Genie: Secret of the Wild Child - My Shocking Story

This is a story about a girl who spent her early life chained in a bedroom. Brought up in confinement, "Genie" was primitive, brutish, and hardly capable of walking or talking. Documentary follows the contentious attempts to unbolt the secret of the wild child who has reached near maturity in an agonizing seclusion with almost no human contact. The story begins in Los Angeles on November 4, 1970, when authorities have taken under protection a thirteen-year-old girl that was kept in such solitude imposed by her parents that she never even learned to talk. The parents have been accused of child abuse.

Genie was imprisoned in a bedroom and bound to a potty chair for the most of her early life. Fully kept under control, she was made to sit alone every day and night. She had almost nothing to look at and no one to talk to for more than a decade. The girl allegedly was emitting immature noises and was still in diapers when social workers found about the case, but the officials were anticipating she may still possess a normal ability to learn.

The girl who gave an impression of an infant would be well known as "Genie." She was transported to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles where she instantly gained the affection of doctors and scientists. She was delicate, lovely and poignant... and Genie was about to put on trial an idea paramount to science and society: that caring, encouraging and affectionate environment could make up for even the most brutal past.

Genie had an awkward walk and other almost non-human features. She continuously spat, sniffed, and clawed. She hardly articulated anything or produced any noises. Investigation showed that she was abused for making noise and as a consequence, had learned, basically, not to vocalize. And she really didn't speak at all. She was mute most of the time.

Tonight on Nova, the shocking story of a girl who spent her childhood locked in a bedroom.

The girl reportedly was wearing diapers, social workers discovered the case two weeks ago.

Raised in isolation, Genie was a wild child,
uncivilized barely able to walk or talk.

The indications are that she was
beaten for making noise.

(narrator) With footage never before
seen on television.

Nova follows the controversial efforts to
unlock the secrets of the wild child.

(narrator) Once in a great while,
civilized society comes across a wild child.

A child who has grown up in severe isolation,
with virtually no human contact.

This is the story of such a case.

The story begins in Los Angeles,
on November 4th 1970.

(reporter) Specials in the Los Angeles suburb of Arcadia,

have taken custody of a 13-year-old girl and
they say was kept in such isolation by her parents

that she never even learned to talk.

Her elderly parents have been
charged with child abuse

(Narrator) This is the scene of the crime,

the child was locked in the room and
tied to a potty chair for most of her life.

Completely restrained she was forced to sit alone day after day and often through the night.

She had little to look at and no one
to talk to for more than 10 years.

The girl reportedly was making infantile
noises and still wearing diapers,

when a social worker discovered
the case 2 weeks ago.

Authorities are hoping that she still may
have a normal learning capacity.

Here was a 13-year-old who seemed like an infant, girl who would be known as Genie.

Genie was taken to Childrens hospital in Los Angeles

where she immediately won the
heart of doctors and scientists

She was fragile and beautiful almost haunting and
so I was pulled and I was very drawn to her

even though I was nervous and had no idea
in many respects what to expect.

Genie was about to test an idea important to
science and society.

That a nurturing environment can make up for even
the most nightmarish past.