A new Netflix documentary has left viewers speechless with its ‘gut-wrenching’ narrative and ‘insane’ plot twists.
True crime fans are raging over a Charlize Theron-produced show that explores the harrowing story of a woman in search of the daughter she placed up for adoption as an infant.
People are taking to X (formerly known as twitter) and declaring it to be ‘one of the best documentaries’ to have come out in years.
One viewer says: “This was insane! So sad, should never have happened.”
“I cried so hard at the end,” another adds. “Can’t tell you the last time I cried watching a true crime documentary.”
A third person declares: “One of the best documentaries I’ve seen in a while.”
“That was an emotional rollercoaster!” comments someone else. “I was so angry, then sad, then angry again.”
While a fifth fan writes: “The twists in this one! It was so well done and worth the watch.”
The doc’s praise is also reflected in its impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%.
The well-received docuseries follows retired nurse Cathy Terkanian who discovers that the daughter she put up for adoption as a teenager has been missing for 21 years.
Despite not raising the baby or knowing anything about the baby’s adopted parents, she sets out on a mission to find out what happened to her child, who had been named Aundria Michelle Bowman.
As the search for her birth daughter unfolds, Terkanian learns the heartbreaking details of the girl’s childhood and how she was allegedly abused by her adoptive parents.
A woman who had been friends with Aundria as a teenager alleged that her adoptive father was s**ually abusive, while another claimed he was seen chasing and hitting the teen.
Although it isn’t easy, the retired nurse manages to get the police’s help and uncover the truth about what happened to Aundria.
In a people magazine interview about the two-part mini-series Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, producer Theron explained why she sought to turn this harrowing story into a true crime documentary.
The award-winning actress said: “A story that touches on the complexities of adoption, motherhood, found family. You don’t see that too often in this genre – it felt fresh and much needed.”
She added: “I hope they [the viewers] feel moved by Cathy’s story, and also inspired by her resilience. And if this film can move people to be more proactive when they see injustices occurring and can prevent things like this from happening in the first place, that’d be incredible.”
