Where Is Cynthia Mans Now? What Happened After Natalia Grace Left The Religious Family

Forbes

16-04-2025

Mans family from Instagram
In Episode 6 of Hulu's Good American Family, inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace, viewers are introduced to Indiana couple Cynthia and Antwon Mans, portrayed by Christina Hendricks and Jerod Haynes. They encounter Natalia, a Ukrainian orphan with a rare form of dwarfism, and develop a relationship that lasts for a decade, though it eventually takes a troubling turn.
At this point in the miniseries, Natalia is still struggling to live on her own after her adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, left her behind as they prepare to move to Canada with their three biological sons. The Barnetts had legally changed Natalia's age to 22 so she'd be considered an adult (a DNA test later confirmed she was still a child).
While living alone in Indiana, Natalia crossed paths with Cynthia and Antwon Mans, who would go on to adopt her in 2023. In Good American Family, questions linger about Cynthia's true motives and whether her intentions with Natalia are genuine.
'It's very clever of them,' Hendricks told TV Insider about the subtle hints of doubt woven into the episode. '[She]
As you watch the episode, here's what to know about the Mans family's history with Natalia Grace and whether they still have a relationship with her today.
Antwon Mans, Natalia Grace Mans, and Cynthia Mans.
Antwon and Cynthia Mans, a couple who once lived in Indiana and now reside in Tennessee, became Natalia's guardians for over a decade, according to TODAY.com. Antwon is a pastor who established a small church, and they have 10 children.
Natalia met the Mans family after moving into her second apartment in Lafayette, Indiana. One day, while hobbling down the street, she paused a few houses down to take a rest. A nearby homeowner noticed her and came outside to chat with her. That woman eventually introduced Natalia to her friend, Cynthia.
A few days later, Natalia moved in with Cynthia, her husband Antwon, and their kids. Cynthia later testified during Michael trial—where he faced multiple neglect charges alongside his ex-wife Kristine—that they charged Natalia $250 a month in rent and taught her how to read, write, and do math.
At that time, Natalia admitted that she did not know how to count money, did not understand how to use her food stamp card, and had no idea that she was receiving Social Security disability benefits.
In 2016, the Manses filed a petition in court seeking guardianship of Grace. However, Michael objected because Natalia's birth year had been legally changed from 2003 to 1989, according to documents from the Indiana Court of Appeals obtained by TODAY.com. Ultimately, the Manses were unsuccessful in their attempt to have the original age change order overturned.
Natalia Grace in 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace" on ID.
The Mans family officially adopted Natalia in 2023. In the second season of Investigation Discovery's docuseries, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, their relationship is portrayed positively. Antwon supported Natalia when she received her DNA results, which confirmed that she was indeed a child while living with the Barnetts. He was also present when Natalia confronted Michael for the first time.
The docuseries shows one troubling moment involving a past incident between Natalia and a member of the Mans family. Genesis Mans, one of the children in the household, recalled in an interview that Natalia bit her when she was a baby. The Mans family acknowledged that Natalia faced some challenges when she first moved in but added that she has since apologized for her behavior.
'Natalia been with us all these years, and let me tell you, we have corrected Natalia, and she's never came at us with the knife or put thumbtacks up on our stairs, or tried to hurt our children,' Cynthia said in the series, referencing the allegations against Natalia.
Unfortunately, tensions started to rise between Grace, Cynthia, and Antwon after they found her communicating online with her boyfriend in the U.K. By the end of Season 2 of Natalia Speaks, a black screen appears with text that reads, 'Two weeks ago, and six months after Natalia's adoption, the producers got a shocking phone call.'
Then, as the camera slowly zooms in on Natalia sitting on a porch, Antwon and Cynthia's voices play over again. 'Something ain't right with Natalia,' he says. 'This girl is tweakin'. I feel like she's the enemy in the house. And she said to us, we have held her hostage. Made us look like we're the enemy.'
'Natalia is stabbing her family in the back over a complete lie,' Cynthia adds.
'She's done other things, too,' Antwon continues.
Natalia Grace in 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace" on ID.
According to People, in the docuseries, several neighbors and friends claim they witnessed the Mans physically abusing Natalia. They alleged that she was whipped with a belt, slapped in the face, locked in a room, and assaulted.
Natalia declined to confirm or deny those allegations to People. She also refused to comment on the abuse in the documentaries, telling the producers, 'I don't want to talk about that.' When a producer asked her if she was ever hit, she responded, 'Not anything crazy. Maybe a little pop on the butt or something.'
After a decade of living with the Mans, Natalia began planning her escape. With the help of her boyfriend, she reached out to Nicole DePaul, an old friend who, along with her husband Vince, had tried to adopt Natalia in 2009 but was turned down.
In late 2023, Nicole and her daughter Mackenzie, 19, drove from upstate New York and secretly picked up Natalia outside a church in Nashville. Natalia told People she was nervous about leaving the Mans but knew it was the right decision for her.
"The last thing I told my sisters were, 'You guys go ahead to the church sanctuary and I love you,' Natalia said. "And then I saw the [DePauls] pull up and Mack jumped out and I'm like, 'Oh, my gosh, she's actually here.' My heart started pounding. I was terrified. I was completely terrified," she says.
Cynthia Mans and her family have stepped out of the public eye following their fallout with Natalia Grace. Their public Instagram account, @hemansfamily11, has 109 posts and 16.8K followers but hasn't been updated since November 23, 2023.
When the third installment of the docuseries aired, Natalia was still in contact with the Mans family, as Cynthia remained the recipient of her disability funds. However, Nicole told People that things were complicated in the beginning.
"At first it was bumpy because the Mans were still involved. They were calling Natalia constantly and trying to wheel her back in," Nicole said. 'It was just this constant thing where we were walking a fine line of not doing too much. See, she just came from this house that basically was ruled by a dictator, so I didn't want to tell her what to do.'
In one episode of Season 3, Nicole is heard arguing with Cynthia Mans over the phone. 'That is not your daughter, that is mine!' Mans says in the recorded call. She also tells DePaul to 'shut up' and accuses her of living a 'sinful life," according to TODAY.
'Going forward, Cynthia, you listen and respect her as an adult,' DePaul responded.
Good American Family Episode 6 is now streaming on Hulu. Watch the official trailer below.