Original subtitles

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.

All right, let's go, let's go.

Time for bed. - Five more minutes?

Come on. How about 10? - All right.

But I want you washed, brushed, and in your rooms.

Yes, ma'am.

Franky, did you take your medicine?

Will you look at me so I know you're listening?

I took it. Damn!

Josh!

Does this look like an indoor track to you?

My bad, Ms. Miller.

"My bad" is not an apology.

Just go to bed.

Anybody seen Anthony?

Stomping on those cars like tin cans!

Anthony, Eric!

Lights out.

I know, I know.

You seen Anthony?

Do I look like his zookeeper?

Well, where the hell is he?

I don't know.

When was the last time you saw him?

After school, I guess.

He left his phone here?

The truth, Eric, right now.

I'm done playing.

Missing kid is Anthony Reed, 16.

Who called it in?

Home director, Aurora Miller.

How'd this kid end up in the system?

Both parents deceased.

And I checked his juvie record. He's on probation.

For what?

Assaulting a kid at school two weeks ago.

Anthony left his cell behind?

Sent it to TARU.

But kid's got an ankle monitor.

His parole officer is tracking it.

All right.

Anthony's a good kid.

He can act tougher than he is.

When was the last time you saw him?

This morning, when he left for school.

Take us through his day today.

He was fine.

He finally went to school without complaining

for a change.

And you confirmed that he made it there?

First call I made, they said it was a normal day.

Well, what made you call it an abduction?

To be honest, I thought you would respond faster.

And I found his phone in his room.

Do you know any teens that would

ditch their phones out of nowhere?

Who was the last person to see him?

His roommate.

He came back here for about 20 minutes after school,

had a trash bag, threw some clothes in and left.

Did he tell you where he was headed?

No.

And you didn't ask?

Me and Anthony don't exactly get along.

Am I in trouble?

Just tell them what you told me.

After he walked out, I look out the window

and see him get in some guy's car.

You see the driver pointing a gun at Anthony or anything?

No, but I thought I saw him hug Anthony.

OK. Can you describe this guy?

Dad-looking dude, white, mustache.

What kind of car was he driving?

A gold minivan.

Did Anthony ever talk to you about some old guy?

No.

If I'd ever heard about it,

you'd better believe there would have been a problem.

Detectives, Probations just got

a last known on Anthony's ankle monitor.

Let's go.

- Have you seen this kid? - He left.

An hour ago.

- Thank you. - Silva.

I was just on the phone with Probations.

And?

Well, they're saying that Anthony is at this location.

I'm telling you, he left.

Well, then his ankle monitor must still be here.

This kid, how did he seem to you?

Kept looking around like he was nervous or something.

With an older man?

White guy, mustache, comb-over.

They ordered burgers, sodas,

finished their food, left, drove away.

- Gold minivan? - Yeah.

Any chance you got a good look at the plate?

No, but it was New York.

- You sure? - Yeah, definitely.

Bruno.

Someone had to have cut it off.

Whoever abducted him.

OK, so do you think we have enough for an AMBER alert?

We got older, white male,

gold minivan, and New York plates.

Then I'll call it in.

So Anthony Reed has been missing for 12 hours.

1PP wants an update.

Where are we with the surveillance?

Cameras in the fast food joint couldn't see the car.

I'm checking street cams now.

And what about the older white male?

Is there anyone in his life that fits that description?

Not that we could find.

Anthony's father was murdered when he was ten years old,

and his mother died of a fentanyl overdose a year later.

Kid's been in the system ever since.

Foster care, now the group home.

OK, what about his phone?

Mostly games, but we did find a couple dozen unknown numbers.

The weird thing is they're all from area codes

all over the U.S., not spam.

OK, well, start calling them.

TARU found some

incriminating Google searches on Anthony's phone.

Like what?

He was looking for tips on how to remove an ankle monitor.

So was he abducted or was he trying to run away?

Did we talk to his parole officer?

He visited Anthony last week,

and he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

Anthony lives in a group home,

so he must have appointments with CPS.

Yeah, his caseworker's name

is Michael Strickland.

Find out if he knows anything.

I was assigned to Anthony's case

when he was moved into West Harlem Boys' Home.

He was 11.

What can you tell us about him?

He's had a tough life.

So we keep hearing.

You heard about his fight at school?

The assault charge? Yeah.

