The latest true-crime drama, Good American Family, has revived the story of Natalia Grace and her complex relationship with her adopted family, the Barnetts. However, the show has raised speculation around the seemingly inaccurate portrayal of events.
Lined by a cast of renowned actors such as Ellen Pompeo, Mark Duplass, and debut actress Imogen Faith Reid — who portray Kristine Barnett, Michael Barnett, and Natalia Grace, respectively — Good American Family has fictionalized aspects of Grace’s story. Hulu producers have explained that their goal was to tell the story “from multiple points of view as a means to explore issues of perspective, bias, and trauma”.
So, what is the true story of Natalia Grace? And who is the audience inclined to believe?
Beginnings
Their story began in 2010 when the Barnett’s received a call about a young girl from Ukraine seeking a new home after being put up for re-adoption. They jumped at the idea, having the desire to “help somebody who was in danger of never being loved”, according to Michael Barnett.
Upon her adoption, Natalia Grace was seven years old, with her birth certificate reporting that she was born in 2003. She also has a rare form of dwarfism: diastrophic dysplasia. Despite potential challenges, the Barnetts embraced Natalia, but soon, her new guardians began to see cause for concern.
Red Flags
Following her adoption, the Barnett’s alleged that Grace had malicious intent against their family — which consists of three additional biological children. The Barnett’s claimed to have lived in “horror” during this time. The most shocking revelation came when Kristine and Michael shared that Natalia appeared at their bedside holding a knife, an allegation that Grace has vehemently denied.
As several unusual occurrences came to add up — such as Natalia’s pubescent bodily development — the Barnett’s began to question Grace’s age. However, when Grace was tested by a series of medical professionals, her physical examination, skeletal examination, and DNA test all aligned with the age on her birth certificate.
Despite proving her innocence, the Barnett’s were undeterred. In 2012, they successfully petitioned for a court order that would change Grace’s birth year from 2003 to 1989. In 2013, they left Grace alone in an apartment where she was directed to tell others that she was 22 years old, but looked young. The Barnett’s then fled to Canada.
A New Start?
Shortly after being flung into adulthood, Grace met Antwon and Cynthia Mans, who sympathized with her situation. Grace quickly moved in with the Mans, where she was charged $250 in rent, and was taught to read, write, and do math.
Grace was also tasked with taking care of the other children in the house. Doing so taught her how to “be a mother”. She recounts that she often felt “stuck”, and did not know who she was with the Mans — who proved to run an abusive household.
Eventually, the Mans adopted Natalia Grace in 2023 after failing to file for guardianship in 2016 — due to Michael Barnett’s objection on the grounds that Grace was a legal adult, as per her birth certificate.
Yet, in the six months following her adoption, the Mans reported a sense of unease regarding Natalia’s behavior, expressing that she was “the enemy in the house”, according to Antwon Mans. They accused Grace’s boyfriend, Neil, of manipulating her against her family.
Neil then connected Grace with Nicole and Vincent DePaul, a couple with dwarfism, who lived in New York City. The DePauls accepted Grace into their family during a secret exchange that occurred when Natalia snuck out of church to fly to her new home with the DePauls.
Charges
In 2019, Kristine and Michael Barnett were each charged with “six counts of neglect of a dependent and two counts of conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent” for their actions against Natalia.
Over the years, several motions to dismiss these charges were filed, with some coming up successful and some ending in failure. Yet, in 2022, Michael Barnett was found not guilty, and in 2023, Kristine Barnett’s charges were dismissed.
Furthermore, in a turn of events, Michael Barnett has alleged that he too was a victim of Kristine Barnett’s abuse — the two having been divorced since 2018. Nevertheless, Natalia’s account continues to differ from that of the Barnett’s.
Conclusion
As Hulu producers have stated, in order to create a “compelling narrative” that evokes an emotional reaction, the events depicted in Good American Family were “heighten[ed]” and “embellish[ed]”. So, for viewers who are unfamiliar with the case, it may be difficult to discern the truth.
If you wish to follow Grace’s story further, the documentary “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace” offers detailed insight through a series of interviews and real-life conversations with those most closely involved.
