The True Age Of Natalia Grace: DNA Test Results And The Shocking Date Of Birth Controversy

The mystery surrounding Natalia Grace's true age has finally reached a definitive conclusion, a revelation that dramatically shifts the narrative of one of the most bizarre and highly-publicized adoption cases in modern history. The controversy, which saw adoptive parents Michael and Kristine Barnett accuse the Ukrainian orphan of being a grown adult masquerading as a child, hinged entirely on her date of birth. As of December 10, 2025, the latest forensic evidence and legal documentation now provide a clear, albeit complicated, answer to the question that has captivated the world for over a decade. This article delves into the multiple dates of birth associated with Natalia Grace, the shocking DNA testing that provided clarity, and the subsequent legal reversal that attempts to correct the record. The full story, heavily featured in the documentary series *The Curious Case of Natalia Grace*, reveals a harrowing tale of identity, abandonment, and systemic failure.

Natalia Grace: A Biographical Timeline of Contested Identity

The core of the "Curious Case" lies in the ever-changing identity of the adopted Ukrainian orphan. Her life has been defined by two drastically different dates of birth, a legal battle, and a recent scientific confirmation.

• Birth Name: Natalia Vadymivna Gava.
• Initial Certified Date of Birth: September 4, 2003. (This was the date on her original Ukrainian birth certificate).
• Adoptive Parents: Michael and Kristine Barnett.
• Adoption Year: 2010 (Adopted from an orphanage in Ukraine).
• Legal Age Change (2012): A court in Indiana legally changed her birth year from 2003 to 1989, effectively making her a 22-year-old adult. This was based on the Barnett family’s petition and belief that she was an adult.
• Condition: Spondyloepimetaphyseal Dysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism.
• DNA Test Revelation (August 2023): A forensic DNA test estimated her age to be approximately 22 years old at the time of the test, aligning her birth year closer to 2001 or 2002, and confirming she was a child when adopted.
• Legal Reversal (Post-2023): Following the DNA evidence, her birth year was legally changed back to 2003, reversing the 2012 decision.
• Current Estimated Age: Based on the September 4, 2003 birth date, she is currently in her early twenties.

The Shocking DNA Test That Confirmed Her Real Age

The entire controversy hinged on the Barnetts' claim that Natalia was a "sociopathic adult" who was trying to harm them, a claim they justified by legally changing her age from 8 to 22 in 2012. However, the follow-up documentary series, *The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks*, delivered the bombshell evidence that finally put the age debate to rest: a forensic DNA test.

The test, conducted by the medical lab TruDiagnostic, analyzed Natalia’s DNA to determine her approximate biological age. The results, revealed in the August 2023 documentary, estimated that Natalia was roughly 22 years old at the time of the test. This scientific finding is crucial because it strongly suggests that when the Barnetts adopted her in 2010, she was approximately 9 years old, not a 22-year-old adult, as they had claimed.

This scientific confirmation directly contradicted the Barnetts' decade-long assertion and supported Natalia's consistent story: that she was, in fact, a child when she was adopted and subsequently abandoned by the family after they had her age legally changed.

Why the Date of Birth Was Legally Changed to 1989

The decision by the Barnetts to petition the court to change Natalia's age remains the most contentious part of the case. In June 2012, they successfully had her birth year legally changed from the certified 2003 to 1989. This action meant that, in the eyes of the law, the 8-year-old child they had adopted was suddenly a 22-year-old woman.

The Barnetts claimed they pursued the age change because they believed Natalia was exhibiting behaviors inconsistent with a child, such as having adult teeth, a mature vocabulary, and evidence of a menstrual cycle, suggesting she was an adult with dwarfism rather than a child. Michael Barnett, however, later claimed that his then-wife, Kristine Barnett, was the main driving force behind the age change.

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The legal re-aging had catastrophic consequences for Natalia. By declaring her an adult, the Barnetts were legally absolved of their parental responsibilities. They moved to Canada, leaving Natalia behind in an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, a move that led to them facing neglect charges (though Michael was later found not guilty, and charges against Kristine were dropped).

The Legal Reversal and Current Status

The release of the DNA test results served as a critical turning point. While the test did not provide a precise date of birth, its findings were strong enough to support Natalia's claim that she was a minor when the Barnetts abandoned her.

Following the scientific confirmation, there was a legal push to correct the record. The court ultimately reversed the 2012 decision, legally changing her birth year back to 2003. This means that officially, Natalia Grace's date of birth is September 4, 2003. This legal change retroactively confirms that she was a child when she was left alone in 2013.

In a final twist, the documentary series also revealed that Natalia has since found a new family, the Mans family, who have taken her in and provided the stability she longed for. This new chapter in her life, confirmed by the latest legal and scientific evidence, suggests that the "curious case" may finally be moving toward closure for Natalia herself, even as the public remains fascinated by the explosive allegations and the complex ethical questions surrounding adoption, disability, and identity fraud.

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