Dennis Bowman and his wife, Brenda Bowman, adopted a 9-month-old girl, Alexis Miranda Badger, born to a 17-year-old mother, Cathy Terkanian, after their marriage.
Brenda Bowman, nee Brenda Engweiler, was Dennis’s dedicated wife who adored their adoptive daughter, Aundria.
When Aundria went missing, Brenda revealed that she and Dennis were grieving her sudden missing and talked about how wonderful Aundria was as a daughter.
Dennis was later found guilty of her homicide in 2010. However, Brenda was never a part of her husband’s heinous act.
The tragic story of Aundria is featured in the Netflix documentary “Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter,” released on September 12, 2024.
Dennis Bowman and his wife Brenda Bowman met in high school and married in 1971!
Brenda Bowman, born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan, met Dennis Bowman during high school, and quickly, they went head over heels for eachother.
Their relationship blossomed quickly, and they married in 1971, shortly after Dennis returned from Navy boot camp.
The couple reportedly settled in Norfolk, Virginia, where they began their lives together. In 1975, they adopted a 10-month-old baby girl, Alexis Badger, named Aundria Michelle Bowman.
Their seemingly idyllic family life took a turn when Dennis was apprehended in 1981 for an inappropriate act.
Despite that, Brenda chose to stand by her husband, giving him a second chance after his release in 1986.
In an unanticipated turn of events, Brenda welcomed their biological daughter, Vanessa, in 1988 despite previously believing the couple couldn’t conceive.
However, on March 11, 1989, their lives took a tragic turn when their adopted daughter, Aundria, went missing.
Dennis claimed she had run away. However, Aundria, Brenda’s apple of the eye, was never found. The case was dismissed, and the family eventually relocated to a new home.
"He said, 'so near, so far, right under your nose,' I said, 'what are you talking about?' He said, 'Aundria, is buried in the backyard,'" Brenda Bowman testified about her husband Dennis Bowman confessing that he buried their daughter in their backyard 30 years ago.@wwmtnews pic.twitter.com/aVuFpmDRSR
— Mike KrafcikTV (@Mkrafcik) February 23, 2021
In 2010, Aundria’s biological mother, Cathy Terkanian, began investigating her daughter’s disappearance, suspecting her adoptive father’s involvement.
Despite growing suspicions, Brenda remained faithful in her belief in Dennis’s innocence. However, in 2019, Dennis confessed to Aundria’s murder, shattering Brenda’s world.
Brenda has been nothing but the epitome of someone who had unwavering faith in her husband despite the overwhelming evidence against him.
However, some netizens are disheartened by her act of standing by Dennis despite the entire world going against him. A user tweeted,
Into the fire the lost daughter on Netflix has me so angry. Brenda giving the Mom half the remains is inhumane. After what her husband did and she stood by playing dumb. She knew what was going on. I want her in jail too.
Additional Information
- The documentary “Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter” also includes a footage of the the authorities speaking to Dennis about Aundria’s body’s whereabouts.Â
- Dennis Bowman, 75, is now behind bars at the River North Correctional Center.
- Before confessing to Aundria’s homicide, Dennis was found guilty of another homicide of a 25-year-old girl, Kathleen Doyle.
