All language subtitles for Law.and.Order.Special.Victims.Unit.S19E05.Complicated.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-NTb_track3_[eng]

.

- 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.

[dramatic music]

- Oh, honey, I'm so glad

that you're feeling better.

Yeah.

Yes to applesauce,
all you want,

but no more cartoons,
okay, Noah?

All right, honey, I love you.

Can you put Lucy back on?

Okay.

Hey, Lucy, I'll check in
with you later.

Thank you, bye.

- Noah's all right?

- Yeah, he just has a cold.

But today, of all days.

- I know that this is
stressful,

but you have got nothing
to worry about.

- Then why are we here?

- My best guess?

Judge Linden agreed
to a courtesy hearing

to cover her bases.

She's the one who suggested
you take Noah,

and the circumstances were
a little bit unorthodox.

- Just promise me
I'm not going to lose my son.

- I prom--

- Lieutenant Benson.

[dramatic music]

- Sheila Porter, you are
Noah Porter-Benson's

maternal grandmother?
- I am, Your Honor.

- We've provided Ellie Porter's
birth certificate

and the DNA evidence to prove
relationship with Noah.

- The fact that
they're related is not grounds

to vacate a legal adoption,
Your Honor.

- We would argue it is since
my client was never notified--

- The State did conduct
a thorough and year-long search

for any relatives.

- And Ellie told me
that she was dead.

- The loss of my daughter
is a regret that I will carry

for the rest of my life.

I spent years searching
for her.

I hired private investigators.

I was too late,

but thank God I found Noah.

I wanna make amends,
to be there for him in a way

that I wasn't for Ellie.

- He's a child, my child,

not a way for you
to alleviate your guilt.

- Lieutenant Benson, please.

- I don't know what
her intentions are.

She's a stranger to me,
to Noah.

- I granted this hearing
because my concern

is what's best for Noah.

I would like to hear what
his grandmother has to say.

Mrs. Porter?

- I have no intention
of ripping a little boy

from the only home
he has ever known,

but I have serious reservations
about Ms. Benson's

fitness to parent.

- How so?

- My PI became aware
of Noah's existence

from an ACS investigation
for suspected child abuse.

both: That investigation
is closed.

- Your Honor, and it has
absolutely no bearing

on the validity
of the adoption.

- There was no findings
of wrongdoing.

- I understand
that there were bruises.

- There were bruises
on Noah because I saved him

from almost being hit by a cab.

I love my son.

I would never, ever,

do anything to hurt that boy.

*

I want what's best for him.

I always have.

- If you really cared
about what's best for him,

you wouldn't deny him
a relationship

with his grandmother,

his only living blood relative.

I may not be able to overturn
the adoption, Your Honor,

but I am determined
to be a part

of this little boy's life,
for his sake.

*

- [panting]

[grunts]

- Hey!

- Officer, Officer,
you have to help me.

Please, he's after--
- Are you okay?

- He's after me.
- What's the matter?

Calm down.
- He's after me, please.

- Who's after you?
- He's after me.

Help.
- This is Officer Kim

requesting backup
in the northeast corner

of the park.

- 10-4, backup on their way.

- Victim was found running
through Central Park

about an hour ago.

No ID, no possessions.

My guess is she's 15 to 20.

- What, she doesn't know
how old she is?

- Or her name
or where she lives

or how she got here.

I don't know
what we're looking at here.

- What, she didn't
tell you anything?

- She told me that she was
forced to have sex,

and there are definite
signs of abuse.

Burn marks from cigarettes,

maybe drain cleaner,

but anything internal,
or if she's on drugs,

I can't verify.
- Why not?

- She won't let anyone
touch her.

I'm waiting for a psych eval,
but they're backed up.

In the meantime,
I thought someone should go in

and try to get through
to her.

- Okay, thank you, Doctor.

Um, hi, hi there.

I'm Amanda, and this is Sonny.

We're police detectives.

- Don't touch me.
- No, no.

- Nobody's gonna touch you.

