she had committed no crime she could not be fingerprinted, but her characteristics did not match any international missing child alerts.

The unidentified woman is seen walking the streets of Rome
Authorities say she could be just one of many harmless homeless in the city and she was not affected by drugs, nor were there any accusations of crime against her

The woman – who answers to the name Maria – speaks no Italian and responds to questions only in English.

The Missing Persons of America website originally stated: “There have been several people that think it may be Madeline McCann who would be 13 now.

“Madeline had a distinctive mark on her eye and it would be easy to tell if it was her by that identification.”

This distinctive mark was a fact widely publicised at the time of Maddie’s disappearance – no such mark is visible on the unidentified woman in Rome.

The woman was also linked to a number of other high-profile missing persons cases, including Amanda Adlai, who was abducted in Michigan in 2008, and Maria-Brigitte Henselmann, who disappeared from Germany in 2008.

It is claimed she has been spotted living rough on the streets of Rome
The girl’s plight was highlighted on the Italian TV show Chi l’ha Visto, which features unsolved mysteries and missing persons cases.

Producers said that following the program the editorial staff got in touch with Dutch police who was looking for a missing girl thinking it could be her, but Amsterdam then said the Dutch girl had just been found.

After it aired, a number of people came forward to describe instances they have seen her in the Italian capital.

One wrote: “I saw her two Saturdays ago. She was sitting in front of the Pantheon.

“Her clothes were dirty and she was already a bit cold (and) had a skirt with no socks.”

Another said: “I’ve crossed (paths with her) more than once. Has light clothing and is very dirty. It is obvious that she sleeps on the street.”

A photograph of the girl – who reportedly responds to the name Maria – was originally sent to a missing persons website in America.

Lorena Kollobani originally wrote: “Hi. I don’t know if she is even American. I’ve seen her in Rome streets. It was also suggested the girl could be Maria-Brigitte Henselmann, who disappeared from Germany in 2013 Another high profile missing child case the woman was linked to was that of American Amanda Adlai, who was allegedly abducted by her father in 2008

Missing woman calls This Morning to let her father know she's still ALIVE
"She doesn't accept money and she is very careful and well behaved. I think she is a foreign student because she doesn't know any Italian. If somebody know her please write. Several missing person campaign groups have now joined the cause, with readers hoping she can be reunited with her family in time for Christmas.

According to lobby group Houston's Voice for the Missing, a concerned local was able to take her to a police station. There she was fingerprinted and photographed, though she gave officers different names when questioned.