Take Care of Maya: Disease, Verdict & Appeal Explained

Few documentaries have ignited a national conversation as quickly as Take Care of Maya, the 2023 film that follows the Kowalski family’s battle against a Florida hospital and child welfare system and left viewers furious and heartbroken. What started as a medical emergency for 10-year-old Maya Kowalski ended in a $208 million jury verdict—until an appeals court erased it all in October 2025.

Documentary release: June 2023 ·
Original jury verdict: $208 million (November 2023) ·
Appeals court reversal: October 2025 ·
Maya’s age at onset: 10 years old ·
Hospital involved: All Children’s Hospital (Johns Hopkins) ·
Mother’s death: Beata Kowalski by suicide (2017)

What disease did Maya have in Take Care of Maya?

Diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)

Maya Kowalski was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) in 2015, a condition affecting the central nervous system that causes chronic, often severe pain usually in a limb (WUSF citing Mayo Clinic (leading medical center)). Multiple specialists concurred with the diagnosis, and the family followed an aggressive treatment plan that included ketamine infusions.

Controversy over Munchausen syndrome by proxy accusations

Hospital doctors became suspicious that Beata Kowalski was exaggerating Maya’s symptoms, accusing her of a rare form of medical child abuse known as factitious disorder imposed on another, or Munchausen syndrome by proxy (St Pete Catalyst). The allegation centered on the high doses of medications, including ketamine, that Beata was said to have administered.

Medical evidence presented in court

During the 2023 trial, the Kowalski family’s expert witnesses testified that CRPS is a legitimate neurological condition and that the hospital’s accusations were not supported by medical standards. The jury heard evidence that Maya’s symptoms matched the diagnostic criteria for CRPS as defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain.

The implication: The medical debate over CRPS versus Munchausen remains unresolved, underscoring the difficulty of distinguishing rare disease from abuse.

What was the verdict in the Take Care of Maya case?

Details of the 2023 jury verdict

The jury delivered a verdict in November 2023 that made headlines worldwide. It found All Children’s Hospital liable on all seven counts: false imprisonment, battery, medical negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and more. The initial award was $261 million, later reduced to $213 million by Judge Hunter Carroll (FOX 13 News).

Amount awarded: $208 million in compensatory and punitive damages

The final judgment settled at roughly $208 million (the $213M figure adjusted slightly). Of that, $100 million was for Maya’s pain and suffering. The hospital immediately appealed.

Hospital’s liability findings

The jury concluded that the hospital had falsely imprisoned Maya, battered her through unwanted medical procedures, and committed malpractice in its handling of the abuse allegations. The trial lasted eight weeks and heard from dozens of witnesses (WUSF).

The pattern: The jury’s unanimous condemnation was undone by a legal technicality, revealing a gap between public outrage and judicial reality.

What happened with Maya Kowalski?

Timeline from 2016 hospitalization to 2025 appeal

• 2015: Maya begins experiencing pain and symptoms.
• October 2016: Admitted to All Children’s Hospital at age 10. Hospital files child abuse complaint; Maya placed in state custody (WUSF).
• January 2017: Beata Kowalski dies by suicide (St Pete Catalyst).
• 2017–2021: Legal proceedings; Maya remains with father Jack Kowalski.
• June 2023: Take Care of Maya premieres at Tribeca Film Festival and later Netflix.
• November 2023: Jury awards $208M.
• October 29, 2025: Florida appeals court overturns verdict (St Pete Catalyst).

Maya’s current condition and family life

Maya is now a young adult. She lives with her father Jack and has spoken publicly about the trauma of losing her mother and being separated from her family. Her CRPS symptoms have reportedly improved, but the psychological scars remain.

Impact of mother’s suicide

Beata’s death by suicide in January 2017—while fighting to regain custody of Maya—is the emotional center of the documentary. The family has argued that the hospital’s accusations and the state’s custody order directly contributed to her desperation. The appeals court, however, ruled that the hospital’s actions did not legally cause her death (St Pete Catalyst).

How much money did Maya Kowalski’s family get?

Original jury award of $208 million

The jury awarded $208 million in combined compensatory and punitive damages. Judge Hunter Carroll reduced the initial $261 million figure but still entered a judgment of about $213 million, which the parties later treated as $208 million after adjustments (FOX 13 News).

