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“Take Care of Maya,” the new feature documentary on Netflix spotlighting medical world instances of families being falsely accused of child abuse, is meant to be the “beginning of the conversation” about a harrowing topic that remains misunderstood to many people, director Henry Roosevelt told TheWrap.

“There’s rarely an hour that goes by that we’re not getting a tweet, direct message, email, phone call or letter. It really shows you how widespread this problem is and how many people are experiencing something similar,” producer Caitlin Keating said. “People are saying that they saw themselves in this film in some way and the response has been overwhelming.”

The sometimes hard-to-watch documentary delves into the heartbreaking case of now 17-year-old Maya Kowalski, who was kept at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital for three months in 2016 against her will because doctors blamed her parents of “medical child abuse.”

At age...

The following article contains mentions of abuse.

As depicted in Netflix's Take Care of Maya, Dr. Sally Smith was among the key figures in the legal turmoil the Kowalski family endured after Maya's Crps diagnosis - here's everything we know about Dr. Smith and her current whereabouts. Set in the backdrop of Florida, Take Care of Maya begins by giving a background of Maya Kowalski's medical history. The documentary shows how Maya was nine when she started experiencing extreme pain and burning sensations all over her limbs. Her pain became so unbearable that it also started affecting her mobility, and that is when her parents sought medical help.

In Netflix's Take Care of Maya, Maya's father recounts that after meeting several doctors, they met an anesthesiologist and pharmacologist named Anthony Kirkpatrick. He diagnosed Maya with a neurological condition, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Crps), and recommended a treatment involving pain management through a drug,...

Beata Kowalski was a determined and resilient woman who fought tirelessly for her daughter Maya’s health. She had a loving and supportive relationship with her husband, Jack, and their family life revolved around their children. However, their lives took a tragic turn when their daughter Maya’s health condition deteriorated in 2015, and she was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Despite facing numerous challenges, Beata remained steadfast in her commitment to finding the best possible treatment for her daughter. She had always been the pillar of strength in Maya’s life, reassuring and encouraging her through all of the challenging situations. However, unfortunately, her efforts were overshadowed by accusations of child abuse, leading to the heartbreaking separation of Beata from her beloved daughter.

Spoilers Ahead

What Was Beata’s Role In Maya Kowalski’s Treatment?

The Kowalski family was from Venice, Florida. Jack Kowalski worked as a firefighter while his wife,...

There are medical nightmares, and there are legal nightmares. The story at the heart of Take Care of Maya encompasses both. The new Netflix documentary, premiering June 19, presents a damning account of how a sort of hospital-run child abuse/Cps mill allegedly destroyed one family in slow motion, keeping a sick girl from her parents until one of her parents could no longer take it. Like most documentaries, this one will play differently if you haven’t been following the real-life story, so continue reading with caution if you value the element of surprise.