Netflix has released A Child of My Own, a docu-drama based on the true story of a Mexican woman whose desperate desire to become a mother led to a baby's abduction. The real-life events took place 17 years ago.
Woman Faked Pregnancy After Miscarriages
The film tells the story of Eleonor Alejandra Marin Mendoza, who suffered multiple miscarriages since getting married at 17. Facing pressure from her family and society, she faked a pregnancy to full term after another miscarriage at 26.
Kidnapping and Arrest
In June 2009, she kidnapped a newborn girl from Hospital General de Mexico, where she worked as an administrator. CCTV footage shows her leaving the hospital with the baby in a large gift bag. In the trailer, Alejandra reflected: "What did I do wrong? Breaking the law. Deceiving. Hurting. I think my desire to be a mum was to please others."
She and her husband Arturo, later acquitted of any wrongdoing, were found at a hotel in Mexico City hours later. The baby was safely returned to her mother, and the pair were arrested.
Sentencing and Release
Alejandra was sentenced to 13 years in prison and released in 2023. The story was previously told in Randall Fuquay's book, A Child to Call My Own. The Netflix doc was brought to life by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Maite Alberdi.
