I'm Beth Karas, legal analyst in the case of Natalia Grace Barnett, the girl accused of being an adult by her adoptive parents. AMA.

PROOF: https://imgur.com/a/o49WOfj TWEET: https://twitter.com/DiscoveryID/status/1663680606998282240

I spent eight years as an Assistant District Attorney in NYC and have covered many high-profile cases as an on-air correspondent including Casey Anthony, Jodi Arias, Conrad Murray, and O.J. Simpson. I provide my insight on Investigation Discovery's "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace" docuseries airing May 29-31 at 9/8c and streaming on Max. You can watch the trailer hereNatalia Grace was initially assumed to be a 6-year-old Ukrainian orphan with a rare bone growth disorder. She was adopted by Indiana couple Kristine and Michael Barnett in 2010. However, their happy family dynamic soured when allegations against Natalia were brought by the Barnetts who alleged Natalia was an adult masquerading as a child with intent to harm their family. They claim she threatened her new family with knives and tried to poison Kristine. In 2013, Natalia was discovered living on her own which ignited an investigation that led to Michael and Kristine's arrest and a firestorm of questions. Here are more facts about the caseI'm ready to answer your questions.

Comments: 933 • Responses: 9  • Date: 

jutruth106 karma

How would this case have proceeded If they had found out Natalia was actually 2 even smaller kids in a trench coat who's cumulative age was that of an adult?

IDdigital60 karma

Two children does not equal one adult so there would be two times the number of criminal charges! :)

ImNotYourKunta48 karma

I was wondering about the play date with the girl who also had Diastrophic Dysplasia. It was said she was the same age as Natalia, that both were 6 years old then. But when she was interviewed, she said that she was 14. The dates aren’t lining up. Natalia is currently 19. Is this something anyone noticed or addressed because it appears the girl by her own account is significantly younger than Natalia?

IDdigital26 karma

That's a great question. I did notice that and am getting some answers. The interview with the 14-year-old was in Feb. 2021. The photo of the two six-year-olds was in 2010, I believe, or early 2011. So, it doesn't seem to add up, does it?

Maleficent-Time32007 karma

How were her parents charged for child neglect if they legally had her age changed?

IDdigital16 karma

Prosecutors believed their investigation established that Natalia was actually a child, despite the re-ageing, so they filed child neglect charges as well as neglect of a dependent person. The judge threw out the charges based on Natalia being a child because of the re-ageing. He wasn't going to relitigate the issue.

candiebelle4 karma

Will there be more episodes to this series? Episode 4 ended abruptly.

IDdigital12 karma

Yes--there's more to the story. Two more hours tonight on ID at 9 pm ET

weedluver2222 karma

Why haven’t they reached out to Natalia’s birth mother? Possibly get a DNA test?

IDdigital3 karma

The State of Indiana did find Natalia's birth mother, Anna Gava, in Ukraine and did get a DNA sample from her. This is covered in the series so be sure to watch :)