Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 13, Episode 16 - Child's Welfare - full transcript

In the criminal justice system,

sexually based offenses are
considered especially heinous.

In New York City,
the dedicated detectives

who investigate
these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as
the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

Aah!
It hurts!

All right.

- I can't!
- Yes, you can.

- I can't do it!
- You're gonna be okay.



You just keep pushing.
All right, you're almost there.

Make it stop!

- Push, push, push...
- Aah!

Yes, yes, yes, yes,
yes, yes, yes, yes!

What happened to your head,
little guy?

- My dad was making me fly.
- Oh?

We were playing "airplane,"
and he fell.

Mr. Marsden, I need to hear
it from your boy.

Oh, okay.
I-I'm sorry.

He dropped me.

It was an accident.
Our home is safe.

My husband and I
are good parents.

I see.

I have all I need for now.



"For now"?
You're coming back?

I'll make my report

to the administration
for children's services.

- They'll be in touch.
- I'm sorry.

- I-in touch about what?
- This is crazy.

Our kids are fine.
We're fine.

Someone will contact you
within 24 hours.

Okay, all right.
Well, thank you.

A boy.

No.

Please don't take him.

Please don't take him.

Please don't take him!

Please!
No, come back.

No!
Don't take them!

You can't do this!
No one called us.

This is an emergency order
from the City of New York.

The children are being removed
for their own safety.

This is a mistake.
You didn't--

You'll have a chance
to have a hearing.

- Mommy!
- You can request one.

No, it's gonna be okay!
It's gonna be okay!

It's gonna be all right,
sweetie!

It's gonna be okay, honey.

It's gonna be okay, honey.

Damn cat.

Charlie, wake up.
It's a baby.

They left a baby here?

What's wrong with people?

Yeah, we're on our way.

Abandoned newborn,
found at St. Matilda's Church

around the corner
from Mercy Hospital.

- Is the baby okay?
- Sounds like it, yeah.

Right behind you.

Simon.

Olivia, I had to see you.

Is everything all right?

Uh, Nick,
this is my brother.

Uh, Simon,
this isn't a good time.

It's an emergency,
please.

I can cover, Liv.

Do what you got to do.

We got this.

What's going on, Simon?

Five years,
not a word, no call.

I know. I know.
I-I kept meaning to.

Look, it's about my kids.

The city just came
and took them from us.

You have kids?

A stepson--
Ty, he's five--

and a one-year-old.

I named her after you.

Olivia.

She's your niece.

Look, they just--
they just took them.

It's my fault,
but you got to help me.

I met Tracy 2 years ago.
I was working at a clinic.

She brought ty in
for a checkup.

We're gonna get married
in June.

Ty already calls me "dad."

That--that's Olivia.

I think she
kind of looks like you.

Simon, if you want my help,
you have to be honest.

The city doesn't remove kids
without a reason.

I made a mistake.

Two days ago,
I rolled through a stop sign

when I was in the car
with Tracy and the kids.

And?

And the cop who pulled me over
had an attitude.

He made me get out of the car,
empty my pockets.

And that's when
he found the joint.

- Oh, I see.
- No, it's not like that.

I had dental work.
I-I lost a lot of weight.

I couldn't eat, and I smoked
a little to boost my appetite.

So he arrested you
for one joint?

He made me pull it
out of my pocket

and then said
it was public display.

And he must have called
Child Services.

That's enough for them
to go to your house.

You live with Tracy?

Yeah, a walk-up
in West Harlem.

The social worker
got all bent out of shape

because Ty had a bruise.

It was an accident.

Olivia, I swear,
we would never hurt our kids.

Do you have a copy
of the removal order?

Is there anything
you can do?

I don't know, Simon.
I will try.

Nothing but the truth
this time.

Do you understand me?

Understood.

Anything
you want to tell me?

It's complicated.

- I have a niece.
- Congratulations.

What does he want from you?

Liv, the last time
your brother showed up,

he almost cost you
your shield.

Captain,
he was being framed.

So what does he want?

