IN - Couple charged with abandonment of adopted child after legally changing her age, Sept 2019 #2 *not guilty*

[Cool Cats]

I watched this latest update with NB's version of events. so many missing pieces. many unexplained components. whats with the fake dramatics?

also the little people family never really explained why they were unable to adopt her.

Attorney issues, then she was removed from being able to even be adopted. This looked like a good fit for her.

I don't believe the knife accusations or the threat accusations.

Why?

Because absolutely the bad parents would have recorded everything and installed cameras everywhere to prove it. Most people would. These monsters recorded "everything" except lies they couldn't record and abuse they precipitated.

2 Cents

 

[ifindedout]

Natalia Grace's DNA test confirms her real age is close to 22

A DNA test has revealed that Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace is close to 22 years old, after her adoptive parents accused her of pretending to be a child when she was adopted.

www.dailymail.co.uk

A DNA test has revealed that Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace is close to 22 years old, after her adoptive parents accused her of pretending to be a child when she was adopted.

Natalia Grace's adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, claimed that she was a homicidal adult in her 20s posing as a six-year-old when they adopted her in 2010.

In the first explosive episode of a documentary, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which aired on Monday, the young woman learned that she was somewhere close to 22 years old as of August 2023, after a medical lab tested her DNA.

 

[Luna20]

I watched this latest update with NB's version of events. so many missing pieces. many unexplained components. whats with the fake dramatics?

also the little people family never really explained why they were unable to adopt her.

The fake dramatics are overboard. I’m watching part 2 and honestly it isn’t realistic, including Natalia. It’s not a favorable view of her.

It’s basically reality tv and it serves no purpose for any of them. It would be different if it wasn’t staged, but it is and it is fake acting. It is so scripted it’s ridiculous.

If it was a serious interview on 20/20 or 60 minutes it would have been taken seriously.

This is a money grab in my opinion. I have no interest in watching the next one.

 

[daybreaking]

also the little people family never really explained why they were unable to adopt her.

This was discussed in the first episode of this season, at 30 minutes in: There was a CPS report against the Ciccones in New Hampshire, which they presumed was made by the DePauls (the little people couple interviewed). Because of this, the Ciccones stopped the adoption process with them, and instead disposed of Natalia with a family that had never so much as met her before.

Around the time that Natalia Grace was adopted to the Barnetts, one of the initial couple that brought her to the US, Dyan Ciccone, worked for an adoption agency in New Hampshire called 'New Hope for Children'.

You can see this listed on ProPublica under 2013 here: New Hope For Children - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica

 

[scruffydog]

You know what I don't understand about the case? They found her birth mother...so just get a copy of the birth certificate-and do a DNA comparison with birth mom. Then case closed if the DNA matches. (I realize the woman may have other children too-but LE can do a search of all birth certificates of children by this mother.)

 

[Breezie]

Anyone else surprised by the last few minutes of the finale? The Mans were a little odd but she seemed to be very happy with them.

 

[Cool Cats]

Anyone else surprised by the last few minutes of the finale? The Mans were a little odd but she seemed to be very happy with them.

Hadn't seen that part yet, now you got me curious about the Mans.

 

[Dawn Day]

Anyone else surprised by the last few minutes of the finale? The Mans were a little odd but she seemed to be very happy with them.

I don’t know what that was all about. Some kind of manufactured drama to excite people for a Part 3 ??

There is exciting news though. Remember the little people family the Depauls? Their daughter was close in age to Natalia. Their daughter even made a video defending Natalia a couple years ago. Really nice family. They all have dwarfism, too, and their home has everything built in a way that it fits their smaller size. Natalia has reconnected with them and they invited her to visit and stay with them as long as she wants. NATALIA IS IN NEW YORK NOW!! I am overjoyed for her to start living life on her terms. Her family is still the Mans in Indiana. She’s been legally adopted by them. They are supporting her independence. How great it must feel as a 20 year old young lady to finally get to explore the world and go where SHE wants when she wants. Mackenzie Depaul is in college and I think Natalia is getting a plan together to complete het education as well.

 

[forthelost]

You know what I don't understand about the case? They found her birth mother...so just get a copy of the birth certificate-and do a DNA comparison with birth mom. Then case closed if the DNA matches. (I realize the woman may have other children too-but LE can do a search of all birth certificates of children by this mother.)

It's been done already. That is her birth mother. For her to have been in her 20s at the time she was declared to be so, mom would have had to have had her at ten.

 

[Luna20]

It's been done already. That is her birth mother. For her to have been in her 20s at the time she was declared to be so, mom would have had to have had her at ten.

How can a judge argue with that? It’s on record and it’s factual evidence so I don’t know how anyone could dispute that.

That would have been grounds for throwing the case out. I don’t understand how this could happen.

 

[Laughing]

How can a judge argue with that? It’s on record and it’s factual evidence so I don’t know how anyone could dispute that.

That would have been grounds for throwing the case out. I don’t understand how this could happen.

The Barnetts made jolly well sure that the judge never saw that medical evidence, or the skeletal surveys, just the testimony of one physician who iirc was NOT a pediatrician and NOT a radiologist and had NO specialized training in dwarfism!

