Hulu’s Good American Family, a gripping crime drama released on March 19, 2025, delves into the unsettling true story of Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian orphan with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDc), a rare form of dwarfism.
The series, created by Katie Robbins and starring Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass as Kristine and Michael Barnett, explores the conflicting narratives surrounding Natalia’s adoption, age controversy, and allegations of abuse.
Here’s what you need to know about the real-life saga that captivated audiences and courts alike.
The true story behind Good American Family
Natalia Grace was adopted from Ukraine in 2008 by a New Hampshire couple but was re-listed for adoption in 2010. Indiana couple Kristine and Michael Barnett then took her in, believing she was a 6-year-old child.
However, suspicions about her age arose quickly. Michael Barnett claimed Natalia exhibited signs of puberty, including pubic hair and menstruation, and accused her of disturbing behavior such as threatening the family, hiding knives, and attempting to poison Kristine’s coffee with cleaning fluid.
In 2012, the Barnetts successfully petitioned an Indiana court to legally change Natalia’s birth year from 2003 to 1989, reclassifying her as an adult. By 2013, they moved to Canada, leaving Natalia alone in a Lafayette apartment.
The Barnetts claimed they secured disability benefits for her, but Natalia described the apartment as inaccessible and isolating, with no phone to call for help.
Abuse allegations and legal battles
Natalia’s allegations against the Barnetts include physical and emotional abuse. She claimed Kristine hit her with a belt, pepper-sprayed her eyes, and overdosed her on medication.
“I feel like I was brainwashed by the Barnetts. Kristine coached me to lie about my age and say I tried to murder my parents,” Natalia said in Investigation Discovery’s docuseries ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace‘.
In 2019, the Barnetts were charged with neglect, but Michael was acquitted in 2022, and Kristine’s charges were dismissed in 2023. Kristine denied the allegations in a 2024 Facebook post, calling them “investigated and dismissed as unfounded.”
DNA evidence and age controversy
A diagnostic DNA test revealed Natalia was approximately 22 years old in 2023, confirming she was a child during her time with the Barnetts. “This one little piece of paper throws every single lie that the Barnetts [told] right into the trash with a match,” Natalia declared.
Life after the Barnetts
After the Barnetts left her, Natalia was taken in by neighbors Cynthia and Antwon Mans in 2013. The Mans family adopted her in 2023 but faced their own allegations of abuse.
Natalia fled their Tennessee home in 2023 with help from Nicole and Vincent DePaul, a New York couple with dwarfism who became her guardians.
Now studying for her GED and aspiring to become a teacher, Natalia told People in 2025, “It’s time to re-write my story. I feel free.” The DePauls describe her as “super sweet” and are helping her navigate life, including upcoming surgeries for her disability.
Where are the Barnetts now?
Michael Barnett, who divorced Kristine in 2014, claimed in the docuseries that he was “controlled” by her. Kristine maintains her innocence, blaming Natalia’s behavior for the family’s turmoil.
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