Anything you want to add?

Anthony said the kid was making fun of him.

- For what? - Take your pick.

Because he lives in a group home,

his dad was murdered,

he's got an old phone, secondhand clothes.

Kids can be cruel.

How much contact do you have with Anthony?

We meet once a week.

I do the best I can as his advocate.

Were you able to ID the guy who took him yet?

Well, we're hoping you could help us with that.

Anthony ever mention an older white male?

Somebody he might have been comfortable with,

enough to get in his car?

No. If he told me anything like that,

I'd be obligated to report it.

You seem pretty shaken up.

I'm worried about him.

You're going to find him, right?

We're doing everything we can.

Thanks.

Hey, where are we with Anthony Reed?

Nothing from the AMBER Alert.

Well, the kid lives in a group home.

He's on house arrest.

Do we know how he might have met this guy?

Well, we know predators gravitate toward group homes.

Yeah, but nobody at this group home has any idea

how Anthony might have

developed a friendship with an older man?

Look, I don't know this kid.

But the level of trauma that he's been through in his life,

it's very likely that he learned

how to compartmentalize.

- Captain. Got something. - Yeah.

What do you got?

TARU pulled cams from across the street

at the fast food place.

- And? - Found this.

You get an ID?

Car's registered to Colin Clark,

age 56, address in Murray Hill.

- Criminal record? - Nothing.

So if he's a sexual predator,

then he managed to keep it under the radar.

So what are we looking at here?

He's grooming this kid?

From where I stand, yes.

I mean, that's worth a warrant, isn't it, counselor?

I'll call the judge right now.

Bruno, update the AMBER Alert with the plate number.

Curry, Velasco, have ESU meet you at his house.

NYPD! Open up!

- Mrs. Clark? - Yes. What's going on?

We have a warrant to search the premises.

Oh. For--for what?

We're looking for a missing 16-year-old boy.

Well, he's not in my house!

What about your husband? Is he here?

Oh, he's not here either.

OK, when's the last time you talked to him?

Uh, yesterday.

He's--he said he was going out of town.

To do what?

Go to a coin collector's convention.

Why are the police looking for him?

We think he might be on the run with this boy.

Do you know anything about that?

Absolutely not.

I've never seen that kid before in my life.

Place is clear. We found a laptop.

Listen, if you have any idea where your husband might be,

now's the time to tell us.

Um, have you, uh,

asked the people he works with?

One of his employees?

Hey, that's Clark's minivan.

I called CSU. They're on their way to search.

What about his cell?

Not picking up, but the signal pings in this vicinity.

OK, so find out where he is.

On it, Captain.

All right, fan out, search the place.

We're looking for this guy. You know him?

I think he's our locksmith. Why?

When's the last time you saw him?

I don't know.

OK, what about this kid?

No idea who that is.

All right, we need a list of your unoccupied rooms.

Found something in room 2B.

All right.

We got an open door.

Let's move.

Anthony?

Clear!

You ready?

Well, we found Colin.

So did a bullet.

OK, where's Anthony?

Call the ME.

You hear that?

NYPD!

Open up!

NYPD!

We're coming in! Go.

- All right! - Don't move!

Put the weapon down! - Hey!

Put it down! - Put the gun down now!

Do it slowly!

Anthony.

We're here to help you, OK?

Anthony, I'm going to need you to put the gun down, all right?

I need you to put the gun down right now.

Hey.

Hey, look at me.

Look at me.

I need you to give me the gun, OK?

Anthony, I'm going to come in,

and I'm going to take the gun from you.

It's going to be OK.

Don't hurt him. Don't hurt him. - FBI. Get back.

- Hey. - Do not hurt him.

Do you understand your rights, Anthony?

Rights?

From what I know, it's just a fancy way

of saying I'm about to get screwed.

I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen.

Do I even need a lawyer?

Yeah, you do, son.

So let's talk about Colin Clark.

How did you two meet?

When he kidnapped me off the street.

OK, so tell us about that.

I was on my way out, and he pulled me into his car.

And he just happened to be there

at the exact moment that you left?

You'd be surprised how many pervs

hang out in front of our building.

But the thing is, Anthony, is that your roommate said

that he saw the guy, who we found murdered

in that hotel room, hug you.

Hug me?

The guy grabbed me, dragged me into his minivan.

