Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter Docuseries [What Was That?]

Netflix’s Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter follows Cathy Terkanian’s search for her missing daughter, Aundria Bowman. As dark secrets about the adoptive family surface, Cathy’s pursuit of justice reveals shocking truths in this emotional true crime story.

Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter begins with a compelling premise: Cathy Terkanian, who gave up her child for adoption decades ago, receives a letter requesting her DNA. Authorities have found a young woman’s body and want to determine if she’s Cathy’s biological daughter. When the DNA confirms she’s not, Cathy launches a years-long quest to uncover the truth about the daughter she never knew. Desperate for answers, Cathy clings to the hope that her daughter might still be alive. This intense and emotional journey unfolds in the riveting two-part Netflix series—I couldn’t stop watching.

(If you’ve watched the series, or don’t mind spoilers, keep reading; otherwise, watch the following trailer and come back later!)

Warning: MAJOR spoilers ahead!

Right from the start, Into the Fire tugs at your emotions. Cathy recounts getting pregnant as a teenager and being pressured by her mother to give her baby up for adoption. Born Alexis, the baby was adopted by the Bowmans and renamed Aundria. Cathy trusted she had made the best choice, believing Aundria would grow up in a loving, safe home. At this point, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this wouldn’t be one of those tragic stories about an abusive family. I was completely wrong.

As a true crime fan, I’m always ready to suspect, “The husband did it!” (Or, in this case, the dad.) But this documentary disarmed me, making me believe Cathy and Aundria’s adoptive parents would team up to solve the missing persons case. I got played. While it was an amazing twist for storytelling, it was a devastating shock in reality.

The twist

The documentary initially paints the Bowmans as a loving family. But then Metta is introduced as a key figure in the investigation and a survivor of sexual assault. At first, I dismissed her as an overly eager web sleuth inserting herself into a cold case that had nothing to do with her. But then the bombshell dropped: Daniel Bowman, Aundria’s adoptive father, had abducted and assaulted Metta.

The story initially portrayed Aundria as a troubled teen who acted out for no reason. Daniel claimed she ran away, stealing money and packing a bag after he dropped his wife Brenda off at work. He reported her missing immediately. But when Daniel’s predatory behavior comes to light, that story starts to fall apart. As the documentary shifts focus to Daniel, it becomes clear he’s the only suspect that makes sense.

A pitbull with lipstick

Cathy’s heartbreak turns into fierce determination when she realizes her daughter was adopted by a dangerous man. She describes herself as a “pitbull with lipstick,” relentless in her search for the truth. Although the chances of finding Aundria alive fade, Cathy never gives up, convinced her daughter’s body is buried in the Bowmans’ backyard. Watching her, you have to wonder if a mother’s intuition exists, even if she only knew her child for a short time.

What did the wife know?

Daniel Bowman’s crimes go beyond Aundria and Metta. His web of lies begins to unravel, offering new hope for solving this cold case. Once Metta identifies him as her attacker, Cathy—and the audience—realize Daniel likely killed Aundria. The big question then becomes: did Brenda know? It’s easy to assume someone close to a criminal would be aware of their actions, but denial can be powerful. I wrestled with whether Brenda knew what was happening or if she truly remained in the dark.

What disturbed me most was Brenda’s unwavering loyalty to Daniel, even after detectives revealed their suspicions— including his involvement in a murder decades earlier. Whether she was aware of his full crimes or not, it was difficult to sympathize with her.

There is so much to talk about in the series; I didn’t even cover half of it. If you’re a true crime fan, stop what you’re doing and watch Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter. This heartbreaking, gripping story will leave you questioning everything—and everyone!

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