Florida Teen, Subject of Netflix Documentary, Moves to Hollywood to Pursue Acting Career
ODESSA, Fla. — Maya Kowalski, 19, is embarking on a new chapter, leaving her Florida home and teh painful memories it holds to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. The move marks a significant step for Kowalski, whose childhood was marked by a rare medical condition, a custody battle, and the suicide of her mother, Beata.
Kowalski’s story gained international attention following the release of the 2023 Netflix documentary “Take Care of Maya,” which chronicled her family’s harrowing ordeal. now, as she packs her belongings, carefully placing her late mother’s rosary in a box, Kowalski is looking toward the future. The cross-country move, she says, means “finally doing something for myself.”
“I tend to be a big people pleaser, and I worry a lot,” she told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview. “But for the first time, I’m kind of stepping outside of my comfort zone and letting go of my past.”
A Rare Condition and a Mother’s Desperate plea
At the age of nine, kowalski began experiencing a cascade of debilitating symptoms, including lesions, asthma attacks, and severe muscle contractions in her lower limbs. Doctors struggled to pinpoint the cause of her suffering, until specialist Dr. Anthony Kirkpatrick diagnosed her with Complex Regional Pain syndrome (CRPS) in 2015. CRPS is a rare neurological condition that amplifies pain signals, causing extreme sensitivity to even the slightest touch.
Dr. Kirkpatrick recommended ketamine infusion treatments, which provided noticeable relief. He also suggested a more intensive procedure, involving an induced coma, that the family pursued in Mexico after extensive research.
However, in 2016, severe abdominal pain led to a visit to the emergency room at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (JHACH) in St. Petersburg, Florida. When Beata Kowalski requested ketamine as treatment, based on Dr. Kirkpatrick’s proposal, hospital staff refused to administer the drug. As Beata became increasingly insistent,maya was taken into state custody.
Beata was then accused of Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP), also known as factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA), a mental health condition in which a caregiver falsely believes or acts as if the person they are caring for is ill.
Despite a court-ordered psychological evaluation that persistent she did not have MSbP, Maya remained in state custody, with limited contact with her family for months. Desperate to see her daughter, Beata died by suicide 48 hours later, believing that her death was the only way to reunite Maya with her family and ensure she received the care she needed.
According to the American Professional society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), FDIA is a rare form of child maltreatment. Diagnosis is complex and requires careful evaluation by medical and mental health professionals. Erroneous accusations can have devastating consequences for families,as evidenced by the Kowalski case.
Legal Battles and Lingering Questions
The Kowalski family sued JHACH, alleging medical malpractice, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other claims. The family was shocked to discover that the hospital had billed their insurance for 174 CRPS treatments, despite accusing Beata of fabricating the condition.
In November 2023, a jury awarded the Kowalski family more than $261 million.A judge later struck down the hospital’s demand for a retrial. JHACH is appealing the decision, arguing that they were not responsible for Beata’s death because she was not in their care, according to court documents. The hospital’s appeal is ongoing as of late April 2025.
Finding Healing Through Acting
Now, Kowalski is determined to move forward and heal from the trauma she has endured.
“we have a limited time on this Earth,” she says profoundly, “and why would I want to spend even a fraction of that thinking about the worst things that have happened to me?”
After moving to Odessa, Kowalski discovered an acting studio.”It was the first time I had genuinely laughed and smiled in a long time,” she recalls.