Look, he's the only family
that I have.

And believe me,
he knows it.

You watch your step.

The baby was cared for--

no signs of abuse,
wrapped in a blanket.

Whoever left him
wanted him to be found.

Why leave a baby
on the street?

- There's safe-haven laws.
- Yeah, sounds like someone

didn't want to deal
with the system.

Here he is.
Here's our baby.

Hmm.

Doctor, can you tell
when he was delivered?

Within 24 hours.

The nurses told me
the umbilical-cord stump

wasn't even dry.

So it was cut?

Yes. And the fluid
in the lungs cleared.

Whoever gave birth had help.

Excuse me, doctor.
I should feed him.

Okay, we're gonna need
a DNA sample.

Sure.

It's just--
missing kids I'm used to,

but found babies?

Same neighborhood canvass?

No, maybe someone
remembers a pregnant woman...

Now not pregnant,
with no baby.

I've found all kinds of things
on the street in my day--

wallets, never a baby.

You sure you didn't see
anyone leaving that box?

There a reward
if I say I did?

This kid wasn't just dumped
here randomly.

Whoever left him here knew
you'd do the right thing.

You ever notice
anybody scoping you out?

Well, the other day there was
this beat-up red van

that went around the block,
and then it stopped to watch us.

But we just figured
it was you guys.

I know it's
a different court system.

I understand that, David.

I just thought
that maybe you could--

I know. I get it.
It's okay.

It's okay.

Yeah.

You too.

I'll talk to you later.
Bye.

Sorry to interrupt.

The homeless bunch that found
the baby said they saw

a red van do drive-bys
for a few days.

So far, nothing on the traffic
cams during that time frame.

Could be
a ripple wine fantasy.

What about
the neighborhood canvass?

Expanding the area,
checking all hospitals,

been asking if any women came in
who had just given birth

but didn't have a baby.

There's no leads yet.

Anything on the baby's DNA
to lead us back to the parents?

We're doing
a familial search,

starting with the state
databases--so far, no hits.

I mean, we're searching
other databases,

but they're still compiling
the national registry.

It's slow-going.

It's really kind
of unbelievable--2012.

Okay.

Just keep looking,
keep digging.

This case is going to be
a media circus.

And I need
everyone focused.

I started looking into your
brother's case after you called.

He's never been convicted
of anything.

You know, I-I just can't believe
that Child Services

could take kids
from their parents

for one joint.

They can do
an emergency removal

if they determine it's in the
best interest of the children.

And they've done it before
after a minor pot bust.

But in almost all
the other instances,

the parents
were black or hispanic.

Simon's fiancee is black.

She was in the car
when he was pulled over.

Huh.
That makes sense now.

So you'll take the case.

There's a clear pattern
of profiling,

and the only way to give
the system a conscience

is to challenge it.

Thank you.

Look, I didn't want to bother
you with this.

- You know, I called David Haden.
- David Haden?

Why would you pull his tie?

We worked a case together
last month.

Anyway...

I just want you to know
how much I appreciate it.

So...

your brother,
different last names--

you two grow up together?

I didn't even know
that Simon existed

until about five years ago.

We share the same father.

Family secrets.

- You found something?
- Remember Celia Barber?

13-year-old, got kidnapped
outside of montclair

three years ago.

Yeah.
She was never found.

Well, her DNA's
in the system.

Jersey State Police
needed to rule her out

as a deceased Jane Doe.

Okay, and the connection
to our case?

Well,
after I exhausted CODIS,

I ran our baby John Doe's DNA

through other
Tri-State databases.

I got a mitochondrial match.

Celia is the baby's mother.

Police report says
she was snatched up

by someone in a red van.

All right,
wait, wait, wait, wait.

So this girl who is now 16
just gave birth,

and then she
or whoever she's with

discarded the baby?

At least we can tell
her parents she's still alive.

All right, well,
I'm guessing as of yesterday,

she was somewhere
near that hospital.

She's been missing
for three years.

Let's find her.

You're telling me
Celia is alive?

And I'm a grandmother?

