What Happened to Natalia Grace’s Adoptive Mother Kristine Barnett? See Where She Is Now After Divorce

Natalia Grace Barnett’s story shocked true crime viewers all over the nation after ID’s docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace aired on May 29, 2023. The show focused on the accusations made by Natalia’s former adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett. The pair alleged that the Ukraine native was actually an adult instead of a child when they adopted her in 2010 and claimed that she tried to kill members of the Barnett family on multiple occasions. They alleged that Natalia had a form of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, which made her appear smaller. Since Kristine doesn’t show up as much in the series as Michael does, viewers want to know what happened to her and where she is now after her divorce from Michael.

Keep reading to learn everything we know about where Kristine is now.

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What Happened to Kristine Barnett?

Michael and Kristine adopted Natalia through an emergency adoption process in 2010. Shortly after bringing her home to America, the Barnetts allegedly began noticing violent behavior from their new family member. One of the most shocking allegations from the Barnetts was that Michael witnessed Natalia “standing at the foot of the bed with a knife in her hand,” he claimed during the Curious Case of Natalia Grace docuseries trailer. Not only that, but Natalia also allegedly tried to poison Kristine’s coffee and drag her into an electric fence, Michael claimed. 

Over time, the Barnetts couldn’t live under the same roof as Natalia anymore. So, Michael, Kristine and their biological children moved to Canada in 2013, leaving Natalia in a rental apartment in Lafayette, Indiana.

Eventually, Michael and Kristine divorced, but they maintained their allegations against Natalia in the years to come. Although they filed a petition in 2012 to the Marion County Probate Court to change Natalia’s birth year from 2003 to 1989, the former spouses were ultimately charged with several counts of neglect in the state of Indiana in September 2019.

Michael faced counts such as neglect of a dependent, neglect of a dependent causing bodily injury, neglect of a dependent causing serious bodily injury and conspiracy to neglect a dependent. Four counts of neglect of a dependent were dismissed against him, though, in February 2022. He then appeared in court in October 2022 for his trial. Natalia testified at Michael’s trial, noting, “I wanted to be with the Barnetts. I wanted to live with them.”

Ultimately, Michael was found not guilty of the charges later that month. Charges against Kristine were also dropped in March 2023, less than one month before her trial was scheduled to begin.

Kristine has been living in Florida, In Touch can confirm. 

Where Is Natalia Grace Now?

Natalia is still seemingly residing in Indiana. In November 2019, she appeared on Dr. Phil with Antwon and Cynthia Mans, a family who took her in after the Barnetts left her. The Mans couple spoke alongside Natalia while on the show and defended her.

“We have other children. We have a grandson,” Cynthia explained at the time. “[Natalia] does nothing but love her siblings and her nephew.”

Show host Phil McGraw expressed his uncertainty over the situation while speaking with the trio, saying, “A 6 or 7-year-old child living in an apartment alone for a year? That’s just not believable to me.”

In response, Natalia claimed that she “didn’t even go grocery shopping”

“My landlord took me to a gas station or something just to get a couple of things,” she continued. “The Barnetts had given me food, like canned foods and stuff like that.”

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Is Natalia Grace an Adult or a Child?

Michael and Kristine were able to legally change Natalia’s birth certificate from the year 2003 to the year 1989 when the former couple filed the petition in 2012. However, Natalia still claims that she was a child at the time when the Barnetts adopted her.

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace explores both sides of the story and delves deep into the mystery that is gripping true crime fans. The show ran back-to-back nights from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on the ID network after its May 29, 2023, premiere.