An American woman who claims to be the long-lost missing daughter of a British family has announced she will travel 3,500 miles to take a DNA test. Heather McCord has been accused of being a scammer by ex-sergeant major Richard Lee, whose daughter Katrice Lee vanished from Paderborn, Germany, in 1981 on her second birthday.
GoFundMe Campaign and Social Media Claims
McCord launched a GoFundMe page, which was later removed, seeking funds for her trip. She asserts the test will prove her connection to the Lee family. In a Facebook post, she declared, "I am going over there and I am going to do the DNA test and hand over all the evidence I have weather [sic] [people like it or not]." Richard has dismissed her claims as fraudulent, accusing her of exploiting the family's tragedy to scam the public.
Family's Reaction and Red Flags
Richard's daughter, Natasha Walker, was among the first to discover the page after it was flagged on missing persons' forums. Richard expressed his anger, stating, "My initial reaction was very angry, and if I could’ve put my hands round their neck to express my anger I would’ve done." He noted that to an untrained eye, her claims seemed plausible, but red flags were evident. "Who remembers anything from when they were two? I certainly don’t," he said, referring to McCord's claims of being trafficked as a toddler.
McCord posted a TikTok video in November 2024 claiming she was abducted as a young child and later alleged to have "pieces of memories" of the kidnapping, which she described as worse than a horror movie. She also claims to have xoforia, a condition where one eye drifts outward, which she says proves she is Katrice. Richard's daughter had strabismus, requiring two corrective surgeries.
Response to Accusations and Official Statement
McCord stated she reached out to UK officials who were prepared to assist. Her GoFundMe raised $217 (£160) before being taken down. In response to being called a scammer, she said, "I understand why the Lee family would feel like I would be a scammer because of everything they’ve been through. I promise I just want to find out who I really am and if it turns out I’m not Katrice then they will never hear from me again."
The Lee family has faced multiple such claims since Katrice's disappearance. A Defence Serious Crime Command spokesperson confirmed that an individual has made unfounded claims about being Katrice and urged anyone with new information to contact the DSCC Major Crime Team on 0800 616 888.
