In 2010 Indiana couple Kristine and Michael Barnett adopted Natalia, a Ukrainian child born with dwarfism. The Barnetts believed Natalia was six-years-old at the time of her adoption, but later asserted she was lying about her age and abandoned her. The story of Natalia’s adoption has since been examined in an Investigation Discovery docuseries and now the Hulu drama “Good American Family” starring Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass.
What the Barnetts have said about Natalia Grace
In addition to accusing Natalia of lying about her age, the Barnetts have also claimed she has tried to kill them through various means, including by poisoning coffee and by knife. The pair had Natalia “re-aged” by a court (Natalia did not have her own legal representation during this process) from 8 to 22 and subsequently left her in an apartment and ceased communication with her completely.
The Barnetts also appeared to not take Natalia’s disabilities into consideration. The apartment they chose was on the 2nd floor, which was difficult to access for Natalia, who had used a walker for most of her life.
The Barnetts also claimed Natalia had pubic hair, adult teeth, and her period by the time they adopted her, which further led them to believe she was lying about her age.
Natalie has repeatedly denied the allegations against her. In January 2025 she told People, “I didn’t understand why I was alone. I just knew I had this instinct in me to push and survive. All I was told was, ‘You’re 22 now. Whenever somebody asks you what your age is, you say you’re 22 and you tried to murder your family.’ I was taught to lie.”
The Barnetts were the second family to adopt Natalia; Dyan and Gary Ciccone first brought her from Ukraine to the United States in 2008 but gave up their parental rights due to Natalia’s behavior.
What happened to Kristine and Michael Barnett
The Barnetts were charged with neglecting a dependent and with neglecting an adult after a five-year investigation, but the child charges against Kristine were dropped and Michael was found not guilty in 2022. In 2023 a DNA lab appeared to conclude Natalia was two years older than believed at the time of her adoption by the Barnetts.
In her show “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks” Natalia accused Kristine of physical abuse.
“[Natalia] was not abused by anyone in my family. Nobody ever took a belt to Natalia, and the allegations that she was ‘beaten’ are just plain false,” Kristine wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post in 2024. “I sat through numerous hospital visits and therapy visits trying to understand and help Natalia and thinking we might be able to find the root of the issue. In the end I learned she is a sociopath.”
Where is Natalia Grace Now?
Cynthia Mans invited Natalia Grace to move in with herself and her husband about a month after the Barnetts departed. The pair legally adopted Natalia in 2023 and restored her date of birth to 2003, but things soured between the trio and witnesses claimed to see the Manes physically assault Natalia more than once. Natalia left the pair’s home just before Christmas in 2023.
These days, Natalia Grace is living in upstate New York with Nicole and Vince DePaul, who are also little people.
“It’s been a big learning curve for me. For the most part, I’ve made peace. It is definitely a blessing to be alive today. And there’s nothing I can do to change the past,” Natalia also told People. She added that she has fallen in love and is attempting to move forward with her life.
The post ‘Good American Family’: Where Is Natalia Grace Now? appeared first on TheWrap.
