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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Liam Buckler

Natalia Grace shares pictures with new family on Instagram after former adoptive family accused her 'posing as a child'

Natalia Grace has shared pictures with her new dad on Instagram after her former adoptive family accused her of "posing as a child."

The Ukrainian orphan, who is embroiled in controversy after doubts over her age and identity by her previous family, uploaded a picture of her beaming next to her adoptive dad Antwon Mans, writing in the caption: "Daddy/Daughter Time."

It comes after Indiana couple Michael and Kristine Barnett, who adopted Natalia in 2010, claimed the claimed the girl was a "dangerous con artist."

The family welcomed Natalia Into their lives, already having experience with children with special needs, including their son Jacob, who has autism.

She has been spending time with her new adoptive family (themansfamily11/Instagram)
She posted pictures of her new family (themansfamily11/Instagram)

However, doubts soon grew over her identity and age after they found evidence of her menstrual cycle *in Natalia's room, which led them to believe she was hiding her period.

Kristine said in an interview: "Natalia was a woman. She had periods. She had adult teeth. She never grew a single inch, which would happen even with a child with dwarfism."

They also alleged the girl hid knifes under her bed and threatened the family - even claiming she was not six-years-old when the couple adopted her.

The couple believe is a 23-year-old adult who is posing as a child - which Natalia rejects.

Natalia was taken to a psychiatrist and she was diagnosed as a "sociopath", according to the documentary.

And just two years after adopting her, the couple tried to get the court to change Natalia's birth year changed from 2003 to 1989.

The court agreed with the couple and determined she was born on September 4, 1989, which is 14 years earlier than she originally claimed.

The adoptive family then put her in a flat in Lafayette but were accused of child and dependent neglect.

However, the charges were eventually dropped.

Natalia has a rare form of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita which causes her to have short stature and skeletal anomalies in the spine and long bones of the arms and legs.

Michael Barnett shouts in anger in the documentary (Investigation Discovery)

Natalia, who is speaking out against the claims in a two-hour documentary called The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, says she is "frustrated" at the accusations.

She has always denied the accusations against her and insisted she was a child when she was adopted.

“The things that [they] have said that I have done is a lie. I have never done anything that they have said that I have done,” she said in a preview of the documentary.

"You can ask anybody in my family now. You can ask Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans that -- just ask them, 'Has she ever done anything?'

Natalia Grace Barnett was abandoned by her adoptive parents after being accused of being an adult (Dr Phil)

"They will tell you who I really am. They're not going to lie and neither am I."

Antwon and Cynthia Mans, Natalia's current adoptive parents, have continued to back her and said they are not concerned with the accusations levelled against her.

The couple told Dr Phil: “We have other children. We have a grandson. [Natalia] does nothing but love her siblings and her nephew."

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