- We wanna talk to you.

- No.

- It's okay.

- I said don't touch me!

*

[dramatic music]

*

- Sorry, Fin, Noah is home sick
from school today.

- It's all good, Liv.

- Okay, so tell me
about this teenager.

Is she a runaway?

- It's more complicated
than that.

She said she doesn't know
who she is or where she's from.

- Is she in the system?

- We don't know--
she refused medical treatment.

DNA swab, rape kit--
- Hold on.

And Bellevue released her?

- On duty shrink said she's
no danger to herself or others.

- I really don't remember
a lot.

- It's okay.
Let's work backwards.

How'd you get to Central Park?

- Okay, what did the uni
in the park say?

- She was on the run,
hysterical.

Claims a man was chasing her.

- We drove.
- Okay, good.

And do you remember
what kind of car?

- A van.
It was white.

- White van, check.
I'll notify TARU.

- Okay, can you tell us
who was driving?

- Steve.

- Okay, who is Steve?

- The man I was
running away from.

The man who made me
live with him.

- How long did you live
with Steve?

- As long as I can remember.

- And Steve's not your father?

- No, no.

I have a real dad, I...

Steve--Steve made me
have sex with him.

- Can you tell us anything
about your real dad?

- He was nice.

He called me "Little M."

- So Steve took you
from your family?

- It was a long time ago.

- Do you remember
how old you were?

Were you going to school?

- I was--I was a good girl.

I didn't cry.
I didn't cry.

- Was this your first day
of school?

*

Kindergarten?

*

- Yeah, I had a new dress.

- Do you remember
anything else?

- No, no, I said
I didn't remember.

- It's okay, it's okay.

Listen, do you remember
how you got to school?

Did you walk?
Did you take the bus?

- Yeah, I--yeah, I think so.

It's a--it's like a train,
right?

Underground?
- Yeah, yeah, that's right.

That's right,
you took the subway.

So you were in New York.

- I guess so.

I--yeah.
- Do you remember what you did

after school?
Like where you went?

Maybe the park?

- Yeah, my big brother and I--
we were--we were playing

hide and seek by the arch.

*

That's where Steve took me.

*

- We think this girl
is Emma Lawrence?

- Well, Emma disappeared
in 2007.

It was her first day
of kindergarten.

She was six years old.

Now, the age seems right.
She'd be 16 now.

- And according
to the police reports,

she was playing with her older
brother in Prospect Park

by the arch, and this girl
remembers being called

"Little M,"
the arch, the big brother.

- No, I get it.

There's a ton of details here.

I just--I just wish
we has something concrete.

- Now, I got the original file
from Brooklyn Missing Persons.

They didn't find any DNA.
They didn't find any prints,

but they did find her underwear
near the scene.

Now, we could rerun that
and check it for touch DNA.

- Yeah, let's start there.

- I got the age progression
sketch.

Emma Lawrence, age six to 16.

- Lieutenant, that's her.

*

- Where are the parents?

- Bill and Karen Lawrence moved
from Brooklyn to Queens

with their son Glenn
eight years ago.

- Well, unless we can find
a reason to exclude

that this girl
is Emma Lawrence,

family deserves to know.

*

- Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence,
please, take your time.

- I don't need any more time.
It's Emma.

I know my own daughter.

Her hair, her eyes,
they're the exact same shade,

more green than blue,
and her mouth, the freckles.

- Oh, my God.
It's her.

Is she all right?
Where is she?

- She's at the precinct.
She's safe.

- When can we see her?
- Soon.

- How did you find her?
- She was in Central Park.

She said that she had escaped
her kidnapper.

- Oh, after all these years.

Your sister's alive.
- I can't believe it.

- I prayed every single night.
I never gave up hope.

We moved, and we kept the same
phone number just in case.

- That's really her?

- Yes, I swear it is, son.

Glenn was the last one
to see Emma.

He was just a kid himself.

- What you've
all been through...

I--I can't imagine.

- I look at you,
and I see an angel.

