Law & Order Special Victims Unit s10e19 Episode Script
Selfish
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.
That's it.
I'm done.
What do you mean, done? Paperwork.
It's, like, the first time in, like, five years.
So, we're actually gonna get out of here early? Yeah.
Move slowly, so nobody notices.
Guy downstairs says I need to speak with a special cop.
We're Special Victims Unit.
How can I help you? I haven't seen my granddaughter in four days.
She's only Does she live with you? Uh My daughter went to Atlantic City with some girlfriends for the weekend.
She's been home for over a day, and I haven't seen my grandbaby since.
And you think your daughter had something to do with her disappearance.
She used my car when she was away.
And now, Sierra's gone.
And the car smells like a dead body.
Ashlee Walker.
Put the hose down, please.
You went to the cops? Where's your daughter? God.
You are such a bitch.
I told you she's at the babysitter's.
You know what? You're full of crap! That's it.
You know that I'm Sierra's babysitter.
Yeah.
You were until two weeks ago when you got drunk and left her in the bathtub.
You're a liar! I do not drink! Ladies.
Ladies.
We're not here to play Family Feud.
We just wanna know that Sierra's okay.
What did you do with her? Nothing! You creaky old bitch! Don't you talk to me like that, young lady! Time to go.
Time to go.
Time to go inside.
All right.
Now.
So, what are you doing? Cleaning out the trunk of your car, here? I was on a trip.
A cooler tipped over.
You know.
Some meat must have spoiled or something.
Or something? You think I'm lying? Half a pound of ground chuck.
We were going to grill burgers.
So, where is Sierra? I told you.
She's with Maria, my sitter.
I could have gotten her this morning, and I decided to do chores.
I'm going to get her right now.
You sure this is the right apartment? Yes.
Okay? 324 West 18th, Apartment B.
Have you ever been here before? No.
Maria would always pick her up from my place.
Yes? Who are you? Yolanda.
Is Maria here? No Maria here.
She has to be here.
Hey! Hey! Sierra! Sierra! She can't just walk in here like she owns the place.
I understand, she's upset.
Listen to me.
No! Help us out, here.
Have you seen this little girl? No.
Never.
You're sure? There's no sign of her.
Where is she? See? I told you! You're a liar.
You are a liar.
You lied! Okay.
This is the address that Maria gave me! Hey.
Ashlee? Ashlee, she's not here.
Let's go.
Sierra! This is a set-up! Maria stole my baby! She stole my baby! She could be anywhere! Are we sure Ashlee's not sending us out on a wild goose chase with this babysitter kidnap story? It's hard to tell.
But the hotel in AC did say that she was there all weekend.
Well, what kind of mom goes out to party and leaves her kid with a woman she barely knows and doesn't bother to write down her last name or phone number? One who's young and irresponsible.
You believe her? Looks like Grandma does.
It's going to be okay.
That's a change.
We'll tread lightly until we make sure whether Mom is a victim or a perp.
Anything? We have an Amber Alert out for Sierra.
And an APB on Maria.
Any luck remembering Maria's last name? It's, like, Fernandez or Hernandez or something like that with a "dez.
" Okay.
Ashlee, when was the last time you saw your daughter? Friday.
I put, like, a weekend's worth of clothes in Sierra's diaper bag, and some puddings, and then, Maria picked her up at, like, 6:00.
What kind of car was she driving? A red four-door.
Maybe Maybe, like, Toyota.
Did you get a license plate number? No.
Baby, it's going to be okay.
No.
They're going to find her.
They're going to find her.
El.
Olivia.
You got a tip? Even better.
There's a car on the run in Midtown.
Hispanic male, four-door red Saturn.
Small Caucasian girl in a car seat.
Headed which way? Coming right at us.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
You're going to be sorry, all right.
Sierra? Sierra? Sierra, baby.
Are you okay? Who's Sierra? The little girl you kidnapped.
No! I don't kidnap nobody! You tell that to the judge.
That.
The girl.
Her name is Maddy.
The daughter of my boss.
I was dropping her at the day care.
Then, why did you run? I'm from El Salvador.
I don't want to go back.
Look, I don't know if it's her.
She can't talk.
Come on, baby.
Say cheese.
Is it her? Did they find her? Oh, God.
Please let it be her.
That's not her.
Oh, my God! That Where is Sierra? Where is she? Elliot, it's not our girl.
Come on back.
Ashlee says she met Maria in Tompkins Square Park.
Let's canvass every square inch of it.
Excuse me, guys.
You seen this little girl? No.
You? No.
Do you know a woman named Maria? She watches kids in this park? No.
Excuse me.
Have you ever seen this girl? Yeah.
Last week with Maria.
You know Maria? Who doesn't? She's kind of nuts.
Nuts, how? She walks her baby around all day asking people if she can watch their kids.
She creeped me out.
There she is.
Munch.
West end of the park.
Hispanic woman pushing a stroller.
Maria, hold it.
Who are you? We're the police.
Arresting your ass.
No! Don't hurt my baby! It's not Sierra.
Don't wake him up.
Lady, unless this is Pinocchio, he's not waking up.
Give me my son! Relax.
Scotty's fine.
But he is going down the trash chute unless you start talking.
No, he's scared! He needs his mommy! Maria.
He's a doll.
Isn't he? God took away my only son and gave me another boy who can never die.
Does Scotty ever get lonely? Sometimes.
That's why we go to the park.
So he can play with the other kids.
Does he ever play with Sierra Walker? No! You sure? You do look after other people's children.
But never her.
You know what I think? I think Scotty wasn't doing it for you anymore, and you needed a real baby.
Scotty is my baby.
You went to this little girl's house Friday night and you picked her up because you wanted a real child.
One who would cry, breathe, need you, call you "Mama.
" No.
No! Where is she? I told you! I don't know that girl! I just want to hold my baby! Maria, we ran your financials.
And we know that the day Sierra Miller came up missing, you bought a tarp and a shovel.
I did not.
Home and House.
1:23 p.
m.
Your signature.
No.
That's not how I sign my name.
Someone must have stolen my credit card.
From this wallet? See? My Visa.
It's gone.
Home and House just sent over the security camera footage from where the shovel was purchased.
You've got to see this.
There you are, right there, putting the shovel and the tarp on the counter.
Paying for them with the credit card.
Oh, my God, Ashlee.
What in God's name have you done? That's not me.
I can see it's you, plain as day.
We know Maria never watched Sierra.
Now, we have you buying a shovel the day your daughter disappeared.
Mom! What did you do with my grandbaby? Stop, Mom! I've had enough of you two.
Get your hands off of me! Relax.
Or we'll lock you up, too.
Where is Sierra? What the hell did you do with her? Nothing! Let go of me, you creep! Get your hands off of me.
You had us running all over town, looking for Sierra.
And the whole time you knew where she was.
I don't.
I didn't do anything.
You murdered your baby and you stuffed her body in your trunk.
No.
No.
I love my baby.
Ashlee.
We will find where you put her.
I don't know where she is.
That crazy lady took her.
Don't lie to me.
I'm telling you the truth.
She's been lying since the day she could talk.
About her grades, her friends, where she'd go when she snuck out.
So, she's always been a handful.
And her father's pet.
But I have tried to set both of them straight.
And then when Sierra went missing and you noticed the smell in the car I thought the worst.
And now, it's come true.
I would never hurt my daughter.
I'm a good mom.
Good mom? Yes.
Your FaceSpace tells a different story.
Here you are, drunk and partying it up in Cabo.
Gonna crown you mother of the year? You have no right to judge me.
Here you are down at the shore, grabbing some guy's crotch while Sierra stays at home.
And that's you in a nightclub in AC.
