Thinking she’s finally found a good home after being left on her own after she was legally re-aged from 8 to 22, Natalia Grace quickly finds herself facing new challenges in this exclusive clip from The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter.
The real-life “Orphan” whose story captured the nation years ago, and again with Investigation Discovery’s 2023 docuseries, is back to explore what happened next in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter.
What was supposed to be her happy ending turned into anything but, as seen in this exclusive clip from the upcoming final episodes of the 21-year-old with a rare form of dwarfism’s story, premiering January 6 and 7 on ID.
Trouble with her new adoptive family was hinted at in the final moments of the first run of episodes, with the Manses expressing concern about Natalia’s behavior in an unexpected phone call to Curious Case producers.
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As always, the question loomed of whether the problem is with Natalia or those around her.
The new season picks up her story after she’d been dumped by her adoptive family, the Barnetts, in an apartment at eight years old to live on her own. She’d been legally re-aged by Michael and Kristine Barnett after they’d expressed concerns she was actually an adult pretending to be a child who had it in for Kristine.
While living on her own, she met the Mans family, who lived in a neighboring apartment. She would spend the next decade living with them, during which time her original age was confirmed and reinstated.
Life with the Mans was one of “cult-like” strict religious practice, according to the new episodes, with Natalia also helping with the couple’s 10 other children. But it was also purportedly one of control and isolation, based on TooFab’s exclusive look at the new season.
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In the new episodes, things reportedly take a dark turn after Antwon Mans uncovered online texts, photos, and videos shared between Natalia and her UK-based boyfriend, a man named Neil.
According to Natalia, Antwon responded in a variety of controlling and threatening ways, including taking away her phone, shutting down communication between her and Neil, and essentially disconnecting her from the outside world.
Thankfully for Natalia, Neil wasn’t willing to give up quite that easily. He and Natalia managed to maintain their communication, and Neil also made the effort to communicate with possible outside help with the DePaul family.
Nicole and Vince DePaul, who were little people like Natalia, had previously tried to adopt her in 2009 but were unsuccessful. Now, Neil was pleading with them to help Natalia.
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“Neil filled me in about all the horrible things that Natalia’s dealing with in the household with the Manses and it’s not good,” says Nicole in TooFab’s exclusive clip. “He said Natalia is being held hostage.”
Breaking down all the ways Natalia has been isolated from the outside world, Nicole concludes, “Natalia wants to leave but she doesn’t know how and she needs my help because the Manses are keeping her like a prisoner.”
And so, the DePauls sprang into action, planning a daring late-night escape for Natalia from the Manses, which they carried out three days before Christmas 2023 … but not without even more wild twists, turns, and drama.
You can see some of that unfold in the following trailer for The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter, as Nicole asks herself, “What the hell did I get myself into?” Then tune in for the full story to see if Natalia’s latest chapters can finally give her that happy ending.
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While this special marks the end of Natalia’s journey, it’s just the beginning for the Curious Case series, with The Curious Case Of…, a new six-part spin off featuring The Curious Case of Natalia Grace legal analyst Beth Karas, coming to ID this month.
Premiering January 13, with new episodes airing weekly, the series will tackle truly shocking, bizarre cases filled with twists, turns, and access to unbelievable firsthand accounts.
See how Natalia’s story unfolds when The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter airs on ID across two nights on Monday, January 6 and Tuesday, January 7 from 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET, also available to stream on Max.
