The family that Natalia has been staying with?
They wanna be her legal guardians now.
They can make her a kid again.
Then they can say we abandoned a child.
When you were re-aged, you didn't have due process.
We should be able to get the ruling thrown out.
- You need to get down there. - Now?
What? I thought we were gonna have a date night.
Until you fix this, the shop is closed.
Previously, on Good American Family...
What evidence did you guys use to change her age?
We've got some doctor letters.
We've got immigration papers.
Oh, I'm sorry, man. Scrolled too far.
- Oh. - Looks like you're out of the dog house.
I don't think these are f... are for me.
- All rise! - We intend to stay on
as Natalia's legal guardians.
We can still appeal. We'll find a way.
Absolutely not. No appeal!
- But she didn't even get to speak. - I'm her mother. I said no!
Who were those pictures for? 'Cause I don't think they were for me.
You sound like a crazy person.
Oh, my God! I can't...
I can't do this anymore!
Okay, so what's your plan?
You're gonna leave and do what? You can barely get out of bed!
If that's how you feel then... why are you even with me?
If you've got something on your ex
that can really help with your custody troubles...
So, you folks knew she was a kid?
Yes, we knew she was a kid.
He gets it. He's gonna help me get the boys back.
If you told the detective that you knew Natalia was a kid,
then you're probably guilty too.
If these charges hold, we could be gone for 75 years.
We have a natural advantage
because the public will look at her and they will see
a fascination.
But we need to approach this as a united front.
Folks just love a good American family.
There's just one question on everybody's mind.
Were you a 22-year-old scam artist...
...or an 8-year-old child left for dead?
- Is that a funny question? - Well, no.
It's like if somebody decided to start telling people
that your name's not Dr. Phil, it's Dr. Will.
And then, those people tell people,
and no matter how hard you try now,
everybody's like, "Hey, it's Dr. Will!"
- So, you're saying...? - I was eight.
I knew I was eight,
just like how you know you're Dr. Phil.
But you told people you were 22.
'Cause Kristine trained me to lie...
so people wouldn't figure out that I was a kid living on my own.
But what about these accusations the Barnetts keep making,
the horror movie stuff?
You at the foot of their bed with a knife in your hand?
Of course, I didn't do any of that!
Poisoning Kristine's coffee?
I was cleaning the kitchen, like she told me to.
I have my spray bottle in my hand next to her coffee,
she starts screaming.
Kristine Barnett also claims you pushed her into an electric fence.
The woman tripped.
Then all of a sudden, she starts screaming I pushed her.
And our lawyer, you know, talked to the farm who owns that fence.
It wasn't even on.
So, then, they made it all up.
Why?
Listen, when Natalia first got with us,
there were some moments where she would act out,
and I'd feel like, "How am I gonna deal with this?"
Because this girl's been broken.
You are not a burden to me, you are a light.
But I think Kristine adopted Natalia as a project,
another disabled kid to save.
And when things got rough and she couldn't be the role model mom
that she thought she was, she had to find a way to get rid of her.
So, now, you're taking them to court.
What do you hope to get out of that?
It used to be getting back to my real age...
and getting legally adopted by my parents here.
And yeah, of course, I still want that part.
But the other part? Getting to be a kid again?
That's all gone now.
I'm 16, it's too late.
So then, what do you want now?
I want justice.
I want the Barnetts to do their time.
Oh, for Pete's sake, turn it off.
I mean, look at how angry she is. It's terrifying.
Just looking at her makes my blood pressure go up.
It's not good for me.
That's so weird, you know?
'Cause I was just thinking this is exactly like a spa day.
Is this why you brought me here? To be tortured and taunted?
Okay, uh, Terrance, could you please tell my client
what you told me on the phone?
I know that this is hard to watch,
but in the three years since Natalia gave that interview,
her story's only gotten more damning.
Now, my team's been culling her depositions,
some of her vlogs.
She, uh, posted this last week.
Hey, y'all, me and my family have started a GoFundMe
to pay for my surgeries.
I hate being out here begging,
but my doctors say I wouldn't have so much pain
if the Barnetts would have taken care of me when I was a kid, so...
Altogether, they give a pretty good peek
into what the state's gonna lay out in Mike's trial next week,
and yours after that,
that you all were not harmed by Natalia,
but that she was harmed by you. Grievously.
- It's hogwash. - Can you please let him talk?
Despite your differences, you two have been killing it in the press
and in the court of public opinion.
But now, we have to face the court of law.
And as good as my team is, we've had some difficulty
finding rock-solid witnesses.
Now, if things go well for Mike,
chances are the charges against you will get dropped too.
So, we have been hoping that you would have some ideas
of people who could corroborate your story.
- Our story. - You're the one who saw everything.
Excuse me, pretty sure Mike's the reason we're in this mess.
