History Recap / LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnitS5E18Careless

* AbusiveParents: Lori-Ann Dufoy is a foster parent example. She only takes in foster children for the money, and then neglects and/or physically abuses the kids in her care. She's not only the one who murdered Jamie, but then sent her other foster child, Megan, to mental hospital for witnessing the act.

* FakeFaithHealer: The episode has the rare sympathetic version. Not only does he believe in his own powers, but he also believes he's responsible for the death of a child—[[spoiler: and he's wrong about that too.]]

* DrivenToSuicide: Mariel, the social worker, shoots herself to death after a threatening phone call finally convinces her that despite all the children she's tried to help, she will only be remembered for the one she failed.

A young boy dies in the emergency room after passing out at a late night church service headed by a Faith Healer. After an investigation, his foster parents and a social worker are charged with his death. His foster mother, however, was bilking the system for money and the agent assigned to his case was overburdened with cases to the point she couldn't make regular visits or respond to the foster father's phone calls.

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The detectives investigate the death of a 6-year-old boy, Jamie Semple who was brought into the hospital by his foster dad, Sam Dufoy when he took Jamie to church for an exorcism. At first, the church pastor is believed to be responsible for Jamie's death, but then it is discovered that Jamie was already dead when he was brought into the hospital after being smothered with a pillow at home. Sam is arrested for murdering Jamie, but Jamie's birth mother claims that his social worker, Mariel Plummer is responsible for his death because on the night of Jamie's murder, Sam called Ms. Plummer when he claimed that Jamie was out of control, but she never returned his calls or made follow-up visits to the Dufoys' house even though she claims that she did.

Mariel is arrested for reckless endangerment and altering records and Novak decides to put her on trial and have Sam Dufoy testify against her. Soon after, Mariel is cleared of all charges, but then evidence discovers that the Dufoys had a teenage girl living in their home. When Fin confronts Mariel about it, she ends up killing herself after getting a threatening phone call. It is soon discovered that Lori-Ann Dufoy (Sam's wife) is accused of taking in other foster children, neglecting them, and letting them runaway.

Sam reveals that they had a foster teenage girl, Megan living with them before Lori-Ann sent her to a mental facility on the day of Jamie's death. Megan reveals that it was Lori-Ann who smothered Jamie with a pillow and cutting Megan's face with a cheese grater. In the end, Lori-Ann is arrested for the murder of Jamie Semple with Sam finally telling the truth as he actually cared about Jamie and was protecting Lori-Ann due to love and her claiming it was an accident.

* ItsAllAboutMe: Lori-Ann turns out to be this.
* OnceDoneNeverForgotten: Mariel's last words are that she's saved hundreds of children, but she'll only be remembered for the one she failed.

* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Lori-Ann married Sam because he was a potential football star, but after his CareerEndingInjury, she resented their marriage. She outright blames him for letting her down. That is scarcely an excuse for physically abusing (and in this case killing) the children you are supposed to take care of, and then letting him take the fall.

* ItsAllAboutMe: Lori-Ann turns out to be this.

* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Lori-Ann married Sam because he was a potential football star, but after his CareerEndingInjury, she resented their marriage. She outright blames him for letting her down. That is scarcely an excuse for physically abusing (and in this case) killing the children you are supposed to take care of.

* HenpeckedHusband: Sam Dufoy is implied to have been this to Lori-Ann. After he overhears Lori-Ann deliberately pin Jamie's murder on him, Sam is very much done with her.

* AbusiveParents: Lori-Ann Dufoy is a foster parent example. She physically abuses the foster kids in her care. She's not only the one who murdered Jamie, but then sent her other foster child, Megan, to mental hospital for witnessing the act.

* HenpeckedHusband: Sam Dufoy is implied to have been this to Lori-Ann, sincerely believing she killed Jamie by accident. After he overhears Lori-Ann deliberately pin Jamie's murder on him, Sam is very much done with her.