A Review of “Into the Fire, The Lost Daughter”

I recently came across a gripping new docuseries on Netflix, right after finishing Miss Night and Day. As a self-proclaimed crime docu enthusiast, I was immediately hooked. There’s something about real-life crime stories that pulls me in—maybe it’s the raw sense of injustice or that unavoidable curiosity to understand the darkness behind these events. It might sound odd, but hey, we all have our fascinations, right?

Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter is about the heartbreaking journey of Cathy Terkanian, a woman forced by her mother to give up her 9-month-old daughter for adoption. Decades later, Cathy receives the devastating news that her daughter Alexis Badger, now named Aundria Bowman by her adoptive family, is missing and presumed dead.

Authorities need Cathy’s DNA to help confirm her identity, but the child in question isn’t Aundria—yet the chilling fact remains: Aundria is still missing, and shockingly, her adoptive parents seem disturbingly indifferent.

Determined to find her daughter, Cathy embarks on a journey no mother should ever face, battling closed adoption records and the emotional torment of not knowing what became of her child. But despite every hurdle, Cathy’s maternal instinct refuses to give up. Fueled by an unwavering need to uncover the truth, she even creates a Facebook page to rally support in her quest.

As the investigation unfolds, Cathy stumbles upon a gut-wrenching discovery: Aundria’s adoptive father, Dennis Bowman, has a history of violence and abuse. Cathy’s worst fears are confirmed when it is revealed that Bowman was responsible for Aundria’s disappearance—and ultimately, her death. In a haunting moment of realization, Cathy flies a drone over the Bowmans’ backyard, spotting what looks like a gravesite. Despite her husband’s initial hesitation, Cathy’s instincts prove true when police uncover Aundria’s skeletal remains in that very spot.

Perhaps the most chilling part of the story is Brenda Bowman, Aundria’s adoptive mother, who remained in denial of the abuse and refused to cooperate with Cathy. Her refusal to acknowledge Aundria’s cries for help adds another layer of heartbreak to this already devastating narrative. And the fact that she refuses to believe the horrific acts her husband committed.

Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter is a testament to the relentless power of a mother’s love, the importance of trusting our instincts, and the chilling consequences of unchecked abuse. It’s a story that lingers in your mind, well after the screen fades to black. But it also leaves you to wonder: How many other victims does Dennis Bowman have?