Original subtitles

Jesus said?

Suffer the little children to come unto me.

Very good.

And now these three remain: faith hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

For love will not only lead us to each other.

By so doing, it will bring us closer to God.

And even when things seem difficult, as it must for us all at some times,

I tell you, have faith in love.

And remember, that as St. Paul tells us,

faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

Let us pray.

Holy, holy, holy...

How are you doing back there?

Fine, Mrs. Hannah, thank you.

Oh, I know I'm fussing do you think she'll like it?

I think she'll love it.

Oh, that must be Mom and Dad. They said they might stop by.

Now?

What could I say? They were excited.

Rob, thank you.

For what? Oh, I love you.

I know. I'm just sorry.

Come on, now.

No, I know,

but you know I wanted to give you children

of your own who'd look like you and be loving like you.

They will be our own.

You're sure of that.

Well I'm sure that they need what we have to give.

And even if they don't look like us, they're bound to be loving,

'cause that's just the way kids are.

Hello?

Hello.

Anybody home?

Quiet, Casey.

Hi.

Here we are, ready to spoil our grandchildren.

They're wonderful.

I told her we should wait.

You two need to be alone when they get here.

Oh, we won't stay long. My first grand kids and they're twins...

Oh...

Well sort of. Come on, let's put these in their rooms.

Dad.

Hi, son, how's it going?

Oh, I can make it.

Big day, huh?

It's pins and needles, dad.

Yeah, I'll bet.

We're almost there.

Remember.

Excuse me, Catherine, did you say something?

Oh, I was just reminding Eric to behave.

If you're nervous, we can talk about it. You nervous, Eric?

No, ma'am.

Rob, they're here. They're here. They're beautiful.

Just like their mother. Come on, Mom, let's go see our kids.

Quiet, Casey.

There you are.

Casey, quiet.

Reverend, Mrs. Tyler,

I would like for you to meet Catherine and Eric Krieger.

Hello. I'm Catherine.

Hi, Catherine. I'm Jill. And this is Rob.

Is that what you like to be called Catherine?

I prefer Cat.

How about you, Eric?

Eric is fine. Shake hands.

Well, shall we go inside?

Can I take that for you? Here you go, Eric.

I can't stay long.

Come on.

Well thank you.

Thank you for bringing them on Sunday.

As you know,

Monday and Tuesday are a reverend's weekends

and Rob wanted to spend some extra time with them the first couple of days.

I understand. Mrs. Tyler.

Jill, please.

After all our conferences and home visits,

I fell like we're friends.

Thank you.

Remember, this first month is uh just a trial period for all of you.

I understand.

But we've already decided if Cat and Eric want us as parents,

we definitely want them.

Now let's see. Is there anything else? Catherine, Eric, any questions?

No? Well, I guess I'll be going.

What is it, Eric?

Can I see your dog?

Casey? Sure you can.

I'll leave the pet introductions to you two.

Eric, Catherine, the Reverend and Mrs.

Tyler are going to take very good care of you.

I want you to try and remember to be good children.

We want to thank you for all of your help.

Thank you for your willingness to take them both.

Oh, they're wonderful well, I'm nervous.

You'll do just fine. Love and security that's what they need.

Well, that's what they'll get plenty of here.

Please call if you need anything.

Thank you, Doris.

Eric, there's the ball. Throw it. Throw it. Okay, Casey.

Casey, here it is, here it is.

The bathroom's right across the hall. Would you like to see it?

No, thank you.

Well, you can put your things on the dresser

and there are hangers in the closet. Do you want some help?

No, thank you.

Oh, that's Johnny, and some of the other kids who live around here.

Good afternoon, gang. Now look, you tell me. See them?

Eric's going to fall.

Rob'll be careful.

Are their eyes open?

Yeah.

Can you hold up your fingers for how many you see?

That's a bird's nest we found the other day.

It's got baby birds in it. You want to see them?

No thank you.

Okay. Well, I guess I'll uh let you get settled.

I'll call you for dinner.

There're four, and we're gonna get to watch them grow and fly away,

but except you can't touch them because then the mommy bird won't come back

and take care of them, right?

Right.

I know.

Catherine...

Cat.

Cat, would you say grace please?

God is great and God is good, and we thank him for this food.

Amen.

Amen. That's very nice. Where did you learn that?

Our third foster home.

No more foster homes.

You're supposed to wait.

That's okay, Cat. We appreciate your good manners.

Here you go. Pass that to Rob?

Thank you.

Would you like potatoes?

Thank you.

Now I'm going to leave the night light on in the hall

so if you wake up you know where you are, okay?

And your flashlight is right here.

And the door open.

Door open? Sure. Sure.

Can I have a hug and a kiss goodnight? Oh, thank you.

I'm really glad you're here and I'm glad you're my little boy.

You sleep good, okay? Goodnight.

Goodnight.

So if you get scared or you need anything,

you just knock on our door, okay?

We'll wake you up in the morning, then we'll take you to school.

Goodnight, then.

Where's Jill?

You you don't want me to kiss you goodnight? That's okay.

Where's Jill?

Did I hear my name?

I think she'd rather have you tuck her in.

Well how about both of us?

No, I'll go say goodnight to Eric.

Okay. Come on, sweetie, in you go. There you go. Everything okay? Good.

We're really glad you're here, Cat. Goodnight.

Jill?

Yes?

Can I call you mommy sometimes?

I'd like that. I'd like that very much.

Rob, I'm so happy, I can't tell you.

They're wonderful.

She's so precocious.

Verbally. Emotionally, though...

Oh, don't take it personally.

I was kind of scared of strange men when I was her age, too.

