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In the seventh installment titled ‘If You Tell a Story Well Enough’ of the series Good American Family, Natalia Grace intensifies her legal battle against Michael and Kristine Barnett, as medical findings affirm her actual age.
Inspired by the docu-series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, the Hulu show revisits the events of 2010 when the Barnetts adopted Natalia. Almost immediately, the couple alleged that Natalia was an adult disguising herself as a child, leading to her age being legally altered from eight to 22 years by 2012.
For those who have closely observed the actual case, it is evident that Natalia was indeed a minor at the time of her adoption, as demonstrated throughout the series. Episode 6 introduced her new adoptive parents, Cynthia and Antwon Mans, amidst the escalating conflict.
The latest episode interweaves various timelines, showcasing Natalia’s time in a psychiatric facility, a distressing court hearing, the Barnetts’ estrangement, and an infamous episode of Dr. Phil. Viewers unfamiliar with the real-life events should be warned of spoilers.
Natalia Grace Builds Her Case
Episode 7 opens in a psychiatric ward, where Natalia is in the children’s section sharing a ghost story with her friend Sky.
In a sudden turn of events, a nurse enters and informs Natalia that she has been re-aged, and is being transferred to the adult unit. Despite her pleas to take her stuffed toy Hercules, the nurse denies her request.
Natalia finds herself placed in a room with an adult male patient, restrained to the bed. The nurse warns her that any misbehavior could lead to her being restrained as well.
The series underscores that in reality, the Barnetts succeeded in changing Natalia’s legal age, which resulted in her being placed in the adult section of the psychiatric hospital.
The narrative shifts to the present timeline, where Natalia shares her harrowing stories with Detective Brandon Drysdale, accompanied by Cynthia. Cynthia expresses her outrage over the unresolved legal issues affecting Natalia.
Detective Drysdale mentions the sealed records of Natalia’s re-aging in probate court, but reveals a potential strategy: they could argue that Natalia was denied due process since she was not present during her age alteration.
“We can’t contest the legitimacy of the re-aging decision, but we can challenge the process by which it was made,” he states.
Kristine and Michael Barnett Get Served
The narrative takes a flashback to 2014, presenting Michael and Kristine living in Canada, where Michael continues to maintain an illusion of a happy family.
While Kristine promotes her autism book, their son Jacob excels in graduate studies, but the peace is disrupted by news of a motion to challenge Natalia’s age ruling.
Michael reassures Kristine of their ability to block the motion, but the persistence of the petitioners makes the legal battle a prolonged ordeal, which Michael describes as a “never-ending nightmare of paperwork.”
In August 2017, the Barnetts receive a new request for Cynthia and Antwon to be appointed as Natalia’s legal guardians.
Michael perceives this as a welcome change, unaware of the gravity of the situation. “Our ability to deny these petitions relies on our status as her legal guardians,” Kristine warns him.
“If that status is revoked, they could legally revert her age and label us as abandoners of a child. This would devastate our lives,” she emphasizes.
Kristine insists that Michael return to Indiana for the forthcoming hearing, but he remains distracted by their planned outings, leading her to declare, “The shop is closed until you address this.”
Michael Makes a Shocking Discovery
Michael makes his way back to Indiana to consult a lawyer recommended by Val. While meeting, Kristine sends over the “Natalia papers”—documents salvaged from the adoption process.
Unfamiliar with technology, Kristine accidentally shares explicit images meant for someone else, leading Michael to an uncomfortable realization regarding their relationship.
After reflecting on the meeting in his car while listening to Meat Loaf’s ‘I’d Do Anything for Love’, he decides against confronting Kristine immediately.
His acquiescence soon leads to a conflict when Kristine calls, trying to manipulate the conversation, but Michael stands his ground and asserts that their relationship is over.
Seeking solace, Michael visits a bar where he meets Jennifer, a former coworker. Their night spirals from shared memories to a kiss over shots of tequila.
The Hearing That Changed Nothing
The scene transitions to the hearing, where Natalia and the Mans’ attorney file two motions.
