How old was Natalia Grace when she was adopted? Details about Good American Family subject, explored
Good American Family is a drama series based on the true story of Natalia Grace Barnett, an orphan girl from Ukraine. The series sheds light on the events when a couple, Kristine and Michael Barnett, adopted Natalia. But later, they claimed that Natalia was not a child but an adult woman with dwarfism.
According to Forbes, Barnett's couple adopted Natalia in 2010, believing she was seven years old. A blood test conducted by the medical lab TruDiagnostic revealed that Natalia was approximately 22 years old in 2023. This means that when the Barnett family adopted her in 2010, she was approximately 9 years old, as reported by Forbes.
As shown in Good American Family, the Barnetts began to question Natalia's age and the circumstances of her adoption. The case soon reached court, and a high-profile legal battle began.
Good American Family premiered on March 19, 2025, on Hulu.
Good American Family: All about Natalia's case
The story of Good American Family revolves around the controversial real-life story of Natalia Grace, who was adopted by a couple, Kristine and Michael Barnett.
As per TODAY, the Barnett couple claimed that after adopting Natalia, they began to suspect that she was not a seven-year-old girl but an adult woman. Michael Barnett stated in an interview that on the very first day of adoption, when his wife bathed Natalia, she noticed that she had pubic hair like an adult.
According to TODAY, Michael said,
“Natalia said, 'I have a period and I’ve been hiding it from you because I don’t want you to know.'”
In Good American Family, Natalia alleged that Kristine Barnett abused her and forced her to pretend she was menstruating.
As per TODAY's article, she said,
“I was 7 years old and all of a sudden, Kristine just tried to convince me that I was having my period. Kristine literally just said, ‘You started your period,’ and she forced me to put the tampon in, and I literally just told her, ‘I can’t, I can’t do it, it hurts. I remember Kristine being mad because I couldn’t do it.”
Good American Family - Allegations of age manipulation and abandonment
According to an affidavit filed by the state of Indiana, the Barnett couple legally changed Natalia's date of birth to 1989, increasing her age from 8 years to 22 years.
According to the affidavit, in July 2013, the couple rented an apartment in Indiana for Natalia to live alone. After that, they relocated to Canada with their three biological children. Kristine Barnett reportedly told Natalia to tell people that she was 22 years old.
The affidavit also said that in 2012, doctors at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital considered Natalia a minor, and the Barnett couple were fully aware of this.
In Good American Family, the case of Natalia Grace involves a controversial legal and personal dispute. Court documents indicate that her birth records were legally changed, and she began living independently at a young age.
To find out more about this case, watch Good American Family, available for streaming on Hulu. International viewers can watch the series on Disney+.
Also Read: How to watch Good American Family? Streaming details explored