It's funny, I don't feel strange.

Oh, strangely wonderful.

Well, let's just hope she comes to share her mother's feelings

like mother like daughter.

Oh, we just have to give them time.

And us, too, to understand them before we try to change things.

Think of what they've been through.

Three foster homes.

And she's had to be the mother the whole time.

Can you imagine? What their life must have been like.

Well, with you as their mom, it's just improved a whole lot.

I love you.

They're gone.

Gone? Are you sure? They can't fly away. Look closer.

They're gone.

Here, let me take a look.

I'm gonna get the ladder. Jill?

I don't.

Shadow, go on, go on, get out of here.

Get out of here, Shadow. Did Shadow do it?

I don't know. There don't seem to be any scratches.

Look the other way, Mom.

Always such a greedy little boy.

Good.

Have you been in my knives again?

Moi? See you in about an hour.

Bye.

I lost more kitchen utensils when he was a boy.

Can I interest you two in something to eat?

Yes, thank you.

There you go.

Don't.

Can I interest you in some more?

Thank you.

Good.

You know, it seems to me we might just have to uh expand Sunday school.

Don't.

Jill?

Oh, sorry. Eric, aren't you hungry?

I tole you, don't.

Excuse me.

Catherine, why are you stopping Eric from eating?

I'm not. Am I? See?

I saw you, Catherine.

Now I want you to take your sandwich and go up to your room

and I'll be up in a little while to talk to you about this.

Now, Cat. Catherine. It's okay. That's okay, honey, it's not your fault.

It's okay. You just eat your sandwich, okay?

Sorry about that. Where were we?

No. No, no, no.

Catherine, stop. Catherine, Catherine, stop.

Catherine, stop. Catherine, stop.

No, no. Now let me go. No.

Stop it. Catherine.

No.

Catherine. Now stop.

No, let me go. No. Let me go.

Catherine, stop. That's enough. Now stop.

No, stop, no, please stop.

I admit it was a little extreme,

but in my experience a tantrum's a tantrum.

Here one minute, gone the next.

How is she?

Calm. Sweet. Congenial. What set her off?

I did, I guess.

She wouldn't let Eric eat and when I sent her to her room,

it seems like she was punishing me for interfering.

All that from a seven year old?

You think I'm over-reacting.

I think what Mom is saying is just takes time to work things out.

Is that what you're saying?

More or less.

Jill, these emotional outbursts are normal,

especially during a period of adjustment.

Bye, thanks.

Don't worry so much. Bye, darling.

She's right. They're still adjusting. You have to learn to relax, honey.

I know I'm anxious, I admit it.

But Cat and I can't both be Eric's mother.

Will you talk to her with me?

Sure.

Catherine, Cat.

I want to talk to you about what happened.

We're not angry. We just want to understand.

Cat, can you look at Cat,

we know that you've had to take care of Eric,

and we want you to know

that we think you've done a really good job.

He messes up a lot.

Well all little boys do.

But you don't have to worry about that now that you're here.

That's why we get sent away.

No one, no one is going to send you away.

We want you to be our little girl. Can you do that?

Let me be the mommy and you be the little girl?

No. Stop. Stop.

I know somebody who's ticklish.

Ow.

I'm sorry, did I hurt you?

Careful, Rob, you might hurt him.

Let me see. Let me take a look.

Come on, come on, let me take a look. It's all right, it's okay, let me look.

Eric, what happened?

I fell.

Got to be careful on that bike, huh.

Oh I know what'll make you feel better. You know what I have? Your cookies.

Look, I have one for you, one for Cat and one for Case.

There you go.

Casey. Come on, look, come out here. Casey, look what I've got.

Come on, Casey.

Hello again. I had a feeling I'd find you here.

Here, Casey. Come on. Here. Over here.

Nice Casey. Good Casey. Good doggie.

Here. There you go. Eat it. Yes. Nice Casey. Good Casey.

That's it. Look what I got for you. Go ahead, eat it.

He bit me.

What happened?

He bit me.

Well, we'll fix that right up.

Come on, sweetie.

Well that's not so bad.

Tsat's okay, Casey. Take it easy, Rob.

He bit me.

Well, we believe you honey, but how did Case get...

He bit me.

Catherine.

Catherine. Cat, stop.

No. No.

Cat.

That's it. You want a spanking?

Is that what you want?

No, no.

What's wrong?

He bit me. I hate him. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.

I hate you. Mmm-mmm-mmm.

The vet said it looked as if he had been stabbed by a needle.

If that's what happened. Vets aren't infallible.

But regardless, put yourself in Cat's position.

Even if she was teasing Case,

even if she wasn't telling the whole truth,

is it really and wonder? After all, remember what she said.

She she was afraid that Eric's behavior would make us send them away.

Eric's?

Which is so hard for me to understand because he's so sweet

and easy going.-

Is that why they've been in so many foster homes

because of something Eric's done?

I'm afraid I can't discuss the other placements.

Even if what happened might help us with Catherine?

All I can say is maybe it would be best if you brought them back.

Brought them back.

Well now, we don't want that.

We're just trying to find out if there's something we need to know.

Remember. This is still the trial period and sometimes these things

just don't work out.

Please, Mrs. Hannah Doris that wasn't my intention.

You did encourage us to call if we had any questions.

Now don't punish us for that.

Believe me, that is not my intent. I am merely concerned.

There's no need to be. We can handle them.

Mrs. Hannah, please.

If we are going to be good parents, then we need to know.

Is there something you haven't told us about Catherine,

anything that might help us understand her behavior?

I am in a dilemma here. There are regulations.

I am not allowed to say anything,

but I really think it would be best if you brought them back.

