The highly publicized story of Natalia Grace captured the attention of people worldwide when she was abandoned by her adoptive parents, who claimed she was an adult.
In allegations that mirror the script of the 2009 horror film Orphan– where a family discovers a haunting secret in the little girl they adopted. Keep reading to find out more Natalia Grace!
Recently, Matt Roloff, the Little People, Big World family patriarch, posted on his Instagram, a plea to support a GoFundMe for Natalia Grace.
Roloff writes, “hello everyone.. I was very touched by the story on Natalia Grace (google it). For those that don’t know she has the same type of rare Dwarfism as me. A variant of Diastrophic dysplasia. You can help her and her new family on this go fund me link. Let’s help get the new van and send them on a fun vacation.”
Roloff’s followers quickly commented, some supporting Natalia: “Finally someone showing kindness for this girl who was treated so terribly by everyone who entered her life.”
Others questioned his charitable decisions.
“I have always loved watching and following you and Caryn but this was not a good character decision on your part just bc you can relate to her disability,” and another says, “This girl? All over the news? Natalia Grace, an orphan from the Ukraine who was accused of pretending to be a 6-year-old girl by her adoptive parents.”
Yes, that Natalia Grace, the orphan from Ukraine.
In 2010, Michael and his then-wife Kristine Barnett realized their dreams of adding a daughter to their brood of three boys.
Learning that Natalia has spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia–which causes short stature, skeletal abnormalities and problems with vision–the couple, without hesitation, wanted to bring her home.
Kristine Barnett
Kristine explained that her and Michael eagerly signed the paperwork to complete the emergency adoption for their six-year-old daughter, who without any provided reason, had been surrendered by her previous adoptive parents.
The paperwork revealed Natalia had been in the U.S. for two years, had a Ukrainian birth certificate reading September 4, 2003, and desperately needed a new home.
“Out of compassion for their situation I didn’t want to press them for information on what had gone wrong,” said Kristine, who added that soon after they noticed some oddities. “I was giving her a bath and I noticed that she had full pubic hair. I was so shocked. I had just been told she was a six-year-old and it was very apparent she wasn’t.”
Sharing her story with the Daily Mail, Kristine outlined the many events they experienced with Natalia. This included her refusing dolls and toys, preferring the company of teenage girls, and a vocabulary beyond her age.
“It’s very hard to decipher how old she is because she has such a unique look. But at that time I started to believe she was probably a teenager,” Kristine continued, “But I didn’t have any regrets. This was what I wanted to do. I felt overwhelming love for her.”
The clues kept coming.
Barnett said she found bloody clothing in the garbage and believed Natalia was hiding that she had her period.
Then Natalia was taken to meet the family doctor and bone density tests revealed she was at least 14 or older. It was around this time that Kristine said Natalia’s behavior shifted.By 2011, she said the girl smeared bodily fluid on walls, made death threats and claimed to hear voices.
Natalia spent the next year in treatment for various psychiatric disorders, and days to weeks at a time at a local stress center.
According to Kristine, it was during treatment Natalia confessed to being far older than she appeared.
Michael Barnett
The Barnett’s puzzling ordeal is outlined in the documentary, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which can be seen on Investigation Discovery (ID).
At the beginning of the show, Michael tearfully tells audiences, “She won’t tell us the truth of who she is–we are living with a con artist.” He continues to charge Natalia with his financial and family ruins: “Early 2010, we were blessed with many things. By the time 2014 came around, I have 37 cents in my bank account, I have no wife, I have no children, I have no home, and no job. If Natalia never entered our lives, I (would) never get divorced.”
According to Michael, there were various signs indicating she was not a child, like her adult teeth and that she did not grow in four years, which typically happens even in children with dwarfism.
In addition to doubting Natalia’s age, Michael describes her behavior as “menacing,” even threatening to stab her siblings.
“She tried to poison and kill my wife. (And) one night, I opened my eyes and Natalia is standing at the foot of the bed with a knife in her hand,” Michael said.
Providing some evidence of Natalia’s peculiar behavior, footage in the documentary shows her inside the Barnett home, sitting at a table reading the bible. When she is asked why she chose to read it, she replies: “To get rid of these evil thoughts.”
Michael adds, “She would do as much as possible to cause hurt or harm or mental distress to the entire family.”
More alarming, after extensive treatment, Natalia was diagnosed as a “sociopath.”
All these circumstances, the Barnetts say, led to their decision of removing Natalia from their lives.
In 2012, they initiated a petition in probate court, and after careful consideration, the judge legally modified Natalia’s birthdate from 2003 to 1989, making her 22 years old.
Then the Barnetts, claiming Natalia was a legal adult, moved her into an apartment and relocated to Canada.
Some people were in shock, believing that a young child was living alone, maintaining a home and diet without the support of an adult.
Natalia Grace
Natalia said she was mostly eating “peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ramen noodles and an occasional pizza,” along with canned food that was difficult for her to open given the limited dexterity in her hands and arms.
Appearing on Dr. Phil in 2019, Natalia emphatically denied being an adult, and quashed accusations that she deceived or threatened the Barnett family. She said she was told by Kristine and Michael, “If someone asks you, you tell them that you’re 22.” Natalia went on to say that Michael paid all the bills and when asked why she was left, she replied, “I don’t know.”
On the show, Natalia was accompanied by her new guardians, Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans, who took her in when she was living alone in her second apartment. She had to leave her first home after numerous neighbors complained about her disruptive behavior.
The new family insists that claims made by the Barnett family are false, and taking the girl in with their other children, they say Natalia was abandoned at only [six or seven]. Bishop Antwon said, “she would get into trouble just like any normal child would. (She) didn’t display any kind of psychotic behavior.” Cynthia Mans add, “She’s amazing.”
The couple then suggested that Natalia’s surgeries were too much of a “burden” to the Barnetts, which motivated the family to flee.
They also said the movie Orphan had been released shortly before Natalia was abandoned and suggested that the Barnetts used the film as their real-life narrative.
All the while, Natalia maintained her innocence, expressing her distress.
In the follow-up special, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, Natalia defends herself, saying, “I’m like, ‘It’s shocking and it’s frustrating.’ Because that’s not even true. And people are believing what Kristine and Michael are saying without even hearing my side.” She continues, “Y’all have heard from Kristine and Michael and what they have said. But you need to hear both sides in order to know what happened.”
Michael and Kristine are now divorced and all neglect charges were dropped.
READ MORE
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- ‘Little People, Big World’ star Matt Roloff is engaged to longtime girlfriend Caryn Chandler
The story of Natalia Grace is definitely a confusing one. Tell us what you think of Natalia and if you believe she really was a child when she was adopted by the Barnetts, or if you believe the claims against her.
Please share this story and let’s hear what others have to say!
