5 Shocking Truths About Natalia Grace’s Age: Is The Ukrainian Orphan Really An Adult?

The bizarre and deeply unsettling case of Natalia Grace, the Ukrainian orphan adopted by an Indiana couple who later claimed she was an adult sociopath posing as a child, has captivated global audiences for years. As of December 10, 2025, the central, burning question remains: Is Natalia Grace an adult, or was she the victim of a shocking abandonment? The latest legal and scientific evidence has finally provided a definitive answer, but the story is far from over.

The controversy stems from a 2012 court order that legally changed Natalia’s birth year from 2003 to 1989, effectively making her a 22-year-old woman. However, recent, highly publicized DNA testing and the restoration of her original birth certificate have closed the door on the age debate, confirming she was, in fact, a child at the time of the alleged abandonment. The full truth, however, involves complex medical conditions, multiple legal battles, and two explosive docuseries.

Natalia Grace's Complete Profile and Legal Age Timeline

Natalia Grace, whose birth name is Natalia Vadymivna Gava, became a household name after her adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, accused her of being a dangerous adult. Her story is one of a Ukrainian orphan with a rare form of dwarfism whose life was thrown into chaos by a legal maneuver that stripped her of her childhood.

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• Full Name: Natalia Vadymivna Gava (Legally: Natalia Grace)
• Date of Birth: September 4, 2003
• Current Age (Dec 2025): 22 years old
• Place of Birth: Mykolaiv, Ukraine
• Medical Condition: Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc)
• Height: Approximately 3 feet 7 inches (109 cm)
• Adoptive Parents: Michael and Kristine Barnett (Adoption finalized in 2010)
• Key Legal Event: Age legally changed from 2003 to 1989 in 2012 by the Marion County Probate Court.
• Current Status: Living with her new adoptive family, the Mans family, and her age has been legally restored to her original birth year.

The legal change of age in 2012 is the crux of the entire controversy. The Barnett family claimed that Natalia was exhibiting signs of an adult, including having adult teeth, menstrual cycles, and making threats, leading them to petition the court for an age reassignment. This court order allowed them to legally move her into an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, and move to Canada, effectively abandoning what the law considered a 22-year-old woman.

The Definitive DNA Test: Science Over Suspicion

The question of Natalia Grace's true age was finally settled by a combination of legal action and modern science, providing the most compelling evidence to date.

The TruDiagnostic Results

In a pivotal moment documented in the docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, a DNA test was conducted to determine her real age. This was not a standard genetic test, but an advanced epigenetic test performed by the medical lab TruDiagnostic.

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• Test Date: August 2023
• Method: The test analyzed the methylation of her DNA, a process that changes with age, to estimate her chronological age.
• Result: The test concluded that Natalia was approximately 22 years old at the time of the test.

This scientific finding directly corroborates her original 2003 birth certificate. If she was 22 in August 2023, she would have been only about 8 or 9 years old when the Barnetts successfully petitioned the Indiana court to have her age changed to 22 in 2012. This evidence strongly supported Natalia’s claim that she was a minor when the Barnett family abandoned her.

Legal Restoration of Age

Following the release of the DNA results, and after years of legal limbo, Natalia's original birth year of 2003 was legally restored. This means that, in the eyes of the Indiana court, the legal basis for the Barnetts' defense—that they abandoned an adult—was completely undermined.

The restoration of her age was a massive victory, not just for Natalia, but for the clarity of the case. It officially confirms that the Barnett family’s actions constituted the abandonment of a child, not the escape from an adult posing as a minor. This legal and scientific consensus is the most significant update in the case, providing a fresh perspective on the entire narrative and closing the door on the core question of her identity.

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The Barnett Family's Legal Battles and Their Outcome

The controversy led to criminal charges against Michael and Kristine Barnett, who were accused of neglect of a dependent after they moved Natalia to an apartment and left the country. The outcome of these trials further complicated the public's understanding of the case.

Michael Barnett’s Acquittal

Michael Barnett was the first to face trial. In 2022, he was acquitted of all charges of neglect. The defense successfully argued that because the Marion County Probate Court had legally changed Natalia's age to 22, the state could not prove he neglected a child, as she was legally considered an adult at the time of the alleged crime.

Kristine Barnett’s Dismissed Charges

Charges against Kristine Barnett were later dismissed in 2023. The prosecution decided not to move forward with the trial, largely because of the precedent set by Michael's acquittal. The initial court ruling on the age change proved to be an insurmountable hurdle for the prosecution in the criminal cases, despite the later scientific evidence that contradicted the original court order.

These legal outcomes, while confusing, highlight the critical difference between the criminal and civil aspects of the case. While the Barnetts were not convicted of a crime, the subsequent DNA evidence and age restoration have firmly established that Natalia was, in reality, a child when she was left alone in the apartment. The legal loophole of the age change saved the Barnetts from criminal conviction, but the court of public opinion, armed with the new evidence, has largely sided with Natalia.

Life After the Controversy: Where is Natalia Grace Now?

After the legal battles and the media frenzy, Natalia Grace has worked to build a new life away from the turmoil of the Barnett family. Her current life is one of stability and support with her new family.

The Mans Family Adoption

Natalia was taken in by Antwon and Cynthia Mans, a couple who appeared in the docuseries Natalia Speaks. The Mans family provided the stability and support Natalia desperately needed. She has been living with them, and they have since become her new adoptive family.

Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc)

Natalia’s medical condition, Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc), is a rare genetic bone growth disorder that causes short stature, a short torso, and skeletal anomalies. The physical manifestations of SEDc—which include a small stature and unique facial features—were allegedly used by the Barnetts to fuel their suspicion that she was an adult. Her condition is managed, and she is now able to live a more normal life with the support of her new family.

In conclusion, the answer to "Is Natalia Grace an adult?" is a resounding "Yes," but only in the sense that she is now 22 years old. Crucially, all available evidence confirms she was a child when the Barnett family adopted her and, more importantly, when they abandoned her. The saga of Natalia Grace stands as a chilling reminder of the complexity of adoption, the limitations of the legal system, and the powerful impact of a narrative driven by fear and suspicion.