Are you trying to tell us that Catherine may need help?

Any child whose mother dies when she was very very young

would benefit from therapy.

Can you tell us anything about the father? Why didn't he keep them?

He couldn't cope. That's why they were fostered.

When he finally realized that he wasn't prepared to take care

of them properly,

he released them for adoption and I,

I guess I can tell you that Catherine has had similar episodes

in foster placement.

Now please, that's all I can tell you.

Are you saying you don't want them?

No, of course not.

I'm just saying I think we should give it some more time

before we make a final decision.

You sure you're just not looking for a way to justify sending her back?

That's unfair. I'm the one who got us into this.

Since when? We made this decision together.

I don't want you to feel pressured, that's all.

What I'm feeling is,

there's a little girl in there who needs to know

that we're committed to her. They both do.

Indecision is just adding a lot of stress for all of us.

Once we make up our own minds, once she feels secure,

she's gonna be fine.

And if she's not?

Then we'll take her to see someone. Honey, Doris is right.

We have a whole lot more to offer her than all those foster homes

that they've been in.

You, you have a lot more to offer.

And you. Both of us, together.

Thank you.

Thank you, and we thank you all for coming to celebrate

our family birthday with us.

Now, without any further ado,

we would like to reintroduce to you our newly adopted, forever son, Eric.

And our forever daughter, Catherine.

Cat.

Eric and Catherine Cat Tyler.

Mommy made it.

Oh darling, it is beautiful.

Where's Grandpa Henry?

Well uhm I think I saw him talking to Eric and your daddy.

Thank you.

So, Eric, now that you're officially a member of the family,

can I count on you to take me fishing?

I don't have a ple.

You don't, huh?

Well, it just so happens I happen to have one your dad used to use.

I've been looking all over for you.

Oh you have, have you?

Well, your brother and I have been having us a conversation.

What about?

Grandpa's gonna take me fishing.

Can I go?

It's just for men.

No, no, no.

First you and I go, young fellow, then your sister here and me...

I'm older.

It's okay, honey, you're both gonna get a chance.

It's okay.

Daddy, Mommy told me to tell you to bring Eric inside.

She did. Well, come on, big guy. I guess we've been summoned.

Here we go. That's the way.

Oh, here we go. Atta girl.

Now, what can we talk about?

Us.

Us. What about us?

Grandpa Henry, if you let me go fishing first,

you could be my sweet daddy bear.

No, I'm your grandpa hear. You've got a daddy.

Not a daddy, a sweet daddy. And I'll be your little honey.

And you could do whatever you want because I'm so hot.

Stop it!

Is this an indication that she could possibly have been molested?

Uh, I'm sure you would have been told about something like

that by the adoption people.

Well, t's not just what she did to her grandfather,

it's the rages and the destructiveness and the lying.

How do you feel about your wife's assessment,

Reverent Tyler?

Well, there's no question that some of Cat's behavior is strange.

But to me, what's important is how much of that is her and how much of that

is her adjustment to a new home and to us.

Well, let me talk to her and we'll see.

My name is Catherine Mary Tyler and I'm uh seven.

Seven. Not a little girl any more. Are you nervous, Catherine?

I understand.

But in here,

you can say whatever you want and it'll be between just you and me.

Do you understand?

Good. Now, can you tell me what you're nervous about?

Mommy and Daddy are mad at me.

They are?

Because I get mad and, and because of Grandpa.

Uh, what happened with Grandpa?

I don't know.

He wanted me to sit on his lap and then when I did,

he got all red in the face and made me get off.

Why do you think he did that?

I don't know. I was just trying to be nice.

I had on the new dress that mommy made for me.

And then he made me get off. Is he mad at me?

I don't want him to be mad at me. I don't want to have to go away again.

Do you think her behavior falls in the normal continuum?

All I'm saying is that we've taken her to see someone.

What do you want to do,

shop around until we find someone else who says that

she is mentally ill?

Rob, your father did not misunderstand. He said that she fondled him.

She's a little girl.

That doesn't mean she's innocent.

I know you want to believe that all children are loving,

and that Cat is; so do I. But we have to face it.

The things that she is doing they're not loving.

Maybe because something happened,

something Doris wants to tell us and she can't.

What Doris will tell us is to bring them back.

Well, we won't. We made that decision.

We did, but the bureaucracy didn't.

Jill, I am telling you the best thing that we can do is assume the doctor

is right and just keep trying to make her feel secure

and part of this family.

Thank you.

Hello.

Hi.

Is that good?

Yeah.

Good.

Cat? Cat?

Bye, mommy.

Bye, Cat. Hey, how about a kiss? What's the matter?

Nothing.

Let me see. Let me see. Pull your arm out. Come on, come on.

What's the matter? Oh, Eric, who did this?

Eric, tell me, who did this?

My teacher.

So Eric, shall we play a game?

Good. I know that you're afraid to tell me who hurt you.

But I think that it's really important that I know,

Because if it wasn't your teacher, then we don't want to hurt her feelings.

So I'll just say some names,

and when I say the name of the person who hurt you,

you can just nod your head yes, okay? Okay. Was it uh grandma Bardara.

Was it Daddy?

How about Johnny or one of your other friends?

Hm. Was it Casey? Was it Catherine?

Okay, that's very good. That's very very good, Eric.

Thank you. Would you do me another favor?

Could I see your stomach?

Thank you, sweetie. Can I have a hug?

Dear Lord. Please help my heart and my voice heal, not hurt,

help this child to reflect thy loving spirit.

Mommy? Mommy?

In here, Cat.

What's wrong, Mommy? Mommy, what's wrong?

