Natalia, that has an unusual type of dwarfism that helps it be tough to evaluate her age, had been considered somewhere within 6 and 8 yrs . old whenever she ended up being used this season by Michael and Kristine Barnett. But the Barnetts changed her age from 8 to 22 in 2012, saying they believed their used youngster ended up being really a grownup.
Natalia’s tale went viral in September after her previous adoptive parents had been faced with neglect after an investigation that is 5-year the actual situation.
Kristine Barnett told constant Mail on the web that Natalia is truly a mentally disturbed adult girl whom terrorized her family members until they relocated to Canada in 2013, making the behind that is orphan. Natalia happens to be coping with another family members in Indiana.
The tale behind Natalia’s genuine age and beginning continues to be uncertain. Natalia’s instance is ongoing, however the basic concept of a grownup pretending to be a child just isn’t unprecedented. A few grownups before her have attempted to impersonate minors, for a number of reasons.
Here you will find the whole stories behind eight adults whom posed as young ones.
Sidney Bouvier Gilstrap-Portley, 25, posed as a senior school pupil to relive their basketball glory.
Sidney Bouvier Gilstrap-Portley posed being a 17-year-old hurricane harvey refugee to relax and play baseball at Hillcrest senior high school in Dallas, Texas, in 2017 and 2018, in accordance with the Dallas Morning Information. He additionally apparently dated a girl that is 14-year-old posing as being a pupil.
The truth is, Gilstrap-Portley had been a man that is 25-year-old played baseball for North Mesquite senior school in a Dallas suburb before graduating last year.
Their address was blown in May 2018 after having a North Mesquite advisor respected him at a competition.
Gilstrap-Portley pleaded accountable to posing as a learning student and received six years’ probation for indecency with a child and record tampering, according to your nyc Post.
Gilstrap-Portley’s daddy told WFAA-TV in Dallas that his son, that has a a fiancee and a child that is young desired a brand new begin in life.
“He made mistakes. There clearly was no ill-intent,” Sidney Portley stated. “We apologize for that occurring. It absolutely was mis-channeled dedication. Their passion is basketball. He tried to push ‘rewind’ in the life.”
Charity Johnson, 34, posed as a senior school sophomore for pretty much a complete college 12 months before she ended up being caught. She stated she ended up being seeking to be liked.
A 34-year-old Texas woman posed as a school that is high for pretty much a complete college 12 months between 2013 and 2014.
Charity Anne Johnson ended up being sentenced to 85 times in jail in 2014.
She had enrolled at new lease of life Christian class in Longview, Texas, in 2013, and led people to believe she was a teenager for seven months, according to ABC News october.
She had been arrested in June 2014 whenever she offered A id that is fake authorities, KFOR reported.
She told officials that her family members abandoned her, and that she had been simply to locate love.
“I’m simply a person that is normal some other normal individual, wanting to pursue her training, get her training and work out it through life and start to become a better individual,” she stated, in accordance with KFOR.
A 23-year-old Ukrainian guy called Artur Samarin posed as an adolescent after their visa went away. Then he impressed instructors having a 4.16 GPA.
A 23-year-old man that is ukrainian as a teen to sign up at John Harris senior school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, into the autumn of 2012.
Artur Samarin, whom later admitted to your ploy and ended up being sentenced to 8 weeks in jail, utilized the title Asher Potts to sign up at school, in accordance with ABC Information.
Police said during the time which he had remained in the usa after their visa expired, and obtained a Social Security quantity and a passport under their fictitious identification.
The Washington Post reported while in school, he impressed teachers with his 4.16 grade-point average and he even joined the school’s ROTC program.
It continues to be uncertain exactly exactly exactly how officials discovered he had been employing a false identification.
He had been faced with passport and social safety frauds.
Brian Michael Rini, 24, told officials he was missing teenager Timmothy Pitzen, whom disappeared last year.
Brian Michael Rini, 24, told officials in April he had been Timmothy Pitzen, a child whom went missing from a Chicago suburb last year, aged 6.
Rini told officials that he had been Pitzen that he was 14, and. Police state that Rini told authorities in Newport, Kentucky, that he escaped kidnappers in Ohio and therefore he choose to go lacking eight years back after their mother’s committing suicide.
The guy’s identity was launched after the FBI said that DNA test outcomes confirmed the individual had not been Timmothy.
The motive behind Rini’s decision stays ambiguous. Pitzen’s whereabouts will always be unknown.
Frederic Bourdin, a 23-year-old Frenchman, convinced A us household he had been their lacking 16-year-old son.
Frenchman Frederic Bourdin told a us household that he had been their son, Nicholas Barclay, whom at 13 years of age disappeared near their house in San Antonio, Texas, in 1994.
Bourdin approached officials in Linares, Spain, three and a years that are half Barclay’s disappearance saying he had been the teenager. He stated he previously been abducted, flown to European countries, and abused in a pedophile band before escaping, in line with the Telegraph. Barclay’s family relations then travelled to Spain and took him returning to the united states.
Bourdin had been 23 during the time, and fooled not just the Barclay household but additionally Spanish authorities and the usa consulate, despite maybe perhaps not matching Barclay’s appearance. A documentary about Bourdin additionally the Barclays called “The Imposter” intimates that the household had ulterior motives for accepting them as their son.
Their ruse ended up being revealed after a detective for the tv program “Hard Copy” interviewed Bourdin for a tale.
Bourdin served six years in jail for the deception, TIME reported. He is understood in France as “The Chameleon” and their scams that are numerous as soon as detailed because of The brand New Yorker.