Det. Stabler and Cpt. Cragen investigate what they think is a botched kidnapping at a playground that left a toddler in a coma. They give up the hunt for a creepy guy with a camera when doctors determine little Lucy's injuries occurred days earlier when she was violently shaken. Though suspicion falls on the nanny, Stabler homes in on Lucy's widowed mother, Evelyn. 

After ADA Novak puts the mom on trial, the child's condition worsens. If Evelyn keeps Lucy on life support, her daughter will suffer immense pain. If she takes her off the respirator, the charges will be upgraded to murder. Stabler appeals directly to DA Branch to get the court to end the child's suffering. In court, Evelyn admits she shook Lucy because she didn't want the child to interrupt a night of romance. Later, Stabler confides in Cragen about a time he took out his frustrations on his own baby daughter.

We're talking about Special Victims Unit season 5 episode 10 "Shaken." Our guest is Jessica Spawn from the Gal on the Prowl podcast.

This episode takes its inspiration from the 1997 case of Louise Woodward.

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

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