Eric showed me his bruises today.

I was going to tell you. His teacher did that. Isn't it terrible?

No, you did it, Cat.

And then you told him to lie about it, didn't you?

Me?

I'm not angry.

I was angry, very angry, that you would do something like that,

not only to Eric but to his teacher.

She could lose her job over something like that.

Good.

Good? What do you mean? Cat. Cat.

You're going to send me away.

No, sweetheart, we're not going to do that.

I didn't mean to.

Are you telling me the truth?

Why don't you believe me?

I want to, honey, I do.

But it's hard when you do things like you did to Eric and Casey.

He hurt me first.

Were you scared? Is that what happened?

I was just trying to pet him. Take care of him.

Like with Eric and the baby birds.

Did you take the birds out of the nest?

The mommy bird wasn't going to come back anyway.

You sure fooled Dr. Merritt, didn't you?

Well, you're not fooling me or daddy, not any more.

And I don't want you ever to hit your brother again,

do you understand me?

Even when he's bad?

I'm the Mommy, remember?

And you're such a good mommy. Thank you for making my dress.

It's such a pretty dress.

What are you doing? What is wrong with you?

Mommy, you're hurting me. You said you weren't mad.

I was wrong.

When you do the kind of things you do, it makes me very mad.

I'm sorry, Mommy.

Oh, why. Why do you do these things? Are you angry?

Can I go now?

No, you may not go.

I want you to stay in your room and think about things. Think Quietly.

No screaming or breaking things, do you understand? Do you?

I'll call you for dinner.

A whistle can blow if she tries to hurt him. Jill.

He's terrified.

Well that's no reason to reinforce his fears.

Oh, rob, would you stop denying this?

She killed the birds and she's been sneaking around

the house at night and what she does is sly and deliberate

and cruel.

And what's worse,

it doesn't even seem to matter when she's caught.

She was gloating.

She all but admitted that she fooled Dr. Merritt.

Now how could she do that?

Well, I don't know.

Maybe he saw what you wanted to see a sweet, little girl.

But there is no doubt in my mind that it's her behavior

that has had them in so many foster homes, not Eric's.

Oh, no.

How else are we going to find out what we need to know to help her?

Doris won't tell us.

She will.

No, she won't.

What she'll do is take them back.

You heard her.

You heard how careful she was.

She's bound by privacy laws and ethics.

She has to. You don't understand. I'm scared.

Not just of what she might do but Eric is so easy to love,

but Cat I want to love her, I keep trying

but the more things happen the more distant I feel.

I want to love my daughter, and I can't.

Then there definitely is something wrong

because I do not know a more loving woman than you.

Thank you. I needed to hear that.

Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm.

Do you guys want to go out to dinner or special hamburgers?

Special hamburgers.

You got it.

You want to help me set the table?

Sure.

Daddy?

What is it?

Can I go downstairs and play?

Sure you can, big guy. We'll call you.

Can I go, too?

No.

I thought you were going to help me set the table.

Is it all right, Mommy?

Sure, honey.

No, no. Cat, don't. Stop, Cat.

Please. Mommy. Daddy. Mommy, Daddy. Cat. Stop.

That's enough. Oh, God, Rob, he's bleeding.

Just get him to the hospital.

Oh, my God. What about her?

I'll stay with her. Get him to the hospital.

No. Let me go. No.

Cat. Cat.

No, no, Daddy, no. Cat. Cat. Cat. No, no, no.

Cat, Cat.

No, no.

Shh, shh.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

I didn't mean it, Daddy. didn't mean to hurt him.

I know, honey, I know. He'll be all right.

Was there very much blood?

Well you beat his head on the floor, Cat.

I know. I'm sorry. I'm really sleepy.

Why don't you just stay here and I'll call the hospital.

Okay. Daddy, will you please close the door?

Mmm-mmm-mmm

God, how many times have I wanted to tell parents like you the truth?

To send something anonymously in the mail.

This has been coming a long time. I'm sorry.

We all do the best we know how.

Not always.

Sometimes we hide behind regulations, which are there for a reason.

If parents thought they'd be giving up their privacy along with their children

all I can tell you is what I saw with my own eyes.

Anything, please.

The house was filthy, there was garbage everywhere.

The whole place reeked of urine.

I could hear the screaming all the way outside.

It was Catherine.

Eighteen months old, she'd uh been tied to a table leg.

She was lying in all the filth on the freezing kitchen floor

wearing nothing more than a little sun suit

which was all caked with her own Anyway,

I... l picked her up and tried to comfort her

but she went stiff in my arms and she would not stop screaming.

I've seen some horrors in my time.

Anyway, I walked through the whole house and there was no one there.

It had been the mailman who had called when he heard all the screaming.

And Eric?

He was lying in his crib.

His diaper hadn't been changed for days.

His skin was infected.

There was a bottle of milk lying next to him,

except the milk was so sour it had curdled.

And he had a a strange bulge to his head.

I couldn't figure out what it was

until I picked him up and noticed that the back of his head was flat.

Apparently he had been lying like that for weeks.

Where were the parents?

The mother was in the hospital.

When I went to see her, she just stared.

Never said a word.

The nurses told me that she'd been beaten

and that she had refused treatment for pneumonia.

They said they thought she wanted to die.

And she did.

What about the father?

All I can tell you is that

he uh he would take off

and leave the two babies with their thirteen year old sister.

A sister. Do you think she would talk to us?

Maybe.

Stephanie?

What do you want?

This is Jill Tyler. She'd like to talk with you.

Hi.

I don't do women.

My husband and I adopted Catherine and Eric.

Oh, lucky you.