The first motion seeks to give Cynthia and Antwon guardianship over Natalia, while the second seeks to vacate the 2012 ruling that redefined her age from eight to 22.
Right from the onset, the judge exhibits bias towards the Barnetts, disregarding the substantial medical evidence demonstrating Natalia was still a child.
The Barnetts’ attorney introduces Dr. Lawrence, who claims to have examined Natalia’s medical history, inaccurately asserting that she had been menstruating for years and had sociopathy diagnosed.
Despite Cynthia’s knowledge of the inaccuracies—Natalia had not yet menstruated during their care—the judge dismisses their arguments.
Eventually, as the judge calls Natalia to speak, she anticipates the opportunity to present her case. However, he cuts her off, stating, “I’ve heard all I need to.”
“I will not change your guardianship. The 2012 age ruling stands; I see no evidence suggesting things would’ve differed had you been part of the process,” declares the judge.
The Mans family comforts Natalia while Detective Drysdale insists on an appeal, but Cynthia is hesitant; Natalia has endured too much trauma already.
Doctors Confirm Natalia’s Real Age
Drysdale respects their wishes at first but changes his stance when he and his wife adopt a daughter and feel compelled to investigate further.
In the summer of 2019, Drysdale approaches Dr. Lawrence, uncovering significant truths about the prior assessments.
Dr. Lawrence acknowledges his lack of involvement in the “re-aging” process, admitting the testimonies he provided regarding Natalia were fabricated.
He specifies that he only saw Natalia once, clarifying, “Michael and Kristine reviewed the expert evaluations with me, and I simply transcribed their insights. They’re decent people; I aimed to assist.”
Realizing the potential consequences of his statements, he muses, “Am I liable for this?” to which Drysdale prompts for the specialists’ names.
Upon consulting the specialists who evaluated Natalia years earlier, they confirm she was a child, countering the Barnetts’ assertions.
For viewers unaware of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, this was not just a dramatization. Multiple assessments corroborated Natalia’s youth, discrediting the Barnetts’ claims.
Drysdale informs his superior, who insists on obtaining a confession from the Barnetts to pursue legal action.
This task becomes feasible due to the tumultuous divorce between Michael and Kristine, as the likelihood of one implicating the other grows.
The Infamous Dr. Phil Interview
The episode shifts focus to Drysdale’s interview with Michael, where he strategically uses the custody of Michael’s children to create an easy atmosphere.
As the conversation unfolds, Michael begins to divulge sensitive information, alleging Kristine was abusive towards Natalia while they were together, even claiming to have filmed a confrontation for protection.
When asked about the rationale behind Kristine’s behavior, he cites the “age thing,” indicating it was a point of obsession for her.
Michael admits to Drysdale that they were informed Natalia was roughly eight years old at the time. “So you acknowledged she was a child?” Drysdale presses. “Yes, we understood that,” Michael responds.
Afterwards, feeling victorious, Michael shares his triumph with Jennifer, unaware of the implications of his confession. “You realize that by acknowledging she was a kid, you might have implicated yourself too,” Jennifer cautions.
The storyline then moves to Kristine’s trial, where she stands not guilty to multiple charges of neglect and conspiracy.
In a session with Michael, his legal team and Jennifer discuss the strategy of presenting themselves as a united front. Despite some reluctance, they agree this tactic might bolster their defense.
As Natalia shares her narrative with the public, the Barnetts simultaneously disseminate their own version, aiming to overshadow her account.
In a climax scene set in February 2020, Natalia’s interview on Dr. Phil unfolds. While in reality, it aired in 2019, her powerful statement, “Well, they’d been doing all the talking, so I figured it’s my turn,” resonates profoundly as she takes control of her narrative.
The season finale of Good American Family premiered on Hulu on April 30. In the meantime, viewers are invited to learn about Natalia’s biological mother’s absence from the show, revisit recaps of Episodes 3 and 4, and uncover Freddie Gill’s insights shared during the docu-series.
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