5 Documentaries Like ‘Sins of Our Mother’ to Add to Your True-Crime Watchlist
Lori Vallow was a devout Mormon. But the mother of three found herself in an extreme fringe group brainwashed by a cult leader who was also her fifth husband. Chad Daybell convinced Vallow that spirits had possessed her children, resulting in their gruesome murders. The new Netflix true-crime documentary Sins of Our Mother tells the family’s sad tale. This three-part series delves deeper into the part Daybell played in Vallow’s downfall and her children’s disappearance. When you finish the riveting series, add these five documentaries like Sins of Our Mother to your true-crime watchlist.
‘The Crimes That Changed Us: Andrea Yates’ (2020)
Andrea Yates was a typical housewife in Houston, Texas. But her life drastically changed in June 2001 when she drowned her five children in a bathtub before calmly calling the police and her husband.
The then-37-year-old, who was diagnosed with severe postpartum psychosis and depression, became fascinated with an extreme religious idea that led her to believe Satan was telling her to kill her children.
The Crimes That Changed Us: Andrea Yates details Yates’ life before and after the murders. The episode premiered in the U.S. on Nov. 11, 2020. You can watch this true-crime documentary like Sins of Our Mother on ID and Amazon Prime Video.
‘American Murder: The Family Next Door’ (2020)
American Murder: The Family Next Door details the tragic story of the Watts family murders in Colorado in 2018. The documentary dives into the several theories fronted by the public about what could have motivated Chris Watts to murder his wife Shanann and their two young daughters.
This true-crime documentary doesn’t reveal who the killer is early on but drops the bombshell midway. The public heavily scrutinized the case, with some observers believing Shanann’s love for her phone and recording their children was an obsession. Chris also tried painting his wife in an abusive light, but his claims turned out to have been false.
By the end of American Murder: The Family Next Door, the viewer sees a clear picture of the events leading to the crime but no solid motive. Stream the documentary on Netflix.
‘Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery’ (2017)
Casey Anthony’s case angered the public. She was apprehended in 2008 following the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. Volunteers followed up on several leads for half a year in a nationwide search for the toddler. However, the girl’s remains turned up in a laundry bag in a wooded area near Anthony’s family home.
After a highly publicized trial, Anthony was acquitted of manslaughter and murder charges despite many people believing she killed her daughter. Casey Anthony: A Murder Mystery talks to family members, who give their firsthand accounts of the tragic details surrounding Caylee’s disappearance and death. The chilling true-crime documentary is available on Roku and Peacock.
‘Broken Harts’ (2021)
Broken Harts is an 88-minute film delving into the tragic lives and deaths of the Hart family. The documentary narrates the stark difference between the Harts’ idyllic online lives and the heartbreaking reality.
Broken Harts recounts how Jennifer Hart and her wife Sarah Hart not only abused their Black adopted children but also killed them when Jennifer drove the entire family off a cliff. Stream this heartbreaking true-crime film on discovery+.
‘Escape From a House of Horror’ (2021)
Escape From a House of Horror details the story of the Turpin children. Their parents chained them inside their house, denied them basic needs such as food and hygiene, and cut off outside contact.
This true-crime special narrates how a teenage Jordan Turpin — one of the 13 imprisoned children aged 2 to 29 — escaped and rescued her siblings. Escape From a House of Horror is available on Hulu.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