We want to find out what their life was like

what your life was like what happened.

Catherine's very disturbed.

She hurts Eric; she tried to kill him. Please, help us.

Lucky me.

Drinks for the ladies.

Stephanie, no one's blaming you.

Blame who you want. I did what I had to.

He'd get drunk and come in my room,

and when I got bigger I'd fight him.

He'd beat me up, but I'd still fight him.

And after I got to be more trouble than it was worth,

that's when he'd go upstairs.

But she was just a baby.

What do you think I was?

I can still hear her screaming,

and the dog going crazy, except one night she stopped.

I thought she was dead so I snuck upstairs.

Almost. He had passed out.

I had to roll him off of her.

You're out.

It didn't hit me.

Yes, it did. Did, too. You're out.

It did not!

Now you're out.

Catherine, go back to your seat. Catherine.

Hey, you did that on purpose.

Did what?

Okay, you two.

Catherine.

Is Johnny all right?

Well, she just missed his eye.

The whole class and the teacher saw it

and when I asked her why she tried to cut him with the glass,

you know what she said to me? What glass?

Rob, it was more than neglect.

She was abused sexually from the time she was a tiny baby.

A lot of kids are abused but they don't try to kill people.

I don't think it was just the abuse.

I told you, these two children have haunted me.

For years I couldn't do anything except move them

from foster home to foster home,

hoping against hope that something would work.

Then I found this book: Kids Who Kill.

Will it tell us what we're supposed to do?

What did you think of it?

It's chilling.

I feel like I'm reading a description of Cat the amorality, the manipulation.

Her obsession with blood and death her violence.

How many other therapists know about this?

Not many.

Does this work this holding therapy?

I don't know.

I'm ashamed to say I never followed through with it.

We wouldn't have the money to pay for it anyway.

I wonder if we do.

Well, we'll find a way. We have to.

I hope so.

Jill, I don't want you to feel that I don't have compassion

for Cat because I do.

I'm still trying to to love her.

But what I got out of that book is that without a conscience,

she's no different than a serial killer. Or a Nazi.

Well that's what she could be if we don't help her. Rob, I'm sorry.

I'm just trying to understand.

I'm sure you can explain her behavior as psychopathic and I know that

she has suffered abuse but to me.

You know what it looks like to me.

It looks like evil and I don't know that you treat evil

and I don't know that you can.

Even the person who wrote that book isn't sure.

She's just seven.

The book said a child of seven can still be helped.

Maybe.

Okay. She's innocent on one hand and and she's evil on the other.

I I mean how about some balance here.

Come on, Jill.

Well I mean what do you want to do, just throw her away?

I never said that.

You're a minister of the gospel, Rob.

Don't you beat me up with religion.Okay.

I believe in redemption; I do. But she's tried to kill twice.

What, what if we can't reach her?

I'll tell you what I believe.

That she was hurt, terribly hurt,

and that pain and rage give access to evil.

And that love and security open us to goodness and to God.

She has love. She has security.

But she can't feel it. She's never been able to feel it.

Then that's the question. Weill she ever?

I don't know. I don't know.

But all I can tell you is what I feel in my heart.

And these children were sent to us for a purpose.

Jill, I'm just going to say this once, because I feel I've got to.

You know we don't have to keep them both We can give Catherine back.

That's the cost per day?

Per hour.

And the insurance said that it won't pay for a preexisting condition.

Air fare alone will use up everything we've saved.

Well, how about a second mortgage?

Not enough equity. What about work? The church?

They need us both there.

Eric, too?

Well, the doctor said if he's not acting out

and our resources are limited, well, then we should concentrate on Cat.

Well I know Mom and Dad will take in Eric and Casey, but, the money.

We borrow. And we use our pension plan. I mean, what choice do we have?

None. None.

As most of you know, one our children, Catherine, has been having some problems.

Uh I know this has been difficult for some of you.

Jill and I would like to apologize.

This next week we'll be taking Catherine to a special clinic for treatment.

We've arranged with the Bishop for a substitute and uh Mary Anne will

be taking over Jill's Sunday School class.

We want to thank you all for your understanding and please,

remember us in your prayers.

Now if you will rise, we will sing hymn 187.

Faith of our Fathers living still, in spite of dungeon, fire and sword.

Oh how our hearts be tied with joy, etc.

Catherine. Such a pretty name. Is that what you want me to call you?

Or Cat?

Just Catherine.

Okay, Catherine, I'm Dr. Myers. How are you feeling,

a bit nervous? Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you,

I'm just going to ask you a few questions, okay?

Did you do these drawings? Okay. Let me ask you something.

Are you a happy little girl? Do you like your new home?

How about your mommy and your Daddy? How about your brother, Eric?

How about school, do you have friends at school?

Good, good. Sounds like you are a happy girl.

Mm-hmm. 'Sept sometimes Mommy gets mad at me.

Oh, she does? What for?

Oh, you know,

when I don't say my prayers or when I tease Eric.

But then everything's okay? It's all fine again?

I must say I'm disappointed.

I was looking so forward to meeting you, you know. But now, I'm surprised.

School says that you're a terrific little student,

you're a good reader...

I am.

Really?

Huh. Your parents say such interesting things about you,

but I don't know, now that we've talked,

I find you're a really ordinary little girl.

I don't think we have much more to say to each other.

These kids. Are they more interesting than me? I?

Me's okay. Yeah, they're real interesting.

Uh this one is that's Peter, he sets fires. This is Heather.

She pushed a little girl into a pool.

Why?

She said she wanted to see someone drown.

You know, we've got a dog. Want to know what I do to him?

I don't know. Is it interesting?

