Natalia Grace: Where Is She Now? Age, Money & Case Explained

You’ve probably seen the name Natalia Grace in a headline or a documentary teaser, but the story behind the Ukrainian-born adoptee is more tangled than any single news clip can capture. Her adoption by the Barnett family, the accusations of abandonment, and the never-ending legal battles over her age and finances have kept the case alive for more than a decade. Here’s where things stand in 2025 — a year that has brought new DNA evidence, a fresh docuseries, and still no final chapter.

Birth Year (as known in 2010): 2004 (claimed as 6-year-old) ·
Birth Year (updated legal record): 1989 (as of 2023) ·
Original Home Country: Ukraine ·
Adopted by Barnetts in: 2010 ·
Alleged Abandonment by Barnetts: 2013 ·
Current Age (2025): 21 (if 2003 birth) or 36 (if 1989 birth)

These four facts form the legal and emotional spine of the case — each one contested, none fully settled.

Is Natalia Grace still with the mans family?

Current residence and legal guardian

As of early 2025, Natalia Grace lives with Nicole and Vincent DePaul in upstate New York, according to reporting from People magazine. The DePauls took her in after the Barnetts left her alone in an apartment in 2013. They have been her de facto guardians ever since, though a formal adoption has not been finalized.

Relationship with the DePaul family

• Cynthia DePaul has publicly stated that she cares for Natalia as a daughter (TODAY).
• Natalia reportedly refers to the DePauls as her parents, though no legal adoption has occurred.
• The family lives in a quiet neighborhood in New York, away from the media spotlight.

Bottom line: Natalia Grace remains with the DePaul family, who act as her guardians. Their relationship is stable but not legally formalized, leaving room for future complications.

When was Natalia Grace actually born?

Contradictory birth dates

Natalia Grace was originally recorded as born on September 4, 2004, when she was adopted by Michael and Kristine Barnett in 2010. The Barnetts later claimed she was actually an adult pretending to be a child, citing her physical maturity and a medical evaluation that suggested she was older. They obtained a court order in 2023 that changed her legal birth year to 1989, making her officially 36 at the time (Variety).

However, a DNA test in January 2024 appeared to validate that Natalia was a minor when the Barnetts adopted her, according to Variety. Some coverage, including TODAY, reports that the legal birth year was later restored to 2003 after the DNA evidence. The exact timeline of these legal reversals remains contested.

Impact of the legal birth year change

• If born in 2003/2004, Natalia would be 21-22 in 2025.
• If born in 1989, she would be 36.
• Her dwarfism condition, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, complicates age assessment (TODAY).

The implication: No single document has settled the question. The legal system, medical evidence, and DNA tests have all pointed in different directions, making the “true” age a matter of which court ruling you accept.

What happened between Natalia and the mans?

Allegations of abandonment by the Barnetts

In 2013, Michael and Kristine Barnett left Natalia Grace alone in a rented apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, and moved to Canada. The Barnetts claimed they believed she was an adult capable of living independently. Natalia was then placed under the care of the DePaul family (People).

Investigation and criminal charges

• Michael Barnett was charged with neglect of a dependent in 2019. The charges were dismissed in 2022 (NJ.com).
• Kristine Barnett also faced charges, but they were later dropped or reduced.
• Both parents have maintained that Natalia was an adult who misrepresented her age.

“The Barnetts’ position was that Natalia was an adult misrepresenting herself as a child because of her dwarfism-related condition.”

— Reported in NJ.com

The trade-off: The Barnetts avoided criminal conviction, but the public perception of them as parents who abandoned a child remains. The case continues to polarize opinion.

Is Natalia Grace getting her money?

Sources of funds

Natalia Grace has received money from public donations (a GoFundMe campaign) and media deals, including the documentary series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace. According to Time, the case inspired the 2025 series Good American Family, which likely generated additional income.

Status of the trust fund

• A trust fund was set up by the Barnetts, but its current status is disputed.
• Legal control over the funds is unclear, and some reports suggest the money is tied up in court battles.
• Natalia’s guardians, the DePauls, are responsible for managing her finances.

According to Forbes, the financial picture is further complicated by ongoing legal fees and living expenses, which eat into whatever funds are available.

Where Is Natalia Grace’s Money Going?

Legal fees and living expenses

Most of the funds Natalia has received are used for her day-to-day living costs, medical care related to her dwarfism, and legal battles. The DePauls, as guardians, control the spending. Some disputes have been reported over how the money is allocated (Time).

Role of guardians in financial decisions

• Cynthia and Antwon DePaul make decisions about Natalia’s expenses.
• There have been reports of tension between the DePauls and the Barnetts over the trust fund.
• No public accounting of the trust fund has been released.

What this means: Natalia Grace’s financial future is uncertain. The money that exists is slowly being consumed by the very legal system that is supposed to protect her interests.

For Natalia Grace, the future hinges on two unresolved questions: her legal age and her financial security. The DNA evidence from 2024 may tip the scales, but until the courts issue a final ruling, she remains in a state of legal limbo. For the DePaul family, the choice is clear: continue fighting for her adoption, or watch the case drag on indefinitely.

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