The Barnetts claimed that Natalia, who was born with dwarfism, was showing signs of puberty, such as menstruation and pubic hair, even though her official birth certificate listed her age as 6 or 7.
This is what led to the abuse and problems Natalia faced in the Barnett household.
Highlights
- When Natalia Grace was noticed to have pubic hair, she was taken for a medical check-up.
- On June 3, 2010, Dr. Andrew Riggs, an endocrinologist, examined her and found signs of early physical development, such as Tanner #1 breast development and Tanner #2 pubic hair.
- The results showed no issues, and Dr. Riggs estimated her age to be between 9 and 11, which was older than the 6 or 7 years stated on her official birth certificate.
Good American Family tells the complicated story of Natalia Grace, a girl from Ukraine who was adopted but has a confusing and unclear age, born either in 2003, 1989 or somewhere in between, according to conflicting court documents.
At that time, Natalia’s second adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, made headlines when they adopted her and then left her behind when they moved to Canada.
The Barnetts claimed their daughter was an adult con artist in disguise, pretending to be a young girl and causing harm.
Unraveling The Mystery Of Natalia Grace: A 13-Year-Long Controversy And DNA Revelation
Kristine, Michael Barnett, and their three sons seemed like an all-American family.
Kristine went on to write a well-received book called The Spark about raising her son Jacob, a gifted child prodigy.
The book became so popular that it was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in 2013.
However, despite focusing on her sons, the book does not mention the young girl, Natalia, who was adopted alongside them.
The Barnetts adopted Natalia in 2010. Michael Barnett claimed a questionable adoption agency gave them just 24 hours to decide if they wanted to adopt her, with very little information provided about her background or medical history.
Natalia’s birth mother, who was born in Latvia and lived in Ukraine at the time, placed her in an orphanage.
In 2008, when Natalia was 5, she was brought to the U.S. by Dyan and Gary Ciccone, a couple from New Hampshire who were connected to an adoption agency that worked with Russian adoptees.
When Natalia was seen with pubic hair, she was taken for medical evaluation.
On June 3, 2010, Dr. Andrew Riggs, an endocrinologist, evaluated her and found signs of pre-adolescent development, including Tanner #1 breast development and Tanner #2 pubic hair.
Dr. Riggs conducted hormone tests to determine if this was normal development or premature puberty.
The tests showed no abnormalities, and Dr. Riggs estimated her age to be between 9 and 11, instead of the 6 or 7 years stated on her official birth certificate.
Similarly, in 2024, in the documentary series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, Natalia finally takes a DNA test to settle the debate about her age.
The test results show that she was indeed 22 years old, meaning she was a child around the age of 9 when adopted in 2010.
This revelation came after 13 years of conflicting claims, with people on both sides of the story making contradictory statements.
The case has been one of the more twisted and complicated ones ever covered, with constant back-and-forth and changing beliefs.
Additional Information
- Natalia spent nine weeks in a mental hospital and also stayed at a halfway house. The Barnetts then rented two apartments for her, including one in Lafayette, Indiana.
- Following her abandonment by the Barnetts in 2013, Natalia was taken in by Cynthia and Antwon Mans and their children.
- The Barnetts divorced in 2014, but their involvement with Natalia was far from over.
