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The Five Shocking Truths About Natalia Grace: Where Is The Ukrainian Orphan Now In 2025?

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As of late 2025, Natalia Grace is no longer an exploited subject of a true-crime documentary but an adult woman focused on reclaiming her narrative and building an independent life. After years of legal battles, public scrutiny, and a controversial life with multiple adoptive families, the Ukrainian orphan—who was falsely accused by her first American parents of being an adult sociopath—is now pursuing her GED, learning to drive, and preparing for full independence. This latest chapter follows her appearance on the cover of *People* Magazine in January 2025, where she shared her current status and intentions for the future, finally taking control of her own story. The complex and often disturbing saga, which became the subject of the Investigation Discovery (ID) docuseries *The Curious Case of Natalia Grace* and the Hulu series *Good American Family*, has captivated the world. The core mystery—was she a child or an adult?—has been definitively answered, but the emotional and legal fallout continues to reveal new, shocking layers of alleged neglect and exploitation from those who were meant to care for her.

Natalia Grace: Full Biographical Profile and Key Entities

The story of Natalia Grace is inextricably linked to a rare medical condition and a series of high-profile legal and media events. The following profile provides the verified details of the woman at the center of the controversy, along with the key entities involved in her tumultuous journey.

  • Full Birth Name: Natalia Vadymivna Gava (Ukrainian: Наталія Вадимівна Гава)
  • Verified Birthdate: September 4, 2003
  • Current Age (2025): 22 years old (as of September 2025)
  • Place of Birth: Mykolaiv, Ukraine
  • Medical Condition: Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc), a rare form of dwarfism that affects bone growth and causes skeletal abnormalities, limited mobility, and vision issues.
  • Height: Approximately 3 ft 7 in (109 cm)
  • First Adoptive Parents (2010): Kristine and Michael Barnett (Indiana couple who claimed she was a 22-year-old sociopath).
  • Second Adoptive Family/Guardians: Antwon and Cynthia Mans (The Manses officially adopted her in 2023 but Natalia later left them, alleging abuse and financial exploitation).
  • Current Guardians (2025): The DePaul family (Friends who previously attempted to adopt her and now provide a supportive environment).
  • Legal Jurisdiction: Tippecanoe County, Indiana
  • Key Medical Evidence: TruDiagnostic (The lab that performed the DNA test to estimate her true age).

The Five Shocking Truths That Redefined Natalia’s Story

The narrative surrounding Natalia Grace was built on a foundation of sensational claims made by her first adoptive parents, Kristine and Michael Barnett. However, years of investigation, medical tests, and her own testimony have revealed five key truths that completely overturn the initial public perception.

1. The Definitive DNA Test Proved She Was a Child, Not a Woman

The central, most shocking claim made by the Barnetts was that Natalia was an adult woman with malicious intent, not the six-year-old Ukrainian orphan they believed they adopted in 2010. This claim was supported by an Indiana court in 2012, which legally "re-aged" her to be 22 years old.

However, the truth finally emerged through scientific evidence. A DNA test conducted by the medical lab TruDiagnostic revealed that Natalia was approximately 22 years old as of the time of the test, meaning she was only about nine or ten years old when the Barnetts abandoned her in 2013 and fled to Canada. This DNA evidence, along with other bone density and medical tests, was crucial in changing her legal birthdate back to 2003, confirming she was indeed a child when she was left to live alone.

2. The Barnetts Faced and Escaped Conviction for Neglect

After the Barnetts moved out of the country, leaving Natalia in an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, they were charged in 2019 with multiple counts of neglect of a dependent. The charges centered on their actions in 2013, when they legally changed her age and then abandoned her.

Despite the shocking nature of the allegations, neither Michael nor Kristine Barnett served jail time. Michael Barnett was acquitted of all charges at his 2022 trial. Subsequently, the neglect charges against Kristine Barnett were also dismissed in 2023. This outcome left many observers frustrated, as the court's decision hinged on the legally changed age of Natalia, making it difficult to prosecute the Barnetts for neglecting a "child" who was legally considered an "adult" at the time of the abandonment.

3. Natalia Alleged Abuse and Exploitation by Her Third Adoptive Family

Following the abandonment by the Barnetts, Natalia was taken in by Antwon and Cynthia Mans, an Indiana couple who eventually officially adopted her in 2023. For years, the Manses were portrayed as her saviors. However, the latest season of the documentary, *The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter*, revealed a new and disturbing twist.

Natalia has since alleged that the Manses, particularly Cynthia Mans, subjected her to physical and emotional abuse and financially exploited her. It was claimed that Cynthia Mans controlled Natalia's $700 monthly government benefits and charged her $250 a month in rent for the apartment she lived in. These allegations led to a falling out, and Natalia left the Manses, further complicating her adoption history and underscoring a pattern of exploitation.

Natalia Grace’s Life Now: Independence and Reclaiming Her Story in 2025

The most recent and positive development in Natalia’s life is her transition to a stable, supportive environment. Following her departure from the Mans family, she is now living with the DePaul family, who were long-time friends and had previously attempted to adopt her.

In a rare and candid interview featured in *People* Magazine in January 2025, Natalia Grace spoke directly about her future. She is actively pursuing her goal of independence, which includes studying to obtain her GED and learning how to drive. Her current focus is squarely on self-improvement and establishing a life free from the controversies and control of others.

This new chapter represents a significant shift in her public narrative. After years of being defined by the sensational claims of the Barnett family and the subsequent documentaries, Natalia is determined to be seen as an individual with a future, rather than a mysterious true-crime figure. She hopes to eventually pursue a career and is committed to being an advocate for herself.

The story of Natalia Grace serves as a sobering reminder of the flaws within the adoption system and the power of media to shape public perception. With her true age confirmed and her current life in a supportive environment, the Ukrainian orphan who was once accused of being a killer is finally on a path to a self-determined future.

natalia grace
natalia grace

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