As the narrative unfolded, a series of shocking revelations emerged, including interviews with Natalia and her adoptive father, Michael Barnett. These discussions confirmed her birth year as 2003, igniting hope that she might finally find a loving family willing to support her, paving the way toward a brighter future filled with promise and stability.

But this hope was short-lived.

The initial broadcast of the ID series concluded with ominous hints that the situation with the Mans family, who adopted Natalia after the Barnetts abandoned her at just 8 years old, was deteriorating. The Barnetts had legally altered her birth year from 2003 to 1989, rendering her an adult at 22 years old in the eyes of the law, despite her biological age remaining just eight.

Now, Natalia is ready to share her complete story in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter, airing on January 6 and 7 on ID, featuring back-to-back episodes that promise to reveal the truth behind her harrowing journey.

In an exclusive interview with People, Natalia, now 21, opened up about the profound psychological and emotional challenges she has faced throughout her tumultuous journey. She reflected on her experiences with both the Barnetts and the Mans, while also expressing her hopes for a brighter future as she embraces adulthood.

Although Natalia has taken center stage in her own docuseries, she admitted to People that being in front of the camera often makes her uncomfortable. This discomfort was highlighted during an emotional breakdown she experienced while filming, showcasing the immense pressure and vulnerability she feels as she shares her story with the world.

According to reports, during a dramatic incident, Natalia expressed overwhelming anxiety, shouting at everyone to “get out.” Witnesses described her facial expressions as shifting from “anxiety to raw fear and ultimately panic.” However, she managed to regain composure and indicated her readiness to move forward, sharing with People, “I’ve anxiety all the way to the roof.”

“I truly don’t enjoy being filmed or appearing on a television show. I’m more of a quiet girl who enjoys sitting on a porch swing with a book and a hot chocolate or coffee in the morning,” she added, revealing her preference for a more peaceful existence away from the spotlight.

Natalia has been diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, a behavioral condition common among children who have spent time in orphanages. Additionally, she grapples with anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD, all of which stem from her challenging upbringing and the trauma she has endured throughout her life.

Much of Natalia’s emotional triggers relate to the turbulent life she has led since her birth in Ukraine, where her mother abandoned her due to her dwarfism. She was initially adopted by Dyan and Gary Ciccone in 2008 when she was just five years old, but they quickly relinquished their parental rights, citing her disruptive behavior as a reason for their decision.

This marked the beginning of her tumultuous journey with the Barnetts after the Indiana couple adopted her in 2010, leading to a series of complex and distressing experiences that would shape her life.

Two years later, fueled by suspicions that Natalia had misrepresented her age—evidenced by her adult teeth, pubic hair, and menstrual cycles—the Barnetts accused her of attempting to kill mother Kristine Barnett. They subsequently had her legally re-aged to 22 years old in court, and by 2013, they set her up in an apartment to live independently.

Kristine publicly labeled Natalia a violent “sociopath” and alleged that her adoptive daughter tried to poison her coffee and once dragged her towards an electric fence. The couple reported a harrowing incident where they claimed to have woken up to find Natalia standing over them with a knife, among other troubling allegations of violence and sexual deviance.

In the latest episodes, Natalia counters these allegations by claiming Kristine subjected her to physical abuse, including striking her with a belt, pepper-spraying her, and intentionally overdosing her on medication. Natalia vehemently denies ever attempting to harm the Barnetts, asserting her innocence amidst the chaos.

“I feel like I have to defend myself and ask, ‘Do I look like someone who could push someone twice my size into a fence? Do I look like I could even grip a knife?’” she argues in the new episodes, challenging the narrative painted by her adoptive parents.

In January 2024, Kristine denied any allegations of abuse against Natalia in a Facebook post, stating, “I sat through numerous hospital and therapy visits trying to understand and help Natalia, believing we could find the root of the issue. Ultimately, I realized she is a sociopath.”

Michael shared with Good Morning America that the medical professionals treating Natalia informed them, “this individual is a sociopath. This person is a con artist. You are all in danger,” contributing to the complex dynamics of her story.

As Natalia’s story gained media attention, public opinion was divided, with many expressing disbelief and accusations of deception. “There were a lot of people saying, ‘You’re fake. You’re a liar. You’re a pedophile.’ I’m also known for being the little girl who was helpless and was beaten and starved,” Natalia recalled in her interview with People.

“That’s not who I am,” she stated, explaining her motivation for sharing her story publicly. She shared, “But that seems to be the only thing that people know — and that’s why it hurts me a lot,” highlighting the emotional toll of public perception.

Reflecting on her experience of living alone at just eight years old in an apartment, Natalia discussed the challenges posed by her physical condition, which made it difficult to reach things around her. She expressed her discomfort with being alone and the burden of having to assert that she was 22 years old.

“I didn’t understand why I was alone. I just knew I had this instinct within me to push and survive,” she recounted. “All I was told was, ‘You’re 22 now. Whenever anyone asks you your age, you say you’re 22 and that you tried to murder your family.’ I was taught to lie, and that was my reality.”

Prosecutors in Tippecanoe County, Indiana eventually charged the Barnetts with neglecting a dependent. However, Michael was acquitted by a jury in 2022, and the charges against Kristine were subsequently dropped the following year, leaving many questions unanswered.

Natalia first met the Mans family while living alone in the apartment set up by the Barnetts. After just a few days of conversations, Cynthia Mans extended an invitation for Natalia to move in with her husband, Antwon Mans, a pastor, and their ten children, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her life.

In 2023, after extensive medical assessments and DNA testing, Natalia’s legal age was restored to 2003. She was officially adopted into the Mans family, where she was welcomed into their faith community and helped care for their children, creating a sense of belonging she had long desired.

“I learned how to be a mom,” Natalia shared about her time with the Mans, which involved everything from caring for infants to assisting with homework, allowing her to experience nurturing and familial bonds.

However, as Natalia embraced her independence and navigated her romantic life as a 20-year-old, tensions arose within her new home, leading to conflicts with her adoptive family.

According to Natalia, Antwon discovered her social media communications with a man named Neil and allegedly began to blackmail her with explicit videos and photos he had obtained without her consent. She reported that he confiscated her phone and restricted her ability to maintain contact with Neil.