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GOODBYE BABY

By Katya BERGER

Documentary - Production 2024

Paula Sims gained notoriety as a cold-blooded
murderer after killing her two baby daughters. Her
crimes left us grappling with the question—how
could a mother do such a thing? After 30 years in prison, Paula finally shares her story.

- Year of production
- 2024
- Genres
- Documentary, Social issues, Female director
- Countries
- USA
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Budget
- 1 - 3 M$
- Duration
- 180 mn
- Director(s)
- Katya BERGER
- Producer(s)
- Maria CHIU
- Synopsis
- Paula Sims reported a masked gunman kidnapped her baby daughter in 1986. The police and small town community believed her story, but when Paula reported another kidnapping three years later, no one was on her side. The high-profile police investigation led to a media frenzy that condemned Paula as a “Cold-Blooded Murderess”, Baby Killer", and "Monster”—leaving no room to believe otherwise. She was ultimately charged with the death of both her baby daughters, 12-day old Loralei and six-week old Heather, and sentenced to life in prison. But why would a mother kill her own babies and use the same lie? By exploring postpartum psychosis, the film revisits Paula’s story and uncovers her truth after 30 years.
  
  While incarcerated, Paula drafted a bill with her prison
  cellmate that reduces a mother’s sentence if they can
  prove postpartum mental illness. The bill became law in Illinois in 2018, marking the first postpartum criminal legislation in the United States, and granting Paula parole in 2021. Since then, other women have been released based on this law, setting a precedent for other states to pass similar legislation. Eight months after Paula’s release, we sat down with her for an exclusive interview.