Natalia Grace (Barnett) Mans (born September 4, 2003)[1][2][3] is a Ukrainian-born American with dwarfism, who, in 2010, was adopted by an American family but abandoned by them two years later. Barnett's adoptive parents claimed that Barnett was a legal adult, and, in 2012, they successfully sought a court order legally changing her birth year from 2003 to 1989.[1] However, through an August 2023 DNA test, the health testing company TruDiagnostic estimated that Grace was about 22 years old,[i] meaning she was around 9 years old when her adoptive parents abandoned her.[2][3] Barnett is the subject of two television series, the 2023–2024 series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace (re-titled to The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks for season 2) and the upcoming Hulu TV series Natalia.
Early life and adoption
editNatalia Grace was born in Ukraine to Anna Volodymyrivna Gava of Mykolaiv.[4][5][6] After birth, she was placed in an orphanage in Ukraine.[7] She was diagnosed with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a rare form of dwarfism.[7] She came to the United States as an adoptee and was adopted by Kristine and Michael Barnett in the spring of 2010. Natalia had a previous adoptive placement in the United States and multiple temporary placements prior to her adoption by the Barnetts.[7][8] Her former adoptive parents were the Ciccones. She took the name Natalia Grace Barnett.[8]
Abandonment
editIn 2012, the Barnetts successfully petitioned the Marion County court to change Natalia's Ukrainian birth records to indicate a 1989 birth date, which legally changed her age from 8 to 22.[8] In July 2013, the Barnetts moved Natalia to an apartment in Westfield, Indiana, and later Lafayette, Indiana. The Barnetts then moved along with their biological children to Canada, leaving Natalia alone in the Lafayette apartment.[8] Shortly after being left alone in the Lafayette apartment, Natalia was invited to live with Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans, who noticed that Natalia struggled to live on her own.[9] The Barnetts were charged with neglect of a dependent but Michael was later found not guilty.[10][7]
The prosecutors for the neglect case against the Barnetts were able to locate Natalia's birth mother in Ukraine. Natalia's mother was identified as Anna Volodymyrivna Gava who was born April 20, 1979, in Latvia. DNA testing confirmed Gava as Natalia's biological mother. If Natalia's court-assigned birth date of 1989 were correct, Gava would have given birth to Natalia at 10 years of age. The prosecutors also obtained birth and hospital records from Ukraine which support Natalia's original September 4, 2003, birth date. The prosecutors were barred from presenting the evidence that Natalia was a minor child born in 2003 when she was left to live alone in an apartment, and the neglect case was tried based on Natalia's disability, not her age.[11][12][13]
Cynthia Mans, who took Natalia in after discovering her abandoned in the Lafayette apartment, said she believed that Kristine Barnett was inspired to legally change Natalia's age by the 2009 film Orphan. The Barnetts claimed that Natalia was lying about her age and also exhibited sociopathic behavior which is similar to the plot of that film. The Manses said that Natalia has not exhibited sociopathic behavior while living in their home.[14][15][16] In 2019, Natalia was on an episode of Dr. Phil.[15] Her life is the subject of the 2023 Investigation Discovery series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace (re-titled to The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks for season 2).[7] Her story is the basis of the upcoming Hulu TV series Natalia.[17][18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Age can be estimated from a DNA test by using the 'Epigenetic clock' as a measure of DNA methylation over time.
- ^ a b James, Faye (January 3, 2024). "Natalia Grace's real age revealed by DNA test". Hello!.
- ^ a b Nelson, Elise (January 2, 2024). "Natalia Grace Barnett's DNA Test Confirms Her Real Age: 'This Proves I Was Not Lying'". In Touch Weekly.
- ^ a b Haasch, Palmer; Torres, Libby (January 4, 2024). "The 7 most shocking accusations made in 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks'". Business Insider.
- ^ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (2023-06-04). "Six-year-old orphan or 'con artist' adult? Revisiting the strange story of Natalia Grace". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ Wilkins, Ron (August 27, 2020). "Prosecutors prepared to call Natalia Barnett's birth mother to prove Ukrainian orphan's age in neglect case". Journal and Courier. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ Minutaglio, Rose (2019-10-09). "Inside the Real-Life 'Orphan' Case: Parenting Author Kristine Barnett Claims Her Adopted Teen Is Actually a Disturbed Adult". ELLE. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ a b c d e Flynn, Sheila (2023-06-05). "Six-year-old saved by adoption or murderous adult imposter: Who is Natalia Grace?". The Independent. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ a b c d "Natalia Barnett testifies against adoptive father in trial alleging neglect". Journal and Courier. October 27, 2022. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ Nelson, Elise (7 June 2023). "Antwon and Cynthia Mans with Natalia Grace Barnett on Dr. Phil.Dr. Phil/YouTube They Are Family! Who Are Natalia Grace Barnett's New Adoptive Parents, Antwon and Cynthia Mans?". In Touch Weekly. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ Janes, DeAnna (2019-11-04). "The Girl Whose Adoptive Parents Claim She's an Adult Sociopath Breaks Her Silence". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ Wilkens, Ron (27 August 2020). "Prosecutors prepared to call Natalia Barnett's birth mother to prove Ukrainian orphan's age in neglect case". Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ Merinuk, Madeline (8 June 2023). "Who is Natalia Grace's biological mother?". Woman & Home – Yahoo News. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ Ridley, Jane (28 May 2023). "A family thought they were adopting a 6-year-old girl. Now they claim she's an adult con artist". Insider. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Ukrainian Orphan – Child or Adult Sociopath – The Exclusive Interview". Dr. Phil S18E44. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Natalia Grace Barnett: 'I'm 16, not a 33-year-old scam artist'". BBC News. 2019-11-08. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ "How old is Natalia Grace? Prosecutors reveal unheard". Journal and Courier. May 26, 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2022-08-03). "Ellen Pompeo To Star In & EP Orphan-Adoption Limited Series Greenlighted By Hulu". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ Thompson, Eliza (2023-05-04). "The Creepy True Story Behind Ellen Pompeo's 'Orphan' Series". Parade. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