The angel that found
our baby girl.

- The Lawrences
are gonna follow us down

to the precinct to meet Emma,
and Liv's gonna bring in

a reunification specialist.

- That look on their faces--
wow.

- Yeah, you really followed
the Emma Lawrence case.

- How could you not?
It was all over the news.

It was nationwide.
- Yeah, but I just remember

she went missing in
a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey.

I mean, a six year old girl
from Brooklyn was a Cavs fan?

- Actually, Bill Lawrence
grew up in Cleveland.

I watched a ton of TV
that September.

My Pops had a heart attack.

I spent a lot of time
in the ICU waiting room.

[knocking]

- Emma, so this is Karen

and Bill and Glenn Lawrence.

- I don't know these people.

I don't know them.
- Okay.

That's okay.
That's okay.

We're just gonna take our time.

You remember
what we talked about?

Sometimes these things don't
go as we expect them to,

so we're just--we're just gonna
go real slow, okay?

- It's me, Emma.

It's Mommy.

You don't recognize me?

- And I'm your dad.

I know this is a lot.
We're gonna give you

all the time you need.

- I'm sorry.
I don't recognize them.

I...
- That's okay, Emma.

It's all right.

- Maybe this will help.
We brought something.

A picture.
Is it okay to show her?

- Emma is that all right
with you?

- Yeah.

Is that me?

- Yes, it's you, honey.

- And that's my big brother?
- Mm-hmm.

- You?

- Yeah, it's me, Glenn.

- You got that doll
for Christmas that year.

Do you remember that?

*

- I do.

- You got the doll,
and Glenn got a bike.

You were both so happy
in that picture.

*

- Yeah, I remember.

Mom and Dad.

- Yes, it's us.

*

- See, she knows us.

You recognize us now,
don't you, sweetheart?

- Yeah, Mom.

*

Dad and--and Glenn.

*

- We're here to take you home.

- [laughs]

I get--I get to go home.

*

- Oh, I'm sorry I didn't get
to say good night,

but I'm glad
that he fell asleep.

Thanks, Lucy.

Okay, I'll be home in about 20.
Night.

- TARU got back to me
with the street cam footage

from Central Park.

- Okay, any sign
of the kidnapper?

- Not exactly.

*

- She took the subway.

So no white van.

- No.

They backtracked the footage
from the two line.

She got on the train
at 149th Street,

Grand Concourse in the Bronx.

*

- Okay, there are a lot
of reasons that a girl

in this situation might
leave out parts of the story.

- I'm not saying we made
a mistake.

- I hope you're right.

*

.

- Emma Lawrence may not be
Emma Lawrence.

- Talk to me.
- The surveillance footage

that we found in the park
doesn't match her story.

- But the family swears
it's her.

- Yes, they do,
and the age progression photo

is convincing,
but you know as well as I do

age progression isn't
the gold standard.

- You assumed this girl
was telling you the truth.

Why wouldn't you?
- And she still might be.

Either way,
something happened to her.

There's definitely
signs of abuse.

I just--I just don't know
what to think.

About anything.

- You okay?

*

- Ellie Porter's mother showed
up at my doorstep.

It turns out that Noah
has a grandmother.

- I'm sorry?

- Yeah, her first move was
to try to vacate the adoption.

I spent the entire morning
yesterday in family court.

- Okay, I can tell you
that you cannot vacate

an adoption,
not after three years.

- I know, the law is
on my side, but the judge

let her file for visitation.

- Oh, how do you feel
about that?

- My first instinct is no.

- Right, you wanna
protect Noah.

- That is my instinct, right?

Am I preventing this little boy
from having a relationship

with the only living
blood relative that he has?

With his only connection
to Ellie?

*

You know, I used to be so sure

that I knew
what was best for Noah,

but now,
as he gets older,

I'm just doubting myself
at every turn.

*

- Well, from what I've heard
about raising kids,

it never gets any easier.

You can trust your instincts.

You can.

*

[cheers and applause]

- Isaiah, Isaiah!

