100 minutes / 2025
Director / Producer / Cinematographer
Thirty years ago, Gail Ritchey, a young woman from a conservative Christian community in rural Ohio, gave birth alone and left her newborn in the woods. Now a devoted mother of three, her quiet suburban life shatters when DNA evidence links her to the infamous cold case of “Geauga’s Child.” Arrested for murder and vilified in the media, authorities dismiss her claim that the baby was stillborn. Facing a possible life sentence, Gail and her family must confront religious stigma, community judgment, and long-buried shame in the fight for her freedom.
Executive produced by Sarah Paulson and directed by Jessica Earnshaw (JACINTA), BABY DOE looks beyond the headlines to reveal the human complexity of Gail’s case, exploring how women’s health, justice, and powerful outside forces shape stories like hers.
2026 Theatrical Run: tickets here.
SELECTED PRESS:
Sarah Paulson Joins ‘Baby Doe’ As EP - Deadline, Matthew Carey
"Head spinning... a true crime documentary in which the question is not who did it, but why." // "A taut film full of startling moments." - The Hollywood Reporter, Caryn James
"The case poses a fascinating question around belated justice." - Variety, Stephen Saito
"Earnshaw’s direction balances raw emotion with careful storytelling." - The Austin Chronicle, Jessi Cape
"Endlessly compelling...Has you in its grip from start to finish." - Reel News Daily, Liz Whittemore
"An unflinching look at a devastating case of denied pregnancy." - Jezebel, Audra Heinrichs