Have you had any contact
with your daughter?

No...

Not since the morning she--

she disappeared.

And she was
with your husband at the time.

My ex.
I've remarried.

So you and your family--

you cast a lot
of doubt on his story.

It never made any sense.

They were out on a bike ride,
Eagle Rock.

I wasn't the only one
who had doubts.

The police
questioned his story--

her getting grabbed
and--and put in a van.

They asked if I...

ever worried that Leo and her
were too close.

So you thought your husband,
your ex-husband,

killed your daughter?

She was always
a daddy's girl.

I thought maybe something
happened between them,

and he covered it up.

Are you sure it's her?

Yeah, the DNA matches.

Celia is that baby's mother.

My God.

So all these years
I've--I've blamed Leo

for something
he didn't do?

We were, uh, riding up
Eagle Rock.

She got ahead of me.

I saw a red van
pull alongside.

Someone yanked her in.

I pedaled hard as I could
trying to catch up, but...

And you've been blaming
yourself ever since.

I've been praying
for this day.

Nobody would believe me.

I have...

nightmares about...

chasing that van.

I lost my marriage,
my savings.

I spent all my money on a PI,
trying to find Celia.

He ever come up
with any leads?

Uh, two years ago,

he found a clerk
in a thrift shop

in East Orange
who recognized Celia's picture.

"Girl started crying,

"asked the clerk
to call her father.

"Then the older woman with her
said that her daughter

was acting out
and pulled her away."

The clerk said that Celia
was shopping for baby clothes.

She was pregnant.

Hold up.

Two years ago.
Are you sure?

I went and talked
to that clerk myself.

You're telling me
my daughter might have two kids.

Uh, it's my--my ex.

Um, I'm gonna--
I'm gonna take this.

I think we need to go talk
to that clerk.

Yeah, Finn, look, I, uh...

I have a court thing.

Uh, I was hoping that you could,
uh, cover for me.

Sure.

Officer Wilcox,
it's your testimony

that a routine traffic stop
of Mr. Marsden

led to a drug arrest
and a call to Child Services?

Yes.

Can you tell us
how you found the marijuana?

He took it out of his pocket.

That's why I arrested him,
counselor.

Mr. Marsden spontaneously
produced a joint

while you were writing him
a traffic summons?

No, I detected
the smell of marijuana.

I asked
if he had anything on him

he didn't want me to find
on my own,

he took the joint
out of his pocket.

You must have quite a nose.

You smelled an unlit joint
in my client's pocket?

- Objection--argumentative.
- Withdrawn.

Officer Wilcox,

are you aware the police
commissioner issued an order

last fall
about how to handle arrests

for small amounts
of marijuana?

"No public display,
no arrest."

But Marsden showed me
what he had in his pocket.

At that point,
it was a public display,

and I arrested him.

You used that
as a pretext to arrest him.

Objection--
I don't hear a question.

Withdrawn.

Officer Wilcox, how many
traffic stops have you made

in the last six months?

I'd say between 60 and 70.

78.

And in how many of those cases
did you make an arrest

or write a ticket
for another summons?

No idea.

Would you be surprised
to know the number is 22,

and all but 3 of them
above 96th Street?

I have no opinion
about that.

Officer Wilcox, I remind you
that you're under oath.

Why did you ask my client
to empty his pockets

when he was not under arrest?

Something seemed off to me.

You mean a white man
and a black woman

driving through Harlem with
two mixed-race kids in the back?

Objection.

Counselors, approach.

Your honor,
the state is ready

to plead this down
to disorderly conduct.

Judge, even that's too much.

It's a bad search,
pure and simple.

He's right, Ms. Callier.

I'm granting
the motion to suppress.

Case dismissed.

Oh, thank you.

I feel like
I can breathe again.

When do we get
Ty and Olivia back?

The next step.

But Child Services
has lost their main rationale.

Nice work, counselor.

It's what I do.

Do you want
to meet your niece?

Hi.

Hi. Oh.

She's beautiful.

Hi, pretty.