[cheers and applause]

- Thanks very much.
Thank you.

Words cannot express
how grateful we are

to have Emma back home with us.

- We are blessed
by the outpouring of support.

We wanna start
by thanking the NYPD.

- Yes.

We'd also like to thank
Isaiah Thomas

for being with us here today.

[cheers and applause]

- Like all of us,
I remember the picture of Emma

in her Cavaliers jersey.

I bring the strength
of this family on the court

every game that I play.

We play and pray for you.

This jersey is to honor
your homecoming and remember

to always believe.

[cheers and applause]

- Thank you.

And thank you all.

I'm just so grateful
to be home.

Thank you.
- Thanks, Emma.

Thanks, man.
- They didn't waste any time

getting the word out.
- Yeah.

[overlapping voices]

[knocking]

- Detectives.
- Is everything all right?

- We need to talk
to both of you.

- Please.

- I'm sorry.
I don't understand.

She is Emma.
My little girl.

- All we're asking for
is a DNA sample

from her or from you two.
- But not now.

Emma is just getting
comfortable with us.

I can't retraumatize her.

Not to mention what
this is doing to my wife.

You're coming in here,
upsetting her.

Hasn't she been through enough?

- Forget about the DNA.
We don't need it right now.

But Mrs. Lawrence, we really
need to speak to Emma.

The guy that did this is
still out there.

He could be a threat to her.

He could be a threat
to your whole family.

- You're right.

Bill, don't we want
whoever did this in prison?

I think we should let them
talk to her.

- But with us in the room.

- It was a white van.

Maybe I just got confused
when I jumped out.

- That's okay.

Tell us more about how
you jumped out of the van.

- It was--
- You don't have to answer

any more questions
if you don't want to .

- No, it's okay.
I want to.

We were stopped
at a traffic light,

and it wasn't anywhere
I recognized.

- Okay, so you jumped out.

You had no ID, no money.

- Steve never let me
have those things.

- Okay, can you tell us
how you were able

to take the subway then?

- What's this about?

- Well, we have footage
of Emma entering the subway

in the Bronx and coming out
in Central Park,

so we're just wondering
how you got there.

- I asked someone for help.

- I don't know
why this matters.

- Do I have to talk about this?

- Emma, we're just trying
to learn everything

that we can about
how you escaped,

about the man who took you.

- Okay, you rode in a van.

How long was the ride?

- I don't know.

A few hours, maybe.

- A few hours, okay.

So maybe you were out of state?

- Must've been, yeah.

- Do you remember
anything about where

you were being held?

- It wasn't the city.

- Right.

- It was a farm, yeah.

Pennsylvania, maybe.

- Pennsylvania, okay.

What kind of farm was it?

- Um, oranges maybe?

I wasn't allowed
to go outside very much.

I was locked in a room.

I--I don't wanna think
about this anymore.

- All right, you know what?

I think we're done here, yeah.

- I can't remember anymore.
- It's okay, sweetheart.

- No, don't touch me!

- Oh, I'm sorry, honey, Emma!

- You know, I gotta ask you
to leave.

We have to take care
of our daughter.

*

- We've alerted the
Pennsylvania State Troopers.

So far, no sign of a white van
with Pennsylvania plates

anywhere near
the Grand Concourse station

or the 110th Street station.

- Not to mention there are no
orange groves in Pennsylvania,

so this girl is making
the story up as she goes along.

- Or, if she is Emma,
she's been missing a long time.

She could be confused and
have gaps in her memory.

- Barba, can you get us
a warrant for her DNA?

- I could, but I'd rather not.

What if you're wrong and
this girl is Emma Lawrence?

That's not a call
I wanna get from the DA.

Not after the ledger declared
the case closed.

You guys are gonna have
to unclose it yourselves.

- I think I just did.

I brought a photo of our girl
over to Real Time Crime.

Turns out she's wanted
on a bench warrant

for credit card fraud
in Inverness, Florida.

