Fans of the new Netflix true crime series 'Take Care of Maya' are wondering what the show is about, plus where Maya Kowalski is now, and what medical conditions she had... find out everything we know here.
True crime series' are as plentiful as they come nowadays. With the brand new series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, as well as other popular true crime shows like The Thing About Pam and even Inventing Anna, true crime junkies certainly have no shortage of content to binge. Netflix's newest true crime series, Take Care of Maya, does everything you want a true crime series to do - chills you to the bone, gives you something to think about, and makes you question your reality.
This series is based on a true story about a girl named Maya Kowalski and her family, who had to watch their daughter endure a series of tragic medical complications.
It is believed, however, that the mother, Beata Kowalski, had Munchausen syndrome by proxy - a disease in which the caregiver has inflicted medical torment on their patient to make it look like they are unwell - that has gained awareness from shows like The Act in the past few years.
To read more about Maya's story and where she is now, keep reading.
What is 'Take Care of Maya' about?
As mentioned, the Kowalski family believed something to be wrong with their daughter, Maya, as she started suffering from symptoms like headaches, asthma attacks, painful lesions on her arms and legs, and severe cramping in her feet at just nine years old. They had to send Maya to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in Florida just one year later because she was in crippling stomach pain, with her knees up to her chest and screaming in pain, according to the series.
Maya's symptoms were discovered by doctors to be from a rare neurological condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, known as CRPS - but this was not before more devastation fell on the Kowalski family.
While Maya was at the hospital, nurses grew skeptical of Beata, who was a nurse herself, because she was suggesting to give her daughter ketamine in order to reset her nervous system - a practice believed to have been successful in Mexico, according to The Cut.
Then, the Kowalski family lost custody of Maya for three months, as the courts sent Beata for a full psychological examination following a report from child protective services.
Just 87 days after Maya was taken into state custody, Beata died by suicide, and was found with a note that read: "I no longer can take the pain being away from Maya and being treated like a criminal. I cannot watch my daughter suffer in pain and keep getting worse."
Where is Maya Kowalski now?
Just five days after Beata died, Maya was released back into her father's custody.
Jack, Maya's father, and Kyle, her brother, have filed a lawsuit against Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and the trial between them is expected to start in September 2023. As of right now, Maya is still in the care of her father and brother - but that could change depending on what the court deems is the best choice for her.
