She gained worldwide consideration when her adoptive household accused her of not being a baby however in reality an grownup with malicious intent. Now, she’s talking out for the primary time and the place Natalia Grace is now is the topic of a brand new documentary collection by ID.
Natalia Grace is a Ukrainian-born woman who gained media consideration as a result of a controversial and extensively publicized case. In 2010, she was adopted by an American household, the Barnetts, who due to her subtle language and different behaviors, believed that Natalia had a uncommon type of dwarfism—as an alternative of being a baby, as she and the orphanage claimed, she was an grownup with psychiatric points who deceived them. One specific account, the Barnetts mentioned, was after they awoke to Natalia standing over them with a knife.
They petitioned to have her age legally modified to 22, based mostly on a bone density take a look at. In 2012 and a 12 months later, the Barnetts moved to Canada, leaving Natalia behind to fend for herself when she was solely 9 years previous. In The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, we’re supplied unique entry to Natalia as she shares her story and confronts her former adoptive dad and mom Michael and Kristine Barnett’s accusations head-on.
All through six components, Natalia Speaks retraces her adoption saga and the Barnett’s allegations from Natalia’s perspective, providing perception into what actually went on behind closed doorways within the Barnett’s residence and the way a lot reality there truly is to their declare Natalia was not a 6-year-old Ukrainian orphan with a uncommon genetic dysfunction, however moderately a homicidal grownup intent on harming them and their youngsters. So the place is Natalia Grace now?
The place is Natalia Grace now?
The place is Natalia Grace now? She was ultimately taken in by Antwon and Cynthia Mans and resides in Indiana. In November 2019, Cynthia instructed Dr. Phil that: “We now have different youngsters. We now have a grandson. [Natalia] does nothing however love her siblings and her nephew.”
In her first time talking out since then, Natalia talks concerning the many allegations Kristine and Michael have made towards her. “The issues that Kristine and Michael have mentioned that I’ve finished is a lie. I’ve by no means finished something that Kristine and Michael have mentioned that I’ve finished,” Natalia mentioned. “You’ll be able to ask anyone in my household now. You’ll be able to ask Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans that — simply ask them, ‘Has she ever finished something?’ They’ll let you know who I actually am. They’re not going to lie and neither am I.”
She continued: “It’s irritating. It’s very irritating to listen to every little thing that’s being mentioned from Kristine and Michael. And since I already don’t know who I’m and I need to know who I’m and what occurred to me, however I’m listening to all these items that by no means truly occurred from Kristine and Michael,” she goes on to say. “I’m like, ‘It’s stunning and it’s irritating.’ As a result of that’s not even true. And persons are believing what Kristine and Michael are saying with out even listening to my facet.”
Within the Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, Natalia and Michael confront one another. When Natalia questioned Michael why they adopted her within the first place, Michael mentioned: “I’ve realized not too long ago that you simply and I had the identical monster [in] Kristine, and we’re right here as a result of we each have been unbelievable victims of an otherworldly kind of abuse.”
Natalia requested him to make clear. “This isn’t simple,” he mentioned. “I had the identical monster you probably did. I used to be exceptionally managed and put down, and threatened, was minimalized. Something that was who I used to be was ripped from me and I used to be guided and instructed to be precisely what she needed me to be.”
Once more, Natalia requested him to make clear by what he meant by “threatened”. He defined: “Her favourite menace was taking the boys away from me and ensuring I might by no means see them once more.” Natalia requested him why he didn’t go away. “I attempted,” Michael mentioned. “And these solutions aren’t what you’re searching for, to a level, however I attempted to depart her at least 10 occasions. I ended up within the hospital commonly over it.”
Natalia Speaks additionally options beforehand unseen proof and pictures, in addition to new theories and testimony from an array of voices, together with the retired FBI brokers who initially investigated Natalia’s case, genetic consultants who helped decide Natalia’s true age, and the Tippecanoe County Deputy Prosecutor Jackie Starbuck who prosecuted Michael in his October 2022 trial. As well as, the docuseries sheds mild on Natalia’s subsequent chapter, providing a portrait of her life along with her new adoptive household and unique interviews along with her adoptive dad and mom, Bishop Antown and Cynthia Manns.
The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks premieres throughout three consecutive nights on ID starting Monday, January 1 at 9 pm ET.