He--he had a gun.

That must have been scary.

It was.

How come you left your phone behind?

Because I was thinking about running away for weeks.

How come?

You ever been inside a boys' home?

I have.

Then you know what those places are like.

OK, so Colin forced you into the minivan.

Who took off your ankle monitor?

He did.

Ditched it in some fast food place

while he was stuffing his face with cheese fries.

Yeah, we know. We found it.

He took it off.

He said no one was ever going to find me.

Yeah, but you wanted it off, too, didn't you?

What do you mean?

Well, we found some searches in your phone.

Big deal.

Like I said, I was trying to run away.

If you had that stupid thing on you,

wouldn't you try to take it off?

Got it. Thanks.

Well, the license division verified that the gun

was registered to Colin Clark.

And the guys down at Ballistics said

the only rounds put through it were the ones used to kill him.

How long has he owned it?

Five years.

That's what you call a "safe queen."

A lot of people buy guns,

lock them away, and never use them.

Well, he allegedly did use it to abduct a teenager.

So this kid somehow gets a hold of the gun,

shoots Clark, the locksmith, in self-defense?

So my question is,

why didn't the kid just bolt from the motel?

Scared?

He feels remorse?

And that's why he covered him with a sheet.

Yeah, I don't think he was shot in that bed.

I think he was shot right here.

So did this kid pull a 200-pound man up onto the bed?

Oh, maybe he did.

Maybe he didn't.

What are you thinking? There was somebody else here?

It's just a theory.

Unless you have a way to disprove it.

Benson and Carisi are with the kid now.

I'll fill her in.

OK. Thanks, Bruno.

Yeah.

So Bruno and Silva found something at the crime scene.

You mean motel where my underage client

was taken against his will.

So why don't you tell us about that, Anthony?

He drove us to this motel.

Must have planned it 'cause he already had a room.

Held a gun on me, made me come inside with him.

And then, what happened?

He said he didn't feel well.

He went into the bathroom.

OK. And what did you do?

His jacket was on a chair.

Grabbed the gun out of the pocket

and waited for him to come back out.

And when he did?

Lucky for me, he just went in to bed.

And boom.

I shot him.

Look, I didn't have a choice.

I was afraid he was going to bury me in the woods somewhere.

So just to be clear,

you shot Colin Clark while he was lying in the bed?

- Yeah. - Uh-huh.

So the problem with that, Anthony,

is that my detectives at the scene--

they think that he was shot on the floor.

Then they must be stupid.

And if they're right,

that means somebody

must have moved him onto the bed.

Hm?

Did you do that?

Do I have to answer that?

You don't have to answer anything you don't want to.

We're done for now, Captain. I want to speak to my client.

OK.

Bruno and Silva think that Colin's body was

placed in the bed postmortem.

What, from a pool of blood? The guy was shot on the floor.

Explains the kid's lack of a coherent story.

And he had gun residue on his hand.

He did, he did.

But he's not denying that he was the shooter.

Something about this is not adding up.

You believe his self-defense story?

Look, he's 16.

And Colin had a gun. - So yes.

Until I have proof otherwise, yes.

I'd like some actual evidence myself at this point.

Well, the gun is at Ballistics

getting tested for prints

and Bruno and Silva are on their way to the ME.

Soon as I know anything, I'll let you know.

In the meantime, once Anthony clears medically,

I'm sending him to juvie.

Carisi, we need him to tell us the truth.

And by locking him up, he's not going to trust us anymore.

Until I can determine whether or not this is self-defense,

we don't have a choice.

The bullet went through the ventral side

of the forearm, exited the dorsal side into his chest.

Cause of death: exsanguination due to a perforating injury

of the left pulmonary artery.

So he was aware the gun was pointed at him,

and he raised his arms defensively?

If I had to hazard a guess.

Do we have a time of death?

Based on internal temp and lividity,

I'd estimate about two hours before you found him.

What about the bruising on his face?

Someone hit him?

It wasn't a fist.

A lot of power.

Maybe an elbow.

Well, judging from the blood smears at the scene,

it looked like the body was moved postmortem

from the floor to the bed.

What I can confirm--

the angle of the bullet was from above.

So he was lying on the floor when he was shot.

Not lying.

The entrance wound on his forearm was downward.

The victim threw up his arm, suggesting

he was on his knees when he was shot.