Is he?
I'm not talking with her here.
Okay, Jen, do you mind giving us the room for a few minutes?
I do, actually, yeah.
Michael, Jen, with all due respect, just for a little bit.
We want Kristine to feel comfortable.
Look, I-I-I think we need her help, okay?
Oh my God. Yeah, fine. I brought a book.
Okay, thank you.
Mm.
My mom keeps saying I'm rabbit-holing and I gotta chill.
But of course, I'm obsessing. This is my life.
No one's saying not to focus on it, baby. I'm just saying, you gotta eat,
- you gotta pee... - Will you stop?
The other day, I nearly jumped outta my skin
'cause I heard Kristine Barnett's voice coming from the john.
Turns out it was just Natalia Facebook-stalking her from the toilet.
I'm not stalking her.
I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear anything about stalking,
and draw your attention instead to the case we're building.
Now, the case we're building rests on two things.
One, we have to discredit Natalia.
Paint her as unreliable, a sociopath.
And two, we need to show that you all were a nice couple
who tried to support your capable adult dependent
as best you could.
So, let's start with the age.
Who else can speak to that?
Did you look into First Path?
They were changing birth dates, fudging documents.
- There was a whole class action lawsuit. - Yep, yep.
That suit absolutely goes towards, uh, discrediting Natalia's age,
but it doesn't confirm it.
So, who else?
Doctors, uh, outside of Lawrence?
I just cannot believe I'm here again.
This is literal hell!
Okay. Well, um... maybe we could think about people
who could speak to her behavior, uh, the violence.
- What about somebody from the school? - Oh.
So, Dr. Wachter,
one thing the defense will argue
is that Natalia was expelled for behavioral issues.
Yeah, I heard that Mrs. Barnett was saying
that she had pulled Natalia out of school because she was a danger to other kids,
she was bullying them, ramming them with her walker.
- But that's baloney. - That's a dead-end.
He blacklisted me 'cause I called out
the way they treated kids with disabilities.
Natalia was the sweetest kid. Polite, funny.
Uh, honestly, it was the mom who made me nervous.
I offered accessibility training, and they laughed in my face.
They were hostile.
She was really strict with Natalia, and mean.
But if you raised that with her, she would flip
and say what an advocate she was for special kids.
Okay, what about the mom
from New Jersey, right? She had the same issues that we had.
She showed up at my door
with this theory
that Natalia was a con artist stealing money for her medical care.
She kept saying
that it was exactly like that movie Orphan.
And did that track at all for you?
What, that she was a con artist? No.
The last time I saw her, she was seven.
No way. What's she gonna do?
Get up there and say, "Yeah, I knew she was an adult,
so I foisted her on another family"?
She'll just lie.
So, why did you, then, give her up?
Her needs were more than we were prepared for.
We thought that we were doing the right thing,
giving her to a family that was better equipped to care for her.
I'll never forgive myself for that.
I don't know, she was totally honest with you, right?
About... about her son's birthday,
and... and how Natalia stole money from them, right?
That's different, sweetie.
Me on the street versus in court?
She'll never tell the truth. She has blood on her hands.
Okay, um, what about the psychiatric hospital?
I'm a pediatric nurse at Larue Psychiatric Hospital.
Natalia was on my rotation when they changed her age.
I was worried about what might happen to a child
in the adult wing of a psychiatric facility.
But it was court-ordered. I didn't have a choice.
Natalia's very good at making people feel sorry for her,
especially vulnerable people.
It's what she did to Mike.
That's part of sociopathy: manipulation.
I have no idea where this talk of sociopathy came from.
Natalia expressed joy, curiosity, empathy.
I mean, despite the mother's insistence, there was no diagnosis.
Is there no one who can talk on our behalf?
Don't be ridiculous. There's plenty of people.
What about the neighbors?
I practically had to beg that woman not to call the cops on her.
She was always asking for food or to use my phone.
She was dirty.
I thought she was peculiar, but now knowing, it all adds up.
I was so peeved about what she did to my grandson,
but turns out she was even younger than he was.
So, that's it then.
I'm toast.
I wish she had held me up against that fence until I fried.
- Oh, my God... - This is so much worse!
I hope Natalia knows,
if I'd known what was really going on, I'd have done something.
I... I hope this helps get her
the justice she deserves.
Wow.
Now, is this gonna hurt us,
since Tally first told that gal she was 22?
Because Kristine told me to.
I understand that, baby.
I'm asking if the judge will understand it.
We'll have psychologists speak to the coercion Natalia faced,
the Stockholm syndrome.
You're feeling confident then? Nothing keeping you up at night?
Will you stop? She said she feels good.
Well, no, no, no. I didn't say that.
Optimism gives me indigestion.
I still wish we had a clear story for the jury
to explain why a nice-seeming couple would do something so god-awful.