The CHILD did not have legal representation in that courtroom.

Hear that, Indiana taxpayers? The minor child had no legal representation in that courtroom!

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[jjenny]

It's been done already. That is her birth mother. For her to have been in her 20s at the time she was declared to be so, mom would have had to have had her at ten.

Yes, prosecution did the DNA tests to prove this was her mother. Judge didn't allow any of that evidence at trial.

 

[jjenny]

The Barnetts made jolly well sure that the judge never saw that medical evidence, or the skeletal surveys, just the testimony of one physician who iirc was NOT a pediatrician and NOT a radiologist and had NO specialized training in dwarfism!

The CHILD did not have legal representation in that courtroom.

Hear that, Indiana taxpayers? The minor child had no legal representation in that courtroom!

jmho ymmv lrr

Yep, and the courts keep claiming that what has been done can not be undone. Changing a child's age to an adult is easy. Changing it back is apparently impossible. What kind of court system do we have here?

 

[jjenny]

I don’t know what that was all about. Some kind of manufactured drama to excite people for a Part 3 ??

There is exciting news though. Remember the little people family the Depauls? Their daughter was close in age to Natalia. Their daughter even made a video defending Natalia a couple years ago. Really nice family. They all have dwarfism, too, and their home has everything built in a way that it fits their smaller size. Natalia has reconnected with them and they invited her to visit and stay with them as long as she wants. NATALIA IS IN NEW YORK NOW!! I am overjoyed for her to start living life on her terms. Her family is still the Mans in Indiana. She’s been legally adopted by them. They are supporting her independence. How great it must feel as a 20 year old young lady to finally get to explore the world and go where SHE wants when she wants. Mackenzie Depaul is in college and I think Natalia is getting a plan together to complete het education as well.

I don't think they ever legally adopted her. She was already considered a legal adult when she met them.

 

[jjenny]

You know what I don't understand about the case? They found her birth mother...so just get a copy of the birth certificate-and do a DNA comparison with birth mom. Then case closed if the DNA matches. (I realize the woman may have other children too-but LE can do a search of all birth certificates of children by this mother.)

Already has been done by the prosecution. They send investigators to Ukraine to collect the DNA from the mother, verified she was the mother. Judge didn't allow that evidence at trial.

 

[jjenny]

The series started and I hope that it will bring clarity to the story. Michael clearly comes across as a real nefarious person.

I don’t know how they can argue when her bio Mom delivered her. Unless she was born in secrecy the Mother should have a trail of evidence to support that.

There is a birth certificate proving Natalia's age. Her mother in Ukraine has been verified by DNA. Judge changed Natalia's age to an adult without anybody's representing Natalia's side (Natalia was put into a hospital by Barnetts at that time, so she wasn't even in that court herself). No one was representing her.
It's like find someone guilty without allowing them any sort of defense, even if they have a strong alibi.
Since then courts refusing to overturn that decision. Which is bizarre to say the least.

 

[jjenny]

How can a judge argue with that? It’s on record and it’s factual evidence so I don’t know how anyone could dispute that.

That would have been grounds for throwing the case out. I don’t understand how this could happen.

Judge never even appointed anybody to represent a minor child when changing her age to an adult. And ever since then the courts just rule that she is now an adult. Who knew it was so easy to change a child into an adult?

 

[jjenny]

She needed a lot of medical intervention to help with issues caused by her dwarfism. I don't think she got any of the surgeries she needed.
She couldn't get an education she should have gotten because as a legal adult she wasn't allowed to go to school with children.
It really is a shame what our justice system did to her.

 

[Laughing]

She needed a lot of medical intervention to help with issues caused by her dwarfism. I don't think she got any of the surgeries she needed.
She couldn't get an education she should have gotten because as a legal adult she wasn't allowed to go to school with children.
It really is a shame what our justice system did to her.

Hey -- she'll qualify for Social Security & Medicare when she's in her 40's!

Except that agency will probably say " your birth certificate reads 2004 try again in 2069." When in Indiana, Natalia will be about 80, right?

Shaking my head, nothing funny about how she was wronged. But my name is Laughing, sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying.

Glad to read that NG was able to travel to another state & visit a family with medical condition similar to hers, stay in a home adapted to those needs!

 

[Cool Cats]

There is a birth certificate proving Natalia's age. Her mother in Ukraine has been verified by DNA. Judge changed Natalia's age to an adult without anybody's representing Natalia's side (Natalia was put into a hospital by Barnetts at that time, so she wasn't even in that court herself). No one was representing her.
It's like find someone guilty without allowing them any sort of defense, even if they have a strong alibi.
Since then courts refusing to overturn that decision. Which is bizarre to say the least.

Quote
Since then courts refusing to overturn that decision. Which is bizarre to say the least.

if someone had enough money to pay a high powered team of attorneys who could fight it to higher courts including the State Supreme Court, then I think there would be results.

I don't get it?
Is she legally the older age now? Because this can affect her legally. As @Laughing pointed out, she may get some benefits much sooner if they have her age wrong.

However, she is getting some State aid now. Some type of check.