'CON ARTIST' DAUGHTER?
Who are Natalia Grace’s adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett?
The Barnetts adopted Natalia Grace in 2010
NATALIA GRACE's adoptive parents Michael and Kristine Barnett have been at the center of a bizarre scandal.
Here's everything you need to know about Michael and Kristine Barnett and their adopted daughter Natalia Grace.
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Who are Natalia Grace’s adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett?
Michael and Kristine Barnett are a formerly married couple from Indiana.
The two met while they were in college and Kristine abandoned her Amish background in order to marry Michael.
In addition to fostering Natalia Grace, the pair are also parents to three sons.
Kristine is an author and professional speaker who advocates for children with autism.
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She is the founder of the non-profit organization Jacob's Place.
Named after her and Michael's eldest son, Jacob's Place continues Kristine's advocacy on behalf of autistic children.
In April 2013, Kristine published her book The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius.
In February 2014, the former couple went their separate ways and filed for divorce.
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When did the Barnetts adopt Natalia Grace?
On April 26, 2010, the Barnett family adopted Natalia Grace, an orphan from Ukraine.
At the time, they believed the girl was six years old, but later found out she was 21 when they decided to foster her.
The Barnetts also claimed Natalia tried to fatally harm them on several occasions.
While telling his side of the story on The Dr. Oz Show, Michael said: "It’s obvious that her records were falsified. This is an adult masquerading as a child.
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"She attempted to kill Kristine twice. The first time she tried to poison her...when confronted it was a matter-of-fact answer...'I am trying to kill you.'
"We took her to the stress center to have her evaluated that she is having thoughts of harming others, and she is stating out loud that she is attempting to kill Kristine."
He also appeared on Good Morning America and further explained: "Natalia would do things like place clear thumbtacks on the stairs face up so that when we would walk up the stairs we would be stepping on thumbtacks to pain and injure ourselves.
"We were told by doctors, 'This person is a sociopath. This person is a con artist. You are all in danger."
Meanwhile, Natalia denied any accusations of alleged violence and deception about her age.
She told Dr. Phil: "I just want them to give up on the whole charade. I just want it to be over.
"I don't want people to see me for what they [The Barnetts] have been saying I am."
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Why were the Barnetts on trial?
In September 2019, Michael and Kristine were charged with counts of neglect of a dependent, neglect of a dependent causing bodily injury, and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent.
The then-alleged abandonment was believed to happen when the Barnett family moved to Canada in July 2013 and left Natalia behind in Lafayette.
On October 28, 2022, the charges against Michael were dismissed.
On March 24, 2023, the charges against Kristine were dismissed as well.
Marion County Superior Court decided to dismiss their cases because of forensic evidence presented to them that revealed Natalia was not a child when the Barnetts left her in Lafayette.
Judge Gerald S. Zore accepted the couple's allegations were "true" and revised Natalia's date of birth to September 4, 1989 - changing her age from eight to 22.
When does The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks premiere?
In May 2023, The Curious Case of Natalie Grace aired on ID Discovery.
It touched on the Barnett's accounts of what happened when they fostered Natalia.
Meanwhile, the follow-up series, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, is scheduled to air on January 1, 2024.
It has six parts, all of which will air across three consecutive nights at 9 pm on ID.
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"The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks will be Natalia's answer to The Curious Case of Natalia Grace. Natalia will share her side of the story of what happened behind the closed doors of the Barnett family home and address allegations against her head on," a press release for the special read.
"After years of being cloaked under a gag order due to the subsequent legal proceedings around the 2019 arrest of her adoptive parents, Natalia has been unable to tell her story - until now."
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