We've been scouring their texts to see if they ever talk about you,
but it's almost nothing.
Wait, did you check her Facebook?
Why?
Kristine lives on Facebook.
I bet a thousand bucks they use Messenger.
Gabe?
Can we subpoena the Barnetts' Facebook messages?
- Isn't the trial in two days? - Yes, and?
Hey, sorry you had to wait.
Driving the final nail in my coffin took longer than expected.
Oh, really? So, the Kristine Barnett
didn't swoop in and save the day?
Oh God, it was brutal.
It's like being tortured, beaten to a pulp.
Trials are pugilism.
You gotta punch, get punched.
Which is why I would love to discuss a potential nuclear option.
A... a Hail Mary, should we need it.
Listening.
Should this not go our way,
my guess is that they will offer us immunity
to testify against Kristine.
I mean, the state wants Mike, but they want her more.
Really?
Do you think that's something you could do?
Yes, of course that's something he can do.
She is the mother of my children.
Who she never lets you see!
Mike, this is a no-brainer.
This is a literal get-out-of-jail-free card.
All I've ever wanted to do is help as many kids as humanly possible.
So, the one silver lining of the pandemic
was realizing...
...I'm not a slave to geography,
and I can take my patented Spark Method international,
and bring it and sell it to organizations like yours.
Can you hear me?
Sorry, no, you're frozen.
Okay, um...
Um, is this better?
I'm trying to say, we were very interested in your program,
but my board was doing their homework on you,
and something comes up about child neglect charges?
- Um... - Oh, wow, we made it
all the way to Slovenia, huh?
Hi. Hi, sorry, um...
Just so you know, Kristine was the real victim.
This is my friend, Val.
I've been staying with her during this very difficult time.
Hi, hi.
You know, she was targeted by a con artist
pretending to be a child,
and this person's just dragging her and her family's name through the mud.
A res? That's unbelievable.
Yeah, well, what makes it even more tragic
is Kristine is the real deal.
My daughter Shawn?
My God, what we went through when we adopted her,
and now, she's going to be a freshman at Penn
because of Kristine.
She completely changed our lives.
Wow, that's very powerful.
I would be happy to, you know, send a letter to your board,
or whatever you might need.
Oh yeah, yes. Yes, wonderful.
- Thank you, speak soon. - I'm looking forward to it.
God bless the children.
You are a literal godsend.
Well, gotta do something
to help you pay me back for all those fancy lawyers, right?
I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
You know I am happy to help however I can, truly.
You know, the lawyers say if Mike gets off,
they'll drop my charges too.
- That's great! - But the witnesses
his team is bringing in are just... terrible.
- Would you ever be willing? - Yeah.
No, of... of course.
I mean, you know I'm happy to sing your praises whenever I can!
Mainly, it would be talking about Natalia and what you saw,
how violent she was and manipulative,
and how she was a threat to me and my family.
Right.
Sorry, I'm just... I'm just trying to think.
I don't know that I actually saw saw any of the incidents.
You just told Irena all about it.
Well, sure.
But I mean, that's all stuff that you told me.
I... I can't go into court and say that I saw things I didn't see, right?
What do they always say on those shows?
Uh, "Objection! Hearsay."
Right. No, I wouldn't want you
to do anything you're not comfortable with.
We got the Facebook messages, and holy shit,
hold onto your butts.
These messages are the most incriminating evidence
I've seen in my entire career.
For starters, you both use the M-word repeatedly
- when referring to Natalia. - What's the M-word?
No matter how many times we say that you cared for Natalia,
using an epithet against little people proves bias,
- and that indicates intent. - That's not fair!
Uh, I didn't know it was a bad word. Kris, did you?
These words go in and out of fashion all the time.
Oh... Well, okay, Michael,
you also referred to her as "that thing,"
as in, "That thing totally blew people for McDonald's."
And Kristine, you called her "a smoked-out, hungover hooker."
That doesn't sound like me.
Who hasn't said ugly things about a person who was cruel to them?
She was torturing us.
Honestly, it doesn't matter what you said.
It's that you didn't tell us about this crap,
and the trial starts tomorrow.
Well, these were private messages, and we were married.
In a case involving a child, spousal privilege doesn't hold.
- She isn't a child! - The charges say she is.
And so did Michael, which is why even though she's legally an adult,
they're able to say you abandoned a child.
They... they can't read these in the courtroom.
No kidding.
Deidra and I are going to huddle up,
get back into these case files,
and see if we can get these stricken.
In the meantime, you two, get your shit together.
Read through these.
Be prepared for what the other side now knows.
And I'm gonna call you an Uber, my friend,
because you don't look fit to drive.
It's okay. I'll take him.
We can go through this stuff together.
