The dramatic rescue of Natalia Grace from her adoptive parents’ home in the docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter wouldn’t have been possible without Vince and Nicole DePaul, with whom Natalia is now living.

Who Are Vince and Nicole DePaul?

Vince and Nicole – who are little people, like Natalia – live in upstate New York in what appears to be a stable household. An affluent couple, they expressed no plans to officially adopt Natalia, but were seriously concerned for her wellbeing while she lived with the Antwon and Cynthia Mans, who had taken her in after she was abandoned in 2013. 

Both Vince and Natalia come off as super understanding and caring, noting that, because of Natalia’s reactive attachment disorder diagnosis, they must be even more patient with her as she adapts to living with them. The Manses as well as the Barnett’s – the family that adopted her as a child and then abandoned her in an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, after becoming hysterical over the fear the girl was actually an adult conman á la the 2009 movie The Orphan – alleged she had behaved strangely and sometimes “sociopathically” while with them. But the DePauls say they’ve seen no such signs.

“She’s also never done one violent thing ever,” Nicole said. “Did she probably do weird things in the past? Yeah,” Nicole says. “[But] when you take in a child, you take that child as your own. You don’t just get rid of them when they don’t fit into your puzzle.” 

“We’re trying to guide Natalia, not control her. She’s super sweet. She wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Vince said.

How Do Vince and Nicole DePaul Know Natalia Grace?

The DePauls originally tried to adopt Natalia in 2009 and she remained close in their hearts since. After Natalia’s boyfriend, Neil, reached out to the couple and docuseries producers to alert them to abuse Natalia was allegedly suffering at the hands of the Manses, Nicole and her sister made the drive from New York to the Manses’ home in Nashville, Tennessee, to pick Natalia up and bring her to live with them.

“It was probably a month of communicating with him daily and he was communicating with her — then I knew we had to do something,” Nicole said.

What Is Life Like for Natalia Grace With Vince and Nicole DePaul?

The DePauls claim the transition to having Natalia with them has been smooth – for the most part.

“At first, it was bumpy because the Mans were still involved,” Nicole told People. “They were calling Natalia constantly and trying to wheel her back in.” 

Why Did Natalia Grace Move In With Vince and Nicole DePaul?

Despite Natalia refusing to confirm or deny any allegations in the series, neighbors and friends interviewed by producers allege the Manses were violently abusive. 

One claimed to have seen them whip Natalia with a belt, slap her in the face, lock her in a room and assault her. While Anna Newlin, who used to live with the Manses, alleges that Natalia was kicked down the stairs and her ex-husband Matthew says he saw Antwon brutally beat Natalia with a belt in the basement of their church. “I kept telling [Natalia] … You need to go before you get killed,” Matthew said.

The Manses have not responded to a request for comment on the allegations of abuse.