Grace's new adoptive mom is opening up about where their relationship stands today.
The drama, ambiguity, twists and turns in the unusual tale of Natalia Grace continue to unfold.
The shocking Jan. 3 season finale of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks ended on a surprising cliffhanger. Natalia's new adoptive parents -- Antwon and Cynthia Mans -- could be heard in an audio recording accusing her of "stabbing her family in the back" and saying that they are "done" with her.
However, in a new interview with The Sun, Cynthia shares an update on their relationship with Natalia, and claims that they are doing fine and still have a strong relationship.
"We are absolutely perfect," Cynthia tells the outlet. "No, she doesn't live with us but we are fine."
Cynthia further confirms that Natalia is "living with friends," and explains that she could not elaborate on their supposed fallout due to filming the next season of the docuseries.
"It's rough, but with God, we gonna make it," Cynthia says. "I am in prayer."
For her part, Natalia recently launched a GoFundMe campaign looking to raise money so she can buy her own home, and told fans on social media that she and the Mans are doing OK, and things are harmonious -- despite the comments made by the Mans in the season finale.
For the uninitiated, in 2010, Michael and Kristine Barnett thought they had adopted a 6-year-old orphaned girl from Ukraine. Not realizing she had a form of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal, the Indiana couple claimed that they became suspicious that their newest family member was not actually a child.
In addition to claiming that Natalia showed physical signs of being much older than a kid, the Barnetts accused her of trying to harm them and their children. During the two years Natalia lived with them, they claimed that she tried to poison Kristine and push Michael into an electric fence.
Eventually, believing that she was, in fact, an adult, they had her legal age changed from 6 to 22. By 2013, the Barnett family moved to Canada and left Natalia behind in an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana.
Michael and Kristine -- who are now divorced, as of 2014 -- were eventually charged with abandoning Natalia. Michael was found not guilty of three counts of neglect and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent in 2022, while charges against Kristine were dropped in March 2023.
Through DNA tests conducted by TruDiagnostic labs, Natalia's age appears to be 22 years old -- a fact that came to light during series finale. The results suggest that Natalia was around 9 years old when she was adopted by Michael and Kristine.
During her ordeal and abandonment, she was taken in by Antwon and Cynthia, who vehemently defended her against claims made by Kristine that she was a "sociopath" and that she tried to harm her adoptive siblings.
However, something seems to have happened between Natalia and her new adoptive parents -- at least according to the final minute of the season finale.
"Something ain't right with Natalia. This girl is tweakin'," Antwon can be heard claiming to producers. "I feel like she's the enemy in the house. And she said to us, we have held her hostage. Made us look like we're the enemy."
"Natalia is stabbing her family in the back over a complete lie," Cynthia chimes in.
"She's done other things too, but this was a new low," Antwon claims. "Natalia does not have emotions for nothing but herself. We're done. We're done with her."
Then, a final title card reading, "Natalia's story will continue."
The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks follows The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which aired over three nights on Investigation Discovery, is now streaming on Max and Discovery+.
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