You know when that was taken? Right after you killed your daughter.
I didn't kill her! She means everything to me! Then, why didn't I find one single photo online of this child that you love so much? Since when does having a kid make it illegal to party? I'm young.
I'm allowed to have fun.
She just won't grow up.
Always arguing with me.
If I say the sky is blue, she says it's yellow.
Never listens to her mother.
Like when she got pregnant.
What happened then? I told her, "You make the bastard that knocked you up pay child support.
" She says, "No.
I'll raise Sierra on my own.
" So, how's that working out? Like crap.
My husband and I pay for everything.
I told Ashlee last week, "You get off your lazy ass and get a job "or I am stopping the gravy train.
" So, what did she do? She went berserk.
Threw a tantrum.
Even Sierra doesn't do that.
And then, she threatened me.
Her threats ever turn violent? No.
Little bitch knows I would kick her ass if she ever raised a hand to me.
But I did catch her trying to steal 40 bucks out of my wallet.
That must have pissed you off.
I grabbed it back.
And then, she got lippy.
I'm not going to lie to you.
I cracked her in the mouth.
I didn't steal anything.
Yeah? Tell me that again.
While the proof stares you in the face.
Tell me that.
All right.
I stole that lady's credit card.
To buy the shovel to bury your daughter.
No! I bought the shovel as a present for my dad! A present? Sierra is out there alive somewhere.
And I have to find her.
Sit down.
No.
I know my rights.
And you can't keep me here, because I didn't do anything.
Ashlee Walker, you're under arrest.
Arrest? For what? Credit card theft? That's pretty thin.
Well, I had to charge her with something.
She was ready to walk out the door.
And she will, as soon as she posts bail.
Which will be miniscule.
Even her mother thinks she did it.
We need more time.
Well, then, get back in there and wring a confession out of her before she remembers her favorite episode of Judge Judy and lawyers up.
Too late for that.
You two should be ashamed of yourselves, conspiring to charge an innocent mother.
She's as innocent as Bernie Madoff.
Who called you in, Sophie? Ashlee's father, Ralph.
Apparently, he saw me on television.
And then dialed I'm going to see my client.
Keep an eye on those two.
I'm going to talk with Ralph Walker.
Try and dig a little deeper into the shovel story.
So, where's Ashlee? She's down at the precinct.
I wanted to go down there, but I figured I'd probably get too emotional.
Best to let my wife handle that.
That's kind of how it works in this family.
Actually, it's the way it works in a lot of families.
Is everything going to be okay? Right now, no.
Ashlee's been charged with credit card fraud.
I'd like to say I'm surprised, but she's always wanted things she shouldn't have.
Like a baby? She's a good mother, I guess.
Look.
All I know is that when I got sober, I tried to show her that it's possible to be a good parent.
We all do the best we can, and we try to live with the rest.
For the first 18 years of her life, I did my worst.
But that little angel.
She's the reason I got sober.
I mean, for my wife and Ashlee, too.
But the real reason was for Sierra.
You will find her, won't you? We're gonna try.
Right now, we've got to take care of Ashlee's problems with the fraud.
She said she bought you a present.
Oh.
We have to return all the stolen items.
She got this on someone else's dime? Pretty obvious it's been used.
Ladies and gentleman, there is a little girl out there You know anything about this? No.
She needs our help.
Instead of hunting down every lead and trying to find this poor missing child, the police are wasting their time persecuting the victims.
A family worried sick.
Detectives, are these allegations true? Is the NYPD harassing the Walker family? No comment.
Detective.
Was that shovel used for the crime? Is Sierra Walker dead? This is an ongoing investigation.
We're tracking down every lead.
Are you worried, Ms.
Devere? Could your client have used that shove I to bury her daughter? Folks, let's just stay on topic.
I called this press conference to clear the name of an innocent young mother.
The only thing the police are going to find on that shovel is soil from Ralph Walker's award-winning roses.
No DNA from Sierra Walker.
Or hair.
Or tissue.
Ashlee's prints are on it.
As are Ralph's and yours.
And plain old dirt.
So, nothing unusual.
Hey.
You guys find anything on the Walker shovel? That's what we're discussing now.
Well, put an ASAP on that soil, O'Halloran, and you're all good.
I did that.
Like I said, that's what we're going over now.
We're like one brain.
The only thing unique is high levels of polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
Say again? Polyaromatic hydrocarbons are a by-product of petroleum.
Levels this high, gas had to be leaking straight into the ground.
Like fuel from an underground tank.
You're thinking Sierra was buried somewhere near a gas station? Yeah.
Can you imagine? Going to a gas station to fill up, buy some smokes, you know, not that I smoke, because that's nasty, but, like, there's a mom there burying her kid? I go, "Holy crap!" Hey, Dale.
Be a real help and bring these files next door.
I'm on it.
Hey.
Bing, bang, bong.
Now you know what I have to deal with.
Right.
So, a gas station, with cars coming and going at all hours.
I mean, it's too risky, even for a kid as dumb as Ashlee.
Maybe it was a station out of business or even torn down.
Ever since the '80s, every gas station has had to register with the Department of Energy.
Each red dot represents a gas station, operational or closed.
Now, the blue circle in the middle is the Walker House.
It's going to take weeks to investigate every one of those sites.
But Ashlee may be a selfish brat, but she's not a psychopath.
She would have been scared.
So She would want to bury Sierra someplace familiar, where she felt safe.
Ralph? It's Detective Stabler.
It's my little angel.
Happy as can be.
She's beautiful.
You know, she never saw me drunk.
Never saw me slurring my words.
When she was born, it was like I was reborn.
Ralph, that's why you can't give up hope.
Come on.
We both know she's gone.
Forever.
And why? You tell me why does things like that happen.
You sure that's a good idea? You know what? Ain't nobody around to keep me on track anymore.
She's gone, and I'm back to being useless.
You're not.
You're not useless, Ralph.
Your granddaughter needs her grandfather.
How? I want you to look at this map.
Are any of these areas familiar? Places that Ashlee might have hung out at? I don't know.
I don't know if I'm allowed to say anything.
Ms.
Devere says I shouldn't even speak to you.
Do you know what Ms.
Devere's job is? To win court cases.
My job is to find Sierra, no matter where she might be.
Now, which one of us do you want to help? I always told Ashlee, "Never drive drunk.
No matter what time of the night, "you call me, I'll come get you.
" I picked her up here a bunch of times.
She'd go there and hang out with her friends and just drink and nobody would bother them.
Step lightly, boys.
We've got a deceased buried in here somewhere.
Stuckey.
Lower your voice.
Those vultures are looking for anything they can get.
Yeah, I thought you'd like the glory.
Wait a minute.
You tipped off the press? Well, yeah.
Well I'm sorry.
I was just trying to make you guys look good.
Don't worry, okay? I'll find Sierra.
We got something! We got something! See? What did I just tell you? Okay.
Stuckey.
Be careful.
Hey, hey.
Do I tell you guys how to do your job? Actually, yeah.
Is that a doll? I think that's a doll.
Get out of the way.
It's her.
Oh! We got a body here! What's the matter with you? Did you find her? Is it Sierra Walker? What is the matter with you? I'm sorry.
What's the matter with you? I'm sorry.
"Docket ending 2500.
The People v.
Ashlee Walker.
" One count credit card fraud.
One count second-degree theft.
How does the defendant plead? Not guilty, Your Honor.
I'll hear the people on bail.
Uh Ms.
Cabot, are we keeping you from some important business? I'm sorry, Your Honor.
The People request remand.
What? The defendant has established a pattern of theft and obfuscation.
We consider her an extreme flight risk.
Ms.
