The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace: 5 Shocking Updates On Her Real Age And Life In 2025

The story of Natalia Grace Barnett, the Ukrainian orphan at the center of one of the most bizarre and disturbing adoption controversies in modern history, continues to evolve, with new information coming to light in late 2024 and early 2025. What began as a heartwarming adoption in 2010 quickly spiraled into a sensational criminal case when her adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, claimed she was not a six-year-old child with dwarfism but a twenty-something sociopath masquerading as a minor. The saga has been chronicled across multiple docuseries, but the most recent updates finally offer clarity on her true age and a glimpse into her life today.

As of late 2024 and early 2025, the most significant updates center on a scientific DNA test and her stable new living arrangement, challenging the long-held narratives presented by the Barnett family. The case, which involves allegations of child neglect, fraud, and a legal battle over her birth year, has finally provided a measure of resolution, suggesting that Natalia was indeed a child when abandoned by the Barnetts in 2013.

Natalia Grace Barnett: Biography and Key Figures in the Controversy

The story of Natalia Grace is complex, involving multiple families, legal proceedings, and a sensational media firestorm. Below is a detailed look at the central figure and the people who have shaped her controversial life.

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• Full Name: Natalia Grace Barnett (Original Ukrainian name is often cited as Natalia Grace)
• Date of Birth: Exact date is heavily disputed. Originally believed to be September 4, 2003. A 2012 court order legally changed her age to September 4, 1989. Recent DNA testing suggests an approximate birth year that would make her around 22 years old in 2025.
• Place of Birth: Ukraine
• Condition: Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (a rare genetic disorder causing short stature/dwarfism).
• Adoption: Adopted in 2010 by Michael and Kristine Barnett in the United States.
• Key Allegations: The Barnetts claimed she exhibited adult behaviors, threatened their family, and was an adult sociopath. Natalia has consistently denied these claims, stating she was a child who was abused and neglected.
• Legal Status: The Barnetts successfully had her age legally changed in 2012, making her an adult in the eyes of the law, which was a central point in their subsequent neglect charges.
• Adoptive Parents:
  • Michael Barnett: Adoptive father. Faced charges of neglect of a dependent but was found not guilty in 2022.
  • Kristine Barnett: Adoptive mother. Also faced charges of neglect of a dependent, but her case was dropped in 2023.
• Current Guardians: Nicole and Vince DePaul (The DePaul Family). They are friends of the Barnetts who also have a form of dwarfism and previously attempted to adopt Natalia. She currently lives with them in upstate New York.
• Media Coverage: Featured prominently in the Investigation Discovery docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace and the Hulu crime drama Good American Family.

The Age Controversy: What New DNA Testing Revealed

The core of the entire international controversy was the question of Natalia’s true age. When Michael and Kristine Barnett adopted her in 2010, they believed she was a six-year-old child. However, after claiming she exhibited adult-like characteristics and making violent threats, they petitioned a Tippecanoe County court in Indiana to legally change her birth year from 2003 to 1989, effectively making her 22 years old.

This court-ordered age change was a pivotal moment, as it allowed the Barnetts to legally move the "adult" Natalia into an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, and move to Canada in 2013 without facing immediate legal repercussions for abandoning a minor.

In a major development in the docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, a DNA test was performed by the medical lab TruDiagnostic. The results, revealed in the final episodes, provided a scientific estimate of her age.

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The key findings from the TruDiagnostic test were:

1. Estimated Age: The DNA test concluded that Natalia was approximately 22 years old as of the time of the test (late 2023/early 2024).
2. Implication: This scientific estimate strongly suggests that Natalia was only about nine or ten years old when the Barnetts legally changed her age to 22.

This new evidence effectively supports Natalia’s long-standing claim that she was a child when the Barnetts abandoned her, directly contradicting the narrative that she was a manipulative adult sociopath. Legal analyst Beth Karas noted the significance of this DNA evidence in providing a definitive answer to a question that had plagued the case for over a decade. While the legal birth year from the 2012 court order reportedly remained in place at the end of Michael Barnett's trial, the scientific and public consensus has shifted dramatically in Natalia's favor.

Where is Natalia Grace Now? Life with the DePaul Family in 2025

Following the intense media scrutiny and the conclusion of the criminal trials against Michael and Kristine Barnett, public curiosity has shifted to Natalia’s current well-being. The latest updates from 2025 confirm that Natalia has found stability and a supportive environment with the DePaul family.

Natalia currently resides with Nicole and Vince DePaul in upstate New York. The DePauls are friends of the Barnetts who had previously attempted to adopt Natalia before the controversy fully erupted.

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Key details about her current life include:

• A Stable Home: Natalia has described her life with the DePauls as a supportive environment, stating that she has found genuine care and a sense of belonging with the family.
• A Shared Condition: Nicole and Vince DePaul also have a form of dwarfism, which has allowed Natalia to live with a family that intimately understands her physical condition and the challenges associated with it. This shared experience is a crucial aspect of her current stability and integration.
• Public Presence: The continued public interest in her story is evident, with Natalia appearing on the cover of People Magazine in January 2025 to share her side of the story and provide updates on her life. This move suggests she is actively taking control of her narrative after years of being defined by the Barnetts' accusations.

The transition to the DePaul family was not without its challenges, as initial bumps were reported while the Manns (another family involved in her care) were still involved. However, the current arrangement appears to be a positive step toward a stable, independent life for Natalia.

Impact of the Docuseries and Public Opinion Shift

The story of Natalia Grace has been heavily influenced by the media, particularly the two docuseries: The Curious Case of Natalia Grace and the follow-up, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks. These programs, alongside the Hulu drama Good American Family, have kept the case in the public eye.

The docuseries allowed both Michael Barnett and Natalia to present their versions of events, but the final season, featuring Natalia’s perspective and the DNA evidence, has significantly impacted public opinion. The collective sentiment has largely shifted from questioning if Natalia was a dangerous adult to recognizing her as a victim of alleged abuse and neglect by her adoptive parents.

The public debate now focuses less on her age and more on the ethics of the 2012 court decision to change a child's birth certificate and the subsequent actions of the Barnett family. The case serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of international adoption, the vulnerability of children with disabilities, and the overwhelming power of media narratives to shape public perception.

In 2025, Natalia Grace Barnett is no longer just a figure in a sensational true-crime story. She is a young woman who has endured a decade of controversy, legal battles, and public scrutiny. Her current life in upstate New York, supported by the DePaul family and the scientific clarity from the TruDiagnostic test, marks a significant and hopeful chapter in a story that once seemed destined for a tragic end.