And you're the man, huh?

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Liv...

this is your family.

You know what?

When the kids come home,
we should set up

a regular Sunday dinner.

I'd like that, Simon.

The clerk at the store
in New Jersey

backs up what Leo got
from his PI.

Okay, two years ago
Celia was pregnant.

Was that baby discarded too?

There's no cases of abandoned
babies in East Orange that year.

Yeah, but I'm expanding
the search,

and the closest open case
is in Newark.

But it happened a year before.

That's ten minutes
from East Orange.

Is there anything connecting
the Newark baby to our case?

Uh...

yeah, it was found left
in a box, was well cared for.

The umbilical cord was cut.

Wrapped in a blanket,
on the steps of a church,

half a block
from Newark General.

Okay, run it down.

As you can see from the file,

the drug charge
has been dismissed.

This court has no legal basis
to take these children

from their parents' custody.

Mr. Ellis,
does your client dispute

that he had marijuana
in his possession

while he was driving
with the children?

No, your honor,
but it was a single joint

used for medical purposes.

Still illegal in this state.

It's not just
about the marijuana.

On my follow-up visit, I found
that the home was disorganized

and that the older boy, Ty,
had a bruise on his forehead.

Which he sustained
accidentally.

I see here that Mr. Marsden

has a history of contact
with the police.

He was a suspect in a rape case,
jumped bail.

He was cleared on all counts.

And those charges
were the result

of a personal vendetta by
a now-disgraced police officer.

Be that as it may,
Mr. Ellis,

where there's smoke,
there's fire.

The state has an interest

in protecting
the welfare of the children.

We've had too many cases

where neglect and abuse
have led to tragic results.

Your honor, what's in the best
interest of these children

is that they be
with loving parents.

In similar circumstances,
with two white parents,

these children
would not have been removed.

This is unconscionable.

Our country
prohibited discrimination

against mixed-race couples
decades ago.

Enough, Mr. Ellis.

We'll revisit Mr. Marsden's
circumstances in six months

on the condition
that he completes drug rehab.

In the meantime, the children
will remain in foster care.

Next.

This is crazy.

They dropped the pot charge.
How can they keep my kids?

The smoking-gun theory.

Possession
is considered evidence

that other abuse or neglect
could be going on.

What's going to happen
with Ty and Olivia?

They're in a foster home.
They're scared.

- We're gonna fight this, Tracy.
- Yeah, right.

They will not let us
keep our kids no matter what.

Simon, nobody's talking
about quitting here, okay?

You got to trust me on this.

Liv, you know
what I've been through.

What, now you're telling me
I should trust the system?

Captain, we think
we found the connection

between Celia's baby and
the baby abandoned in Newark.

Enlighten me.

We ran the DNA,
and Celia's not the mother

of the first baby.

But both boys
do have the same father.

So what are we looking
at here?

We're not sure,
but the father--

he's been at this for years.

So, 4 days ago,
baby John Doe number one

was abandoned
on west 33rd Street.

Three years ago,
baby John Doe number two

was abandoned in Newark--

both well cared for,
both left near hospitals.

And they share paternal DNA,
same father, still no hits?

So far, no.

Whoever he is, Johnny Appleseed
hasn't been locked up

since the system
was put in place.

Any matches to other
abandoned babies, missing kids?

So far, no.
But it's a state-by-state,

lab-by-lab search, so...

Okay, what about the police
report on baby John Doe two?

- Any red van or witnesses?
- Nothing.

And the hospital that treated
him closed down last year.

But the Social Service Agency
that placed the baby--

they're still around.

Ah, good luck
getting help with that.

Well, Rollins...

you always said you wanted me
to show you Newark.

Ooh, dreams do come true.

Of course I remember Dylan--
our miracle baby.

Why do you call him that?

Completely healthy when he was
found, wrapped in a blanket,

umbilical cord taken care of.

He even had ointment
on a cut on his arm.

And you never heard

from anyone claiming to be
the parent?

I didn't, but now that you
mention it, the foster family--

they adopted Dylan
two years ago.

