Law & Order Special Victims Unit s19e05 Episode Script
Complicated
1 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
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.
- 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.