DNA Results Finally Reveal The Truth About Orphan Natalia Grace’s Age

Her birthdate has been the subject of much scrutiny, ever since her adoptive parents accused her of being much older than they originally thought. Natalia Grace’s age was finally revealed in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks—a six-part documentary series on iD.

Natalia is a Ukrainian-born girl who gained media attention due to a controversial and widely publicized case. In 2010, Kristine Barnett, an American woman, and her then-husband Michael Barnett adopted Natalia from Ukraine. The Barnetts believed that Natalia had a rare form of dwarfism, which they believed to be a child-like appearance but with an adult mind.

Maintaining that Natalia was actually an adult with psychiatric issues who deceived them about her age, they petitioned to have her age legally changed to 22, based on a bone density test. In 2012 and a year later, the Barnetts moved to Canada, leaving Natalia behind to fend for herself when she was only 9 years old.

In The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, we’re offered exclusive access to Natalia as she shares her story and confronts her former adoptive parents Michael and Kristine Barnett’s accusations head-on. Throughout six parts, Natalia Speaks retraces her adoption saga and the Barnett’s allegations from Natalia’s perspective, offering insight into what really went on behind closed doors in the Barnett’s home and how much truth there actually is to their claim Natalia was not a 6-year-old Ukrainian orphan with a rare genetic disorder, but rather a homicidal adult intent on harming them and their children. With all that said, Natalia Grace’s age is finally revealed thanks to sophisticated DNA testing.

Natalia Grace’s age

Natalia Grace’s age, currently, is around 22 years old, meaning she wasn’t an adult when the Barnetts legally changed her age. “I was six years old when they adopted me. But the Barnetts did a petition to change my age to 22 years old. I literally lost my childhood,” Natalia said in the documentary. “The Barnetts tried to paint me as this big monster, they claimed I’m lying about my age.”

The documentary returned to the dentist’s office where she underwent an x-ray while she was living with the family. Looking back at the X-rays taken at the time, it showed adult teeth growing in the gums underneath Natalia’s baby teeth—something that obviously wouldn’t be happening to someone in their 20s. “You can’t fake teeth coming in like this,” the dentist explains, noting she would’ve been 8 or 9 years old when the x-ray was taken in 2011. This evidence was backed up by a blood sample.

“I’ve known the truth for as long as I can remember, that I was a kid,” Natalia said in the documentary, breaking down in tears after getting the results. “I just want people to really see the truth about my age.” This is significantly younger than 34, which is the age she would be now with her legally changed birthdate of 1989, meaning she was four when she came to the United States from Ukraine and she was only eight years old when the Barnetts legally changed her age.

“This one little piece of paper throws every single lie the Barnetts have said right into the trash, with a match. This is so big, this has been 12 years of just two people, lying their butts off. They ruined a kid’s life,” Natalia said after she was given the results.

“They painted me as a big monster when in reality, they were the ones. It just proves I was not lying about my age. They ignored everything that was pointing to the truth, just so they could have this stupid lie. They knew it and they still did what they did.”

In a teaser for the episode that aired on January 1, 2023, Natalia confronted her adoptive father, Michael. “Why did you adopt me in the first place?” she asked. “Many of these questions there’s not going to be a single answer to,” he replied. “I’ve learned recently you and I have the same monster: Kristine. And we are here because we both were incredible victims of an other-worldly type of abuse.”

Michael alleged he “was exceptionally controlled and put down and threatened” by his wife, adding, “Anything that was who I was was ripped from me and I was guided and instructed to be exactly what she wanted me to be.” He continued: “I tried to leave her no less than 10 times. I ended up in the hospital regularly for it.” Michael filed for divorce from Kristine in 2014 after almost 20 years of marriage.

Natalia Speaks also features previously unseen evidence and footage, as well as new theories and testimony from an array of voices, including the retired FBI agents who initially investigated Natalia’s case, genetic experts who helped determine Natalia’s true age, and the Tippecanoe County Deputy Prosecutor Jackie Starbuck who prosecuted Michael in his October 2022 trial. In addition, the docuseries sheds light on Natalia’s next chapter, offering a portrait of her life with her new adoptive family and exclusive interviews with her adoptive parents, Bishop Antown and Christina Manns.

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks premieres across three consecutive nights on ID beginning Monday, January 1 at 9 pm ET.