Documentary Review: ‘Baby Doe’

by | Jul 15, 2026 | Featured Post, Movie Reviews, Movies | 0 comments


Greetings again from the darkness. While I certainly value the importance of fiction and creativity, I choose to watch so many documentaries because I’m also a fan of real life and the truth. However, the truth is often anything but uplifting and such is the case with this film from Jessica Earnshaw as she tells the story of Gail Ritchey and the “Geauga’s Child” case.

DNA evidence links Gail to a horrific unsolved case thirty years prior, in 1993. A dead newborn baby was found roadside in rural Ohio. Gail is a mother, a wife, and a grandmother. While being interrogated, she says she did not know she was pregnant and claims the stillborn baby dropped in the toilet, catching her by surprise. It was her religious community, and the fear of repercussions, that led her to bag and dispose of the baby … keeping the secret all these years. Most crime documentaries would focus on the case and setting Gail up for life in prison; however, Earnshaw’s approach is much more complex.

All parties involved are provided with the opportunity for input. This includes her husband Mark, their daughter Courtney, her neighbors, fellow church goers, law enforcement, medical providers, and the psychologist who explains the phenomenon of ‘pregnancy denial.’ Hearing from family, church, and community delivers a much different perspective for viewers than a simple courtroom drama answering whether she do it or not.

We see Gail in many different situations, and some may even find her sympathetic at times. The film digs into the power flex of religion, especially on youngsters when it comes to pre-marital sex. Gail’s mental state at the time seems fairly clear as she and Mark secretly skirted church rules, and a later disclosure from Gail almost assuredly removes whatever sympathy one might have held for her. The key with this film is in our perception and understanding of Gail at the time … and that makes it much more thought-provoking than initially thought.

Available in select theaters July 10-16, 2026, at DCTV (New York City), July 14 at Laemmle Glendale (Los Angeles), July 15 at Laemmle Noho (Los Angeles), and July 19th at The Roxy (San Francisco)

David Ferguson
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