- Name's Britney Taylor,
date of birth 7/20/96.

That makes her 21.
- That could be an alias

or a fake DOB or a girl
who looks similar.

- No, I tracked down
the arresting officer.

He described cigarette burns
and a chemical burn on her arm.

That's her.

*

.

- We're here
in the Lawrence home

with an exclusive interview
with Emma Lawrence,

her parents and brother,
the family

that captured America's heart.

Emma, your story
is so remarkable.

I understand that once police
started questioning you,

you actually remembered
the day you were taken.

- Yes, I--I was playing

in Prospect Park
with my brother,

hide and seek,
and a man asked me

if I wanted some candy.

Before I even knew what he--
what was happening, I--

he put a rag over my face.

I must've passed out before
I could even scream.

And the next thing I knew,
I was in the back of a van.

- Glenn, what did you do when
you realized Emma was missing?

- Well, I thought
she was hiding, um.

Yeah, I--you know,
I called for her name.

She didn't answer.
I kept looking,

but I didn't see anything.

I didn't hear anything,
and I went to my parents

and told them what happened.

- Something's going on here.
- That kid looks a little off.

- No, no, it's more than that.
- What do you mean, Carisi?

I read the DD-5
from the original

missing persons file.

Now, at the time, Glenn told

the investigators
that he heard Emma scream.

Then he found the underwear,
and then he ran home.

- Now he claims
he didn't hear anything?

*

- Son of a bitch.

He's tailoring his version
of events to match hers.

- In the original files,
was Glenn listen as a suspect?

- Not directly, but he was
interviewed a half dozen times.

- Find out why.

*

- I'll switch to the bourbon.

- Yeah, I'll have
what he's having.

- My tab.
- Sure thing.

- Thanks.

I saw you on TV today.

Wow, what you
must've been through.

And it's probably not
my place to say it,

but I always did feel for you,
you know?

Last one to see
your sister alive.

- Till now.
- Till now, right.

Still, I mean, it must've
been really tough to move on.

- You try.
No one lets you.

- People know one thing,
they think

they know everything.

- Nobody knows anything.

Not about me, anyway.

- I'd like to.

*

- No, no, I can't trust anyone.

- You can trust me.

*

- No.

- What about Emma?
Do you trust her?

*

- Emma and me know what's up.

- What does Emma know, Glenn?

- She knows why.

- Why what?

*

Where is she?

Where is Emma, Glenn?

- Deep, deep down.

Deep, deep enough.

- It's time to go, Glenn.

- Nah, I'm with a friend.

- Thanks for the call, Greg.

She's not your friend, son.
Come on.

- You all right?
- Yeah, I'm fine.

- You stay the hell away
from my family.

*

- What do you think?

- We need to get that girl
out of there.

Con artist or no.

*

- Get your hands off of her.

- I will sue all of you.

You cannot just take
our daughter away.

- She's not your daughter.
- Where are you taking her?

- To the precinct
till we sort this stuff out.

- Mom, Dad, it's okay.
I'll explain.

It's a misunderstanding.
- I'm calling our lawyer.

- Mr. Lawrence, that is
your right, but right now,

I'm taking her in.

*

I'm sorry.

[dramatic music]

*

.

- You can tell us
your real name now.

- It's Emma Lawrence.
- Stop it.

- Prints were a match
to an arrest warrant

in Florida two years ago
for a Britney Taylor.

- No, that's a fake name.

Steve made me steal
credit cards

and lie to the cops.
- Oh.

- I'm sorry that I made up
the white van and the farm

in Pennsylvania,
but I've been in Florida

with Steve--
- Okay, shh, stop, just stop.

Britney, or whatever
your name is,

we got a DNA swab,
so we are going to find out

that you're not Emma Lawrence.

- And why do you have to
do that?

Bill and Karen love me.
All of New York loves me.

I'm the story of the year.

That's good news for once.

- Cigarette burns,
the chemical burn on your arm,

who did that to you?

- My real family, okay?

My mom was a meth-head.

