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Natalia Grace’s adoptive parents accused her of lying about her age. Ahead of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter, she shared her side of the story.
Natalia Grace Case: Shocking "Final Chapter" to be Explored in Series Return
Natalia Grace wants the world to know the real her.
More than a decade after the now-21-year-old became subject to public fascination when her first adoptive parents alleged she was lying about her age and terrorizing their family in the 2023 Investigation Discovery docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, Natalia is detailing how the narrative has affected her.
“There were a lot of people saying, ‘You’re fake. You’re a liar. You’re a pedophile,’” Natalia told People in an interview published Jan. 2,in reference to past allegations of being inappropriate with young neighbors, as mentioned in the docuseries. “I’m also known for the little girl that was helpless and was beaten and starved and all that. That’s not who I am.”
She added, “But that seems to be the only thing that people know—and that’s why it hurts me a lot.”
Natalia was thrust into the spotlight through the docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which detailed the accusations against her from her adoptive families—the Barnetts—as well as the allegations of abuse she claimed in return.
For their part, Michael and Kristine were charged in 2019 in Tippecanoe County, Ind., with neglect of a dependent, neglect of a dependent causing bodily injury, neglect of a dependent causing serious bodily injury, endangering a dependent's life, abandoning or cruelly confining a dependent, and conspiracy to neglect a dependent in connection to their move. They pleaded not guilty.
Michael was found not guilty on his charges in 2022, while prosecutors dropped their case against his ex-wife in March 2023.
Harpo Productions
Now, with the series’ final installment dropping Jan. 6 and Jan. 7, Natalia is getting honest about her struggles with mental health.
According to People, she says she was diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, a condition which affects how children form emotional bonds with their caregivers, anxiety, ADHD and PTSD.
“I have anxiety all the way to the roof,” she explained to People. “I actually don’t like being filmed or being on a TV 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, “It’s definitely hard to deal with. I’m the type of person that hides it until I get too overwhelmed, and it explodes.”
However, as Natalia prepares for this new stage of life—which currently includes living with parents Nicole DePaul and Vince DePaul and their 19-year-old daughter Mackenzie, who are little people like Natalia—she is learning to leave the things she cannot change behind her.
Investigation Discovery
“It’s been a big learning curve for me,” she admitted of navigating her past. “For the most part, I’ve made peace. It is definitely a blessing to be alive today. And there’s nothing I can do to change the past.”
She also has hopes for how people might begin to see her—more like she sees herself.
“I’m a girl who loves kids and wants to get married and have children,” Natalia admitted. “But one of my biggest things is not making promises I can’t keep. I’ve had too many promises that have been broken. I’m just ready to move on.”
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