I got a strange call
from them last summer.

They wanted to know

if there was a statute
of limitations

on when biological parents
can try to reclaim the children.

- I'm so sorry that Simon got--
- No, I don't blame him.

The City of New York
stripping children

from their parents' arms

is a clear abuse
of government power.

So what can we do?

I've been reviewing
judge Suarez's decisions.

In cases involving
one or two minority parents,

she's upheld the removal
of the children.

She's ruled the other way

in cases involving
two white parents.

I'm trying to set up a hearing,
get her ruling overturned.

Do you want Simon there?

Only if you can keep
him calm.

Blowing up in court
is not going to help.

Look, I don't understand why
the NYPD is at our house.

We haven't done anything wrong.

Yeah, we're following up
on a related case.

Okay,
because you asked questions

about Dylan's biological parents
and their rights, right?

Why?

Something happened in July.

We were in the city,

house-sitting
for Jenna's folks.

A young girl came up to us
in Central Park.

Homeless.

She asked
how old Dylan was.

Then she said
he was her baby,

that he had been taken.

When we first adopted Dylan,
The Times ran an article.

There was a picture of us
in Central Park.

- She kept it.
- It's nothing.

She was just crazy.

But you took it seriously
enough to call social services.

And our lawyer--
he said at that point,

more than two years
after dumping Dylan in a box,

she forfeited her rights.

Yeah, but...

you think there might be
something to it.

Well, she said she'd been
coming to the park for years,

hoping to find us.

She picked up Dylan's hat
and sniffed it.

Said that's
when she knew for sure.

Okay, can you describe her?

Will took a picture
with his cell phone,

in case we needed to file
a restraining order.

- You recognize her?
- Yeah, that's Lori.

Came in every Tuesday
for chicken noodle and crackers.

That's half the reason
we called her "crackers."

I'll bet I can guess
the other half.

She had an old
prescription bottle for lithium

- we tried to get her to refill.
- Lithium--

breakfast of champions
for bipolar adolescents.

How old is she?

Late teens,
but a lot of mileage.

Something happened to her,
put her over the edge.

She say what?

She had some story
about being kidnapped

and held in a dungeon.

But then a lot of people here
have a story.

And when's the last time
you saw her?

Last summer.

Said she found her baby,

was going to become
a real mom.

You have any idea
where she'd be now?

Afraid not.

Let's start
with women's shelters.

Thanks for covering for me.
So...

what have we got?

Munch and Rollins hit
every soup kitchen in the city,

found the homeless girl, Lori,

at a shelter
six blocks from here.

I can take it myself--

- No, I'm good.
- Olivia!

Meet you in the car.

Thank you.

Hey, Simon, it's not
a great time--I'm working.

Look, I don't know
what else to do, all right?

We visited Ty and Olivia,

they don't like the food
in the foster home.

They're crying.
They're hungry.

And then I overheard
someone saying

they could put them up
for adoption?

Hold on. Ellis is not going
to let that happen.

He's trying to schedule
a hearing

- to get the ruling overturned.
- When?

You got to give him
a chance

to do his job, Simon--
he's a pro.

Don't keep telling me that.
If they take away my kids--

Look, Simon, why don't you
go home and be with Tracy?

There's really nothing
that you can do right now.

You know the song
I Just Wanna Be Ok

by Ingrid Michaelson?

That was me--I couldn't feel
comfortable anywhere.

That's why I was
always running away.

But your parents
never reported you missing.

I always came back.

Except that last time
I couldn't

'cause they took me
and kept me locked up.

Who's "they," Lori?

A man and his wife.

They made me call them
"mommy" and "daddy."

And where'd they find you?

Outside of Penn Station,
begging for a train ticket home

back to Massapequa.

Said they'd give me a ride
in their van.

I thought it was okay
'cause they were a couple.

Remember what
they looked like?

He was big...

and sweaty...

and not a lot of hair,

and she was shorter
with long, dark hair.

Do you have any idea
where they took you?

They must've drugged me,

'cause when I woke up,
I was in a room.