And this kid's still claiming self-defense?

According to Benson.

Oh, well, good luck with that.

I'm ruling manner of death was homicide.

If it was self-defense, that is up to you guys.

So the ME said that Colin was on his knees when he was shot,

and she confirmed that the body was likely moved

from the floor to the bed.

None of which match Anthony's story.

What about Ballistics?

There were two clear sets of prints on the gun,

Colin's and Anthony's.

They also found a partial print, possibly male.

OK. Anything in the system?

Eh, there was not enough data on the partial to make a match,

so the lab's still working.

So it's possible that Anthony wasn't the shooter.

With this kid, anything's possible.

Are there any witnesses?

Any footage from the motel?

And nobody heard the gunshot? - No.

Only two other guests at the time,

and they were on another floor.

The place charges by the hour.

No cameras for a reason.

Clark never even stopped by the front desk.

He was their locksmith, had a master key,

just helped himself to an empty room.

TARU just sent over what they found on his laptop.

Texts sent to and from Anthony.

Anthony must have deleted them from his phone.

"Let's go cross country, start fresh in California."

There's more.

"I love you."

So they were in some kind of relationship.

You said it yourself, Carisi.

This guy's been grooming him all along.

Only one way to know for sure.

Let's go talk to him again.

I already told you.

That perv kidnapped me right off the street.

- So you never met him before? - No.

And you never communicated with him before?

- Never. - Never. OK.

So maybe you can, uh, explain these texts to us, Anthony.

Where'd you get those?

Why don't you let Anthony explain?

I didn't write any of those.

Anthony, if you had a prior relationship with him,

it is not your fault.

You were 16. He was a grown man.

The only thing that we care about

is what happened in that hotel room.

That is it.

I'd advise you to answer, Anthony.

OK, OK.

I--Colin didn't snatch me off the street.

I--I went with him, like my roommate said.

OK. OK.

So what was the plan?

I was going to lead him on,

get him to take me cross country.

Mm-hmm. We know.

Why California?

Never been there.

So this seedy motel in East Harlem,

that was just the-- the first stop on your journey?

He said we had to stay in the motel for a few nights,

let things blow over with his wife,

and make sure the police weren't looking for me.

Anthony, tell us exactly what happened

the night that Colin was shot, OK?

And if you did kill him, why?

I-I heard him on the phone with his wife, and she was--

she was crying for him to come home.

No, we know that's a lie.

How?

Because we talked to her.

Colin wouldn't let me leave, so I--

I grabbed the gun,

closed my eyes, and I just shot.

So the problem with that

is that we found another fingerprint on the gun.

Was there someone else in the room last night, Anthony?

If there was, don't you think I'd tell you?

No. You've been lying to me all along.

You're still lying to me.

You can't see in my head.

Then tell us.

Tell us what's in your head.

And tell us the truth. Not another lie.

You want to know what's a lie?

No, no, that-that badge you're wearing.

This place...

Juvie, foster care, CPS-- all of it.

That's the real lie-- that any of you care.

Now, just leave me alone.

Anthony.

No, just leave me alone.

Well, that didn't go as I'd hoped.

Well, he's clearly terrified.

You think he's covering for someone?

Yeah, I do.

Whoever actually murdered Colin Clark.

Is there anything from the Eighth Floor on Anthony's case?

Now that Anthony admitted that he wasn't taken

against his will, it's going to be tough to prove self-defense.

Hold on.

They're seriously considering a murder charge?

I don't love it either, but Anthony's standing

by his confession, all right?

And he was found with a gun in his hand.

Anthony was manipulated by Colin

and possibly whoever else was in that room.

This mystery man who we can't find who doesn't have a name.

He left a partial on the gun.

Yeah, and for all we know,

that could have been left by the gun dealer who handled

the weapon before he sold it to Colin.

I know. I know. We're tracking it down.

Well, until you do, to the brass,

he's just a juvenile offender who seems to be escalating.

Not to mention Anthony keeps rewriting the story.

Anthony was traumatized his entire life.

Wouldn't you want a different story?

I get it.

But there's not a lot I can do without his cooperation.

Or a viable suspect.

So how about we find one?

Hey.

We tracked down the gun store where Colin got the weapon?

None of the employees' prints were a match

to the partial on the gun.

So far, all we have is a kid who won't talk

and a dead perp who can't.

