Natalia Grace Barnett's Story: From Adoption Controversy to New Life

Created: JANUARY 18, 2025

Natalia Grace, the Ukrainian-born woman at the center of a complex adoption dispute, has recently been seen living a seemingly ordinary life in Indiana. Previously featured in the Investigation Discovery documentary "The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace," Natalia's story garnered significant attention due to allegations from her former adoptive family, the Barnetts. They claimed Natalia, who has a rare form of dwarfism, was an adult masquerading as a child and exhibited disturbing behaviors.

The Sun reported sighting Natalia with her new adoptive father, Pastor Antwon Mans, selling fireworks outside a Walmart in Greencastle, Indiana. Using a walker for mobility and wearing a t-shirt with a religious message, Natalia appeared to be integrated into her new family life. She maintains her innocence against the Barnetts' accusations and will share her perspective in an upcoming documentary, "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks."

Natalia Barnett

In the trailer for the new documentary, Natalia expresses her frustration with the Barnetts' narrative, stating, "It's very frustrating to hear everything that's being said from Kristine and Michael because I already don't know who I am, and I want to know who I am, what happened to me. But I'm hearing all this stuff that never actually happened from Kristine and Michael."

The Barnetts adopted Natalia in 2010, believing her to be six years old. However, they soon questioned her age and alleged she displayed violent tendencies, including hoarding knives, inappropriate bathroom behavior, and even an attempt to harm Kristine. In 2012, they successfully petitioned a court to legally change Natalia's birth year, effectively aging her from 8 to 22. Subsequently, the family relocated to Canada, leaving Natalia behind in Indiana. This led to investigations and neglect charges against the Barnetts in 2019, though Michael was acquitted, and Kristine's charges were dismissed. Both maintain Natalia was an adult posing as a child.

Barnett Family

Following the initial documentary's release, Natalia's new adoptive family initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for a wheelchair-accessible van and a trip to Israel. Cynthia Mans, Natalia's adoptive mother, described Natalia as a "loving daughter and sister" and expressed their belief that "God put her in our life."

Walmart in Indiana

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