I stick him with needles. Sharp ones. 'Til he bleeds.

Hmm.

Did they tell you about Eric?

You mean like when you hit his head on the floor?

I pushed him, and smashed his head, and smashed it and smashed it,

and smashed it.

He kept yelling stop, Cat, stop.

But I wouldn't except Mommy and daddy made me.

How did you feel about that?

Mad.

How mad?

I'm going to kill them.

How are you going to do that?

Stab 'em, with a knife. At night. I like night, 'cause it's dark.

And I don't like them to see me do it, but they'll feel me do it.

You are certainly not an ordinary little girl.

I'm not?

Ordinary little girls don't want to kill their parents.

They don't?

I'm glad you brought her. You uh have a very sick little girl.

She shows all the signs of a severely unattached child.

Doctor, we uh, we read your book and that's why we're here.

Uh I'd just like to be sure that we're understanding the...

Bonding is a natural biological and psychological process

that normally occurs between a mother and child just after birth.

If this does not occur, we say that a child fails to attach.

Now this can happen for all sorts of reasons.

Children born to mothers who are addicted to drugs

and alcohol or who come from broken homes,

separated from their mothers at a critical time.

Kids born into poverty and all that that implies.

It's the mother that's important then?

Important, but not vital if there is another caretaker that

the child can bond with.

Well why does this happen to some children and not to others?

I mean Eric has problems but he's not dangerous.

We don't know the answer to that question yet.

It may be genetic.

Uh some children can be more susceptible than others.

It could be the number and severity of breaks and attachment.

But the critical factor is bonding. Learning to bond.

That's how a child develops the ability to trust and to love

and it's when that bond fails that

they often be cine violent and full of rage.

Can you help her?

She's severely, severely disturbed.

I uh I don't want to hold out any false hope.

What we'll be looking for is some sense that Catherine can feel empathy

and compassion for someone else, that she can feel what they feel.

I mean this is one of the things that inhibits us from hurting others.

Trust me.

I will help Catherine as much as I can in the amount of time that I have.

And remember, please, this is a family process.

Together, we will do everything we can.

Come on. Oh, no.

You don't know how good it is just to be able to talk to someone

eah, us, too. Nobody understands.

You can see why they call it a hidden disease.

Yeah, in plain sight.

Like teenagers who murder strangers and then go party.

Or corporate executives that steal millions.

I meant the professionals.

So called. They're blind. All you got to do is look around.

Anyway, everywhere we went,

they made us feel that Justin wasn't the problem, that we were.

Has the holding therapy helped?

He hasn't set any fires.

Since we've been here.

I'm hopeful.

Hm. She's hopeful. I'm broke.

Mike thinks bottom line. He forgets this is about kids.

What about the two we've got waiting at home?

How about them, huh?

How long have you had Justin?

Had him? He's not adopted. It was a late pregnancy.

I was really sick, I nearly died.

It was a month before I could even get home.

But then, he just screamed every time I touched him.

And he got so colicky and nervous that I was afraid to touch him.

I know he wasn't consciously rejecting me or anything, I knew that.

He couldn't help it; he was just a little baby.

But it got so that that I just couldn't wait to get away

from his hurt and his screaming and and get back to work, put him in day care

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

Please, don't be. This is agony.

No, it's the end of the line.

We've tried doctors, shrinks,

acupuncture quacks we've even had the kid exercised.

We aren't even Catholic. We kept thinking love was the answer.

If we could just love him enough. Right. Our kids at home are terrified.

Hell, so am I. Give him another year

and he won't have to set fires to kill us off.

He'll be able to do it with his bare hands.

Goodnight.

What are you doing?

Making sure this door is locked good and tight.

How come I can't sleep with you and Daddy?

Well because you're a big girl, honey.

If you need us you can knock on the door, okay?

Oh, where's your animals?

Here.

Okay.

Tiffany and Grizzley.

Okay, in you go. There you go.

There's your friends.

Goodnight, sweetheart. Goodnight.

You know, Dr. Myers says I'm special.

You certainly are special especially to us. Goodnight.

Is that better?

Mmm, thanks.

I keep wondering if we're going to end up like Mike and Laurel.

No, we won't.

Keep telling me that.

Well, we'll just have to keep loving each other.

Do you think she can get out the windows.

No, she's safe.

No, don't hurt me, stop. No, no, no, don't hurt me, please, no, no, no.

What we'll be doing is deliberately provoking Catherine's rage.

We'll all be holding her and at first she'll seem very passive,

until she realizes that she can't get up and that's when you'll see the rage.

Now I have to warn you, this is not pleasant to watch.

But you must trust me.

It's only by provoking her rage that we and she will have access

to the pain that's buried so deep.

Any questions?

Okay, Cat. You comfy?

I'm fine.

Look at me, honey.

How do you how do you feel when we're holding you like this?

Okay.

Talk to me, honey. Talk to me.

Let me go, I want to get up.

Oh, really? You're the boss now, huh, you're gonna tell me what to do?

Look at me. Atta girl.

Stop!

It doesn't look like you're going anywhere, huh?

Oh come on, my grandmother can kick harder than that. Come on.

Let me go. I let go. Lemme go.

Who's the boss now, Cat, huh?

Can't be Cat because it don't look like she's going anywhere.

Let me go, let me go.

Who's the boss, Cat?

I am. I am. I could do whatever I want.

Oh, you can? Well you can't get up, what kind of a boss is that?

It's not much of a boss, is it?

No, stop, no, no.

Come on. Ssh. I can't hear you. What is it?

I hate your guts, you ugly old bitch.

Good, good. You're getting honest now, huh?