I think it was a basement,
'cause I could hear a boiler.

Okay, did they
ever let you out?

Once or twice,
but we didn't go far.

Did you recognize anything--

landmarks, buildings?

A couple blocks up,
there was a tall building--

uh, silver windows,
all giant triangles.

The Hearst Building
on 57th?

And how did they
treat you, Lori?

Okay.

They didn't beat me.

But he gave me, uh,
lemonade and vodka.

It made it easier
when he got on top of me.

How long
did they keep you there?

Over a year...

until I had my baby.

And he said,

"No boys in the house."

After they took my baby,
I couldn't stop crying.

So he put me in a van
and dumped me

by Yankee Stadium.

Excuse me
for one second.

Captain, what's going on?

When's the last time
you talked to your brother?

About an hour ago.

He's been cag me,
but I didn't pick up.

Do you know where he is?

I have no idea.

What's going on?

Simon and his fiancee

just kidnapped the children
from foster care.

There's an amber alert out
for them.

He's been calling you?
I'm gonna need your phone.

You don't have
a choice here, Liv.

NYPD!

Hey, take it easy, sergeant.
He's not resisting.

Oh, God, they called you.

- Shut up! Who the hell are you?
- NYPD.

Captain Cragen,
Manhattan Special Victims.

Well, that's nice,

but we're arresting
this punk for kidnapping.

Look, sergeant,

we don't have to turn this
into a federal case.

The call came from our side
of the river, kids are involved.

After you file,
let us take custody.

Look, I promise,

if anybody's going to have
a problem here,

it's not going to be you.

You can follow us
to booking.

Simon.

Are you okay?

Thank God
I love bologna sandwiches.

I just--
Simon...

- what were you thinking?
- I--

obviously I wasn't,
you know?

Tracy's got some family
in South Carolina.

I thought...

oh, maybe we'd stay with them
for a while, but...

Oh, Liv...

I messed up.

Yeah, you did.

All I want is
to be a good father.

I know that.

The weird thing is,

my own dad
was a better father to me

than I've been
to my kids.

Just what you need to hear.

If you're done with me,
I completely under--

Please stop, Simon.
Please, just stop.

Look, I'll talk to Ellis.

Bail's gonna be hard.

I get that.

Olivia...

I'm sorry.

You want to be
a good father, Simon?

Grow up.

Lori, during all that time
in the basement,

the man and the woman
are the only people you saw?

I heard
other people sometimes.

They would have parties
in the courtyard.

Did you ever try and call out
for help?

I knew
there were rules.

But once, when the police came,
I started screaming.

Then mommy came in

and gagged me
and drugged me with a needle.

Are you sure
it was the police?

I heard the radios.

Uh, I think someone
might have gotten shot.

You heard a gunshot?

Yeah, and then
a man screaming and sirens.

You don't know when this was,
do you?

Uh, July 5th,
my first year with them.

I heard the fireworks
the night before.

I don't really want to go
back to the shelter.

I don't blame you, Lori.

I'll try and make
some phone calls,

get you in a place where you
can get yourself back together.

Your honor, my clients
are in no way a flight risk.

What they want,
more than anything,

is to be reunited
with their children.

That's one way
to rationalize kidnapping.

Since Ms. Harrison
has no record,

I'll grant bail.

But Mr. Marsden
has jumped before.

I'm not going to give him
the chance to do it again.

Bail denied.

So what happens now?

We've lost the high ground.

It's one thing to argue the city
had no right to take his kids.

But second-degree kidnapping
is a class "B" felony.

He could get 25.

Look, there's got to be a way
to reduce the charges.

Bayard, I hate
to keep pushing you, but--

I know he's family,

but your brother's made it
very hard on himself.

I can try to plead
this thing down,

but how am I going to argue
that the kids

are going to be returned
to a stable home?

So what about filing
a class-action suit?

You said it yourself--

I'm preparing to do that,

but I've got to find
a different test case.

Your brother--he's not a good
candidate for lead plaintiff.

