Directed by Jim McKay
Written by William N Fordes & Matthew Mc Gough
While investigating the murder of divorce lawyers Liz and Fred Bellamy, the detectives become interested in the Bellamys' client Ann Carter. Her ex-husband suddenly agreed to settle a contentious custody case with her, suggesting she had leverage. Lupo and Bernard suspect that Carter molested his adoptive daughter, who has now been returned to her native Haiti; and that the Bellamys wanted to report him, so he killed them. Carter has recently received a large sum of money from a Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, whose son Patrick is also adopted from Haiti.
Patrick suggests that he and the Carters' daughter have actually been kept as slaves. A medical examination supports his story, but after Patrick and Mrs. Johnson both deny it in court, a Grand Jury won't support kidnapping charges. Rubirosa and Bernard uncover over a dozen "adoptions" from Haiti that the Johnsons have arranged, all of which are covers to get visas for a child slave. The Johnsons own a gun that matches the murder weapon, and the gun is now missing. However, they have an alibi for both murders.
Lupo and Bernard learn that the Johnsons' daughter Karen was worried her parents could be arrested because of Patrick. She was also aware of a broken window in the Bellamys' home. When it's discovered that Patrick buried the gun in a park, he confesses Karen directed him to kill the Bellamys. She told him that otherwise, the Johnsons would go to jail and both kids would be homeless. Karen and Patrick are both charged with murder and detained until trial. Patrick begs to be returned to Haiti and cries that now, he'll never be free.
This episode contains examples of:
- Abusive Parents: The Carters, Johnsons and others are legally this, although in practice, they weren't even pretending to be parents to the enslaved kids.
- Children Are Innocent: Much is made of the children's suffering for this reason.
- Downer Ending: In trying to get out of his situation, Patrick has condemned himself to further imprisonment.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Cutter is uncharacteristically gentle with Patrick and shows great concern for the enslaved children.
- Out of the Frying Pan: Patrick killed the Bellamys in the hope of escaping his circumstances, but found himself captive again after being jailed for murder.
- Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: Karen (15) and Patrick (13) plotted a murder together. Even though Patrick was just trying to protect himself, he still knew that killing the Bellamys was wrong.
- White Savior: While testifying before the grand jury, Mrs. Johnson has the nerve to insist that she and her husband saved Patrick and that his conditions in New York are much better than they were in Haiti, conveniently overlooking that they bought the boy and are using him as a slave.
