Girl in the Picture
A young mother’s mysterious death and her son’s subsequent kidnapping blow open a decades-long mystery about the woman’s true identity, and the murderous federal fugitive at the center of it all.
- Released:
- Runtime: 120 minutes
- Genre: Crime, Documentaries
- Stars: Natalie De Vincentiis, Mark Chinnery, Sarah French, Dana Mackin, Meg Schimelpfenig, Robert Christopher Smith
- Director: Skye Borgman
Comments
- serenawong - 9 November 2022
A 20th century version of Fantine in Les Misérables, but worse
It is a 20th century version of Fantine in Les misérables Fantine, but her situation is more tragic.
The most tragic thing is, during her short life (she was killed at 20 years old) she had met many people, and yet, none has come in time to change her fate.
She studied well in school, earned a full scholarship to study aerospace engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has good friends, even some "boyfriends" to get her pregnant.
She studied so well that there must be some teachers help her to get the scholarship and know her situation, in some way.
She was pretty and was likeable at school, and she even has best friend who came sleep over at her home, and knew her "daddy" bought some lingerie for her to wear, and witness her being "forced to have sex" with "daddy". And yet, her friend did not tell anyone?
It is hard to think that the education she received at school, did not prompt her to reflect on her own situation that her "dad" is not normal, or doing something immoral to her.
All the years, did any teacher aware of her family situations? Any communication with her dad that shows she is "in danger"?
It is said that she was pregnant for 3 times. And at least we know the missing boy was not borne by her with her "daddy". But then who is the father? He is so close to have a relationship with her, must know her situation. So he just made her pregnant and left?
After she had been stopped going to school, she was working in a strip club. She met friends, clients, and even gave birth to baby and offered for adoption. She met councillors, nurses, doctors too.
Her "daddy" by that time had married her. But by the sheer look of age difference, when she came across these people, did anyone aware that she is in an abusive situation?
If, any one of the people she ever met in life, went into details to know about her, she may be able to start a new life. After all, given her background, she is good enough to get the full scholarship to study aero engineering.
Her life is, like playing a game of chess, started with the first move wrong, and then every move was wrong, leading to an inevitable tragic ending. Her life was briefly finished off by a "hit and run". The driver was not caught. It is only by that time people around her realised it is not her real name. In fact, she has changed her names several times during her life, but even when she died, she did not know what is her real name, her real identity.
The most disturbing truth is, her biological parents are both sound and alive. While their daughter has been undergoing a life in hell, they are somewhere, living as if they did not have a daughter at all.
And yet, her tragic did not finish here. Her beloved little boy was killed by her "daddy" and also "husband", whose body was never found.
Ironically, the best people she ever met is after she died. The detective who came across her case and never gave up, finally had worked till he found out her true identity was, and put her name on her tombstone.
This is the most disturbing documentary I ever watched. Of course, there must be other people undergoing the similar tragic stories without being told at all. I guess the only good thing come out from this story is, try to help if you see anything "abnormal" around you. A small act may change people's life.
