Natalia Grace in ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace” on ID.
Courtesy of Investigation Discovery
Hulu’s new crime drama, Good American Family, delves into the mysterious case of Natalia Grace—a story that’s drawn even more attention since the first two episodes premiered last week. The series follows real-life Indiana couple Kristine and Michael Barnett, who adopted Natalia, a young Ukrainian girl with a rare form of dwarfism.
After adopting Natalia in 2010, Michael and Kristine began to suspect she wasn’t who she claimed to be. As seen in the dramatized Hulu series, they alleged she was actually an adult posing as a child after noticing early signs of puberty.
The Barnetts also said that Natalia posed a danger to them and their biological children. They claimed she tried to poison Kristine’s coffee and once attempted to drag her into an electric fence. According to the family, Natalia also hid knives in her bedroom and scattered clear thumbtacks on the stairs so the family would unknowingly step on them.
ForbesThe Terrifying True Story Behind ‘Good American Family’—What Did Natalia Grace Do?By Monica MercuriIn 2012, the Barnetts petitioned the Marion County Probate Court to legally change Natalia’s age to 22. A year later, they moved her into an apartment in Lafayette and relocated to Canada with their three sons: Jacob, Wesley, and Ethan. Michael told Good Morning America that doctors who had evaluated Natalia allegedly warned the family that she was a sociopath, a con artist, and that they were “all in danger.”
Meanwhile, Natalia has alleged that she was abused by Kristine—a claim explored in Investigation Discovery’s three-part docuseries, which focuses on her account of what took place inside the Barnett household. It also explores “how much truth there actually is to their claim Natalia was not a 6-year-old Ukrainian orphan with a rare genetic disorder, but rather a homicidal adult intent on harming them and their children,” the synopsis for the show reads.
As you’re watching Good American Family, you might be wondering whether Natalia Grace was a child or an adult when she lived with the Barnetts. In recent years, key developments have shed light on how old the Ukrainian orphan really was at the time.
Was Natalia Grace A Child Or Adult When She Was With The Barnetts?
Natalia Grace in ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace” on ID.
Courtesy of Investigation Discovery
In August 2023, a blood test conducted by the medical lab TruDiagnostic determined that Natalia was approximately 22 years old at the time of testing. This means that she was likely around nine years old when the Barnetts adopted her in 2010.
“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 premiere episode of Natalia Speaks. “This is so big. Because literally, this has been 13 years of just two people lying their butts off. They ruined a kid’s life. They painted [me] as some big monster.”
ForbesWhere Are Kristine And Michael Barnett Now? What Happened To Natalia Grace’s Ex-ParentsBy Monica Mercuri“It just proves that I was not lying about my age,” she continued. “They ignored everything that was pointing to the truth just so they could create this stupid lie. They knew it and they still did what they did.”
In the ID docuseries, it’s revealed that an endocrinologist evaluated Natalia in 2010 and estimated her age to be between nine and eleven years old—a finding the series claims was shared with the Barnetts. A dentist interviewed in the docuseries also recalled Kristine visiting his office in 2011 and asking if he could determine Natalia’s age by examining her teeth. After taking an X-ray, the dentist found that Natalia still had 12 baby teeth.
“When mom and Natalia left mom knew Natalia was around 8 or 9,” the dentist alleged in he docuseries.
The Barnetts, who later divorced, were each charged with six counts of neglect of a dependent and two counts of conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent. According to People, prosecutors weren’t able to charge them with neglect of a child because Natalia’s age had been legally changed to 22. Michael was found not guilty of three counts of neglect and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent in 2022, while the charges against Kristine were dropped shortly after.
How Old Is Natalia Grace Now?
Natalia Grace in ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter” on ID.
Courtesy of Investigation Discovery
Following the August 2023 lab test, Natalia’s birth year was legally changed back to 2003, reversing a previous decision made after the Barnetts petitioned an Indiana court to change it. As a result, her age is now listed as 21 in 2025.
Natalia eventually moved in with the Mans family and their 10 children, who legally adopted her in 2023. However, conflicts within the household eventually led her to flee in the middle of the night. In the ID docuseries, multiple witnesses—including neighbors and friends—alleged that they saw members of the Mans family physically abuse Natalia. According to People, the alleged abuse included whipping her with a belt, slapping her in the face, locking her in a room, and other forms of assault.
ForbesWhere Is Natalia Grace Now? Her Life Today After Accusing Two Families Of AbuseBy Monica MercuriNatalia is now living with the DePaul family, who once hoped to adopt her when she was a child. Nicole DePaul told People that while she doesn’t plan to legally adopt Natalia, their life together is mostly peaceful, though there are times when they don’t 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.”
In her People cover story, Natalia reflected on her journey, calling it “blessing to be alive today because looking back at my 7-year-old self, I should have been dead.”
She continued, “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.