And nothing concrete

to indicate a third party was involved.

OK, so maybe we have to go at this from a different angle.

How do you mean?

Look, whoever this third guy is,

Anthony seems terrified to give him up, so maybe--

maybe he has some kind of hold on him.

Maybe whoever he is

is trying to keep the pressure on Anthony.

Have we checked the juvie visitation logs?

Yeah.

Logs only show one visitor,

Aurora Miller, group home director.

All right. Start with her.

I visited Anthony yesterday.

I couldn't get anything out of him.

Did he really shoot that man?

As of now, he's the only suspect.

Well, Anthony can be a little spiky,

but I don't think he'd actually ever hurt anyone.

Really?

Then, uh, why did he hit that kid at school?

Did you ever see an ankle monitor

on the leg of a perfect angel?

The kid was older.

Anthony has an issue with older boys.

Why is that?

After Anthony's mother died,

he was placed in a foster family.

A year later,

it comes to light that Anthony was sexually abused

by one of the older sons.

Did, uh, police ever get involved?

I'm not sure.

He doesn't like to talk about it.

Then how did you find out about it?

His social worker, Michael Strickland,

pulled it out of him.

Michael told me.

He's been working with Anthony

since he came to the West Harlem Boys' Home.

Michael really tried to help Anthony,

but sometimes dredging up the past

just makes things worse.

Look, what happened to Anthony

is a failure of the whole system.

The kid just fell through the cracks.

But Michael Strickland has been his social worker

since the age of 11. - Yes.

Any complaints on Michael's record?

Some.

But this is Child Protective Services.

Even Buddha couldn't do this job with a smile.

So what were Michael's complaints about?

There were a few foster parents

who thought Michael focused a little too much on the kids.

Define "too much."

Going above and beyond, big brother kind of stuff--

taking them for ice cream, pizza.

He ever do that with Anthony?

Probably.

Look, Michael gets results.

Most kids improve under his care.

So why didn't Anthony?

I'm happy to look into it.

No need to. We'll take care of it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Michael Strickland.

Yeah.

Is this about Anthony? Horrible what happened.

About that.

We'd like to ask you a few questions.

I already talked to SVU detectives the other day.

Well, we have a few more things we want to ask you.

Like what?

Like what was the extent

of your relationship with Anthony?

I'm growing uncomfortable with this line of questioning.

Well, let us ask you something a little more snugly.

Where were you the night Colin Clark was shot

and Anthony was found with a gun in his hand?

Yeah, I--I was at home in my apartment.

Anyone you live with that can verify?

Look, I already told you everything that I know.

What do you want from me?

Here's the thing, Michael.

An unidentified partial print

was found on the gun used to shoot Colin.

Colin?

It's my first time even hearing that name.

Your prints are in the system.

So what is the lab going to find

when they start matching that partial to you?

I--I think I should get a lawyer.

I've done nothing wrong. I was looking out for the kid.

What we want to know is, were you anywhere near

the Cityscape Motel two nights ago?

If he was, my client was just

trying to help a kid in trouble.

Oh, yeah, we heard that, too.

Older man who goes above and beyond

for the young boys in his care.

How far beyond is the question.

There was a partial found on the gun

that the lab is working on as we speak.

So we can either wait for the lab

or your client can agree to cooperate.

Well, that's why we're here.

We're listening.

Those were my prints on the gun

because I was at the motel that night,

but I didn't kill Colin Clark.

Anthony did.

It--it wasn't Anthony's fault.

He called me from the motel.

And when I got there, he and Colin were together in bed.

Then what?

I was furious.

I yelled at Colin, and he pulled out his gun.

We struggled.

I knocked it out of his hand.

And where was Anthony?

He must have picked up the gun.

The next thing I knew, it went off,

and Anthony's finger was on the trigger.

Why didn't you call the police?

I realize now I should have.

You're a CPS social worker.

I know. It was wrong.

But I didn't want to implicate Anthony.

Oh, my God, this guy is so full of it.

Yeah, that may be so.

But until we can prove it, this is still on Anthony.

Anthony has been failed by the system his entire life.

I'm not about to let that happen again.

And where was Anthony?

He must have picked up the gun.

The next thing I knew, it went off,

and Anthony's finger was on the trigger.

So what do you think of that, Anthony?

- I don't know. - You don't know?