Walker has no criminal record.
To keep her locked up over these two charges is ridiculous.
Uh That sounds a little extreme.
Even for you, Ms.
Cabot.
And if you don't put that phone down, I'm going to hold you in contempt.
Uh, I'm sorry, Your Honor.
The People are adding another charge to the docket.
Murder in the Second Degree.
Oh, for God's sake.
You can't allow a murder charge with no evidence, much less the body of a victim.
Ms.
Cabot, what's going on here? You seem to be off your game.
I apologize for the distraction, Your Honor.
My detectives have just unearthed the body of the victim, Sierra Louise Walker.
Sierra is dead? I'll allow the additional charge.
No! Shh.
How does the defendant plead? Obviously, not guilty.
Bail? One million.
Fine.
Given the defendant's risk of flight, bail is set at one million dollars.
Five-minute recess.
You're full of surprises today.
And you're full of the usual.
It worked.
Just in the nick of time.
I hate to rain on your parade, but, we've got a problem.
Sierra Walker's death wasn't a homicide.
She was just dug out of a shallow grave.
She didn't fall in there playing hopscotch.
Well, whoever put her in there didn't kill her.
Encephalitis did.
Swelling of the brain? Brought on by measles.
Are you sure it's measles? No signs of abuse or neglect? No bruises or abrasions either.
Her teeth weren't in great shape, but mostly from a diet high in sugars.
That's it.
But measles.
How does that happen in this day and age? She wasn't vaccinated.
If Ashlee makes a full confession, we will reduce the murder charge to negligent homicide.
What's wrong, Alex? Don't you have enough evidence for the full monty? Will I have to stay in jail? Not if you confess to what you did.
Where's the catch? Ashlee does 500 hours of community service, weekly therapy, and she enrolls in an alcohol treatment program.
We'll take it.
Last Thursday, Sierra had a fever.
And this terrible rash, too.
She wouldn't stop crying.
And I just couldn't take it anymore.
It was all night long.
So, I spanked her.
Then, she got quiet.
I just went back to sleep, and the next morning, when I woke up, she was just She was cold.
What happened next? She was dead.
And I just panicked and I buried her.
If my mom had've found out You were only thinking of yourself, Ashlee.
You were afraid you would be blamed.
No.
I killed her.
Oh, my God.
I must have hit her so hard, I killed my baby.
No, you didn't.
I don't understand.
Sierra died from measles.
What? I'll expect your client to be at her first therapy session tomorrow morning.
She tricked me? For heaven's sake, Alex.
She could have walked.
Yeah.
But I'm giving her the chance to grow up.
I thought Devere was going to blow a gasket.
This case isn't closed.
Yes, it is.
I just got a confession.
She means we've got a bigger problem.
Measles.
Two cases reported in the last month.
One before Sierra died and one right after.
Which means somebody's still out there, spreading the virus.
What's next? The black plague? Incubation period is 7 to 21 days.
Which means somebody could be infected, not know it, and still be infecting other people.
Most likely children under 12 months old who are too young to receive the measles vaccination.
And if they're exposed, it's not a matter of if but when they get sick.
So, we've got to find out who that little girl might have come into contact with.
Well, after I rope-a-doped that confession out of Ashlee, there is no way she's going to help us out.
Do we have any other information on Patient Zero? The first case is a kid who was visiting from Venezuela.
She's already gone back home, but we've notified the consulate.
Second case.
Dennis Faber from Watertown, New York.
But there was no phone number on the emergency room medical report.
Maybe he doesn't have a phone.
Watertown has a large Amish community.
If you're here about the building codes, I'm not changing anything.
Actually, I'm here to speak to Dennis Faber.
Is he your son? Dennis? So many problems with this boy.
When I was a child, we didn't have Rumspringa.
And I can tell you there were no policemen coming to our homes.
The coming of age rite, Rumspringa? We let our teenagers go out into the world to decide if they want to stay with our faith.
They carouse, smoke cigarettes, wear your kind of clothing, listen to the devil's music.
Well, I'm just here to talk to him about a hospital visit he made in Manhattan two weeks ago.
Two weeks ago, he was here.
Well, these photos were taken two weeks ago at the hospital.
Dennis? Yes, Father? This policeman says that you were down in New York City two weeks ago.
No, I wasn't.
Can you explain this? I went to see a girl.
After you had recommitted to your new life? There's this English girl, Megan.
I had to see her.
You had to see one of those harlots? Is that why you went to the hospital? For a venereal disease? No.
No.
It was just a rash.
It's the measles.
We don't vaccinate.
There's a lot of things we don't do.
How long has this been going on? A month.
But we weren't doing anything.
We were just hanging out at the park.
What park? Now, what? Just a few more questions.
You notice any kids lately that seemed sick? More than just a cold? A boy who came to Becca's birthday party a few weeks ago upchucked.
But that's because he had too much cake.
Wait.
One of the no-shows was supposedly sick.
His mom was probably lying, though.
Why would she do that? Because of how much money we wasted on her kid.
Do you know how much Sparky the Clown charges per head? No, I haven't kept up with Sparky's rates.
Well, it's a lot.
Party favors, hats, all sorts of stuff.
This mom said her son, Lucas, would absolutely be there.
And then, they flaked.
You ever see her again? A week later.
And she had this lame excuse about her kid coming down with the measles.
Who gets measles nowadays? You know the mom's name? Monica Stewart? What? Did my neighbors call you? Why would they do that? Because they're upset at the choices I've made for my family.
Like not vaccinating your son? I won't put my son at risk because Big Pharma and their lackeys in the media try and jam vaccination down our throats.
Even if that puts him at risk.
What risk? He had measles two weeks ago.
And the immune system he was born with kicked in and now, he's fine.
Sierra Walker isn't fine.
She's dead after being infected by your son.
What? What? That little girl from the news? No.
Her mother killed her.
No.
Measles did.
Measles that she got from your boy.
No.
I'm not responsible for other people's kids.
It's my family.
It's my choice.
Go lecture someone else.
Come on, sweetie.
Let's go inside.
It's too cold out here.
Come on.
That lady is a lunatic.
What she's doing is a danger to society.
Yeah, but not illegal.
You're defending her? Maybe he's right, El.
I mean, sometimes, parents know what's best for their kids.
Right.
And we decided to vaccinate our kids so they'd be safe.
Well, that was your choice.
Telling parents how to raise their kids? That's a quick slide down the slippery slope of government tyranny.
Monica Stewart's son got the measles and nothing happened to him.
I mean, it's not so black and white.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Sierra got the measles from Monica's son and died.
Now, all of a sudden, my little boy's at risk because of some nutcase mom? Well, she's not the only nutcase mom.
Ashlee takes that prize.
But her kid was too young to be immunized.
Every child under a year old is at risk.
It's just stupid not to vaccinate your children.
You want stupid? Ashlee Walker is suing the City of New York.
Apparently, we are responsible because she brought her daughter to a city park to play.
The lax safeguards of the New York Park system allow people with deadly and communicable diseases to mingle freely with the elderly and children.
We are suing the city of New York for a hundred million dollars, which pales in comparison to the priceless young life which was taken by Monica Stewart and the City.
Is your child next? Well, look.
She's got no case.
People get sick in public places all the time.
It's an election year.
This story is front page across the country.
The phones are ringing off the hook down at City Hall with people wanting to know if it's safe to bring their kids to the park.
What are we going to do? Over a million children in this country who are old enough to be vaccinated have not been immunized for measles.
We're sitting on a time bomb.
The D.
A.
Wants the public to feel safe.
Arrest Monica Stewart.
Now what? You're under arrest.
You have the right to remain silent.
Wait.
