True Crime
Natalia Grace Seemingly Starts a GoFundMe to Pay for a New Home and Surgeries Amid Mans Estrangement
Natalia Grace Mans (née Barnett) appears to have started a GoFundMe page to raise money following ID’s The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks and her estrangement from the Mans family.
“I recently moved out and I’m saving money to get my own house so I can have a personal place of my own,” Natalia, 22, seemingly wrote in the GoFundMe description. “I am doing this so I can have a fresh start in life as an adult and get past everything that happened in my life.”
Not only does Natalia need money to buy a house, but she explained in the GoFundMe post – linked to her unverified social media accounts – that she also needs extra cash to pay for various medical procedures. The former Ukrainian orphan was born with diastrophic dysplasia, which “is a disorder of cartilage and bone development that leads to an onset of joint pain and deformity,” according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“I’ll likely have to have major spine surgery and even more surgery on my legs,” she explained, noting that her location was Clifton Park, New York, rather than Indiana, where she was living with the Barnett family. “The costs associated with these surgeries are in excess of $500,000 because the specialist does not accept my medical insurance. The first treatment I need is to have my spine corrected as if I leave it too long it could lead to paralysis and incontinence.”
Natalia said she wanted to “make enough to at least put a deposit on [her] own place and start a business” so that she can earn her own money. Once she launches her business, Natalia said she plans to “start saving for this expensive treatment.”
“However, if I reach over my goal I will be able to put that towards the treatment I require to give me a better chance at getting enough to cover it,” she noted about the goal, which was listed as $20,000.
Her message concluded, “To all who have stuck by me through all of this, I cannot thank you enough! I love y’all.”
Natalia appeared to create the GoFundMe page following the three-part docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, which premiered in January.
The public first learned about Natalia when she was accused of trying to kill her adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, after they welcomed her into their home in 2010 when she was 6. After they began to suspect that Natalia was lying about her age, the Barnetts legally changed her birth date and moved her into an apartment in 2013. The family then left her behind as they relocated to Canada with their three other children.
Michael and Kristine were charged with neglecting a dependent in 2019. However, he was found not guilty in 2022 and Kristine’s charges were dropped in March 2023.
After Michael and Kristine abandoned Natalia, she was legally adopted by Antwon Mans and Cynthia Mans, the couple becoming her legal guardians in 2016. While the couple stood by her side throughout the docuseries, Natalia Speaks concluded on a shocking note when Antwon revealed he and his wife wanted nothing to do with Natalia.
“Something ain’t right with Natalia,” Antwon told producers on a call, which was included at the end of the docuseries. “This girl is tweakin’. I feel like she’s the enemy in the house. And she said to us [that] we have held her hostage. Made us look like we’re the enemy.”
Cynthia added, “Natalia is stabbing her family in the back over a complete lie.”
“Natalia does not have emotions for nothing but herself,” Antwon continued. “We’re done. We’re done with her.”
The episode did not explain what happened between Natalia and the Mans’, though hinted fans will eventually learn the truth. “Natalia’s story will continue,” text on screen read at the end of the episode.
