A Ukrainian-born American woman, Natalia Grace, who was at the center of a controversy involving her age and adoption, has been seen with her new adopted father, Pastor Antwon Mans, selling fireworks in Indiana.
Natalia, who suffers from a rare form of dwarfism, was previously accused by her former adoptive family, the Barnetts, of posing as a child when she was allegedly an adult
The accusations came to light in a documentary called “The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace.” However, Natalia has denied these allegations. According to reports, Natalia was spotted using a walker and wearing a T-shirt with a religious message while assisting her new adopted father at a Walmart parking lot in Greencastle, Indiana.
The Barnetts claimed that Natalia, whom they believed to be a 6-year-old girl when they adopted her, exhibited violent behavior, including hoarding knives and attempting to harm her adopted mother. The Barnetts latterly solicited the court to fairly change Natalia’s birth time from 2003 to 1989, effectively changing her age from 8 to 22.
The case attracted significant attention, resulting in legal charges against the Barnetts for neglect of a dependent
However, Michael Barnett was found not guilty in 2022, and Kristine Barnett had her charges dismissed in March of this year. Following the talkie, Natalia set up a new adopted family, the Mans, who have set up a GoFundMe runner to raise finances for her trip to Israel.
Natalia’s new adopted mother, Cynthia Mans, expressed her belief that Natalia is an amazing adopted daughter and a loving adopted sister, stating that they consider her a gift from God. The Mans family aims to use the funds raised to acquire a wheelchair-accessible van for Natalia’s planned visit to Jerusalem. Natalia will also be featured in a follow-up documentary, “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks,” which will provide her perspective on the events surrounding her adoption.
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