Natalia Grace in ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter” on ID.
Courtesy of Investigation Discovery
The story of Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian orphan accused by the Barnett family of lying about her age, is at the center of Hulu’s new crime drama, Good American Family. Since her controversial adoption in 2010, a lot has unfolded in Natalia’s life—so where is she now, and how old is she really?
Good American Family, released on March 19, stars Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass as Kristine and Michael Barnett, while 27-year-old Imogen Faith Reid portrays Natalia. The series is intentionally told through multiple perspectives to highlight the conflicting accounts about what really happened in the Barnett home.
ForbesThe Terrifying True Story Behind ‘Good American Family’—What Did Natalia Grace Do?By Monica MercuriAn in-depth look at Natalia’s life after leaving the Barnetts is explored in Investigation Discovery’s three-season docuseries. In the show, Natalia—who has a rare form of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDc)—claims she escaped mistreatment by the Barnett family and later fled abuse from her next adoptive family, the Mans.
Here’s what to know about Natalia Grace’s life today, including the family she now lives with and why she left the Mans after they adopted her in 2023
Who Is Natalie Grace?
Natalia Grace in ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace” on ID.
Courtesy of Investigation Discovery
Natalia Grace was adopted from Ukraine by a New Hampshire couple in 2008 but was re-listed for adoption in 2010. That year, Indiana couple Kristine Elizabeth Barnett, 45, and Michael Barnett, 43, adopted her, believing she was around six or seven years old.
However, the Barnetts claimed that Natalia’s dangerous and unusual behavior—along with alleged signs of puberty, such as the presence of pubic hair and hidden bloody tampons—led them to question her real age.
Two years after adopting her, the Barnetts petitioned the Marion County Probate Court to legally change her age to 22. In 2013, they moved to Canada with their three sons, leaving Natalia alone in an apartment in Lafayette.
After more than a month of living alone, Natalia met a neighbor named Cynthia Mans, who noticed her sitting on a sidewalk. Cynthia invited her to move in with her and her husband, Christian pastor Antwon Mans, along with their 10 children. The Mans family formally adopted Natalia in 2023.
Michael and Kristine were charged with multiple counts of neglecting a dependent. However, after a five-year investigation, Michael was found not guilty in October 2022 on three counts of neglect and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent. In March 2023, similar charges against Kristine were dismissed.
How Old Was Natalia Grace When She Was With The Barnetts?
A DNA test conducted by the medical lab TruDiagnostic disproved claims that Natalia was posing as an adult while living with the Barnetts. Revealed in the docuseries, the test determined she was approximately 22 years old at the time, meaning she was around 9 when Michael and Kristine Barnett adopted her.
“This one little piece of paper throws every single lie that the Barnetts has said right into the trash with a match,” Natalia said in the series.
Why Did Natalia Grace Leave The Mans Family?
@themansfamily11/Instagram
@themansfamily11/Instagram
The Mans family took Natalia into their care in 2013, but tensions escalated after they officially adopted her in 2023. In the third season of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, Natalia revealed that the fallout began when the Manses attempted to restrict her Internet access after discovering she was communicating with a boyfriend in the U.K.
After being legally adopted, Natalia embraced the Manses’ religious lifestyle and helped care for her 10 siblings while living with the family in Indiana and later Tennessee. However, in the docuseries, multiple witnesses—including neighbors and friends—allege that they saw the Manses physically abuse Natalia, including whipping her with a belt, slapping her in the face, locking her in a room, and assaulting her, according to People.
Where Is Natalie Grace Now?
Natalia Grace in ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace” on ID.
Courtesy of Investigation Discovery
Since 2023, Natalia has been living with the DePaul family. She and her boyfriend reached out to Nicole and Vincent DePaul, a couple with dwarfism who had attempted to adopt her in 2009 but were unable to do so due to financial constraints. As shown in Season 3 of her docuseries, Nicole and her daughter Mackenzie secretly traveled to the Mans family’s church and picked up Natalia outside the building.
Forbes‘Good American Family’ Release Schedule—When Do New Episodes Drop On Hulu?By Monica Mercuri“The last thing I told my sisters were, ‘You guys go ahead to the church sanctuary and I love you,’ Natalia recalls in the series. “And then I saw the [DePauls] pull up and Mack jumped out and I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh, she’s actually here.’ My heart started pounding. I was terrified. I was completely terrified,” she said.
In January 2025, Natalia appeared on the cover of People Magazine to share her story and reclaim her narrative. “I’m really just trying to take control of my life and stop letting other people control it. I feel like I’m becoming this new person,” Natalia said. “This new version feels amazing—feels free.”
“Just seeing what I went through and even someone with my disability — you can do anything you put your mind to. You can get through anything that life throws at you,” she continued. “At the end of the day, something good happened from it. It’s time to re-write my story.”
Nicole told People that while she has no plans to legally adopt Natalia, their life together is generally harmonious—though there are times when they don’t always get along.
“At first it was bumpy because the Mans were still involved. They were calling Natalia constantly and trying to wheel her back in,” Nicole said. “It was just this constant thing where we were walking a fine line of not doing too much. See, she just came from this house that basically was ruled by a dictator, so I didn’t want to tell her what to do.”
While the DePauls said that Natalia has never exhibited violent behavior, they recalled one incident in which she secretly recorded them in their home. Such disruptions are expected, they said, given Natalia’s diagnosis of reactive attachment disorder (RAD), a behavioral condition commonly seen in children who have spent time in an orphanage.
ForbesWhere Are Kristine And Michael Barnett Now? What Happened To Natalia Grace’s Ex-ParentsBy Monica Mercuri“Did she probably do weird things in the past? Yeah,” Nicole added. “[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,” added Nicole’s husband, Vince.
Natalia is currently studying for her GED and hopes to become a teacher. She’s also learning to drive, loves listening to Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, and is preparing for upcoming surgeries related to her disabilities, according to People. She’s also happily in a relationship with her boyfriend, Neil.
“It’s a blessing to be alive today because looking back at my 7-year-old self, I should have been dead,” Natalia said. “Learning everything that I have about how to live with my dwarfism—it’s been a great experience. I love it. I mean, of course, I still miss my siblings and everything. But I love it. I feel free.”
Good American Family is streaming on Hulu. Watch the official trailer below.