Arrested? For what? The murder of Sierra Walker.
This case boils down to one simple word.
Choice.
Not whether a parent has the choice to vaccinate their own child, but whether or not another parent can make that choice for your child.
This case isn't about her.
It's about you.
And you.
And all of the people you love.
Because any one of you could have been in the park the day that Monica Stewart decided to bring her un-immunized, sick child to play, thereby endangering each and every one of you.
And because of her choice, this little girl is dead.
Make no mistake.
Sierra Walker would be alive today were it not for Monica Stewart's choice.
Ms.
Cabot couldn't be more right.
Choice.
We can choose how to pray, where to live, what to eat, and whether or not to immunize our children.
Ladies and gentleman, the obligation you have right now is to defend your right to choose.
Don't let her take it away.
Measles is one of the most communicable diseases on the planet.
It stays in the room for up to an hour after the infected person has left.
It's transmittable from up to 200 yards away.
I thought measles had been eradicated.
It was.
But right now, England has a measles epidemic because people are refusing to immunize themselves and their children.
And the last serious outbreak here in the early '90s led to 123 deaths in unvaccinated children.
Why would people choose not to vaccinate their children against something so dangerous? The most common reasons are for religious beliefs or suspicion about the science behind immunization.
Is the science behind immunization faulty? Absolutely not.
Measles is totally preventable with the MMR vaccine.
Not being immunized is irresponsible.
Despite any side effects from the vaccine.
There is a minimal risk.
But it's more dangerous to drive a car than to take the MMR vaccine.
Not being vaccinated can lead to infection, sickness and death for un-immunized children and for babies who are too young to receive the vaccine.
Doctor, in your opinion, did Monica Stewart risk the public's health by not having her child vaccinated? In my opinion, Ms.
Stewart's negligence caused the death of Sierra Walker.
Nothing further.
Dr.
Warner.
Those side effects to the MMR vaccine you mentioned.
What are they? Deafness, seizures, coma, permanent brain damage.
But again, these are very, very rare.
So rare that the US government has set up an agency to compensate victims of these serious side effects.
Am I correct? Yes.
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
And what is the most serious injury that can occur with the MMR vaccine? I think you left it off your list.
Death.
But the number is miniscule.
Possibly zero.
I bet that's small comfort to the parents of the children who die as a result of those side effects.
Objection.
Withdrawn.
Dr.
Warner, are there any laws in New York that can force a person to vaccinate themselves or their children against measles or other diseases? Yes.
In order to enter school, a child must be immunized, unless it goes against the family's religious beliefs, or when the child is being home schooled, in which case, no one would know.
Monica Stewart's child is four years old and not yet in school.
So, she isn't breaking any laws.
In fact, Doctor, isn't it true that unless a quarantine is placed in effect, no person can be forced to undergo any medical treatment against their spiritual beliefs? Yes.
I read everything I could get my hands on.
Books, articles, journals, the Internet.
In the end, I was just uncomfortable with the side effects.
So, you didn't just wake up one day and say, "I'm not going to vaccinate my son against measles.
" You considered every option before making the most educated decision.
Yes.
I love my child.
That's why I chose not to immunize him.
And I believe with all my heart God wouldn't want me to do this.
Thank you.
But you didn't think about how your choice would affect other children.
Sierra Walker isn't my child.
I can't make choices for her.
But you did.
You made a choice, and now, she's dead.
Your actions are directly responsible for her death.
If she hadn't contracted measles, she would still be alive.
Is there a question here, Your Honor? Is there, Ms.
Cabot? Ms.
Stewart, what is your medical degree in? I don't have one.
But you were making medical choices on behalf of your child.
Just because I don't have a degree doesn't mean I can't be an informed parent.
You chose your informed opinion over that of people who do, in fact, have a medical degree and understand the science behind vaccinations and recommend that all kids be vaccinated.
I know what's best for my child.
Well, if you know what's best, and the doctors are of a different opinion, then it stands to reason that they don't have your child's best interest at heart.
Their science is just another opinion.
Your opinion killed a little girl.
Your Honor.
I'm just trying to show that if Ms.
Stewart had vaccinated her child, Sierra Walker would be alive today.
I'm not sure that's true.
You're not? That woman was a horrible mother.
It was just a matter of time until something tragic happened.
You're the one on trial, Ms.
Stewart.
Exactly.
And how fair is that? I'm the good mother.
I make sure my child eats well, is taken care of.
She buried her daughter in a shallow grave.
Yes.
She buried the child that you murdered.
You should have seen the look on the jury's faces when she started playing the blame game.
I predict they come back before noon with a guilty verdict.
All right.
Well.
I'll drink to that.
Yep.
Still think she's innocent? I think Monica has a point.
Ashlee was a bad mother who did everything wrong, while Monica was trying to do everything right.
Monica exposed innocent children to a dangerous disease.
She didn't know that her kid was sick.
He didn't have any symptoms when she took him to the park.
But that's the problem with measles.
That you're infectious before you even get the spots.
Now, Monica wants to take her kid and live in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, fine.
But the minute she walks out that door, she's got to play by society's rules.
Or somebody truly innocent ends up paying the price.
Has the jury reached a verdict? We have, Your Honor.
On the sole count of the indictment, Criminal Negligent Homicide, how do you find the defendant? Not Guilty.
No.
No, this This is crazy! That bitch is guilty! Court Officer.
Let go of me! How many more kids are you gonna kill? She's the only guilty person in here! Mom! Don't point that finger at my daughter! Let go of me! Ma'am.
Stop.
It's her fault that Sierra is dead.
You won the case.
Ashlee.
Ashlee, it's Detective Benson.
Leave me alone.
Ashlee, come on.
Come out.
You've got to know that I loved my little girl.
I know.
Ashlee? Are you all right? Dad.
Baby.
Baby.
How could I have been so selfish? All I cared about was having fun.
I know.
I know.
I was the same way when I was young.
But I'm here for you now.
Okay? You can make it up to Sierra by being the best woman that you can be from here on out.
No.
Listen to your father.
I'm so sorry for how things turned out.
Please.
This is not over.
It will never be over.
Ruth.
Calm down.
Don't tell me what to do.
Just because you don't have the balls to fight doesn't mean that I'm going to let that bitch get away with killing my granddaughter.
Let's go.
Come on.
I've got to say.
This one hurt.
Look, it wasn't even your case.
It was a personality contest.
The jury liked the defendant more than they liked the victim.
Tell me about it.
I talked to them after the verdict.
They all thought Monica should have vaccinated her child, but they did not think Sierra's death was her fault.
They passed the buck.
It's a tragedy all around.
Both mothers' lives are ruined.
Thanks to Ruth.
She screwed up Ashlee, and now, she's filed a civil suit against Monica.
She's doing everything but support her daughter.
Yeah.
Ruth will get around to bonding with Ashlee.
Over a case of beer.
Benson.
We're on our way.
Ashlee and Ruth aren't waiting for their next court date to get justice.
What's going on? Well, they threw a brick through the window.
Lady inside called 911.
Was anybody hurt? Just shaken up.
Yeah, she's just hiding inside like the cowardly bitch she is! I thought you said you didn't blame her anymore.
My mom set me straight.
Okay? If the courts aren't going to do what's right, then we're going to do it ourselves.
Come on out and get your beating, you skank! The both of you, you just don't get it, do you? She killed my grandbaby.
And you're destroying your own daughter's life.
An eye for an eye.
Ruth, let it go before you do something you'll regret.
Go on, Ralph! Teach her a lesson! No! Ralph! No! Get a bus! Monica? Are you shot? He pointed the gun at me.
I begged him not to shoot.
He said, "Now, you've killed two people.
