5 Burning Questions About Natalia Grace Answered

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace has taken the world by storm.

The Ukrainian orphan, diagnosed with the rare dwarfism condition spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, gained notoriety when adoptive parents Michael and Kristine Barnett accused her of being an adult “sociopath” instead of a child.

In 2012, the family legally changed Grace’s age from 8 to 22, leaving her alone in an Indiana apartment, resulting in felony child neglect charges in 2019. Michael was acquitted in 2022, and charges against Kristine were dropped in 2023.

Now, Natalia Grace shares her perspective in ID‘s The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Grace Speaks, addressing her father, Michael, and revealing her true age in a pivotal scene.

Here are five burning questions about Grace ahead of the final episode.

Who is Natalia Grace?

Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian orphan who arrived in the U.S. in 2008, was adopted by Michael and Kristine Barnett in 2010. The Barnetts questioned her age, alleging she showed signs of adulthood. In 2012, they legally changed her age from 8 to 22. The family then moved Grace to an apartment in Indiana before relocating to Canada, cutting off contact. In 2019, the Barnetts faced neglect charges, claiming Grace posed a threat. Grace denies their allegations, insisting she was a child when adopted.

“It’s obvious that her records were falsified. This is an adult masquerading as a child,” Michael said in a November 2019 appearance on Dr. Oz’s True Crime show. “We took her to the stress center to have her evaluated that she is having thoughts of harming others, and she is stating out loud that she is attempting to kill Kristine.”

Where Is Natalia Grace Now?

Grace has been living with another Indiana couple, Cynthia and Antwon Mans, and their children since 2013, according to the Lafayette Journal and Courier. Grace reportedly met Cynthia after the Barnetts moved her into an apartment in Lafayette. Cynthia invited Grace to move in with them just days after their first meeting.

In 2016, the Mans petitioned to become Grace’s legal guardians; however, a hearing was required to determine whether Grace was a minor or a legal adult. After a judge maintained that Grace was legally an adult, the Mans dropped the guardianship petition — but Grace has continued to live with the family in the years since.

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In the wake of Grace’s legal battle with the Barnetts and the subsequent media attention, Cynthia and Antwon have stood by her. In 2019, the couple appeared alongside Grace on Dr. Phil, reaffirming to Dr. Phil that she was a minor and had never exhibited any violent behavior towards anyone in their family. Cynthia also testified on Grace’s behalf in 2022 at Michael Barnett’s trial.

What Is Natalia Grace’s Age?

After facing charges, the Barnetts asserted their perspective, claiming Grace was an adult posing as a child. In 2012, they legally changed her birth year from 2003 to 1989, potentially making her 22, although she could be older, as Michael revealed on Good Morning America in 2019. As per the Mans’ family’s Instagram, Grace celebrated her 20th birthday on September 4, 2023, aligning with her original birth year on the Ukrainian certificate. However, adjusting her birth date to September 4, 1989 would place Grace at 34.

 

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In ID’s The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, the premiere episode concludes with Grace and her new father, Bishop Antwon Mans, consulting TruDiagnostic doctors to determine her actual age. Based on a prior blood sample, the results reveal Grace is nearly 22 years old, just two years older than she believed. This would place her at nine years old when she was initially adopted in 2010.

Natalia Grace’s Parents: Where Are They Now?

In 2013, the Barnetts relocated to Canada for their son Jacob’s physics studies. Despite their past acclaim for Jacob’s prodigious abilities in math and science on 60 Minutes, the couple faced challenges leading to a divorce in 2018. In 2019, they were charged with neglect, but the case evolved based on Grace’s dwarfism. Michael was acquitted in 2022, and Kristine’s charges were dropped in 2023. Currently, Kristine resides in Florida, while Michael remains in Indiana, as per InTouch Weekly.

What Is Natalia Grace Saying Now?

Despite the adoption controversy, Grace expressed gratitude towards Michael and Kristine, emphasizing her happiness and sense of belonging in their home during an interview with Dr. Phil in 2019.

“I actually thought I had found the right family after bouncing around … I thought I had found the right family for me,” she said to Dr. Phil.

In October 2022, she testified in Michael’s trial, asserting her desire to stay with the Barnetts. “I wanted to be with the Barnetts,” she said on the stand, per the Journal and Courier. “I wanted to live with them.”

Grace refuted the couple’s accusations about her age and intentions in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, debunking their narrative and sharing her perspective. The documentary also revealed a blood sample indicating Grace’s age to be close to 22, supported by childhood dental X-rays suggesting she was six to nine years old in 2011.

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace Season Finale, Wednesday, January 3, 9/8c, ID & Max