She had fun putting cigarettes
out on me.

Yeah, and one time,
I tried to fight her off,

and she put drain cleaner
all over.

*

I learned my lesson.

I'm never going back there.

- Okay, we're not gonna
make you go anywhere

you don't wanna go.

- I can't go anywhere,
don't you get it?

*

I turned 21 this summer.

When I was a teenager,
I'd stay at youth shelters,

but I'm too old now.

And the adult shelters,
they're just so...

- So you decided to become
Emma Lawrence.

Why, why this family?

*

- I saw a special on the news.

*

Bill and Karen sending
a message to Emma

that they loved her
and they wanted her home.

And I figured I looked a lot
like her when I was a kid.

*

So I read all about her,
and you were so nice.

*

I just wanted a family.

What's wrong with that?

- There's nothing
wrong with that,

but they're not your family.

- But they wanna be, badly.
I can tell.

Bill and Karen.
- What about Glenn?

- Well, he wants me
there most of all.

He knows I'm not really Emma.

- He told you that?
- Pretty much,

and he said how happy
that I make his mom

and that I can never
tell the truth

and that I can never leave.

- What else did he say
about Emma?

- Just that she's never
coming back.

*

Did he do something to her?

Because I had nothing
to do with that, I swear, okay?

Are you guys
gonna arrest me now?

- Not if you help us.

*

- Thanks for meeting me.

I can't talk in front
of Bill and Karen.

- Yeah, they think
I'm out to get cigarettes.

They were up all night arguing.

Mom was crying,
she almost jumped in the car

and drove to the city.

- What happened
with the police?

- They didn't have enough
evidence to hold me.

- What does that mean?

Do they know that
you're not Emma?

- They let me go, didn't they?

But they're starting
to suspect something.

- So what'd you tell them?

- I don't know
if I should tell you.

- What does that mean?

- I don't know
who I can trust anymore.

- You can trust me.
- Can I?

- Yes, just keep quiet,
and everything

is going to be fine, okay?

- It sounds like
he's buying her story.

- She's a good con artist.

- She had to be.

- It's not that simple.

- What do you want from me,
huh?

Money, is that
what this is about?

- No, I just want the truth
so that I can protect myself.

What happened to Emma?

Did she run away?

- No.

No, she was six years old.

- All right, did you see
who took her, is that it?

Was it somebody you know?
- No, it was nothing like that.

*

- If we're gonna be partners,
then you need to come clean.

*

What's gonna happen to me?

Like, what if Emma
just comes back?

I could get arrested.

- She's not coming back.
I already told you that.

- How do I know that?

*

Did you do something
to her, Glenn?

*

- God, you do look
exactly like her.

I mean, you even sound
like her.

*

- Did you hurt her?
Should I be worried?

I--
- No, of course not.

- Come on, come on, Britney,
you can do this.

- He's gonna give it up.
He's been waiting

for this moment for ten years.

- Okay, you're scaring me,
and I--I can't do this right.

- Stop, stop.

*

It wasn't anything like that.

- Okay.

- It was an accident.

- Okay.

It was an accident.

Then she ended up dead?

- I didn't mean it.

*

I didn't mean it.

I didn't mean it.

- Glenn, did you kill
your sister?

- You've been carrying
this secret for a long time.

It's time to let it go.

*

It'll be okay.

- I didn't mean it.

*

- Tell us what happened.

*

- She knew not to dance
in front of the TV.

I said to her, "Emma, move."

She wouldn't.

*

She just kept twirling.

I told her to move again.

She didn't, and, um...

So I grabbed a couch cushion.

I was pressing down.

She was struggling,
but I was just so mad,

I--I kept pressing down,
and, um...

*

I just wanted her to stop.

And she did.

*

- What did you do
with her body, Glenn?

*

You were just a boy.

You couldn't have done that
by yourself.

Who helped you?

.

- I don't understand.

Where is Glenn?
Where is Emma?

- You're gonna have to ask
your husband.

- Bill?
- Just stop talking, Karen.

