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New York Post

Conjoined twin Abby Hensel’s husband’s paternity results revealed at dramatic court hearing

By Megan Palin,

13 days ago

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You… are not the father!

The husband of celebrity conjoined twin Abby Hensel has been cleared in a paternity case which accused him of fathering another woman’s child.

Former army medic Joshua Bowling, 34, was recently revealed to have married Hensel — who shares a body with twin sister Brittany — in 2021, but almost two years later he was hit with a suit claming he may have fathered a three-year-old with his ex-wife.

In a dramatic moment reminsicent of 90s daytime talk show favorite “Maury” Friday, Minnesota District Court in Washington County heard the results of a genetic test report to determine the father of Annica Bowling’s daughter.

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Joshua Bowling and Abby Hensel (left twin) did not use her conjoined sister Brittany (right twin) as an official witness at their wedding. Joshua Bowling / Facebook

The lawyer for another man, Gavin Vatnsdal, admitted his client was found to be the dad from the test, which was entered into the court file on March 7, 2024.

“It’s not Mr Bowling’s child. It’s my client’s child,” Vatnsdal’s attorney Gregory Seamon told the court.

Abby Hensel did not list conjoined twin Brittany as a witness for her 2021 wedding

“I think all the parties agree that Mr Vatnsdal should be the adjudicated father and Mr Bowling should be discharged and taken off the birth certificate,” Judge Siv Mjanger ruled during a hearing on Friday, before closing the courtroom to the public.

“I can grant that motion.”

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A paternity test has revealed that Joshua Bowling is not the biological father of his ex-wife’s youngest child. Annica Bowling/Facebook

Neither Annica, Joshua, Vatnsdal nor the Hensel twins responded to The Post’s requests for comment Friday.

Annica and Joshua, who married in 2010, have one daughter together, 8-year-old Isabella, of whom they share joint custody, according to court documents obtained by The Post.

The couple split in April 2019 and Annica went on to have her other daughter, born in late 2020, whose paternity was contested.

The bombshell lawsuit was filed in October 2023, almost two years after Joshua and Abby, the left-side conjoined twin, secretly wed .

Conjoined twin Abby Hensel’s husband hit with paternity suit — two years after they married

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Annica Bowling pictured with her daughters. Annica Bowling/Facebook

Following the revelation of the formerly secret marriage earlier this month, Abby and Brittany wrote on TikTok, “The internet is extra LOUD today,” alongside a clip featuring photos of them.

“We have always been around ❤️#abbyandbrittanyhensel #happy #love #lovestory #marriage.”

In a second video , titled “#forever,” the pair could be seen embracing Bowling in a photo as a voiceover said, “This is for all you haters out there. If you don’t like what I do but watch everything I’m doing — you’re still a fan.”

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The Hensel twins, Joshua Bowling, and his daughter Isabella. Joshua Bowling / Facebook
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Bowling and Abby wed in November 2021. Heidi Bowling / Facebook

Documents obtained by TMZ revealed Abby did not list her sister as a witness for the marriage.

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Abby’s older sister, Morgan Hensel, and a person named Cosmo Naut were noted as witnesses.

The Hensel sisters, born and raised in Minnesota, originally appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 1996 to discuss their experiences as dicephalus conjoined twins.

In 2012, they shared their lives in an eight-part TLC reality series, “Abby & Brittany.”

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The twins and Bowling. Joshua Bowling / Facebook

They were born with the rare condition that involves two heads on a single body with one genital system, two, three or four arms, two hearts and two legs. The twins share a bloodstream and all organs below the waist.

Abby controls their right arm and leg and Brittany controls the left side.

Abby and Brittany’s parents, Patty and Mike Hensel, opted out of separation surgery because doctors said there was little chance the girls would survive the operation.

The sisters are now both fifth-grade teachers in their home state.

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