Content warning: The following piece contains mentions of sexual assault, abuse, and trauma and may be triggering for some. If you or someone you know is in need of help, please dial the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit RAINN for more resources.
True crime is truly having its moment right now, and the newest edition to your must-see streaming roster, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, is as intriguing as it is chilling. The Investigation Discovery docuseries follows Natalia and her adoptive parents.
In 2010, Indiana couple Michael and Kristine Barnett adopted Natalia, a 6-year-old orphaned Ukrainian girl with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia — a rare congenital bone growth disorder that causes dwarfism. But her adopted family quickly became suspicious that Natalia was much older than she appeared.
The Barnett family claimed that Natalia was actually an adult pretending to be a child, alleging that she attempted to harm the family on multiple occasions, including trying to stab and poison them. In 2012, the family successfully received a court order to change Natalia's legal age from eight to 22 years old. This meant that the family was able to rent her an apartment nearby, while they moved to Canada.
In 2019, social services led an investigation to pursue legal action against the couple for neglect of a dependent. The case rested on whether Natalia was actually a child or not.
However, in February 2022, a few months before Michael Barnett was set to go to trial, four of his charges regarding neglect of dependent were dismissed because the statue of limitations —the maximum amount of time after an event where legal proceedings can occurs —were running out. His trial would instead only focus on neglect charges based on Natalia's disability.
Later that year, in October of 2022, Michael Barnett was found not guilty after a jury deliberating for two hours. In March 2023, all of Kristine Barnett's charges are dropped.
The Curious Case of Natalia Grace docuseries primarily features testimony from Michael Barnett, who tells his perspective of the events. But even now, what actually happened remains unclear. Natalia says she was an eight year old when the Barnetts adopted her who has done nothing wrong; the Barnetts say she was an sociopathic adult masquerading as a child.
Public opinion also remains divided over Natalia. Some sympathize with her as a victim of abuse and neglect, while others are convinced of the Barnett's claims about her age and violent tendencies. It's a complicated and twisty case that to this day has no absolute answers. Its a story marked by inconsistent narratives, the divorce of Michael and Kristine Barnett, domestic violence, and sexual abuse — all of which are detailed in the first season of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace and has left viewer enthralled.
Will There Be a The Curious Case of Natalia Grace Season 2?
Yes...and no. The first season was released on May 29 on Investigation Discovery and Max, delivering nearly 10.3 million streams, according to Variety. This made it Investigation Discovery's highest rated telecast in over three years.
And while there isn't any news of an official second season yet, on June 1, Investigation Discovery and Max announced that there would be a separate follow-up two hour documentary titled The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks.
In this documentary, Natalia will address the allegations that the Barnetts made against her for the first time.
When Does The Curious Case of Natalia Grace Season 2 Come Out?
There is no exact release date yet for The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, but Warner Bros. Discovery noted that the documentary is set to premiere sometime in the Summer of 2023.
What Will The Curious Case of Natalia Grace Season 2 Be About?
While there isn't any reports of a Season 2 of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, we can tell you all about the follow-up documentary The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks.
The documentary has been touted as chance to give Natalia an opportunity to address her portrayal in the series, as well as the ableism, abuse, and neglect she allegedly went through.
“Natalia will share her side of the story of what happened behind the closed doors of the Barnett family home and address allegations against her head on. After years of being cloaked under a gag order due to the subsequent legal proceedings around the 2019 arrest of her adoptive parents, Natalia has been unable to tell her story,” reads the description from Warner Bros. Discovery.
What Has Natalia Grace Said About Season 2?
For her part, Natalia seems relieved to finally be able to share her perspective with the world. In the original docuseries, Natalia is never given a chance to speak.
"This is my side of the story, and I'm going to say what happened because I never got a chance to say what happened," Natalia Grace said in a trailer shared by ET Online.
"It's frustrating. It's very frustrating to hear everything that's being said from Kristine and Michael. And because I already don't know who I am and I want to know who I am and what happened to me, but I'm hearing all this stuff that never actually happened from Kristine and Michael," Natalia added."Y'all have heard from Kristine and Michael and what they have said. But you need to hear both sides in order to know what happened."
Will There Be Any Other Shows About the Case?
This won't be the last you'll see about the case. Hulu is currently developing an eight-episode limited series about the case, starring Ellen Pompeo as Kristine Barnett and Imogen Reid as Natalia Grace. No other details have been released as of yet.
What is Next for Natalia Grace?
Natalia's story is far from over. After the Bartletts left her in Indiana when they moved to Canada, Natalia was eventually taken in by another couple Antwon and Cynthia Mans. In 2016, they applied to become her legal guardians but were denied. The Mans refuted the claims that Natalia was an adult and said they did not experience any abuse from her. While Natalia did testify at Micheal Barnett's trial in 2022, she has maintained a relatively low profile. Some reports claim she still does reside in Indiana.
Alexandra covers pop culture, books, news, and fashion! You can find her listening to Taylor Swift, going on hot girl walks, reading a good book with a cup of tea, and searching for the best sushi in the city!
