Netflix documentary explores Mexico City kidnapping scandal

The Netflix documentary ‘A Child of My Own’ explores the true story of Eleonor Alejandra Marin Mendoza, who was imprisoned for over 13 years following a 2009 kidnapping in Mexico City. Mendoza, who worked at the hospital where the incident occurred, faked a pregnancy by doctoring medical records and altering her physical appearance after experiencing multiple miscarriages.

According to the film, Mendoza claimed she had an agreement with the baby’s mother, Mayra Navarro, to take the child. However, Mendoza and her partner, Arturo Garmiño, were arrested and charged with kidnapping. The documentary utilizes a unique narrative structure, beginning with a 50-minute scripted dramatization of Mendoza’s perspective before transitioning into interviews with the real-life individuals involved, including Mendoza, Navarro, Garmiño, and the presiding judge, Taissia Cruz Parcero.