Recap / Law & Order: Special Victims Unit S19E20 "The Book of Esther"

Written By Richard Sweren and Ryan Causey

Directed By Jean De Segonzac

Rollins rescues a "teenage girl" who turns out to actually be in her late twenties and having been viciously abused by her own father (Ray McKinnon), who chains his children in a basement and starves them. As Rollins bonds with the girl and tries to remove her from the home, the father grows increasingly agitated, even ordering Rollins out of his house at gunpoint. Finally, a stand-off ends in a tragic accident on Rollins' part and traumatizes her.

Tropes

• Brother–Sister Incest: Esther is forced to have sex with her brothers by her father.
• It's Personal:
  Tutuola: "You're taking this kind of personal, Amanda"
  Rollins: "If I don't, what am I doing here?" ^note Rollins winds up causing the death of the titular victim, Esther
• Lampshade Hanging: Carisi mentions that this case is "like the Turpin family out in California" (the case mentioned below).
• My God, What Have I Done?: Amanda has this when she learns during the shootout she was the one who killed Esther.
• Older Than They Look: Esther is believed to be a runaway teenager until it turns out she's 27.
• Ripped from the Headlines: The episode's plot is loosely inspired by David and Louise Turpin^note  a couple from California who had chained and starved 12 of their 13 children and kept them isolated in the family home and were both convicted of cruelty to a dependent adult, child cruelty, torture, and false imprisonment, they were sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.