In 2023, Investigation Discovery dove into the weird and engaging case of Natalia Grace, the Ukranian orphan with a uncommon type of dwarfism, spondyloepiphyseal, who was adopted by Michael and Kristine Barnett in 2010.

“The Curious Case of Natalia Grace,” which has reached greater than 10 million viewers throughout ID and Max since its debut, follows the story of the younger lady, who claimed she was 6 on the time of her adoption; two years after adopting her, the Barnetts petitioned to have Grace’s age legally modified to 22, altering her beginning yr from 2003 to 1989. A yr later, in 2013, they moved to Canada and deserted her.

Michael Barnett, who was discovered not responsible of three counts of neglect and conspiracy in 2022, known as Natalia a “con artist,” claiming she was an grownup masquerading as a baby and tried to kill the household. The second season, titled “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks,” debuted in January. It options unseen proof and pictures and permits her to share her facet of the story and face Barnett for the primary time. She additionally took a blood check that exposed she is roughly 22 years outdated, suggesting she was 9 years outdated when she was adopted.

“We have been following the story in actual time because it unfolded and didn’t know what to anticipate past the primary season. We couldn’t predict future occasions. For instance, we didn’t know when the Barnetts’ trials would happen or what the precise timing could be,” says government producer and Sizzling Snakes Media co-founder Shannon Evangelista. “Due to this fact, we didn’t plan past the primary installment. We had additionally hoped to listen to Natalia’s facet, which prompted the creation of the second season.”

With such a posh case, it’s arduous to not take sides, however Evangelista felt it was essential to “give everybody the chance to share their very own perspective” on what actually occurred.

“This specific story is a wild journey, and I needed to immerse the viewers in that journey. Nevertheless, it was really heartbreaking to listen to about Natalia’s ordeals on the Barnetts,” she says. “However, my intention is at all times to ask difficult questions and let the investigation unfold naturally, permitting the viewers to embark on an equally enthralling journey. That is our strategy when creating all of our documentaries.”

The sequence is simply the newest to concentrate on the Barnetts case, as Ellen Pompeo will star in Hulu’s upcoming drama in regards to the case, portraying Kristine Barnett — who selected to not seem within the ID sequence.

“This story’s real-life occasions are undeniably fascinating and go away viewers questioning, ‘Did this actually occur?’ With narrators presenting conflicting accounts, the reality stays elusive,” Evangelista says of the current fascination with the case. “Simply whenever you suppose you’ve grasped it, a brand new twist emerges, sending you down a distinct path. This fascinating journey retains audiences enthralled as they be a part of the seek for solutions. I can’t wait to see the Hulu adaptation, and I consider Ellen Pompeo’s expertise will completely seize the complexity of this character.”

Season 2 ended with Natalia’s second adoptive father, Bishop Antwon Mans, telling producers, “One thing ain’t proper with Natalia. This lady is tweakin’. I really feel like she’s the enemy of the home. And he or she stated to us we have now held her hostage… We’re executed. We’re executed together with her.”

In a current interview with The U.S. Solar, her adoptive mom Cynthia Mans said that whereas Natalia is “dwelling with buddies,” issues are all smoothed over together with her now.

Nonetheless, it feels like there may be extra story to inform. When requested whether or not there can be one other season of “The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace,” Evangelista performs coy, quipping there’s “nothing to report presently.”

“The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace,” produced for Investigation Discovery by Sizzling Snakes Media, is out there to stream on Max.