Shivangi Sinha
Hulu’s ‘Good American Family’ explores the life of Natalia Grace, a young girl from Ukraine who had been diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism. She was adopted by Michael and Kristine Barnett. A key figure in the story is the latter, Natalia’s adoptive mother, who, along with her husband, claimed that Natalia was an adult masquerading as a child. The limited drama series gives us an insight into who she is, what she believed to be the truth, and the allegations against her.
Kristine Barnett Was a Mother to Three Boys When She Adopted Natalia Grace
Kristine Barnett and her then-husband, Michael Barnett, lived in Hamilton County, Indiana, with their three sons—Jacob, Wesley, and Ethan. Their eldest, Jacob, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the age of two. It was a challenging period for Kristine as she dedicated herself to his care while ensuring a good life for all her children. On November 3, 2010, the couple adopted a Ukrainian girl from Dyan and Gary Ciccone, a New Hampshire couple who had been her guardians for two years. They had decided to relinquish their parental rights, citing the child’s alleged “disruptive behavior” as the reason for the adoption.
Their adopted daughter, Natalia Grace Barnett, had been diagnosed with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a rare form of dwarfism. Believing she was six years old at the time of adoption, the Barnetts later claimed she was much older. The couple alleged that Natalia had adult teeth and certain biological traits that supported their suspicions. Kristine further accused Natalia of attempting to poison her and claimed she once woke up at night to find the girl standing in her bedroom holding a knife.
Kristine and Michael had Natalia admitted to a psychiatric hospital and, in June 2012, petitioned to have her legal age changed from 2003 to 1989. They then moved Natalia to an apartment in Westfield, Indiana, and later to Lafayette, Indiana. In 2013, the Barnetts relocated to Canada to support their son Jacob, who was attending college at just 15 and left Natalia behind with federal assistance. By 2014, Kristine and Michael had separated and filed for divorce. On September 11, 2019, following a Social Security investigation, both were charged with four counts of neglect of a dependent and two counts of conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent.
Kristine Barnett Was Acquitted of the Charges of Dependent Neglect
Kristine Barnett had been officially divorced since 2018, and after her indictment, her lawyers successfully got two charges against her dismissed. In March 2023, the remaining four charges were also dropped following Michael Barnett’s testimony in her case on the basis of insufficient evidence. He had previously been acquitted of all charges in October 2022. Meanwhile, her former adoptive daughter, now known as Natalia Mans, has accused Kristine of abuse, alleging mistreatment. She has alleged that her birth year was wrongly changed, and it has now officially been restored to 2003. Natalia alleged that among the other things she endured at the hands of Kristine, she was also pepper-sprayed twice.
Michael also spoke out and alleged that he had been “manipulated” by his former wife and that she was cruel to their then-adoptive daughter. Kristine has largely kept a low profile and rarely spoke to the media. However, after the release of the ID docuseries ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace,’ she issued her first public statement, denying the accusations against her. She also argued that claims made in the documentary, particularly regarding Natalia’s age, had not been verified by any standard authority or legal process and should not be taken at face value. She also said that the decision to re-age her then-daughter was taken by authorities and not just her.
Kristine Barnett Trying to Establish Herself as an Author Today
In January 2024, Kristine Barnett publicly refuted Natalia’s allegations of abuse and alleged that it was the latter’s behavior that was concerning. She further alleged that Natalia had previously made similar accusations against others, which she believed to be untrue. Kristine has stated that her divorce was a result of the family’s situation following the adoption. She denied being the “monster” that Michael and Natalia portrayed her and added, “That monster, whether it’s mental illness, sociopathy, or whatever it actually is, may be different for each of them.” She went as far as to call her former daughter a “sociopath” and alleged that it was Michael who first suggested that Natalia was an adult and pushed for her age to be legally changed. Additionally, she accused Michael of displaying abusive behavior toward women for years and claimed that he had harmed their then-daughter while they were living together.
Kristine now identifies herself as an “Author, Loving Mother, Advocate for Children With Disabilities, Writer, & Activist.” She resides in Bradenton, Florida, and in 2023, she celebrated the ten-year anniversary of her book, ‘The Spark: A Mother’s Story of Nurturing, Genius, and Autism,’ which details her experience raising her eldest son. She has also announced another book, ‘Witch Hunt: The Kristine Barnett Story,’ which was supposed to be released in April 2024 but has yet to come out. In January 2024, she expressed her desire to return to work and stated that she had been trying for the past five years but had not yet been able to do so.
Read More: Michael Barnett: Where is Natalia Grace’s Former Adoptive Dad Now?
