A while back, the story of Ukrainian-born Natalia Grace who has a form of dwarfism and her adoptive parents (Kristine and Michael Barnett) shook the world and reminded us of the movie ‘Orphan’.
The couple who believed that she was 6 years old, later accused her of being a 22-year-old “sociopath” trying to kill them and their 3 sons.
https://twitter.com/mackenzayye/status/1177754313025900545
The now-divorced couple lives in Canada and faces charges of neglect and abandoning a dependent. Meanwhile, Natalia has been adopted by Antwon Mans, a 36-year-old pastor, and his wife Cynthia. Furthermore, a woman named Anna Volodymyrivna Gava has claimed to be Natalia’s biological mother. She says that the daughter she gave up was born 16 years ago.
Recently, the girl herself opened up about her side of the story on the Dr.Phil show. BBC News quoted her saying, “I’m 16. I was six years old when I came to the United States. I just know that a family came and visited me and after a while, they adopted me.”
Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace Barnett, whose former adoptive parents say is a grown woman posing as a child, is now defending herself in public, telling @DrPhil the allegations are false. https://t.co/4tQ0wtPO03 pic.twitter.com/WhBz63iyqI
— Inside Edition (@InsideEdition) November 8, 2019
According to Yahoo News, when the talk show host asked her point-blank “Are you a 33-year-old scam artist?”, she replied, “No, no, no, I promise you I’m not.”
Her new adoptive parents (the Mans family) who have 5 other kids were also interviewed during the show. They said that Natalia hadn’t displayed any violent behaviour during the 7 years she’s been with them.
The court hearing for the case against Kristine and Michael has been scheduled for 28 January 2020. Perhaps the trial will make things clearer and determine which side is telling the truth.