After little Patty (Abigail Breslin) is nearly snatched from a playground, the SVU squad hunts for two would‑be kidnappers. They learn the pair are private investigators who specialize in retrieving abducted children. They were hired by Michelle Osborne (Lea Thompson), who believes Patty is her long‑missing daughter. Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler discover Michelle’s baby actually died, but DNA proves the two girls are biological sisters. Their fertility doctor claims Michelle consented to donate her unused embryos, but Detectives John Munch and Fin Tutuola find the paperwork was forged.

Though Michelle faces kidnapping charges, her attorney (Viola Davis) argues that an acquittal will pave the way for her to win custody of Patty from the Bransons. Unable to “split the baby,” ADA Casey Novak mercilessly questions the weeping child on the stand in a high‑stakes gambit to see which mother will sacrifice her own interests for Patty’s well‑being.

We're talking about Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 6 episode 1 "Birthright." Our guest is Daisy Eagan from the "Strange and Unexplained" podcast.

Some plot points in this episode are taken from the 1986 case of "Baby M."

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This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more.

About the show: These Are Their Stories is the comedy TV & Film aftershow where Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie recap the most iconic episodes of “Law & Order,” “SVU,” and “Criminal Intent,” breaking down the case, the cast, the real‑world crime, and the entire Dick Wolf universe.

From the creators of Crime Writers On, the original true‑crime review show.

Keywords: Law & Order, SVU, Criminal Intent, Dick Wolf universe, TV & Film aftershow, true‑crime commentary, comedy podcast, police procedural, Crime Writers On, Partners in Crime Media

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