" Then, he put the gun in his mouth and fired.
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.
That's it.
I'm done.
What do you mean, done? Paperwork.
It's, like, the first time in, like, five years.
So, we're actually gonna get out of here early? Yeah.
Move slowly, so nobody notices.
Guy downstairs says I need to speak with a special cop.
We're Special Victims Unit.
How can I help you? I haven't seen my granddaughter in four days.
She's only Does she live with you? Uh My daughter went to Atlantic City with some girlfriends for the weekend.
She's been home for over a day, and I haven't seen my grandbaby since.
And you think your daughter had something to do with her disappearance.
She used my car when she was away.
And now, Sierra's gone.
And the car smells like a dead body.
Ashlee Walker.
Put the hose down, please.
You went to the cops? Where's your daughter? God.
You are such a bitch.
I told you she's at the babysitter's.
You know what? You're full of crap! That's it.
You know that I'm Sierra's babysitter.
Yeah.
You were until two weeks ago when you got drunk and left her in the bathtub.
You're a liar! I do not drink! Ladies.
Ladies.
We're not here to play Family Feud.
We just wanna know that Sierra's okay.
What did you do with her? Nothing! You creaky old bitch! Don't you talk to me like that, young lady! Time to go.
Time to go.
Time to go inside.
All right.
Now.
So, what are you doing? Cleaning out the trunk of your car, here? I was on a trip.
A cooler tipped over.
You know.
Some meat must have spoiled or something.
Or something? You think I'm lying? Half a pound of ground chuck.
We were going to grill burgers.
So, where is Sierra? I told you.
She's with Maria, my sitter.
I could have gotten her this morning, and I decided to do chores.
I'm going to get her right now.
You sure this is the right apartment? Yes.
Okay? 324 West 18th, Apartment B.
Have you ever been here before? No.
Maria would always pick her up from my place.
Yes? Who are you? Yolanda.
Is Maria here? No Maria here.
She has to be here.
Hey! Hey! Sierra! Sierra! She can't just walk in here like she owns the place.
I understand, she's upset.
Listen to me.
No! Help us out, here.
Have you seen this little girl? No.
Never.
You're sure? There's no sign of her.
Where is she? See? I told you! You're a liar.
You are a liar.
You lied! Okay.
This is the address that Maria gave me! Hey.
Ashlee? Ashlee, she's not here.
Let's go.
Sierra! This is a set-up! Maria stole my baby! She stole my baby! She could be anywhere! Are we sure Ashlee's not sending us out on a wild goose chase with this babysitter kidnap story? It's hard to tell.
But the hotel in AC did say that she was there all weekend.
Well, what kind of mom goes out to party and leaves her kid with a woman she barely knows and doesn't bother to write down her last name or phone number? One who's young and irresponsible.
You believe her? Looks like Grandma does.
It's going to be okay.
That's a change.
We'll tread lightly until we make sure whether Mom is a victim or a perp.
Anything? We have an Amber Alert out for Sierra.
And an APB on Maria.
Any luck remembering Maria's last name? It's, like, Fernandez or Hernandez or something like that with a "dez.
" Okay.
Ashlee, when was the last time you saw your daughter? Friday.
I put, like, a weekend's worth of clothes in Sierra's diaper bag, and some puddings, and then, Maria picked her up at, like, 6:00.
What kind of car was she driving? A red four-door.
Maybe Maybe, like, Toyota.
Did you get a license plate number? No.
Baby, it's going to be okay.
No.
They're going to find her.
They're going to find her.
El.
Olivia.
You got a tip? Even better.
There's a car on the run in Midtown.
Hispanic male, four-door red Saturn.
Small Caucasian girl in a car seat.
Headed which way? Coming right at us.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
You're going to be sorry, all right.
Sierra? Sierra? Sierra, baby.
Are you okay? Who's Sierra? The little girl you kidnapped.
No! I don't kidnap nobody! You tell that to the judge.
That.
The girl.
Her name is Maddy.
The daughter of my boss.
I was dropping her at the day care.
Then, why did you run? I'm from El Salvador.
I don't want to go back.
Look, I don't know if it's her.
She can't talk.
Come on, baby.
Say cheese.
Is it her? Did they find her? Oh, God.
Please let it be her.
That's not her.
Oh, my God! That Where is Sierra? Where is she? Elliot, it's not our girl.
Come on back.
Ashlee says she met Maria in Tompkins Square Park.
Let's canvass every square inch of it.
Excuse me, guys.
You seen this little girl? No.
You? No.
Do you know a woman named Maria? She watches kids in this park? No.
Excuse me.
Have you ever seen this girl? Yeah.
Last week with Maria.
You know Maria? Who doesn't? She's kind of nuts.
Nuts, how? She walks her baby around all day asking people if she can watch their kids.
She creeped me out.
There she is.
Munch.
West end of the park.
Hispanic woman pushing a stroller.
Maria, hold it.
Who are you? We're the police.
Arresting your ass.
No! Don't hurt my baby! It's not Sierra.
Don't wake him up.
Lady, unless this is Pinocchio, he's not waking up.
Give me my son! Relax.
Scotty's fine.
But he is going down the trash chute unless you start talking.
No, he's scared! He needs his mommy! Maria.
He's a doll.
Isn't he? God took away my only son and gave me another boy who can never die.
Does Scotty ever get lonely? Sometimes.
That's why we go to the park.
So he can play with the other kids.
Does he ever play with Sierra Walker? No! You sure? You do look after other people's children.
But never her.
You know what I think? I think Scotty wasn't doing it for you anymore, and you needed a real baby.
Scotty is my baby.
You went to this little girl's house Friday night and you picked her up because you wanted a real child.
One who would cry, breathe, need you, call you "Mama.
" No.
No! Where is she? I told you! I don't know that girl! I just want to hold my baby! Maria, we ran your financials.
And we know that the day Sierra Miller came up missing, you bought a tarp and a shovel.
I did not.
Home and House.
1:23 p.
m.
Your signature.
No.
That's not how I sign my name.
Someone must have stolen my credit card.
From this wallet? See? My Visa.
It's gone.
Home and House just sent over the security camera footage from where the shovel was purchased.
You've got to see this.
There you are, right there, putting the shovel and the tarp on the counter.
Paying for them with the credit card.
Oh, my God, Ashlee.
What in God's name have you done? That's not me.
I can see it's you, plain as day.
We know Maria never watched Sierra.
Now, we have you buying a shovel the day your daughter disappeared.
Mom! What did you do with my grandbaby? Stop, Mom! I've had enough of you two.
Get your hands off of me! Relax.
Or we'll lock you up, too.
Where is Sierra? What the hell did you do with her? Nothing! Let go of me, you creep! Get your hands off of me.
You had us running all over town, looking for Sierra.
And the whole time you knew where she was.
I don't.
I didn't do anything.
You murdered your baby and you stuffed her body in your trunk.
No.
No.
I love my baby.
Ashlee.
We will find where you put her.
I don't know where she is.
That crazy lady took her.
Don't lie to me.
I'm telling you the truth.
She's been lying since the day she could talk.
About her grades, her friends, where she'd go when she snuck out.
So, she's always been a handful.
And her father's pet.
But I have tried to set both of them straight.
And then when Sierra went missing and you noticed the smell in the car I thought the worst.
And now, it's come true.
I would never hurt my daughter.
I'm a good mom.
Good mom? Yes.
Your FaceSpace tells a different story.
Here you are, drunk and partying it up in Cabo.
Gonna crown you mother of the year? You have no right to judge me.
Here you are down at the shore, grabbing some guy's crotch while Sierra stays at home.
And that's you in a nightclub in AC.
You know when that was taken? Right after you killed your daughter.