"I have a video of you whooping the holy freaking hell
"out of Natalia in the living room
when you tried to beat the truth outta her."
Then she says, "Whatever.
That midget was very evil, and you know it."
I mean, the worse they are, the better for me, right?
I knew it was bad.
But getting in their heads,
understanding how they saw you,
the words they used to talk about you?
I hate that you have to see all this.
It's the way a lot of people talk about people like me.
I'm just saying, if you decide it's too much,
that you don't want to go to court, we've got you.
I promise.
I'm not a kid anymore, Brandon.
When I tell you I can handle this...
I need you to listen.
Why would you write something like that in a message?!
That you beat her? Because you did!
And... and you wrote right back like it was nothing,
like you were proud!
Whatever. She was evil, and you know it.
I was just trying to protect my family from her.
When you take it out of context, it makes me sound like a monster!
I swear, Michael, if I go to jail because of you...
- What's so funny? - Nothing, it's just... it's ironical.
I'm not gonna let you pull that crap with me, Michael.
What is funny?
Terrance says that if I'm found guilty...
they'll probably offer me immunity to testify against you.
Apparently, the state wants you so bad that they're willing to let me off.
And what will you do?
It's a problem for another day.
I know you don't wanna go to jail, Michael.
I know you wanna stay with your new family.
But I don't really think you want me to go to jail, do you?
Can you live with that?
The boys having no mother?
I don't know.
We should go somewhere and go through these, like Terrance said.
Maybe there's a way I can help.
It should be quiet in here. Boys went to go see the new Thor.
Oh, okay.
Oh!
- What happened to the movie? - Tickets were sold out.
- Oh. - What's he doing here?
Your dad's trial starts tomorrow, so we have a few things to go over.
You guys look really good. You got so big.
Mike, why don't you let me talk to the boys?
I'll meet you upstairs, it's the second door on the right.
- So did you guys get something to eat? - No, we're not hungry.
- Can we please talk about what's going on? - I told you,
I'm helping your dad.
But you said that he hurt you.
He's on his meds now, and he's harmless.
You don't have to see him again.
Who cares? I don't wanna see him.
End of discussion.
- I'm going up there now. - Mom, no. This is crazy.
Keep playing.
Uh... did... did you plan for them to be here?
What? No, you heard them.
The movie got sold out, though they've seen it three times.
I-I don't... I don't... I'm not sure I believe you, Kris.
Look, it... It's fine, I just...
We need to talk about everything else.
This is... this is feeling really weird, okay?
It's really weird that no one is backing you up.
And I'm just like, "She didn't make this up, did she?"
I mean, did... did you make this up?
You've got to be kidding me. No, you're not pinning this on me.
Who took her to Larue?
Who made her her own trustee?
Pretty sure it's both of our names on the re-aging petition.
I did those things because of you!
- You lower your voice. - Kris!
I don't wanna scare my boys.
I did those things, and I only did those things,
because I believed you, because you told me it was true,
and you asked me to do it, and I did that stuff.
And if this isn't real, Kris...
Do... do you understand?
If, if, if what you said is...
and if Natalia didn't...
Oh, my God!
Oh, my God, if we...
I can't... I...
I can't... oh, hold on, I need to sit down. I can't...
Kris, I'm having a panic attack.
- I can't. - Okay. Okay.
- Oh God, I can't breathe. - Okay, I'm here.
It's okay.
I'm here. I'm here.
Shh.
- Do you feel my hand? - Yes!
I'm here. It's okay.
It's alright.
- Okay. - You know what I think?
You can't let them get into your head, baby.
Okay.
Don't let them undo all the good you did.
Natalia was lying.
She was dangerous.
I know this is hard, and I know you've been hurting.
But you're a good man.
You're a good father.
A good man.
You know why things got bad for us at the end?
It's because you stopped needing me.
Kris, no, I needed you. I did, I...
I thought you were ignoring me.
And I... I was so lonely, I...
I was dying without you.
You never got over what happened with her.
You blamed me.
I mean, the way you looked at me completely changed.
You started looking at me like I was the enemy.
And I know you don't mean it, but...
it kind of feels like what you're doing now.
Like I'm this terrible person.
Baby, what we did was heroic.
We had to protect our family.
And you stepped up.
When I needed you, you stepped up.
Then you had a plan to put her away,
and to go to Dr. Lawrence.
- Yeah. - When you did that,
- it made me feel so safe. - Mm.
So loved.
And I guess that's...
That's the feeling I was trying to hold onto when I...
I sent you those pictures.
Mm.
God, those fucking pictures.
I...
I kept them.
You did?
Yeah...
I like those pictures.
I know what you like, Michael.
You know I do.
We're, uh, we're pretty hungry. Can we go get some pizza or something?
Well, that's a great idea.
What do you say we go to Villa Tronco, like old times?
