Kristine Barnett, the former adoptive mother of Natalia Grace, is responding to the allegations made against her in the recent docuseries, “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks.”
In the documentary aired on ID this week, Natalia accuses Kristine of abuse, claiming instances of pepper spraying and belt beatings. A significant moment in the series unfolds when Natalia confronts her former adoptive father, Michael Barnett, who alleges manipulation and mistreatment by Kristine, his ex-wife.
Natalia Grace (Credits: The US Sun)
In a public Facebook post, Kristine vehemently denies all abuse allegations from both Natalia and Michael. “Natalia was a very much loved and cared-for member of my family,” she states. Kristine firmly refutes the claims of physical abuse, asserting that any discipline given to Natalia was within the bounds of normal parenting and minimal.
Kristine and Michael adopted Natalia from Ukraine in 2010, believing her to be a 6-year-old girl. Suspicions arose about her age, leading to claims that Natalia posed as a child when she was, in fact, an adult. The Barnetts divorced, alleging Natalia’s attempts to harm them and their biological children. Kristine insists that previous abuse allegations against them were unfounded, and they were found not guilty of abandoning Natalia.
Addressing the legal age change from 8 to 22 in 2012, Kristine explains it resulted from Natalia’s behavior and law enforcement recommendations. She emphasizes that Natalia was allowed to make her own adult decisions.
The docuseries, which premiered on January 1, presented a DNA test refuting claims of Natalia being an adult. Kristine dismisses this as a lie, maintaining that Natalia manipulated sympathies. She describes Natalia as a sociopath, expressing sympathy for her while disputing the portrayal in the series.
Kristine attributes the alleged deterioration of Michael’s mental health to their divorce, refuting abuse claims against him. She criticizes Natalia’s demeanor in the series as contradictory to her experience, suggesting manipulation.
Denying Natalia’s claims of abuse by her siblings, Kristine defends her son Jacob and asserts she is not the monster portrayed in the docuseries. She concludes by suggesting mental health issues within Natalia and Michael, distancing herself from their alleged “monster.”
After the Barnetts moved to Canada, Natalia lived with the Mans in Indiana. However, recent developments in “Natalia Speaks” hint at a strained relationship between Natalia and the Mans, with accusations of holding her hostage and being labeled as the enemy.
