Current Status of Kristine and Michael Barnett, Natalia Grace's FormerParents: Recent Developments
Intriguing Revisits of Natalia Grace's Story:
Unraveling the genuine narrative behind Hulu's new crime drama, Good American Family, we find ourselves delving into the captivating and genuine tale of Natalia Grace. This Ukrainian girl, diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism called diastrophic dysplasia, was adopted by Indiana couple Kristine and Michael Barnett, only to be later accused by them of lying about her age, making disturbing threats, and exhibiting harmful behavior towards their family.
The dynamic duo, played by Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass in the Hulu production, allegedly point fingers at Natalia, claiming she attempted to assassinate Kristine and presented other alarming behavior towards their family as displayed in the show.
Curious to uncover the truth, Natalia shared her side of the story in Investigation Discovery's three-part docuseries, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace. In this series, she charged Kristine of abuse and also agreed to a DNA test, which approximated her age to around 22, suggesting she would have been roughly 9 years old when Michael and Kristine adopted her.
As you delve into the first few episodes of Good American Family, you may ponder about the present circumstances of Kristine and Michael Barnett and Natalia Grace's former adoptive parents.
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Introducing Kristine and Michael Barnett:
Meet Kristine Barnett, a vivacious Indiana woman, and her partner Michael Barnett. This couple, along with their three biological sons, Jacob, Wesley, and Ethan, welcomed Natalia Grace, a young Ukrainian girl known for her rare condition, into their care. Known for his charm, Jacob, who is autistic and reportedly boasts an IQ of 170, started college at the tender age of ten years old. In 2013, Kristine authored a memoir, The Spark, chronicling her experience of nurturing her genius son.
Both Kristine and Michael Barnett gradually suspected that Natalia was concealing the truth about her age – assuming she wasn't six or seven, but rather in her twenties. Michael claimed in The Curious Case docuseries that Natalia made threats, hid dangerous items in her bedroom, and even attempted to poison Kristine's coffee with cleaning fluid. On the contrary, Natalia alleged that she endured abuse at the hands of Kristine.
Two years following their adoption, the Barnetts petitioned the Marion County Probate Court to legally increase Natalia's age to 22. This request was approved, allowing them to alter her birth year from 2003 to 1989 on the grounds of "age estimates furnished by a primary care physician and social worker," according to records from the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Kristine and Michael subsequently relocated their family to Canada with their three sons, abandoning Natalia alone in an apartment in Lafayette. They upheld they were aiding her by facilitating federal disability benefits and supportive services to help Natalia transition to adulthood. However, Natalia stated in the docuseries that the apartment lacked accessibility - she couldn't reach the stove, shelves, or mailbox, and didn't have a phone to call for help.
Current Whereabouts of Natalia Grace:
Following the tumultuous experience with the Barnetts, Cynthia and Antwan Mans, who met Natalia while she was residing alone, filed for legal guardianship of her in 2016. Michael Barnett put up an objection, asserting that Natalia was an adult. Eventually, the Mans adopted Natalia in 2023, but in the third season of the docuseries, Natalia claimed that the Mans maltreated her as well. At present, Natalia lives with Nicole and Vincent DePaul, a couple also affected by dwarfism who attempted to adopt her in 2009.
Charges Faced by Kristine and Michael Barnett:
Each of Kristine and Michael Barnett was indicted on six counts of neglect of a dependent and two counts of conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent. Michael was declared not guilty in October 2022 on three counts of neglect and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent. The charges against Kristine were dismissed in March 2023.
Present Status of Kristine and Michael Barnett:
Sadly, Kristine and Michael Barnett are no longer together. Michael filed for divorce from Kristine Barnett in 2014, and their divorce became official in 2018. As of 2023, Michael resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, and has since reportedly remarried and divorced following his separation from Kristine. He granted an interview in Investigation Discovery's docuseries, allowing Natalia to confront him on the events that transpired.
In the docuseries, Michael confessed that he too fell victim to Kristine's manipulations and mistreatment. "I had the same monstrous controlling partner that you did [Natalia]. I was closely managed, put down, threatened, and marginalized, with minimal input in my identity and guide to be exactly what she wanted me to be," he admitted[5].
Current Residence of Kristine Barnett:
Though she did not participate in Investigation Discovery's docuseries, Kristine denied the accusations made by Natalia in the series, including claims of abuse during the time they lived together. According to TODAY, Kristine's last known residential address in the U.S. was in Indiana in 2019.
In her public statement, Kristine emphasized her affection for Natalia and disputed the allegations concerning abuse. "Natalia was a deeply cherished and nurtured member of my family. She was neither abused nor battered by anyone in my family. Let's get to the heart of these allegations," she wrote[6]. "Normal discipline, when applied to Natalia, was the expectation of any responsible parent, and was never beyond the bounds of common parenting."
Unravel the truth behind this enthralling tale in Good American Family, currently streaming on Hulu[7].
[1] https://www.today.com/parents/kristine-barnett-natalia-grace-b11842764[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2019/10/25/the-true-story-behind-todays-the-curious-case-of-natalia-grace/?sh=2ce2f41d43a1[3] https://people.com/parents/natalia-grace-a-person-with-dwarfism-says-theres-more-to-her-story/[4] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/natalia-barnett-case-childrens-rights_n_581eda53e4b0468104f13d6a[5] https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2021/11/03/michael-barnett-kristine-barnett-trial-natalia-grace-case-update/8413342002/[6] https://today.com/parents/kristine-barnett-natalia-grace-update-b17100687[7] https://www.hulu.com/series/good-american-family-65e0e31e-a1d6-4af3-afe7-4b004131a36d
- The six-count neglect of a dependent charges against Michael Barnett were dismissed in March 2023, while Kristine's charges were dismissed in the same month.
- In 2023, the Mans adopted Natalia, but according to the docuseries, she subsequently claimed they maltreated her as well.
- As of 2023, Michael Barnett resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, and has since reportedly remarried and divorced following his separation from Kristine.