Drove Lori
through hell's kitchen.

Nothing looked familiar
except the Hearst Building.

Which you can see
for 20 blocks.

Lori said she heard a man
scream and police radios

on Fourth of July weekend.

Any police reports match up?

Yeah, I mean,
there's dozens, but...

I mean, it's mostly neighbors
complaining about firecrackers.

Fourth of July,
three-day weekend--

a lot falls
through the cracks.

Check the local ERs too.

Somebody's gonna remember
an incident

from, what, 3 1/2 years ago?

What are the odds on that?

Easy.
It's just an expression.

Oh, the rat slayer.

We get a lot of weird cases,
but that was the first time

we had a guy say
his Uncle shot him in the foot

while he was aiming
for a rat.

Sounds like a drink
might have been involved.

Oh, more than one.
He wasn't feeling any pain.

Why, 'cause he was so drunk?

Well that, and the wound
had been well taken care of

before he even got here.

Well, how so?

His aunt brought him in--
Magda Plasky.

She works here.

And what does she do?

One of our best
neonatal nurses.

- How long has she been here?
- About a year.

You remember
where she worked before?

Maybe Jersey?

Well, yes, actually.

We picked her up
after Newark General closed.

- Magda, give us a minute?
- Can't now.

I have a baby in the NICU
who needs a transfusion.

Don't make us chase you.

My shift ends in an hour.
I could talk to you then.

Try now.

Where's Celia?

I don't know who you mean.

That baby
that was abandoned last week--

you know
where his mother is.

It's over.

You worked at the hospital
in Newark

near where Lori's son
was found.

Hey.

You made sure both babies
were taken care of.

Okay?

Then you know I never let
anything bad happen to them.

It's just
daddy didn't want boys.

Your husband, you mean.

We know this is on him,
not you.

So just tell us
where he's keeping Celia.

Which way, Magda?

It's locked from the outside.
He's not in there.

Celia?

We're clear.

Celia.

It's okay.

It's okay.

You're safe now.

- Come on, honey.
- No.

Don't hurt her.

Who?

May I?

Hi, sweetheart.

It's okay, baby.

It's okay.

Hi.

It's okay, baby girl.

It's okay.

- Where's your husband?
- I don't know. He's the super.

Call him,
get him down here now.

John?

Watch her.
Cover the exits, take the front.

Police!

Stop!

SVU portable to central--

we're in foot pursuit
at 329 West 45th Street.

Police! Stop!

It's over, daddy.

I know you think
you saved those girls,

but I was their whole world.

They'll never forget me.

I've heard enough.

Let's get him out of here.

I need a shower.
We're done.

- I'll call the DA.
- How's the girl?

Celia's reuniting
with her family.

Her father's going to petition
to have custody of the baby

and her two-year-old daughter.

And what about
the first victim, Lori?

She's getting help,
and the adoptive parents

have agreed to let her
have visitation.

That's nice work, everybody.

You all right?

It's your brother?

Yeah.

So Ellis worked out a deal
between Children's Services

and the DA's office.

They'll reduce the kidnapping
to custodial interference--

a misdemeanor.

- So that's good, right?
- Yes.

You only have
to serve 60 days.

And what about the kids?
Wait. Shouldn't Tracy be here?

Simon, Tracy had to get
her own lawyer.

They had to separate the cases.

It was the only way for Tracy
to regain custody.

Her--wait.
What are you saying?

One of the conditions
for reducing your charges

is that you give up
your custody petition.

Give up my daughter?

The judge has ruled that you
can only visit your children

in a supervised setting
for the next three years.

You'll have to move
out of the apartment,

get your own place.

Wait. What?
Are you kidding?

Is this the best
that he could do?

Simon, it's better
than your daughter

visiting you in jail.

You were looking at 25 years.

The judge will reconsider
the term at the end of the year

if you don't violate
your parole.

And--wait--
and Tracy went along with this?

No, we're getting married.

Not right now, son.

She needs some time.

So that's it?

I really thought I could get
it right this time.

I know.

Me too.