I didn't kill her! She means everything to me! Then, why didn't I find one single photo online of this child that you love so much? Since when does having a kid make it illegal to party? I'm young.
I'm allowed to have fun.
She just won't grow up.
Always arguing with me.
If I say the sky is blue, she says it's yellow.
Never listens to her mother.
Like when she got pregnant.
What happened then? I told her, "You make the bastard that knocked you up pay child support.
" She says, "No.
I'll raise Sierra on my own.
" So, how's that working out? Like crap.
My husband and I pay for everything.
I told Ashlee last week, "You get off your lazy ass and get a job "or I am stopping the gravy train.
" So, what did she do? She went berserk.
Threw a tantrum.
Even Sierra doesn't do that.
And then, she threatened me.
Her threats ever turn violent? No.
Little bitch knows I would kick her ass if she ever raised a hand to me.
But I did catch her trying to steal 40 bucks out of my wallet.
That must have pissed you off.
I grabbed it back.
And then, she got lippy.
I'm not going to lie to you.
I cracked her in the mouth.
I didn't steal anything.
Yeah? Tell me that again.
While the proof stares you in the face.
Tell me that.
All right.
I stole that lady's credit card.
To buy the shovel to bury your daughter.
No! I bought the shovel as a present for my dad! A present? Sierra is out there alive somewhere.
And I have to find her.
Sit down.
No.
I know my rights.
And you can't keep me here, because I didn't do anything.
Ashlee Walker, you're under arrest.
Arrest? For what? Credit card theft? That's pretty thin.
Well, I had to charge her with something.
She was ready to walk out the door.
And she will, as soon as she posts bail.
Which will be miniscule.
Even her mother thinks she did it.
We need more time.
Well, then, get back in there and wring a confession out of her before she remembers her favorite episode of Judge Judy and lawyers up.
Too late for that.
You two should be ashamed of yourselves, conspiring to charge an innocent mother.
She's as innocent as Bernie Madoff.
Who called you in, Sophie? Ashlee's father, Ralph.
Apparently, he saw me on television.
And then dialed I'm going to see my client.
Keep an eye on those two.
I'm going to talk with Ralph Walker.
Try and dig a little deeper into the shovel story.
So, where's Ashlee? She's down at the precinct.
I wanted to go down there, but I figured I'd probably get too emotional.
Best to let my wife handle that.
That's kind of how it works in this family.
Actually, it's the way it works in a lot of families.
Is everything going to be okay? Right now, no.
Ashlee's been charged with credit card fraud.
I'd like to say I'm surprised, but she's always wanted things she shouldn't have.
Like a baby? She's a good mother, I guess.
Look.
All I know is that when I got sober, I tried to show her that it's possible to be a good parent.
We all do the best we can, and we try to live with the rest.
For the first 18 years of her life, I did my worst.
But that little angel.
She's the reason I got sober.
I mean, for my wife and Ashlee, too.
But the real reason was for Sierra.
You will find her, won't you? We're gonna try.
Right now, we've got to take care of Ashlee's problems with the fraud.
She said she bought you a present.
Oh.
We have to return all the stolen items.
She got this on someone else's dime? Pretty obvious it's been used.
Ladies and gentleman, there is a little girl out there You know anything about this? No.
She needs our help.
Instead of hunting down every lead and trying to find this poor missing child, the police are wasting their time persecuting the victims.
A family worried sick.
Detectives, are these allegations true? Is the NYPD harassing the Walker family? No comment.
Detective.
Was that shovel used for the crime? Is Sierra Walker dead? This is an ongoing investigation.
We're tracking down every lead.
Are you worried, Ms.
Devere? Could your client have used that shove I to bury her daughter? Folks, let's just stay on topic.
I called this press conference to clear the name of an innocent young mother.
The only thing the police are going to find on that shovel is soil from Ralph Walker's award-winning roses.
No DNA from Sierra Walker.
Or hair.
Or tissue.
Ashlee's prints are on it.
As are Ralph's and yours.
And plain old dirt.
So, nothing unusual.
Hey.
You guys find anything on the Walker shovel? That's what we're discussing now.
Well, put an ASAP on that soil, O'Halloran, and you're all good.
I did that.
Like I said, that's what we're going over now.
We're like one brain.
The only thing unique is high levels of polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
Say again? Polyaromatic hydrocarbons are a by-product of petroleum.
Levels this high, gas had to be leaking straight into the ground.
Like fuel from an underground tank.
You're thinking Sierra was buried somewhere near a gas station? Yeah.
Can you imagine? Going to a gas station to fill up, buy some smokes, you know, not that I smoke, because that's nasty, but, like, there's a mom there burying her kid? I go, "Holy crap!" Hey, Dale.
Be a real help and bring these files next door.
I'm on it.
Hey.
Bing, bang, bong.
Now you know what I have to deal with.
Right.
So, a gas station, with cars coming and going at all hours.
I mean, it's too risky, even for a kid as dumb as Ashlee.
Maybe it was a station out of business or even torn down.
Ever since the '80s, every gas station has had to register with the Department of Energy.
Each red dot represents a gas station, operational or closed.
Now, the blue circle in the middle is the Walker House.
It's going to take weeks to investigate every one of those sites.
But Ashlee may be a selfish brat, but she's not a psychopath.
She would have been scared.
So She would want to bury Sierra someplace familiar, where she felt safe.
Ralph? It's Detective Stabler.
It's my little angel.
Happy as can be.
She's beautiful.
You know, she never saw me drunk.
Never saw me slurring my words.
When she was born, it was like I was reborn.
Ralph, that's why you can't give up hope.
Come on.
We both know she's gone.
Forever.
And why? You tell me why does things like that happen.
You sure that's a good idea? You know what? Ain't nobody around to keep me on track anymore.
She's gone, and I'm back to being useless.
You're not.
You're not useless, Ralph.
Your granddaughter needs her grandfather.
How? I want you to look at this map.
Are any of these areas familiar? Places that Ashlee might have hung out at? I don't know.
I don't know if I'm allowed to say anything.
Ms.
Devere says I shouldn't even speak to you.
Do you know what Ms.
Devere's job is? To win court cases.
My job is to find Sierra, no matter where she might be.
Now, which one of us do you want to help? I always told Ashlee, "Never drive drunk.
No matter what time of the night, "you call me, I'll come get you.
" I picked her up here a bunch of times.
She'd go there and hang out with her friends and just drink and nobody would bother them.
Step lightly, boys.
We've got a deceased buried in here somewhere.
Stuckey.
Lower your voice.
Those vultures are looking for anything they can get.
Yeah, I thought you'd like the glory.
Wait a minute.
You tipped off the press? Well, yeah.
Well I'm sorry.
I was just trying to make you guys look good.
Don't worry, okay? I'll find Sierra.
We got something! We got something! See? What did I just tell you? Okay.
Stuckey.
Be careful.
Hey, hey.
Do I tell you guys how to do your job? Actually, yeah.
Is that a doll? I think that's a doll.
Get out of the way.
It's her.
Oh! We got a body here! What's the matter with you? Did you find her? Is it Sierra Walker? What is the matter with you? I'm sorry.
What's the matter with you? I'm sorry.
"Docket ending 2500.
The People v.
Ashlee Walker.
" One count credit card fraud.
One count second-degree theft.
How does the defendant plead? Not guilty, Your Honor.
I'll hear the people on bail.
Uh Ms.
Cabot, are we keeping you from some important business? I'm sorry, Your Honor.
The People request remand.
What? The defendant has established a pattern of theft and obfuscation.
We consider her an extreme flight risk.
Ms.
Walker has no criminal record.