I want you to look at me when you say that.

I want you look at me and I want you to say it real loud, okay? Say it.

I want you to look at me, I want you to say it loud.

Do you understand what I'm saying? Say it loud, come on. Are you scared?

Come on, say it. Come on, loud.

I hate your guts, you ugly old bitch.

Okay, louder. Louder, Cat, louder.

No.

Say it again.

I hate your guts you ugly old bitch.

Okay, one more time, Cat. Say it loud.

You're doing great, kiddo, say it again, one more time.

Come on, one more time.

I hate your guts you ugly old bitch.

Why do you hate me? Why do you hate me?

You won't let me go.

Cat, Cat, honey, when have you felt this way before? Look at me.

I don't know.

How do you feel, honey?

Mommy, Mommy, make her stop. Please, Mommy, I want to get up.

Mommy, Mommy, Mommy.

Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.

Cat, Cat, Cat. Come here.

No, no, don't touch me.

Cat, Cat. Come on, it's okay. Cat, come here.

Mrs. Tyler, please trust this process.

You are terrorizing her. She is horrified.

That's because she's frustrated and she's full of rage

because she's not getting what she wants.

What we have to do is get through that rage into the pain

and through to the empathy.

How can she learn empathy from cruelty?

My intent isn't cruel. Is yours?

This is the only way we know how to do it.

It's the only way.

Or do you think talk therapy is going to help?

You have a homicidal child on your hands.

Let's try to do something before she kills someone.

Cat, Cat, all right, come on, it's okay, come on, come on.

Cat, Cat, come on, Cat.

No, no, stop. I hate her.

I hate you. No, no, stop, no, no, stop, let me go.

I want to get up. No, stop. No, no, stop. No.

You're doing fine. Say it louder. Louder.

Come on, come on, scream. How are you feeling, Cat?

Mad.

You're mad? What are you mad at?

You.

Louder, louder.

Okay, louder, Cat, right at me. Right at me.

I hate you. I hate you. I'm going to kill you.

Oh, say why. Why do you want to kill us, Cat? Why?

I don't know.

Say why, Cat. Why do you want?

I don't know, I don't know.

Let it out, Cat. Come on, let it out.

I'm gonna choke you to death like the baby birds.

And Daddy, I'm gonna stab you with a knife.

With a knife!

Say why, Cat. Why do you want to kill us?

You're hurting me.

All right, Cat, good girl, you're doing good, okay.

Go on, take her.

Come on, sweetie, it's okay. It's okay.

I think this takes as much out of us as it does out of her.

I know. I wish there was an easier way.

You ready to go? Oh my goodness, you're so big.

I think she's starting to feel the pain underneath the rage.

That's progress.

I hope so. It's been six weeks.

Only six weeks.

Rosemary, we have to go home.

Oh, no. Oh, please just give me uh just a little more time.

I know. We've agonized about this but there's just no more money.

And our son is...

No, I understand. Uhm, well, I ordinary wouldn't allow this,

but uh you both have been especially sensitive

to this training.

You've learned a lot. I think you can do this work at home.

But together.

There must always be two of you to handle the rage.

I'm available, you can call me day or night.

You pay for the phone call, I'll pay for my time.

Thank you.

Eric says hi. And Grandma and Grandpa.

Mommy, am I getting better?

What do you think?

I think I am.

How come?

I haven't done any bad things.

That's right, you haven't. Do you want to?

I love you so much. So much.

I love you, too, Mommy.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

No, stop, please, no, no, stop, no, no, don't, no, stop,

don't hurt me, I'm sorry. No, stop, no stop, don't hurt me.

Mommy, Daddy. Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy.

Get that rope!

Move it!

Oh, Catherine.

You left me. You left me.

No, honey, we didn't. We're here. You're safe.

You forgot me.

Cat, we didn't forget you. We just had to go see about the fire.

Did Justin do it?

Yes, honey, he did.

Did he burn anybody?

No, thank God. Okay, it's time for bed.

Please, can I sleep here? Please, please, I'm scared.

All right. Just for tonight.

Cat.

Cat, what are you doing?

I just had to get Grizzley.

Oh, good idea. Come on. Can you get under there? I love you, Cat.

'Night, Mommy. 'Night, daddy.

Goodnight, sweetie.

Rob!

No, no, no, no, let me go, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.

Cat.

Oh God.

I can't pretend to know why it happened and happened now, I can only speculate.

The fire, the rage that came with the panic uh when she felt deserted.

Of course this work brings up old memories,

you know.

But we were talking last night

and she said she didn't want to do bad things.

I'm sure she meant it.

Will she ever change? Well she ever lead a normal life?

Jill, if you're asking me for a guarantee can't give you one.

This is not a quick fix. don't trust anybody that tells you it is.

It's terrifying,

I know, but we have to teach this child how to access her pain

and her rage so that she can understand it

and then she can control it.

But what if she can't learn? What if she ends up like Justin?

Do I just sit and wait for her to try to kill Rob or Eric?

Well, Justin's eleven.

We don't know enough yet to easily reach a child of that age.

But there's hope for Catherine.

Here, or at home as you continue to work with her.

I don't know if I can.

Maybe I should take over.

Well it's better if she bonds with her mother first.

Jill? We have this last session. Can you do it?

I'll kill you. I'll kill you.

Why do you want to kill us?

You're hurting me.

No, your birth dad hurt you, Cat, Your birth dad hurt you.

You hurt me. Don't hurt me. Please, Daddy, don't hurt me.

Don't hurt me, don't hurt me.

What do you see? What are you seeing, Cat, What is it?

He's coming. He's coming.

What's he doing?

