Natalia Grace, the Ukrainian-born woman at the centre of a controversial adoption case, has been spotted celebrating the upcoming Fourth of July holiday with her new adoptive family, the Mans.
Just weeks after a gripping documentary about her aired on Discovery, Natalia was seen selling fireworks alongside her family outside a Walmart in Greencastle, Indiana.
The photographs shared on Instagram come on the heels of an exposé on the woman with dwarfism in the Discovery docuseries.
The series unveiled allegations by Natalia's previous adoptive family, the Barnetts, who claimed that Natalia had lied about her age and had emotionally and physically abused them.
The Barnetts alleged that Natalia, who suffers from a rare spine disorder, had initially claimed to be six years old, while her actual birth year was later discovered to be 2003.
The new photographs show Natalia alongside her new adoptive father and pastor, Antwon Mans, over the holiday weekend. Dressed in a long skirt and a religious-themed shirt, Natalia looked contented in the photos.
A video posted on the family's Instagram account verified their presence at the tent selling fireworks, along with photos of Natalia positioned in front of the pyrotechnic displays.
The family has remained low-key on social media following the release of the docuseries, 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace.'
However, Natalia has persistently refuted the Barnetts' allegations, maintaining her claim that she is a child.
An upcoming ID documentary titled 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks,' set to air later this year, will provide a platform for Natalia to voice her side of the story.
© InstagramIn a trailer for the documentary, she expressed her frustration with the Barnetts' claims, insisting that many of their accusations were fabrications.
The Barnetts had adopted Natalia from Ukraine in April 2010, under the belief that she was a six-year-old girl.
Soon, however, they began doubting her age, citing 'violent behaviour' as a cause for concern. This led to a legal change of Natalia's birth year to 1989.
Natalia's biological mother, identified in June, affirmed that Natalia was born in 2003, making her currently 19 years old.
© InstagramNatalia's life took a turn in 2013 when the Barnetts moved to Canada with their biological children, leaving Natalia alone.
The Barnetts were subsequently charged with neglect of a dependent in 2019, a case in which Michael Barnett was found not guilty in 2022, and Kristine Barnett had all charges dismissed in March.
Since adopting Natalia, the Mans family has extended a warm welcome to her, even setting up a GoFundMe page. They firmly believe that Natalia is an amazing daughter and a loving sister.
The family's resilience and love have drawn widespread support on social media, with followers cheering them on. Many of the comments under the family's posts express admiration for Natalia and praise for the Mans family's loving embrace of her.