- We have a warrant
for your husband's arrest.

- For what?
Bill?

- I can explain.
I will explain.

- What the hell is going on?

Where is my daughter?
Where is my son?

What are you doing
to my family?

- Mrs. Lawrence, if you have
a lawyer, call them now.

[dramatic music]

- Your Honor, in exchange
for William Lawrence's

guilty plea of falsely
reporting an incident

in the third and obstructing
governmental administration

in the second,
the people agree to reduce

Glenn Lawrence's second degree
manslaughter charge

to criminally negligent
homicide.

As part of the plea,
Mr. Lawrence will allocute.

- My daughter used to ask me
who I loved more--

her or her brother.

I would tell her
"How can you choose

which of your own two feet
you like best?"

I loved my Emma.

When I lost her,
I lost a part of myself.

[radio transmissions]

I would've rather lost
all of myself

than to discover
her lifeless body.

*

I--I breathed into her mouth.

I pressed down on her chest.

*

I felt her wrist for a pulse,
but there was nothing.

There was nothing I could do.

And then I saw

my son's life disappear
before my eyes,

before his own eyes.

You know, that look,
the guilt.

*

No one should have to go
through what he went through.

No father should ever have to
see their son like that.

He loved his sister.

*

I did what any father
would do.

I couldn't lose him too.

I wish to God every day
it did not happen,

but it did.

I don't regret helping my son,
not for one second.

I--I did not think twice then,

nor have I ever regretted
that decision.

I accepted the plea
to avoid putting my wife

through a painful trial,
and Karen...

*

I miss Emma.

And I forgive Glenn.

I just hope you can
forgive him too

and you can forgive me.

*

- Mrs. Lawrence, I'm so sorry
for what you've been through.

*

- I wish you'd never found her.

Before, I at least--I had hope.

Hope that my little girl
was still alive.

And now I have nothing.

*

- Hey.

Thank you for meeting me.

Do you want something?

- No, I'm okay, thank you.

I don't wanna be your enemy.

- No, you are--you are
my son's grandmother.

I don't think
that we should be

dealing with each other
in a court room.

- I realize that
my showing up at your door,

that could not have been
easy for you.

The last thing I wanna do
is cause stress for you

or for Noah.

- I appreciate that.

- I didn't know how else
to get your attention.

You know, I--
I used to think

that Ellie never
listened to me,

but it was me.

I wasn't saying anything
she wanted to hear.

I didn't see her.

What she wanted.

- May I ask you...

What happened?

- Normal teenager acting out.

She had a boyfriend,
a little older.

My husband hated him.

No one was good enough
for his little girl.

She started using drugs.

The angrier my husband got,
the more Ellie withdrew.

He called the police
on her once.

My husband said
we had to let her go.

Tough love.

He was convinced it was
the right thing to do.

I believed him.

He died a year
after Ellie left home.

I lost my husband
and my daughter.

I don't want to lose
my grandchild.

- I want what's best
for my son.

- So what do we do now?

- Are you ready, Noah?
- Yes.

- Okay, so, honey,
listen to me.

Like we talked about,
if you feel uncomfortable,

or you don't wanna do this,
you tell me, okay?

- Okay.
- You whisper it in my ear

like we do, okay?
- Okay.

- Okay.

[knocking]

[sighs]

- I hope I'm not too early.

- No, you're right on time.

Come on in.
- Thank you.

Your home is lovely.

- Oh, thank you.

- This must be Noah.

He's perfect.

- So Noah, this is Sheila.

Honey, can you say hello?
- Hello.

- Hello, Noah.

It is so very nice
to finally meet you.

I'm your grandmother.

- Hi, Grandma.

- Hi.

You and I--we're gonna
get to know each other.

Would that that be okay?

- Okay.

- I'm glad.

And I brought some books.

I thought maybe
I could read to you.

*

- Sure.
- Sure.

Do you want to see my room?

- Yes, I would love
to see your room.

*

Thank you.

*

.

[dramatic music]

*