A baby is stolen from her mother in a grocery store. Detectives Benson and Stabler soon learn it was just the tip of the iceberg in a baby kidnapping and selling operation. The detectives find Mark Sanford (played by Bruce Altman), a private adoption lawyer, who twelve years ago had brokered the adoption of a child kidnapped from his murdered mother. Captain Cragen opens old wounds with the parents of the murdered woman and creating new wounds with the adoptive family and biological father of the child who was stolen long ago, when he renews his pursuit in this case. Cragen and ADA Cabot argue over best interests of the child while trying to bring justice.