DNA Test Confirms: Was Natalia Grace Actually A Child? The Shocking Truth Revealed In 2025

The question of "was Natalia Grace actually a child" has captivated the world for over a decade, turning a simple adoption story into a true-crime nightmare. For years, the public was left to wonder if the Ukrainian orphan with a rare form of dwarfism was a neglected little girl or, as her adoptive parents claimed, a sociopathic adult masquerading as a minor. As of late 2024 and early 2025, the most definitive and recent evidence—a high-tech DNA test—has finally provided a shocking answer, shedding new light on the entire saga and strongly suggesting the Barnetts’ claims were unfounded.

The controversy first exploded when Michael and Kristine Barnett, who adopted Natalia in 2010, successfully petitioned an Indiana court to legally change her age from 8 to 22, effectively reclassifying her as an adult. This unprecedented legal maneuver and the subsequent abandonment of Natalia led to criminal charges against the Barnetts and sparked the international media frenzy documented in the hit series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace.

Natalia Grace: A Biographical Profile and Case Timeline

The story of Natalia Grace Barnett is a complex web of legal action, medical ambiguities, and shocking personal accusations. To understand the latest revelations, it’s essential to first grasp the key entities and the timeline of events that led to the global debate over her true age.

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• Full Name: Natalia Grace (last name Barnett used during adoption, currently goes by Natalia Mans).
• Date of Birth (Original): Circa September 4, 2003 (as per original Ukrainian birth certificate).
• Date of Birth (Legally Changed): September 4, 1989 (as per 2012 Marion County Probate Court order).
• Place of Birth: Ukraine.
• Condition: Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (a rare form of dwarfism or skeletal dysplasia), which causes joint and vision issues.
• Adoption: Adopted by Michael and Kristine Barnett in 2010 from an international adoption agency.
• Age Reassignment: In 2012, the Barnetts successfully petitioned a court to change her legal age from 8 to 22.
• Current Family: Resides with her new adoptive family, Antwon and Cynthia Mans, in the United States.
• Current Age Estimate (Based on 2023 DNA Test): Approximately 22 years old as of August 2023, suggesting she was about 9 years old when the Barnetts changed her age in 2012.

The Core Controversy: Child or Adult?

The central conflict in the case is the Barnetts' claim that Natalia was a "sociopathic adult" who was actively trying to harm them, versus Natalia's assertion that she was a neglected child. The Barnetts pointed to alleged physical signs of adulthood, such as a full set of adult teeth, pubic hair, and the fact that she was having menstrual cycles.

However, medical experts have noted that children with Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc) can experience delayed bone growth and advanced puberty, which complicates the visual assessment of age. The Barnetts’ successful 2012 court petition, which legally changed Natalia’s birth year from 2003 to 1989, was the catalyst for their ability to subsequently move to Canada and leave Natalia behind in an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, claiming she was a legal adult.

This legal age change was a procedural move, not a medical one, and it allowed the Barnetts to avoid child abandonment charges for several years. The case against Michael Barnett for neglect of a dependent was eventually dismissed in 2022, and Kristine Barnett's charges were also dropped in 2023.

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The Definitive DNA Evidence: What the TruDiagnostic Test Revealed

For years, the public and the courts relied on conflicting testimonies and ambiguous medical records. The most crucial piece of evidence to emerge recently, providing the clearest answer to the question "was Natalia Grace actually a child," came from a DNA test conducted in August 2023 and featured in the documentary series Natalia Speaks.

The test, performed by the medical laboratory TruDiagnostic, utilized a sophisticated method of epigenetic testing that analyzes DNA methylation patterns—a highly accurate way to estimate a person's biological age.

The Shocking Results

The TruDiagnostic test concluded that Natalia Grace was approximately 22 years old at the time the test was administered in August 2023.

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This finding has profound implications for the entire case:

• Confirmation of Childhood: If Natalia was 22 in late 2023, she would have been around 9 years old in 2010 when she was adopted, and approximately 11 years old in 2012 when the Barnetts successfully petitioned the court to change her age to 22.
• Disproving the "Adult Imposter" Theory: The test results directly contradict the Barnetts’ central claim that Natalia was a 22-year-old adult when they adopted her in 2010.
• Legal Ramifications: While the Barnetts' criminal charges were eventually dismissed, this scientific evidence strongly supports Natalia's long-held position that she was a minor when she was abandoned.

This DNA evidence serves as the most powerful and objective confirmation to date that Natalia Grace was, in fact, a child when the Barnetts adopted her and subsequently had her age legally changed. The results corroborate the original Ukrainian birth certificate, which listed her birth year as 2003.

The Aftermath: Natalia Speaks and the Mans Family

The revelations from the DNA test have brought a degree of closure to the relentless speculation surrounding Natalia’s age. The documentary series, particularly the *Natalia Speaks* season, gave Natalia a platform to share her side of the story, confronting her former adoptive father, Michael Barnett, and reacting to the scientific proof of her childhood.

Natalia’s life has stabilized significantly since the ordeal. She has found a permanent, loving home with Antwon and Cynthia Mans, who initially took her in after she was left in the Lafayette apartment. The Mans family has since legally adopted her, and she now lives a life away from the intense media scrutiny, focusing on her education and future. The Mans family has consistently supported Natalia’s claim that she was a child.

Topical Authority and Key Entities

The Natalia Grace case touches on several complex and sensitive topics, giving it significant topical authority in the true-crime and legal spheres. Key entities and concepts that are critical to understanding the narrative include:

• Skeletal Dysplasia (SEDc): A medical condition that causes physical characteristics (like short stature and delayed bone aging) that can be misinterpreted as signs of adulthood, a key factor in the Barnetts' initial claims.
• Age Reassignment: The highly unusual and controversial legal process initiated by the Barnetts in the Marion County Probate Court.
• Epigenetic Testing (TruDiagnostic): The scientific method used in 2023 to provide the most objective age estimate, a major development in the case.
• Michael Barnett and Kristine Barnett: The former adoptive parents whose actions sparked the criminal investigation and media firestorm.
• Neglect of a Dependent: The criminal charges the Barnetts faced, which were ultimately dismissed.
• Ukrainian Orphanage System: The initial source of Natalia’s adoption, which raised questions about the reliability of her original birth records.

Ultimately, the latest scientific evidence strongly suggests that Natalia Grace was indeed a child who was abandoned by her adoptive parents after they successfully petitioned a court to legally declare her an adult. The DNA test provides a powerful, objective counter-narrative to the sensational claims that fueled the decade-long mystery.