Jacob?
Wes?
You wanna come, Dad? It's been a while.
♪ A bottle of white ♪
- ♪ A bottle of red ♪ - Yeah.
♪ Perhaps a bottle of rose instead ♪
- Wes, have another piece. - I'm good.
Waste not, want not.
Kris, he said he's good. Christ.
Don't talk to Mom like that.
♪ A bottle of white ♪
♪ It all depends upon your appetite ♪
Oh. Uh, that's Terrance. Be right back.
Hey, what's up, my man?
Check your texts.
Oh, my God, holy shit.
Yep. The birth mom came forward
with hospital records, the birth certificate, the whole nine.
Uh, so this is, like, really, really bad?
Could be the death knell.
You think any more about immunity?
If the tables were turned, you know she'd take it.
Yeah, um...
If... if it goes bad, let's...
let's do it.
"This girl is my daughter who was born 20 years ago.
"Doctors told me to leave the baby,
"that she had a complex pathology.
"'Don't ruin your life, ' they said.
They had me surrender her immediately to an orphanage."
I don't think we can show her.
Well, how are we gonna hide it?
I know it's awful, but I mean, it's all over the news.
But the way she's been obsessing,
she's liable to hop on a plane and hightail it to the Ukraine.
Hi, baby.
I read it.
It's great for the case.
Mm.
I told Terrance I'll do it.
The immunity thing.
- Mm. - Baby, I'm really scared.
Proceedings begin today in a most unusual adoption case
that has attracted international attention.
Morning, bud.
Have you read this, Mom?
I don't read lies.
Wheels up in five, boys.
Michael Barnett and his now ex-wife Kristine
stand accused of multiple counts of felony neglect,
for abandoning their adopted eight-year-old daughter Natalia Grace,
whom they claim was an adult con artist out for blood.
In breaking news overnight,
Natalia's biological mother has come forward
with the revelation that she gave birth to Natalia in 2003,
not 1989, as the Barnetts claim.
This could be the smoking gun the state needs to prove
that the Barnetts abandoned her in a Westfield apartment
when she was only eight years old.
All eyes are on the Tippecanoe County Courthouse
where counsel from both sides have gathered for a pretrial hearing
to discuss the inclusion of this latest wrinkle.
You're okay, you're okay.
Okay.
Uh, wait, where's Terrance?
Your Honor, at this time, the state requests...
Just a moment, Miss Starbuck.
Where's the counsel for the defense?
Uh, I'm sorry, my honor.
"Your Honor," please.
Right, "Your Honor."
Doh.
Long-time listener, first-time defendant.
Uh, my... my counsel, um, uh, Terrance Kinnard, he's never late.
So, if I could... maybe we could have just a quick, um...
- Uh, what do you call it? - Recess.
Recess. Um, I could call him.
I'm afraid I'm the one that calls the recesses, Mr. Barnett.
Ah, Your Honor.
Uh, Judge Huss, please accept my deepest apologies.
Uh, two flat tires. What are the odds?
Nice to see you, Terrance.
Uh, as I started to say,
in light of the breaking news about my client's birth mother,
the state requests a postponement
so we can send someone to Ukraine to test DNA.
Uh, I... I apologize, Your Honor, uh, but I hold our legal system
in the highest regard, as I know you do, too.
Uh, so, I'm offended on your behalf that Miss Starbuck would waltz in here
on the day our proceedings are to begin and attempt to trick this court
into relitigating, uh, Miss Barnett's age.
Miss Barnett filed countless petitions to change her age,
each of which was denied by the court,
who upheld the fact that she was an adult
when the, uh, Barnetts rented her an apartment.
Your Honor, the state has unequivocal evidence
that Natalia was eight years old when the Barnetts abandoned her, alone.
You know, I should thank you, Miss Starbuck,
because in trying to relitigate this,
you forced me to go back through paperwork
I've read a hundred times, and something new caught my eye.
See this here.
Um, the state was previously granted the opportunity to appeal the decision
in Miss Barnett's 2017 re-aging trial, and they opted not to.
And so, now, here we are, five years later,
and they wanna waste the court's time by suddenly trying to appeal?
I mean, I'm sorry, but that ship has circumnavigated the globe by now.
Uh, Your Honor, Mr. Kinnard knows he has a losing case...
...so he's grasping at straws,
trying to throw out evidence on a technicality, truly.
If you wanna talk grasping at straws,
uh, look no further than Miss Starbuck trying to use a tabloid
to smuggle the question of Miss Barnett's age into court.
I'm sorry, but the question of Natalia's age
has not been smuggled in here.
Half the charges against Mr. Barnett hinge on the question of her age!
Um, which is why the defense would like to submit a motion
to dismiss these bogus charges...
- What?! - ...uh, so as not to waste any more
of the court's valuable time.