How do you feel, Cat, how do you feel?

I'll kill him. I hate him. I'll kill you.

Tell him, Cat.

I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you. I'll stab you like Casey.

I'll beat you like Eric. I'll burn you like Justin.

You'll die and you'll bleed and you'll hurt and you'll die

and you'll die and you'll die.

How do you feel, Cat?

I hurt. Mommy, Mommy, I hurt. I hurt, I hurt. Hold me,

Mommy, Mommy, hold me. Hold me, Mommy, Mommy I hurt, hold me.

Okay, sweetie, I got you, sweetheart, I got you. I got you, sweetheart.

It's okay to hurt and it's okay to be mad.

Look at me, Cat. Now listen. Your birth dad hurt Baby Cat.

But this is your daddy and he loves you very much.

Do you understand that your birth dad hurt Baby Cat

and that's why she wants to hurt other people.

Kill them.

Yeah, kill them. Do you know why?

Do you want other people to hurt like you hurt?

And be dead.

Your birth dad hurt Baby Cat.

And that's why she wants to hurt and kill.

But Cat isn't a baby. Not any more.

She's a big, strong, beautiful girl.

Big, strong,

beautiful Catherine can tell Baby Cat to stop.

Big Catherine can control Baby Cat. And when she does, do you know something.

That's when the hurting will start to go away.

Have faith.

A few months ago, I preached a sermon to you about love.

I said even when things seem difficult, have faith in love.

This morning, home again, with my family,

among those that we love and love us,

that's what I was going to tell you again.

Implying that those who have faith live happily ever

or at least happier ever after.

But I want to confess to

you, her, today,

that my faith is being tested as it has never been tested before.

And it breaks my heart, as it breaks my heart

to know that children can be so thoroughly neglected

and so brutally abused that they lose their capacity to love

and to be loved, forever.

That they must, just to protect themselves,

wall off their hearts

and open their souls to evil just to survive.

That they must abjure conscience, set aside empathy, remorse, compassion,

all of the feelings and the emotions that bind us together

as human beings and as children of God.

So let us vow to protect every child from neglect and abuse

and all of the other horrors of the world so that all children,

everywhere, will always,

always be open to the love of God and live in God's love forever.

So it was okay, staying with Grandma and Grandpa?

Can I go back?

You sure can.

You can even go fishing.

But right now, we'd like you to stay

with us for a while because we missed you so much.

Is that okay?

There's nothing to be afraid of, sweetheart.

Do you have your whistle?

You sure do, huh?

Okay, put it back under there.

Okay, let's go to bed.

Sleep tight, son.

See you in the morning.

Goodnight, Cat.

Goodnight, Mom.

Can I have a hug?

Goodnight, Cat.

Goodnight, Dad.

Oh, Daddy, stop, stop.

Come on, yeah, you're daddy's baby, aren't you?

Oh yeah.

You're so hot for daddy, ain't ya?

Come on.

Oh, baby, you're so hot for your daddy.

No. No. No.

Come on, little honey.

No, Daddy, no, no.

Oh, baby, you're so hot for your Daddy.

No, Daddy, no, no.

You're hurting me, you're hurting me.

No, no, no.

No...

I killed him.

Look, I killed him.

See, I killed him.

Look, I killed him.

See, I killed him.

I killed him, look.

I killed him, look.

I killed him, see. I killed him.

Cat, come on, it's okay.

Honey, why don't you get her back to her room.

It's okay. It's okay. There you go.

Look, Daddy, I killed him.

I killed him.

Jill, will you stop it please.

It's not your fault, it's not my fault, it's not anybody's.

I wanted them, too.

I mean I want them.

We we can't let her do something

that she'll have to live with the rest of her life.

I don't understand.

What are you saying?

Sitting in church I realized that I can't let her go,

no matter what she's done.

And uh if anyone going to be her mother,

if she's going to bond with anyone, it'll be me.

So I'll take her.

Take her?

What do you mean?

Look, I didn't adopt these kids just to be separated from my wife.

Just until she's better.

And if she isn't?

If she ends up like Justin, what are we supposed to do,

just give up our lives together.

Do you think that's what God wants?

I don't know what God wants.

He doesn't talk to me, okay?

I mean, maybe here's where we're supposed to be missionaries,

not in Africa.

Together?

But no, here, here, with Cat... yes, together.

We'll be together, just not living together.

I'll get an apartment.

You're not leaving.

And if she does something to hurt you or Eric?

Or you?

I'll put an alarm on the door.

You can do that here.

And raise Eric in a prison, terrified all the time.

Rob, listen to me, please.

Feel what I'm feeling.

I want to love her as a mother loves a child...

like you want to love her as a daughter.

And I don't.

I can't.

But I love her with all the compassion in my heart

and I could no more abandon her

than I, I could turn away a starving man that God sent to my door for food.

And neither can you, my love, my beautiful husband.

Neither can you.

Let's go and work with our daughter.

I don't want to.

Come on, okay, honey.

Okay, Cat.

I'm so scared.

We love you, honey.

No, no, lemme go. No, stop.

Let me go. No, I'm a good girl.

Don't hate me, don't hurt me.

No, lemme go. I'm good. Stop.

I'm a good girl, don't hate me.

Let me go.

Jill. Jill. Jill. Jill.

No...

Tears for Baby Cat?

Yes, sweetheart, tears for Baby Cat.

And for all the other babies hurt in the world who need Mommies

and Daddies to hold them and to love them.

Don't cry. Don't cry.

What are you feeling, Cat?

Tears. Tears for you, Mommy.

Tears for you.

I love you, Mommy.

I love you, Daddy.

I love you too.