To keep her locked up over these two charges is ridiculous.
Uh That sounds a little extreme.
Even for you, Ms.
Cabot.
And if you don't put that phone down, I'm going to hold you in contempt.
Uh, I'm sorry, Your Honor.
The People are adding another charge to the docket.
Murder in the Second Degree.
Oh, for God's sake.
You can't allow a murder charge with no evidence, much less the body of a victim.
Ms.
Cabot, what's going on here? You seem to be off your game.
I apologize for the distraction, Your Honor.
My detectives have just unearthed the body of the victim, Sierra Louise Walker.
Sierra is dead? I'll allow the additional charge.
No! Shh.
How does the defendant plead? Obviously, not guilty.
Bail? One million.
Fine.
Given the defendant's risk of flight, bail is set at one million dollars.
Five-minute recess.
You're full of surprises today.
And you're full of the usual.
It worked.
Just in the nick of time.
I hate to rain on your parade, but, we've got a problem.
Sierra Walker's death wasn't a homicide.
She was just dug out of a shallow grave.
She didn't fall in there playing hopscotch.
Well, whoever put her in there didn't kill her.
Encephalitis did.
Swelling of the brain? Brought on by measles.
Are you sure it's measles? No signs of abuse or neglect? No bruises or abrasions either.
Her teeth weren't in great shape, but mostly from a diet high in sugars.
That's it.
But measles.
How does that happen in this day and age? She wasn't vaccinated.
If Ashlee makes a full confession, we will reduce the murder charge to negligent homicide.
What's wrong, Alex? Don't you have enough evidence for the full monty? Will I have to stay in jail? Not if you confess to what you did.
Where's the catch? Ashlee does 500 hours of community service, weekly therapy, and she enrolls in an alcohol treatment program.
We'll take it.
Last Thursday, Sierra had a fever.
And this terrible rash, too.
She wouldn't stop crying.
And I just couldn't take it anymore.
It was all night long.
So, I spanked her.
Then, she got quiet.
I just went back to sleep, and the next morning, when I woke up, she was just She was cold.
What happened next? She was dead.
And I just panicked and I buried her.
If my mom had've found out You were only thinking of yourself, Ashlee.
You were afraid you would be blamed.
No.
I killed her.
Oh, my God.
I must have hit her so hard, I killed my baby.
No, you didn't.
I don't understand.
Sierra died from measles.
What? I'll expect your client to be at her first therapy session tomorrow morning.
She tricked me? For heaven's sake, Alex.
She could have walked.
Yeah.
But I'm giving her the chance to grow up.
I thought Devere was going to blow a gasket.
This case isn't closed.
Yes, it is.
I just got a confession.
She means we've got a bigger problem.
Measles.
Two cases reported in the last month.
One before Sierra died and one right after.
Which means somebody's still out there, spreading the virus.
What's next? The black plague? Incubation period is 7 to 21 days.
Which means somebody could be infected, not know it, and still be infecting other people.
Most likely children under 12 months old who are too young to receive the measles vaccination.
And if they're exposed, it's not a matter of if but when they get sick.
So, we've got to find out who that little girl might have come into contact with.
Well, after I rope-a-doped that confession out of Ashlee, there is no way she's going to help us out.
Do we have any other information on Patient Zero? The first case is a kid who was visiting from Venezuela.
She's already gone back home, but we've notified the consulate.
Second case.
Dennis Faber from Watertown, New York.
But there was no phone number on the emergency room medical report.
Maybe he doesn't have a phone.
Watertown has a large Amish community.
If you're here about the building codes, I'm not changing anything.
Actually, I'm here to speak to Dennis Faber.
Is he your son? Dennis? So many problems with this boy.
When I was a child, we didn't have Rumspringa.
And I can tell you there were no policemen coming to our homes.
The coming of age rite, Rumspringa? We let our teenagers go out into the world to decide if they want to stay with our faith.
They carouse, smoke cigarettes, wear your kind of clothing, listen to the devil's music.
Well, I'm just here to talk to him about a hospital visit he made in Manhattan two weeks ago.
Two weeks ago, he was here.
Well, these photos were taken two weeks ago at the hospital.
Dennis? Yes, Father? This policeman says that you were down in New York City two weeks ago.
No, I wasn't.
Can you explain this? I went to see a girl.
After you had recommitted to your new life? There's this English girl, Megan.
I had to see her.
You had to see one of those harlots? Is that why you went to the hospital? For a venereal disease? No.
No.
It was just a rash.
It's the measles.
We don't vaccinate.
There's a lot of things we don't do.
How long has this been going on? A month.
But we weren't doing anything.
We were just hanging out at the park.
What park? Now, what? Just a few more questions.
You notice any kids lately that seemed sick? More than just a cold? A boy who came to Becca's birthday party a few weeks ago upchucked.
But that's because he had too much cake.
Wait.
One of the no-shows was supposedly sick.
His mom was probably lying, though.
Why would she do that? Because of how much money we wasted on her kid.
Do you know how much Sparky the Clown charges per head? No, I haven't kept up with Sparky's rates.
Well, it's a lot.
Party favors, hats, all sorts of stuff.
This mom said her son, Lucas, would absolutely be there.
And then, they flaked.
You ever see her again? A week later.
And she had this lame excuse about her kid coming down with the measles.
Who gets measles nowadays? You know the mom's name? Monica Stewart? What? Did my neighbors call you? Why would they do that? Because they're upset at the choices I've made for my family.
Like not vaccinating your son? I won't put my son at risk because Big Pharma and their lackeys in the media try and jam vaccination down our throats.
Even if that puts him at risk.
What risk? He had measles two weeks ago.
And the immune system he was born with kicked in and now, he's fine.
Sierra Walker isn't fine.
She's dead after being infected by your son.
What? What? That little girl from the news? No.
Her mother killed her.
No.
Measles did.
Measles that she got from your boy.
No.
I'm not responsible for other people's kids.
It's my family.
It's my choice.
Go lecture someone else.
Come on, sweetie.
Let's go inside.
It's too cold out here.
Come on.
That lady is a lunatic.
What she's doing is a danger to society.
Yeah, but not illegal.
You're defending her? Maybe he's right, El.
I mean, sometimes, parents know what's best for their kids.
Right.
And we decided to vaccinate our kids so they'd be safe.
Well, that was your choice.
Telling parents how to raise their kids? That's a quick slide down the slippery slope of government tyranny.
Monica Stewart's son got the measles and nothing happened to him.
I mean, it's not so black and white.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Sierra got the measles from Monica's son and died.
Now, all of a sudden, my little boy's at risk because of some nutcase mom? Well, she's not the only nutcase mom.
Ashlee takes that prize.
But her kid was too young to be immunized.
Every child under a year old is at risk.
It's just stupid not to vaccinate your children.
You want stupid? Ashlee Walker is suing the City of New York.
Apparently, we are responsible because she brought her daughter to a city park to play.
The lax safeguards of the New York Park system allow people with deadly and communicable diseases to mingle freely with the elderly and children.
We are suing the city of New York for a hundred million dollars, which pales in comparison to the priceless young life which was taken by Monica Stewart and the City.
Is your child next? Well, look.
She's got no case.
People get sick in public places all the time.
It's an election year.
This story is front page across the country.
The phones are ringing off the hook down at City Hall with people wanting to know if it's safe to bring their kids to the park.
What are we going to do? Over a million children in this country who are old enough to be vaccinated have not been immunized for measles.
We're sitting on a time bomb.
The D.
A.
Wants the public to feel safe.
Arrest Monica Stewart.
Now what? You're under arrest.
You have the right to remain silent.
Wait.
Arrested? For what? The murder of Sierra Walker.