Miss Starbuck, is it true that the state
declined to appeal the ruling of Natalia's age in 2017?
- Yes, Your Honor, but... - Hold that thought.
Ah.
Okay, this court will not set precedent
for a criminal case to attack civil decisions,
especially ones that have been upheld so many times.
The state had ample opportunity
to appeal the results of Natalia's age in 2017,
and they declined.
So, I hereby grant the defense's motion to dismiss the four charges
that rely on Miss Barnett being a child.
The remaining four charges that concern a legal dependent still hold.
Please, Your Honor, I beg you to reconsider this.
I will give the state lunch
to adjust their strategy.
When we reconvene, the following rules will apply:
Rule number one,
Natalia may not be called a child or an adult.
If the notion of her age must be referenced,
she may be referred to as, "a person born in 1989."
The word "adoption" and discussion of her schooling
are also barred, as those relate to her age.
Rule number two, the topic of Natalia
having been re-aged is off-limits.
"Rule number three, given Natalia's legal age,
"the statute of limitations preclude litigating offense
that took place prior to 2014"?
This is BS!
Everything they did to her happened before 2014.
Dr. Young, your orthopedist.
Keep. The growth plate stuff is out.
But she can testify that they didn't give her
a walker or orthopedic shoes, and that increased her pain tenfold.
- Her immigration papers? - No.
They have her birthday as 2003.
Agent Aguilar from CPS?
Uh-uh. "Child" Protective Services.
I'm sorry, what is happening here?
The whole point is they abandoned a child.
- What else is there? - They abandoned a disabled adult.
We still have a case. Four charges.
Well, we can still say they beat me, right?
You don't have to be a kid to be abused.
We have the Facebook stuff.
We can't use the Facebook messages.
What? Why the heck not?
They're protected under spousal privilege now.
We were able to make an exception because she was a child when the abuse occurred.
This is what I'm saying, it's rigged. This whole system, it's rigged.
Cynthia, with all due respect, you gotta stop.
We've all been working too long and hard to let this go.
- This is our chance. - Don't do that.
Let's try to stay respectful.
This isn't gonna end well, baby.
What else am I supposed to do?
It's time to get back in there.
Okay, we can still do this.
Okay.
In the case of the State of Indiana versus Michael Barnett,
the Superior Court of Tippecanoe County is now in session.
God is in control.
- Remember that. - Amen.
Will the defendant please rise?
How does the defendant plead?
Not guilty, Your Honor.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, because of her disability,
Natalia Barnett was incapable of doing even basic tasks.
She has no ability to take care of herself,
yet Mr. Barnett abandoned her anyway.
Now, the defense will argue...
Natalia Barnett may look different than you and me...
but she is a perfectly competent individual.
Any difficulties she had while living alone
are not my client's fault.
Did Michael Barnett cause her dwarfism?
I don't think so.
So, Dr. Wachter, can you tell us
how you came to observe Natalia's disability?
Sure. She attended Chapel Ridge Elementary School.
Objection! Your Honor, please instruct counsel
and the witness to abide by your rulings.
Sustained. The jury will ignore that response.
I'm an LPN in the pediatric wing of Larue.
- Objection! - Sustained.
This makes no sense.
Her disability wasn't the reason she couldn't live alone.
- It was because she was a ch... - Objection.
Miss Starbuck, watch yourself.
- Well, if I'd known she was a child... - Objection.
Of course she didn't know how to shop for herself.
- She was a little... - Objection.
Then I don't know how to answer that question.
Objection! Objection! Objection!
We ran a battery of tests that were conclusive.
- She was a child. - Objection.
- They knew she was a child! - Objection!
I'm sorry, are we just not interested
- in the truth here? - Objection!
Order!
The jury will ignore the witness' last remarks.
The state claims that you couldn't live on your own.
But according to my math,
you were old enough to take care of yourself.
So, can you please tell the members of the jury
in what year were you born?
- Natalia. - Hi!
I... I'm a person...
Are you gonna be my mommy and daddy?
We sure would love that, if you'll have us.
...born in 1989.
Please don't leave me!
I will. I will.
Please!
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
in the matter of the State of Indiana versus Michael Barnett,
have you reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
We know these things can be emotional,
but please, no outbursts.
Will the defendant please rise?
On count one, neglect of a dependent,
we find the defendant...
...not guilty.
Count two, not guilty.
Count three, not guilty...
I'm fine. I'm fine.
You're smart to hide here.
It's a circus down there.
Michael Barnett trying to win himself an Oscar,
literally on the floor. "Thank God, thank God!"
- This isn't funny. - I know, baby.
Nothing about this is funny.
But you're not surprised, right?
You knew this was gonna happen.
I said nothing of the sort.
You think your face hides anything you're thinking?
