Natalia Grace’s Adoptive Mom Kristine Barnett Breaks Her Silence

Kristine also pointed out that Natalia’s allegations on the “highly sensationalized” docuseries were previously investigated by authorities. Indeed, after the pair was charged with neglect of a dependent, abandoning or cruelly confining a dependent and more crimes, Michael was found not guilty in 2022. Prosecutors later dropped the case against Kristine in March 2023.

“The fact that these false allegations are occurring after a trial with evidence which was dismissed is disturbing,” Kristine shared. “Natalia was never ‘abandoned’ . I did not ever leave or want to ‘get rid of ‘ Natalia. That was also covered in the trial as I was charged with abandonment.”

Natalia has accused Michael and Kristine of moving to Canada with their three sons in 2013, leaving her alone in an apartment in Lafayette, Ind.

However, Kristine said the real reason Natalia stayed in the U.S. was because she was going to school.

“In regards to Lafayette , I was excited about the possibility of her deciding to enroll in school,” Kristine explained. “I truly hoped she would become a beautician or if she did well an accountant which was what she stated her intentions of being in Lafayette were. The real facts of her being there were for the same mundane reason many people go to Lafayette which is education… They are not sensational like the word ‘abandoned.'”