Clearly, this social worker is lying to you.

We need to hear that from Anthony.

Anthony, we are trying to help you, OK?

I didn't ask you for it, all right?

I don't need anyone's help.

Was Michael in that motel room?

Hmm?

Look, we know you didn't have your cell phone on you.

So we can just check the motel phone logs--

Yeah, OK. I...

I called him. - Why?

Explain that to me.

You told us that you were going to run away with Colin.

I was. But I was scared.

Like, I--I changed my mind.

So you called Michael to, what, come pick you up?

To come rescue you?

Michael has some kind of hold on you.

He groomed you, too, didn't he?

Like you're trying to do right now?

Anthony, just tell them.

Tell them what?

That you didn't kill Colin.

I can't say that!

Why not? Why not, if that's what happened?

I-I'm done.

I'm done talking about this right now.

It's OK. It's OK. It's OK.

Anthony,

I'm just asking you to tell me the truth, that's all.

Just tell me the truth.

Will you stop protecting Michael?

Anthony, you can get out of here.

Go where?

I got nobody.

You got me.

You got my team of detectives.

You've got those two lawyers right there.

All of us want to do is just help you.

- Help me do what? - To have a chance at a life.

Hm? A chance.

I don't want it. I don't want it.

So this is some kind of sick triangle?

It explains why Michael killed Colin, right?

Jealousy.

Yeah, but then why would Anthony

still be protecting Michael?

Because under all that pain

is a scared little boy still in need of a family.

Well, he's not helping himself

by continuing to lie to us.

I guess we're just going to have to find

the answers on our own.

Michael Strickland admitted to being in the room,

his prints are on the gun,

and we still can't charge him for murder.

I think that Anthony knows that.

That's why he's not retracting his confession.

So you're saying that he's protecting this guy?

Yes, for complicated reasons, yes.

Listen, whether he's some kind

of father figure to Anthony or a boyfriend,

it doesn't really matter.

Either way, the kid is messed up.

OK, what are we missing about Michael Strickland?

No record. Been with CPS for ten years.

A few complaints about spending too much time socially

with some of the kids in his care.

Nothing that crossed the line.

Well, the night that Colin was shot,

it can't be the first time that they met.

Any prior beef between these two men?

If there's a connection between them,

we haven't found it.

Well, what about all the numbers in his phone?

I called the listed numbers.

What I got was a lot of confused people

who said they didn't know what I was talking about.

Or a bunch of liars.

Mm-hmm.

It's a lot of random numbers

for a kid who has no friends and no family

to have in his phone.

OK, so what are you thinking?

Well, we know that Colin

was sexually involved with this kid.

We know that Colin's number was also in the kid's phone.

Maybe Anthony was turning tricks.

Which explains why the numbers I called

were connected to men who claimed not to know anything.

Follow up.

So anything in common between all those random phone numbers?

They all pinged off cell towers

the same weekend big events were happening in the city.

So like football games,

car shows, conventions, stuff like that?

Exactly.

That would fit our sex trafficking theory.

Did you find Anthony's number on any escort sites?

- No. - How about Michael Strickland?

I found this on Craigslist.

My God.

That's Anthony, but it looks like from a few years ago.

With a contact number

we traced back to Michael Strickland.

So you can prove definitively

that Michael Strickland was the go-between?

And not just for Anthony Reed.

How many kids was this guy trafficking?

Dozens.

Boys, girls,

all in the Child Protective Services system.

We've talked about this before.

No, I told you to leave me alone!

Anthony, please, hear them out.

Anthony, we're not giving up on you.

Or the other kids involved.

Other--other kids?

That's what we came here to tell you.

You weren't the only kid that Michael was working.

He was trafficking other kids,

and some of them were even in your group home.

- You're lying. - No.

Anthony, I wish that we were.

Listen to us.

I know that the system failed you.

Now, I've been working in New York City for 30 years.

Believe me when I tell you I understand broken systems.

But all I can do is try to make it better.

I know that you feel alone.

I know that you think that you have to be tough

and push the world away to keep yourself safe.

But you and these other kids

live in that group home together.

So it's not just you.

So I'm asking you

to tell me how you really met Colin.

Tell me.

I met him on Craigslist.

He was nice to me. - OK.

He wanted to--

he wanted to help me.

How?

He said I had choices.

