Caption Kristine and Michael Barnett supply Tippecanoe County Jail
LAFAYETTE, Indiana – Depending on that you think, Natalia Grace – a Ukrainian-born orphan with a uncommon as a type of dwarfism – is either a sweet 15-year-old or perhaps a 30-year-old con musician.
Natalia’s tale has gone viral. And although it might seem just like the plot of the horror film, it is a real-life drama tearing aside two Indiana families.
Antwon Mans, one 50 % of the few presently looking after Natalia, told Insider their family members is living a peaceful life in a town that is new. For the many part, they’ve stayed unacquainted with the media coverage she’s received.
“God is protecting us. He could be fighting our battles for us, and now we are actually fine, ” Mans stated.
But things aren’t therefore fine for Natalia’s adoptive that is previous.
In Kristine Barnett, 46, and her ex-husband Michael Barnett, 43, were charged with neglect of a dependent, to which they pleaded not guilty september. Once the two relocated to Canada in 2013 using their other kiddies, they left Natalia on her behalf very own. She took adult that is local classes and socialized in a halfway household until the Mans household took her in 36 months later on.
Through the Barnetts’ first court appearance, Michael Barnett’s lawyer, Terrance Kinnard, recommended the Barnetts had been caught in ruse once they gained custody of Natalia in a 2010 crisis use. As they had been led to trust Natalia ended up being six years old, she really was a troubled adult posing as a young child, Kinnard stated.
In a Facebook post, Kristine agreed along with her attorney that is ex-husband’s blamed their state of Indiana because of their troubles.
“I am praying for Natalia, whom in my opinion is sick, and have always been dismayed by just how our psychological state system treats people, ” she wrote. “The state of Indiana really discharged Natalia into a house that is half-way a 12 months before this, making her homeless and mentally sick. ”
In an meeting utilizing the constant Mail, Kristine reported that right after adopting Natalia – who was simply born with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita her question her daughter’s age– she noticed things that made.
“Natalia had been a lady. She had durations. She had adult teeth. She never ever expanded a solitary inches, which may happen despite having a young child with dwarfism, ” she said. “The medical practioners all confirmed she ended up being suffering a serious illness that is psychological diagnosed in grownups. ”
Kristine reported that, when confronted, Natalia rapidly became away from control. She smeared fluids from the walls, poured bleach into Kristine’s coffee, drew violent images of her brand new family members, and attempted to push Kristine into an electrical fence, Kristine stated.
In accordance with documents evaluated by Insider, Natalia had been hospitalized numerous times last year and 2012 at St. Vincent Stress Center in Indianapolis, and soon after at a facility that is state-run. Psychiatric assessment unveiled that she had psychological ailments constant with clients within their belated teenagers or twenties, the court public records say.
In June of 2012, in accordance with court public records, a Marion County Superior Court in Indianapolis changed Natalia’s delivery 12 months from 2003 back into russian brides club 1989 – lawfully changing her age from 8 to 22 years old.
Caption Kristine Barnett in 2013. Supply Donna Svennevik/Disney-Walt Disney Tv via Getty Images
After the modification, the Barnetts attempted to set her up for life as an adult that is independent twice. They initially placed her in a state-run house through a system called Aspire Indiana, but she had been evicted, the Barnetts told the frequent Mail. They then rented her a flat in Lafayette, Indiana. Kristine stated she paid Natalia’s lease for a 12 months, and set her up with Social safety, disability help, meals stamps, and Medicaid.
30 days later on, the Barnetts relocated to Canada to simply help their son Jacob – a child prodigy plus the topic of Kristina’s guide, “The Spark: A Mother’s tale of Nurturing, Genius, and Autism” – attend the prestigious Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario. Natalia remained behind in Indiana.
While residing on the own, Natalia signed up for college in the Lafayette Adult site Academy (LARA) to operate on her GED. That’s where her neighbor that is next-door Axsom came across her.
“She liked to talk. She could possibly be bashful in the beginning, but when she got going, she had something to state about everything, ” Axsom told Insider.
While Axsom stated she didn’t think it had been suitable for a family members to go out of the united states having a woman that is young away on her behalf own, she additionally does not think Natalia ended up being a young child.
“I’m perhaps perhaps not sure how old she had been, but she must be at the very least 18, ” she stated. “She didn’t appear worldly adequate become 30 now. It is thought by me should be one thing in the middle. ”
Caption The Lafayette Adult Site Academy. Source Bing Maps
The two not merely attended classes together but socialized into the community, usually fulfilling up with individuals from a medication and liquor data data recovery home during the final end for the block.
“I never stressed about her exceeding here because I happened to be constantly together with her, ” Axsom stated. “The residents had to simply just just take an liquor test every stay clean, and sign in and out night. Natalia ended up being lonely and simply desired individuals to speak with. ”
In 2013, things changed september. Natalia disappeared.
“She simply up and vanished, ” Axsom stated. “They asked in school, and I also stated i did son’t understand where she went. ”
That Axsom learned that Natalia had been evicted from her apartment night. A couple of days before Natalia vanished, Police had stopped by to interview Axsom she said about her.
“They kept telling me personally they simply wished to place her somewhere safe, ” Axsom said.