Inside Natalia Grace's Dramatic Escape from Adoptive Family’s Home: 'Can't Believe I Did This'

Natalia initially made headlines when her first adoptive parents, Michael and Kristine Barnett, had her age legally changed to make her an adult -- two years after they were told she was a 6-year-old girl. Claiming Natalia tried to kill them and their other children, the Barnetts then placed her in an apartment alone; the two were later arrested for neglect, but cleared of the charges, while a 2023 DNA test later determined Grace was actually a child at the time she was abandoned.

While ID's The Curious Case of Natalia Grace in 2023 ended with Grace settling in with a new family, Antwon and Cynthia Mans, things there apparently went downhill six months after they formally adopted her.

On the new followup docuseries, out in January and which TooFab has screened, she claimed she was being "held hostage" by the pair and had "no access to the outside world" after the Manses caught her talking to a man in the UK online. The two also had control of her money and are accused of using Natalia's social security checks to buy their own home, as well as making her live with pain associated with her dwarfism instead of seeking medical assistance.

Per the doc, Natalia continued speaking with her online boyfriend -- identified simply as Neil -- via the Duolingo app, telling him she needed to get out of the "literal hell" in which she was living. He then reached out to another family, Vince and Nicole DePaul -- who also have a form of drarfism -- for help, as they had initially met and hoped to adopt Natalia before the Barnetts. The group eventually formed a plan, with Nicole and her daughter Mackenzie flying from upstate New York to Tennessee, renting a car and driving to a church -- where Natalia would sneak out during mass, after telling the Manses she had to use the bathroom.

With their rented vehicle parked in front of the church, Nicole and Mackzenzie ducked in their seats to avoid detection, before Natalia ran out of the building and into the SUV.

"My mom does not know at all right now. I'm freaking out. I'm hyperventilating right now. My dad is gonna snap. I can't believe I did this," she exclaimed upon her escape. She then called Neil from the car, letting him know she made it, before thanking them all for helping her.

She also fired off a text message to Cynthia, reading, "Mom, I'm sorry but I left. I'm with the DePauls and I can't handle being cut off from the world. I don't want to hurt you but I need to do this. I love you so much, I'm so sorry."

The text was slightly concerning to Nicole, who became more confused after Natalia said she also wanted Cynthia to continue to be her social security payee going forward. Tensions then exploded when Nicole picked up a call from Cynthia to Natalia, with Cynthia accusing the DePauls of "sneakily" taking her daughter.

"I didn't sneakily. She begged me to come get her. It was days and days of communication that she needed to leave," Nicole exclaimed.

"This is important to me as a mother ... that is my baby," Cynthia shot back. "I may not have carried her and delivered her, but that is my baby. I seriously pray that nobody ever does a thing like this to you, Nicole."

DePaul, however, asked why they took Natalia's phone away, why they never made Natalia -- a full adult -- the payee for her own money and why they never looked into getting her surgery to help with her pain.

"That's none of your business. Shut up!" Cynthia shouted, before Antwon also got on the line and added, "I hope you're not trying to say that as if we're preventing her from being fixed or anything."

"Actually, I am," Nicole fired back, as Natalia tried to interject, saying her parents have "done stuff for me" while telling Nicole to stop suggesting they hadn't.

"Devil lady! I rebuke you in Jesus name! I don't want to hear another word from your mouth," Cynthia then shouted, as Nicole accused them of having Natalia "brainwashed."

"It's sick. She's going to become paralyzed. You've had her 11 years and you have not gotten that taken care of," Nicole continued. "Are you a doctor?! Shame on you!"

The call ended with Cynthia threatening to "sue the f--king pants off you," with Nicole responding, "Bring it."

The saga, however, was far from over -- as Natalia's concerning behavior continued as she lived with the DePauls, who started to fear she was being "blackmailed" by the Manses. Get a full breakdown of what happened next here.

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter airs in four parts -- with two episodes of Monday, January 6 and Tuesday, January 7 on ID and streaming on Max.