I guess it does, if you're getting "I told you so," from this.
Who was it that said this wasn't gonna end well?
- I was trying to help you. - By treating me like a child?
No.
By treating you like a young lady with a head full of steam.
You act like you're invincible, and, honey, you are close.
But nobody's invincible, not all the way.
You don't think I know that?
But we both know it didn't have to be this way.
- What are you gettin' at? - The guardianship hearing!
You were trying to help me then, too?
You didn't let us appeal the decision, you made us stop!
Oh, Tally. That is low.
We could have used the 10 million pieces of evidence
to prove that I was a kid!
My birth mother!
The Facebook messages, the doctors!
But I'm gonna be like this forever.
For the rest of my life, people will see me
like the Barnetts want me to be... a monster.
A 33-year-old monster, just because you wanted to help.
Oh, no. Uh-uh.
This is not on me, baby.
There is a whole clown car of people to blame.
Courts, doctors, all the adults
that knew what was happening and did nothing to stop it.
And I am not one of those people.
Maybe not, but you're worse, 'cause you act like you believe in me,
but you think this is all I am.
A project to help you feel better about yourself.
You're just like Kristine!
You really think that?
I know you're hurting right now, but as hurt as you are,
you can't treat me like that.
I'm not the one you're mad at.
I love you.
I don't think you wanna push me away.
I'm a grown-ass woman now.
You can't tell me what I want.
Okay, then.
I just feel giddy to get my life back.
Just finally feel like there's this weight
that's been lifted off, and I can just breathe
and just get back to saving kids.
- I... I'm okay. - We have to celebrate!
I'm gonna email my old publicist,
tell her to shake off the cobwebs.
Whoa!
Facebook's blowing up.
I hope you rot in jail for what you did to that poor little girl.
You whore!
There's a dark corner in hell for people like you.
I hope you get raped!
Ugh!
What? What is it?
Kristine, what is it?
People are sick, that's what.
Case is literally closed. How can people still have questions?
I have a question.
Oh?
Well, I just thought that...
I thought Natalia looked a lot older up there.
She looked mature.
Well, no matter how hard we Botox, we all age.
That's not what I meant.
Kris, she looked taller.
She has breasts now, and hips.
She's... her, her face looks like a young adult.
Do you have a point, Val?
It's just that a lot of what they were saying,
what the witnesses were trying to say...
Do you think that possibly, maybe, maybe you could have been wrong?
Are you kidding me?
- Whose side are you on, Val? - I was on yours, Kristine.
- But if she was a child... - She is a monster.
But why are you the only one who's still holding onto that story?
There were so many doctors who were... who were willing to testify on her behalf.
And all that stuff with her bio mom, a-and you couldn't find witnesses, right?
Wow.
I would expect this from some people.
Not my best friend.
Who knew you were such a Judas? Boys!
I feel so stupid. I believed you, Kristine.
Mom?
- Get your stuff, we're going. - What? No way!
Ethan and I are going to a party with Jaden.
Fine. Jacob, let's go.
Kris, seriously?
I saved your daughter.
Surprise!
Sorry, I didn't know how to start.
I just, I really need to talk to you.
Yeah, uh, you know, I don't know if that's a... a good idea.
Michael, come on, you got off. So, can we please just talk honestly?
I need to understand.
Okay. Just, um, just for a minute though, okay?
What is it?
It's... it's just, you knew, right?
That I was a kid, that she was hurting me?
Um...
That's...
I mean, it's... it's complicated, you know?
I mean, uh...
You...
You have to understand that, um...
W...
We were both victims here, right?
Kristine, uh, controlled me too.
She... She... She did it for years.
She still... I mean, she still does,
and... and I just didn't have the strength to stand up to her.
I think... I think what happened,
we... we were, uh, facing the same monster.
That whole time, we were, and we didn't even know it.
That we... we're the same here.
Right? I mean, does that make sense?
But Michael, I was a kid.
You were supposed to be my dad.
You... do you wanna... do you wanna sit down?
- Mm-hmm. - Okay.
Don't tell your brothers this, but...
you know I always like our private time the best
when it's just you and me.
Do you want some music?
♪ Bring me southern kisses from your room ♪
I remember what you did to Natalia.
♪ Meet me in the middle of the night, let me hear you say ♪
I'm not judging you.
I'm not laying blame, I just...
I just had to say that.
Oh, sweet boy. You were too young
to know what was happening around you.
We did everything we could to protect you from what was going on.
But you didn't protect me from it. I saw it.
And I'm not certain how to live with that.
How do you?
Mom, please. The trial's over.
Exactly!
So, there's nothing more to talk about.
♪ Come on out beneath the shining sun ♪
In that article, her mom said the doctors
told her that Natalia would never amount to anything.
That her life would be better if she didn't even take Natalia home.