I tried to get away from Michael by

punching that kid in school.

So you got put on probation on purpose?

So you would have to wear an ankle monitor.

So Michael couldn't traffic you.

Anthony, if you wanted to get away,

then why did you call Michael from the motel room?

I panicked.

It was a mistake.

Michael asked me to make a choice.

He made Colin get on his knees.

Then he put the gun in my hand.

And?

He told me to shoot him.

But I couldn't.

Because you're not a killer.

Anthony.

How did Colin wind up dead?

Michael...

put his hand on mine.

And he made me squeeze the trigger.

And who put him in the bed?

Michael did.

He told me if anybody asked about it,

that I should say that Colin was raping me

in the bed.

If you're looking for Michael,

he's with one of his kids.

Yeah, that's what we're afraid of.

Tell him the session's over.

Will told me you guys went to the arcade the other day.

I want to go. - We could do that.

Franky, come with me.

But Mr. Strickland and I were talking.

It's all right, Franky. You go ahead.

- What's going on? - You're under arrest.

- For what? - Child sex trafficking.

No, no, no.

Look, I work with kids for a living.

My whole life is devoted to service.

Yeah, and we got a whole phone book

full of out-of-state Johns who'd be willing to testify

to that very fact just to save their own asses.

On top of that, you're looking at

a potential murder charge.

Oh, that's right, we forgot to tell you.

Anthony turned on you.

Passing the baton.

He's all yours.

How you doing, Michael?

I didn't think I'd see this guy again.

Did you? - Yeah, I did.

OK, why am I here?

For doing my job? Protecting my kids?

Wow. Your kids.

That is pretty possessive, don't you think?

We all know why we're here. Let's just get to it.

Aside from the multiple witnesses

on the sex trafficking charges, including Anthony--

Well, Anthony didn't do anything

that he didn't want to do.

He's 16.

Which is why I was trying to save him.

Look, all those numbers that you found

were couples looking to adopt an adolescent.

Do you know how hard it is to get someone to adopt a teen?

Oh, you know what? I think I owe you an apology.

We got this all wrong.

All along, you were trying to do this kid a favor.

OK, let's be clear.

Colin Clark simply wanted to adopt Anthony Reed.

Well, a bullet is a strange way to vet a parent,

don't you think?

Not only that. We found your online ads.

The ones where you escort children to rapists.

OK, uh...

OK, OK, but I-- I didn't kill anybody.

That's not what Anthony said.

Wait, I-I can't believe you'd fall for that crap.

The kid is a pathological liar.

Oh, and you would know that how?

'Cause I've been his advocate since he was 11.

Oof, that's pretty sick, if you ask me.

Look, no, what I mean is,

I--I know his psych history better than anybody.

That's a good way to cover your tracks,

and, at the very least, help your lawyer out in court.

Oh, she's not going to be able to help you with this one.

We got a couple dozen cops

ripping your house apart right now.

No, look, I-- I love that kid.

You know what you love?

What he's earned for you.

That's what you love.

You weren't trying to defend Anthony from Colin.

You just didn't want anyone to find out

about your little side hustle.

OK. Have you seen enough, Carisi?

This guy's a pimp.

He shot Colin to protect his own business.

Anthony was his biggest asset.

But if this goes to court, he's one of ours.

You want to put Anthony on the stand?

Counselor, hasn't he been through enough?

Yeah, he has.

All right, I know this lawyer. She can't stand losing.

She'll push for a deal.

All right, let's go. Let's go. Time for bed.

Come on, everybody.

Come on, guys. - Five more minutes.

How about ten?

All right, but I want you washed,

brushed, and in your rooms. - Yes, ma'am.

Franky, look at me so I know you're listening.

- Fine. - Take your medicine.

Where is Anthony?

He's still in his room with that lady.

Sorry to interrupt.

It's lights out. - Oh, OK. Thank you.

I'll--I'll be out of here in a few minutes.

Take as much time as you need.

So no more roommate.

I wish I could blame it on my bad behavior,

but he got adopted.

OK.

Well, good for him.

It almost gives me hope.

You know, I'm rooting for you, Anthony.

And the system is broken, but not beyond repair.

And neither are you.

You take care of yourself, OK?

Hey, Captain Benson?

I'm sorry I lied to you.

Well, I wouldn't lie to Ms. Miller anymore.