Shivangi Sinha
Lifetime’s ‘Taken in Plain Sight’ follows the story of 13-year-old Zooey Anderson, who is abducted while waiting inside a convenience store at a highway rest stop. Her mother, Abby Anderson, leaves her alone for just a moment, only to return and find her daughter missing. What unfolds is a relentless and deeply personal search, as Abby dedicates her entire life to finding Zooey, refusing to rely solely on law enforcement.
Guided by her instincts, she eventually uncovers the truth, leading to the arrest of Douglas Leto and Dolores, the pair responsible for the kidnapping, and Zooey’s rescue. However, what remains most unsettling is the motive behind the abduction. Directed by Cat Hostick, the 2024 film transcends the standard thriller genre as it delves into the psychological complexity of the perpetrators. It explores their intent and perspective while examining a mother’s unyielding determination.
Douglas Leto and Dolores Appear to be Inspired by Observed Criminal Behaviour
While the film isn’t based on a single true story, it seemingly draws inspiration from various real-life cases. Writer Ken Miyamoto appears to have studied various criminal profiles and used them to shape the characters of Douglas Leto and Dolores, crafting them in a heightened and somewhat exaggerated manner. In the narrative, Dolores orchestrates the entire scheme. She abducts Leto as a young boy, believing his parents are failing to care for him properly. As he grows up, Leto struggles to process his trauma and, in a twisted attempt to “rescue” children like himself, begins kidnapping them. Dolores, seeing these acts as a way to surround herself with children and maintain a sense of control and companionship, allows the cycle to continue.
In real life, research shows that perpetrators often exhibit criminal behavior rooted in their own childhood experiences. Early trauma, neglect, or abuse can shape their understanding of relationships, morality, and boundaries, influencing later actions. While extensively studied in serial killers, this pattern applies to anyone demonstrating repeated criminal behavior. Characters like Douglas Leto reflect this dynamic as he draws on past experiences to justify or motivate his crimes. Real-world parallels include Jeffrey Dahmer, whose troubled upbringing influenced his later acts. Similarly, Ted Bundy was shaped by early family instability and Aileen Wuornos’ abuse and neglect contributed to her violent behavior.
While the characters of Leto and Dolores are entirely fictional and not based on real people, they seem to incorporate elements observed in real-life criminal behavior. For instance, Dolores approaches and interacts with Abby, attempting to get close to her. In reality, perpetrators often linger around crime scenes or try to be in the vicinity of their victims, either out of curiosity, control, or a sense of power over the situation. These traits, though dramatized, reflect patterns documented in criminal psychology. Therefore, the characters are not purely invented; they are fictional representations of behaviors and tendencies observed in actual cases.
Read More: Lifetime’s Taken in Plain Sight: Is the Movie Based on a True Story?
