Whatever Happened To Natalia Grace's Adoptive Parents?
Natalia Grace Barnett's case has left people perplexed and divided for years. Was she a child when her parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, adopted her, or was she secretly an adult? The case has made many people question the truth, but what has happened to Michael and Kristine since then?
In 2010, Kristine and Michael, who already had three children, adopted Natalia, per E! News. When they adopted Natalia, the couple was given a Ukrainian birth certificate that listed her birthday as September 4, 2003, and told that she had spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a type of dwarfism. The Barnetts felt they had the means to provide for Natalia and were excited to extend their family, but things quickly took a turn.
Following a series of alarming incidents, the Barnetts started to suspect that Natalia was significantly older than her birth certificate indicated. They also alleged that Natalia had made threats of violence against them. It came to a point where the Barnetts wanted nothing to do with Natalia, and in 2013, they left her in an apartment complex in Indiana while the rest of the family moved to Canada. Eventually, authorities got involved, and Michael and Kristine were charged with neglect of a dependent. From the beginning, Natalia claimed she was a child when the Barnetts adopted her. It's been years since the case was brought to light, but Michael and Kristine's whereabouts are still at the forefront of many people's minds.
Michael and Kristine had their charges dropped
Whether you believe they deserved it or think they should have faced jail time, the outcome remains the same: Michael and Kristine Barnett successfully had their charges of neglect of a dependent dismissed.
In 2019, the couple faced multiple counts related to their abandonment of Natalia. However, it wouldn't be until 2022 that any decisions would be made regarding Michael's future. In February of that year, Michael experienced some legal relief when four counts of neglect of a dependent were dropped, owing to the expiration of the statute of limitations, according to Seventeen. His trial instead solely concentrated on charges of neglect related to Natalia's disability, with Natalia delivering testimony. Despite what the Barnett's may have thought, Natalia admitted she wanted to be a part of their family. However, her testimony wasn't enough to convince the jury to charge Michael, and he was not found not guilty.
Although Michael's case was over, many awaited Kristine's. Her trial was set for April 2023, but just weeks before she was set to appear in court, a judge dismissed her case entirely. Prosecutor Patrick Harrington revealed to News 18, "The State believes there would be insufficient evidence at trial to prove the charges in this case beyond a reasonable doubt." Kristine's attorney, Mark Nicholson, shared that the case should have been dismissed long ago. Nicholson also revealed that Kristine "can't believe it's over" and is happy about how things unfolded.
Michael and Kristine divorced
Michael and Kristine Barnett's marriage fell apart amidst the drama with their adopted daughter, Natalia Grace Barnett. According to NBC Chicago, Michael was the one to file for divorce from Kristine in 2014 after 20 years of marriage. The couple's divorce was finalized in 2018, just a year before they were charged with neglect of a dependent. Since the divorce and the limelight the case has brought them, Michael and Kristine have approached the subject in different ways. Kristine has been more reserved and quiet about speaking on her adopted daughter and the case, whereas Michael has been vocal, occasionally throwing his ex-wife under the bus in the process.
In part two of the new ID documentary, "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks," Michael confessed to Natalia that they both faced the same "monster," referring to Kristine. Michael revealed that he blindly followed Kristine because she would threaten to take away their three biological children. Speaking on Kristine, Michael shared, "I was exceptionally controlled and put down and threatened." The couple are no longer on good terms and have continued to live separate lives.
According to StyleCaster, Kristine moved to Florida after her divorce from Michael. However, Michael remained in Indiana, where the case originated.