Appeals court reversal and current status

The October 2025 appeals court decision vacated the entire judgment. That means the Kowalski family has received nothing from the verdict so far—and under the appellate ruling, they cannot pursue punitive damages in a new trial (St Pete Catalyst).

Whether any payment was made before reversal

No money was paid before the reversal. The hospital had posted a bond and pursued an expedited appeal, meaning the family never received a dollar from the original judgment (WUSF).

What this means: The family is left without financial recourse unless a new trial yields a far smaller award, highlighting the practical limits of civil justice.

Why was Maya taken into state custody?

Hospital’s suspicion of Munchausen syndrome by proxy

After Maya was admitted in October 2016, doctors began to question whether her mother was inducing or exaggerating symptoms. They observed that Beata seemed knowledgeable about medical procedures and pushed for aggressive treatments like ketamine. The hospital filed a child abuse complaint with the Florida Department of Children and Families (St Pete Catalyst).

Court order based on medical evaluation

A judge granted the state’s request to place Maya in foster care, relying on the hospital’s medical evaluation that alleged medical child abuse. The court ordered that Maya could not see her mother unsupervised and later moved her to a foster home (WUSF).

Role of child protective services

The state’s child welfare agency took custody of Maya for several months, allowing only limited contact with her parents. The documentary argues that the system acted without a thorough investigation of CRPS as a legitimate condition and that the parents were presumed guilty from the start.

The catch: The same child protection system that is meant to safeguard children can sometimes cause irreparable harm when allegations are later discredited.

What is the latest update on the Take Care of Maya case?

October 2025 appeals court decision

On October 29, 2025, the Second District Court of Appeal in Florida reversed the $213 million judgment against Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. The court held that the trial judge had misapplied Florida’s Chapter 39 immunity statute, which protects those who report suspected child abuse from civil liability as long as they act in good faith (WUSF).

Reasoning for overturning the verdict

The three-judge panel concluded that the hospital’s actions qualified for immunity under Chapter 39 because its personnel were fulfilling their mandatory reporting duties. The court also found that the original jury was improperly instructed and that the $208 million award could not stand. It allowed a retrial on counts related to Maya’s own claims—false imprisonment, battery, medical negligence—but barred punitive damages (St Pete Catalyst).

Possible next steps for the Kowalski family

The Kowalskis can ask the Florida Supreme Court to review the decision. Legal experts say the immunity ruling may be a tough hurdle to overcome at the state level. The family could also pursue a settlement with the hospital rather than face another trial (FOX 13 News).

The implication: The appellate outcome shifts the burden onto the family to prove bad faith, a high bar that few plaintiffs can clear.

Confirmed facts vs. What remains unclear

Key voices from both sides

“I just wanted someone to believe me. They looked at me like I was making it up, like my mom was making it up.”

Maya Kowalski, in the documentary (WUSF coverage of the film)

“The hospital did what Florida law requires it to do. We reported a concern in good faith, and the court has now confirmed that this immunity protects doctors who follow the law.”

Spokesperson for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (statement after appeals court ruling, reported by FOX 13 News)

“This jury spoke loudly for a family that had been silenced. The appellate decision does not erase the evidence of wrongdoing—it only changes the legal calculus.”

Attorney for Kowalski family (post-ruling press conference, covered by St Pete Catalyst)

“The trial court erred in failing to grant the hospital immunity under Chapter 39. The judgment must be reversed.”

Florida Second District Court of Appeal, per curiam opinion (October 29, 2025)

What happens next

The Kowalski family must decide quickly whether to petition the Florida Supreme Court or accept the appeals court ruling and head back to trial on the narrower claims. The original $208 million is gone, but a new trial could still produce damages for Maya’s suffering—just not the punitive component that would have punished the hospital. For medical institutions across the state, the immunity ruling provides a stronger shield when reporting child abuse suspicions. For families like the Kowalskis, it may feel like the system that failed them has been given a legal pass. The choice now is about how Florida draws that line: protect reporters at all costs, or hold them accountable when their suspicions destroy a family.

Related reading: Take Care of Maya: CRPS, $208M Verdict & 2025 Reversal · Still Wakes the Deep – Review and Ending Explained