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This is a character guide for Netflix’s “Dear Child” with character descriptions, names of actors, and more.
Please Note: This content contains pertinent spoilers, descriptions are updated as new information is presented, images are changed as better ones are captured, and this is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, guest star, or recurring role.
General Information
| Network(s) | Netflix |
| Genre(s) | DramaMystery
Non-English (German) |
| Created By | Isabel Kleefeld |
| Based On | “Dear Child” novel by Romy Hausmann |
| First Aired | September 7, 2023 |
| Executive Produced By | Friederich Oetker, Tom Spiess |
| Showrunner(s) | Isabel Kleefeld |
Synopsis
Lena has been held in captivity with two children in a highly secured home. Lena is able to escape with one of the children, Hannah, but she suffers a near-fatal car accident. Investigators begin to question how the two got here, but only the child is able to speak to them. When Lena’s parents arrive at the hospital to confirm the identity of their missing daughter, the mystery only deepens. Who abducted Lena and why? These are questions that slowly reveal chilling answers throughout “Dear Child.”
Notable Locations & Items
- Undisclosed Shelter (introduced in 1.1): This shelter is where Lena is kept, tortured, and forced to mother two children who are not hers. The shelter is also heavily protected, with multiple locks and security traps surrounding it to ensure no one gets in or out.
Other Noteworthy Information
“Dear Child” is rated TV-MA due to violence, profanity, and disturbing subject matter (abduction and sexual assault).
Episode Listing
Notable Episodes
- “Hannah,” “The House,” and “For Lena”
Season 1
| Episode Number and Title | ||
| Episode 1: Hannah | Episode 2: Großvater (Grandfather) | Episode 3: Das Haus (The House) |
| Episode 4: Regeln (Rules) | Episode 5: Geschenke (Gifts) | Episode 6: Für Lena (For Lena) |
Lena (Kim Riedle)
“Lena” is a young woman who is abducted by a stranger late one night. She is imprisoned, tortured, and forced to mother two children who are not hers. Lena suffers deep trauma from this event yet manages to escape and slowly recall her experiences about the man who captured her.
Additional Information
- Introduced In: 1.1, “Hannah”
- The actor is also known for their roles in “Beck for Good” and “Tatort”
Hannah (Naila Schuberth)
Hannah is an incredibly smart girl with an uncanny resemblance to the real Lena, who went missing 13 years ago. She is able to retain information and recite it with ease. She is inquisitive and isn’t afraid of new people, yet her sheltered life results in Hannah’s strange social behavior.
Additional Information
- Introduced In: 1.1, “Hannah”
- The actor is also known for their roles in “Blackout” and “Bird Box: Barcelona.”
Matthias Beck (Justus Von Dohnányi)
Matthias is the father of Lena. He was once described as a fun and sociable man, but since his daughter’s disappearance, he’s been overwhelmed by grief. Matthias is even more disturbed to discover that Hannah looks like his daughter but somehow recognizes him as her grandfather.
Additional Information
- Introduced In: 1.1, “Hannah”
- The actor is also known for their roles in “Tatort” and “Downfall.”
Karin Beck (Julika Jenkins)
Karin is Lena’s mother. Just as she’s about to accept the loss of her daughter and start going to support groups, Karin receives the call that “Lena” is still alive. Karin isn’t sure who to trust as “Lena” is not her daughter, and for some reason, Hannah recognizes her husband. Karin is also keeping a secret of her own.
Additional Information
- Introduced In: 1.1, “Hannah”
- The actor is also known for their roles in “Dark” and “Vitus.”
Gerd Bühling (Hans Löw)
Gerd is a family friend of Lena’s and a police detective who has been fixated on this case for 13 years. His closeness to the family makes him more passionate than other detectives but more reckless with his investigation and how he communicates information to his peers.
Additional Information
- Introduced In: 1.1, “Hannah”
- The actor is also known for their roles in “Toni Erdman” and “I’m Your Man.”
Aida Kurt (Haley Louise Jones)
Aida is a young detective new to the case. While Gerd conducts interviews with Lena, Aida conducts location research and investigates where Lena and the children were held captive.
Additional Information
- Introduced In: 1.1, “Hannah”
- The actor is also known for their roles in “Ivie wie Ivie” and “Bones and Names.”
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