It's a lot like what they told you about me.
It's not the same, not the same at all. Don't you even say that.
I've heard you give that speech a thousand times.
"He'd never learn to read, to tie his shoes.
"He'd never learn to wrap his arms around me and tell me
that he loves me."
We're almost there.
Why'd you do it, anyways?
Why did you adopt me?
I don't... I don't know. I can only speak for myself,
but I... I just really wanted a daughter. I did.
But why?
It's everything I've been saying, I just...
I was really...
broken, and I wanted to feel better.
So, I made you feel better,
- and then you didn't need me anymore? - No. No, no, no, no, no.
I... I didn't mean it like that, you have to understand.
I... I was the one who was... who was trying to hang onto you
for... for as long as I could.
I mean, I'm not a bad guy, right?
I... I was just trying to... to make everybody happy.
Don't look at me like that. What do you want me to do?
Seriously, I will do... I will do anything.
Can you just admit what you did?
That you hurt me?
I...
Kristine hurt you.
Michael, if she was hurting you too,
if you knew what was happening, why didn't you stop her?
If you loved me...
why didn't you do something?
Mm.
Hurt people hurt people, Natalia. That's just...
But you didn't have to.
Are you freaking kidding me?
What is she doing here?
- What are you doing here? - I need a place to stay.
- There's a gas leak at Val's. - Uh...
Well, you can't stay here.
You can't, my family's inside. You're gonna have to find a motel.
I'm out of money, Michael, because of you, and...
I saw you at the trial, Natalia.
But I wasn't sure if I should say hi.
You... you can say hi.
I also wasn't sure if I should say that I've had time to think about stuff...
and I should have helped you.
Alright, Jacob, that's enough.
She made us scared of you, but you were just a kid.
I shouldn't have listened.
I'm very sorry.
I-It's okay.
It's okay, you were... you were just a kid too.
Okay, let's go to Grammy's.
I don't think I want to.
Do you... do you wanna stay here?
Okay.
Judases everywhere.
Everywhere.
How'd it go?
Kristine showed up.
Jake, too.
I'm sorry, I should have gone with you.
Mm. It's okay.
You shouldn't have had to face her on your own.
It's fine. At this point, I know how to handle her.
That woman. I don't know, I can never decide.
You think she believes the story she tells?
Who cares? Everyone else does.
♪ Young child with dreams ♪
♪ Dreaming each dream on your own ♪
Are you coming to bed?
♪ When children play ♪
Okay.
♪ Seems like you end up alone ♪
♪ Papa says he'd love to be with you ♪
♪ If he had more time ♪
After Natalia was born,
the doctor said I should give her up.
They said she would never live a normal life.
The doctor said there's nothing I could do for her.
"You're young," they said.
"You are 24 years old. Don't ruin your life."
♪ Shilo, when I was young ♪
♪ I used to call your name ♪
♪ When no one else would come ♪
I wanted this to go differently.
We failed you, Natalia.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry they made you lie on the stand.
I'm sorry people didn't get to see the real you.
Thanks for the ride.
♪ Oh ♪
After Natalia was born,
the doctors said I should give her up.
Hey, Tally, is that you? Come here!
They said she would never live a normal life.
The doctor said there's nothing I could do for her.
"You're young," they said.
"You are 24 years old. Don't ruin your life."
Oh. Cool, yeah, I saw it.
No, it's not that.
Look. "We love you, Natalia."
"You are a light unto the world."
"God gave you strength, Natalia."
"That's right, Natalia. You go, girl!"
"You are a survivor!"
Wait, this dude's talking about marrying you.
"Love your YouTube videos! You're so funny and nice!"
"I feel so bad I doubted you, Natalia."
"Hope this will silence the doubters and the haters."
- "We're praying for you, Natalia Grace." - "You're beautiful inside and out."
- "You're so courageous." - "You're such a fighter."
"You deserve the world, Natalia."
- "And now, the healing can begin." - "I wish I had her strength."
I'm sorry the court got it wrong.
Natalia Grace is a warrior!
They don't get to decide who you are, Natalia.
It's such an awful story.
But she is so amazing. Nobody can bring her down!
"We see you, Natalia."
"You are loved."
♪ When no one else would come ♪
Since this series was completed,
a buse allegations against Antwon and Cynthia Mans have come to light.
They maintain their innocence,
and to this day, so does Kristine Barnett.
But in 2024, with the help of an attorney,
Natalia received a U.S. passport
that officially restored her birthdate to September 4, 2003,
making her just 21 years old at the time this series was released.
♪ All I saw was the way that she made me smile ♪
♪ She made me smile ♪
♪ Shilo, when I was young ♪
♪ I used to call your name ♪
♪ When no one else would come ♪
♪ Shilo, you always came ♪
♪ Come today ♪