Netflix viewers have been left "destroyed" by a new harrowing documentary titled Take Care of Maya.
The new documentary - which premiered on the streaming service on June 19 - follows the story of a girl called Maya Kowalski who suffered from chronic pain which became debilitating.
Back in 2015, the little girl's parents - Jack and Beata Kowalski - frantically searched for answers regarding their daughter's poor health and saw a number of medical professionals.
One doctor diagnosed Maya with CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome) and prescribed her high doses of ketamine, but the drugs failed to work so the Kowalski family traveled to Monterrey, Mexico so that their little one could be put in a ketamine coma.
Watch the Take Care of Maya trailer below:The treatment seemed to work… until it suddenly didn't.
A year later, Maya relapsed so her desperate parents then took her to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.
However, things continued to take a nightmarish turn as the hospital accused Beata - who is a registered nurse - of child abuse and the state took custody of the then-10-year-old.
Beata was indicted of having Munchausen by proxy, a mental illness and form of child abuse where a parent makes up false symptoms or causes real symptoms to make it look like their child is ill.
While a psychological evaluation confirmed that she did not have the illness, Beata was still not allowed to see her daughter for over three months. Becoming increasingly despondent, she ultimately ended up taking her own life.
The documentary fast-forwards to a now-17-year-old Maya, her father, and her brother seeking justice from the legal system. It reveals various audio recordings from the late mom, depositions, and interviews with the family.
The film has left a profound impact on viewers, with many taking to their social media to share their thoughts. One user wrote: "Just finished watching Take Care of Maya on Netflix and I’m emotionally exhausted."
"Had to be one of the most gut-wrenching documentaries I’ve ever seen. Shame on the hospital, court system, and all those that stood by complicit while this injustice was happening," they added.
Another person said: "I have never in my life had to stop a documentary so many times, just to compose myself and wipe the tears away. How is this happening in a 'first world country'? Take care of Maya just destroyed me, I am shook to my core. I hope they televise the trial globally in September."
A third commented: "'Take care of Maya' really shines the light where it needs to be. The system has been so screwed for many many years. It’s sad that’s just getting worse and worse. More lives lost and tons of families destroyed because of it."
The documentary was directed by Henry Roosevelt and produced by Caitlin Keating - who recently spoke to Vanity Fair about the family's battle.
"At a certain point, you have to stop filming," she said, "But this is their truth, that the trial [against the children’s hospital] hasn’t happened yet. And we think that’s important to show that they are still fighting."
Take Care of Maya is available to watch on Netflix now.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out for help and contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
