Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

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.