Who Are Natalia Grace's Adoptive Parents?

Who Are Natalia Grace's Adoptive Parents, Who Now Say Girl From Ukraine is 'Sociopath?’

Michael and Kristine Barnett have claimed that Natalia Grace, who has a form of dwarfism, was merely posing as a child and was really an adult woman with sinister intentions

Nicole Acosta

Published on June 6, 2023 05:12PM EDT

In 2010, an Indiana couple believed they were adopting a 6-year-old orphan from Ukraine. However, they soon became suspicious of her age, which led to a shocking claim that would become the focal point of a legal battle that would last years.

Michael and Kristine Barnett have claimed that Natalia Grace, who has a form of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal, was merely posing as a child — and was really an adult woman with sinister intentions. The couple have since alleged their former adoptive daughter is a “sociopath” and a “con artist,” who tried to harm their family.

The bizarre tale is also featured in a three-part docu-series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which debuted on Investigation Discovery (ID) on May 29.

The Barnetts, who also share three biological sons, were later accused of changing Natalia’s legal age to 22 and abandoning her.

Natalia has since spoken out against the allegations, most recently in an Entertainment Tonight exclusive preview of a follow-up ID documentary titled, “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks,” saying, “This is my side of the story, and I'm going to say what happened because I never got a chance to say what happened.”

Here are five things to know about Natalia Grace’s adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett.

They Adopted Natalia Grace from Ukraine in 2010

In 2010, the Indiana couple adopted Natalia Grace from Ukraine. They were told she was a 6-year-old orphan. Natalia was with the Barnett family for two years before Michael and Kristine say they realized they had been conned.

The adoptive parents have since claimed they became suspicious when Natalia was exhibiting traits that a young child is not expected to have, such as an advanced vocabulary, pubic hair and menstrual cycles, ID reports.

According to the Journal & Courier, Natalia has denied those claims during an appearance on the “Dr. Phil” show in Nov. 2019.

They Alleged Natalia Tried to Kill Them Multiple Times

Natalia was accused of trying to poison Kristine's coffee and kill her by dragging her towards an electric fence. Natalia was also accused of placing clear thumb tacks on the stairs face up so that they would step on them.

Michael Barnett previously told Good Morning America that doctors allegedly treating Natalia told them "this person is a sociopath. This person is a con artist. You are all in danger."

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

They Were Charged With Neglect Of A Dependent – But Not Convicted

In 2012, the couple petitioned Marion County Probate Court to have her age legally changed to 22, changing her birth year from 2003 to 1989.

The following year, Michael and Kristine Barnett moved with their three sons to Canada without her, leaving her alone in an apartment in Lafayette, Ind.

The Barnetts were charged with neglect of a dependent. Prosecutors couldn't charge the couple with neglect of a child because of Natalie's court-ordered age change.

Natalia testified during Michael’s trial saying that she didn’t want to live in Lafayette.

“I wanted to be with the Barnetts,” she said, the Lafayette Journal & Courier reported. “I wanted to live with them.”

Michael was found not guilty of three counts of neglect and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent in 2022, while Kristine’s charges were dropped in March 2023, according to the Associated Press and WTHR.

Where Is Natalia Grace Now?

Natalia, who is still legally 33, is now staying with a different family in Indiana, In Touch reports. To this day, she claims, per reports, that she is 19.

Natalia is expected to share her side of the story in a follow-up documentary airing later this summer.

“I’m hearing all this stuff that never actually happened from Kristine and Michael,” Natalia says in the preview clip for The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks. “It’s shocking and it’s frustrating because that’s not true. And, people are believing what Kristine and Michael are saying without even hearing my side.”