This case boils down to one simple word.
Choice.
Not whether a parent has the choice to vaccinate their own child, but whether or not another parent can make that choice for your child.
This case isn't about her.
It's about you.
And you.
And all of the people you love.
Because any one of you could have been in the park the day that Monica Stewart decided to bring her un-immunized, sick child to play, thereby endangering each and every one of you.
And because of her choice, this little girl is dead.
Make no mistake.
Sierra Walker would be alive today were it not for Monica Stewart's choice.
Ms.
Cabot couldn't be more right.
Choice.
We can choose how to pray, where to live, what to eat, and whether or not to immunize our children.
Ladies and gentleman, the obligation you have right now is to defend your right to choose.
Don't let her take it away.
Measles is one of the most communicable diseases on the planet.
It stays in the room for up to an hour after the infected person has left.
It's transmittable from up to 200 yards away.
I thought measles had been eradicated.
It was.
But right now, England has a measles epidemic because people are refusing to immunize themselves and their children.
And the last serious outbreak here in the early '90s led to 123 deaths in unvaccinated children.
Why would people choose not to vaccinate their children against something so dangerous? The most common reasons are for religious beliefs or suspicion about the science behind immunization.
Is the science behind immunization faulty? Absolutely not.
Measles is totally preventable with the MMR vaccine.
Not being immunized is irresponsible.
Despite any side effects from the vaccine.
There is a minimal risk.
But it's more dangerous to drive a car than to take the MMR vaccine.
Not being vaccinated can lead to infection, sickness and death for un-immunized children and for babies who are too young to receive the vaccine.
Doctor, in your opinion, did Monica Stewart risk the public's health by not having her child vaccinated? In my opinion, Ms.
Stewart's negligence caused the death of Sierra Walker.
Nothing further.
Dr.
Warner.
Those side effects to the MMR vaccine you mentioned.
What are they? Deafness, seizures, coma, permanent brain damage.
But again, these are very, very rare.
So rare that the US government has set up an agency to compensate victims of these serious side effects.
Am I correct? Yes.
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
And what is the most serious injury that can occur with the MMR vaccine? I think you left it off your list.
Death.
But the number is miniscule.
Possibly zero.
I bet that's small comfort to the parents of the children who die as a result of those side effects.
Objection.
Withdrawn.
Dr.
Warner, are there any laws in New York that can force a person to vaccinate themselves or their children against measles or other diseases? Yes.
In order to enter school, a child must be immunized, unless it goes against the family's religious beliefs, or when the child is being home schooled, in which case, no one would know.
Monica Stewart's child is four years old and not yet in school.
So, she isn't breaking any laws.
In fact, Doctor, isn't it true that unless a quarantine is placed in effect, no person can be forced to undergo any medical treatment against their spiritual beliefs? Yes.
I read everything I could get my hands on.
Books, articles, journals, the Internet.
In the end, I was just uncomfortable with the side effects.
So, you didn't just wake up one day and say, "I'm not going to vaccinate my son against measles.
" You considered every option before making the most educated decision.
Yes.
I love my child.
That's why I chose not to immunize him.
And I believe with all my heart God wouldn't want me to do this.
Thank you.
But you didn't think about how your choice would affect other children.
Sierra Walker isn't my child.
I can't make choices for her.
But you did.
You made a choice, and now, she's dead.
Your actions are directly responsible for her death.
If she hadn't contracted measles, she would still be alive.
Is there a question here, Your Honor? Is there, Ms.
Cabot? Ms.
Stewart, what is your medical degree in? I don't have one.
But you were making medical choices on behalf of your child.
Just because I don't have a degree doesn't mean I can't be an informed parent.
You chose your informed opinion over that of people who do, in fact, have a medical degree and understand the science behind vaccinations and recommend that all kids be vaccinated.
I know what's best for my child.
Well, if you know what's best, and the doctors are of a different opinion, then it stands to reason that they don't have your child's best interest at heart.
Their science is just another opinion.
Your opinion killed a little girl.
Your Honor.
I'm just trying to show that if Ms.
Stewart had vaccinated her child, Sierra Walker would be alive today.
I'm not sure that's true.
You're not? That woman was a horrible mother.
It was just a matter of time until something tragic happened.
You're the one on trial, Ms.
Stewart.
Exactly.
And how fair is that? I'm the good mother.
I make sure my child eats well, is taken care of.
She buried her daughter in a shallow grave.
Yes.
She buried the child that you murdered.
You should have seen the look on the jury's faces when she started playing the blame game.
I predict they come back before noon with a guilty verdict.
All right.
Well.
I'll drink to that.
Yep.
Still think she's innocent? I think Monica has a point.
Ashlee was a bad mother who did everything wrong, while Monica was trying to do everything right.
Monica exposed innocent children to a dangerous disease.
She didn't know that her kid was sick.
He didn't have any symptoms when she took him to the park.
But that's the problem with measles.
That you're infectious before you even get the spots.
Now, Monica wants to take her kid and live in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, fine.
But the minute she walks out that door, she's got to play by society's rules.
Or somebody truly innocent ends up paying the price.
Has the jury reached a verdict? We have, Your Honor.
On the sole count of the indictment, Criminal Negligent Homicide, how do you find the defendant? Not Guilty.
No.
No, this This is crazy! That bitch is guilty! Court Officer.
Let go of me! How many more kids are you gonna kill? She's the only guilty person in here! Mom! Don't point that finger at my daughter! Let go of me! Ma'am.
Stop.
It's her fault that Sierra is dead.
You won the case.
Ashlee.
Ashlee, it's Detective Benson.
Leave me alone.
Ashlee, come on.
Come out.
You've got to know that I loved my little girl.
I know.
Ashlee? Are you all right? Dad.
Baby.
Baby.
How could I have been so selfish? All I cared about was having fun.
I know.
I know.
I was the same way when I was young.
But I'm here for you now.
Okay? You can make it up to Sierra by being the best woman that you can be from here on out.
No.
Listen to your father.
I'm so sorry for how things turned out.
Please.
This is not over.
It will never be over.
Ruth.
Calm down.
Don't tell me what to do.
Just because you don't have the balls to fight doesn't mean that I'm going to let that bitch get away with killing my granddaughter.
Let's go.
Come on.
I've got to say.
This one hurt.
Look, it wasn't even your case.
It was a personality contest.
The jury liked the defendant more than they liked the victim.
Tell me about it.
I talked to them after the verdict.
They all thought Monica should have vaccinated her child, but they did not think Sierra's death was her fault.
They passed the buck.
It's a tragedy all around.
Both mothers' lives are ruined.
Thanks to Ruth.
She screwed up Ashlee, and now, she's filed a civil suit against Monica.
She's doing everything but support her daughter.
Yeah.
Ruth will get around to bonding with Ashlee.
Over a case of beer.
Benson.
We're on our way.
Ashlee and Ruth aren't waiting for their next court date to get justice.
What's going on? Well, they threw a brick through the window.
Lady inside called 911.
Was anybody hurt? Just shaken up.
Yeah, she's just hiding inside like the cowardly bitch she is! I thought you said you didn't blame her anymore.
My mom set me straight.
Okay? If the courts aren't going to do what's right, then we're going to do it ourselves.
Come on out and get your beating, you skank! The both of you, you just don't get it, do you? She killed my grandbaby.
And you're destroying your own daughter's life.
An eye for an eye.
Ruth, let it go before you do something you'll regret.
Go on, Ralph! Teach her a lesson! No! Ralph! No! Get a bus! Monica? Are you shot? He pointed the gun at me.
I begged him not to shoot.
He said, "Now, you've killed two people.
" Then, he put the gun in his mouth and fired.