Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Episode 12.23 Delinquent

A couple on a first date stand at the doorway of the woman, Annie's, apartment. Things seem to be going well until the man, David, reveals that he's a Republican and then insults Annie for being a Democrat. The date is over. David asks if he can use Annie's bathroom before he leaves. He heads down the hallway and opens the wrong door, then asks Annie how old her kid is. Annie has no idea what David is talking about and joins him at her bedroom door. She sees Hunter Mazelon, age fourteen, curled up on her bed, naked and asleep. Annie is terrified.

Munch brings a handcuffed Hunter into the squad room. Hunter is a smart-ass and claims he had his first drink last night and learned his lesson. Once Stabler hears that Hunter is fourteen, he tells Hunter that they can't talk to him without a parent present. Munch shares that Hunter's mother let him spend the night in jail. Annie enters with a backpack. She announces that Hunter was trying to rape her and shows the detectives the backpack she found in her closet with an empty bottle of whiskey. Stabler asks Munch to escort Annie out. Benson examines the contents of Hunter's backpack, which include schoolbooks, duct tape and panty hose. Stabler finds a butterfly knife and asks Hunter why he has it. Hunter smirks and declares that "it's cool."

Stabler brings a still-handcuffed Hunter into a windowless office, telling Hunter that he'll have to wait there, in the "child-appropriate room," until his mom shows up. Hunter gives Stabler a hard time, claiming that he's claustrophobic. Stabler steers Hunter to a bar bolted to the wall and tells him to stand still while he uncuffs one hand. Hunter makes a joke about a cavity search, then when Stabler is standing behind him, Hunter yells for help because Stabler is "touching his junk." That brings uniformed cop Nelson into the room through an open door. Stabler assures Nelson that Hunter is just being a wise-ass. Nelson asks Hunter if he wants him to send someone in. Hunter declines and Nelson leaves. Stabler comments that Hunter is already in enough trouble without adding a false allegation to his charges. Hunter laughs it off, saying he was just making a joke.

Hunter's mother, Bree, barrels into the squad room looking for Hunter. She confronts Cragen, asking why Hunter is in the sex crimes division. Cragen explains that there's been a new development. When he tells Bree that Hunter isn't the victim, she becomes indignant. Cragen wonders why Bree wasn't concerned about Hunter's whereabouts the prior night. Bree explains that Hunter was spending the night at his friend Jake's so they could work on their science project.

Munch and Fin pay a visit to Hunter's science partner, Jake, who lives next door to Annie. They ask if Jake and Hunter were partners in more than science. Jakes insists that they weren't and says that Hunter showed up high and bailed early. Jake remembers that Annie was leaving her apartment when Hunter arrived at Jake's the prior night and Hunter made dirty gestures while she was walking away. Jake shares that Hunter has displayed a violent streak in his cruelty to the frog they used for their project. Munch comments that animal cruelty is an indicator on the triad of sociopathy.

Benson leads Bree into an interrogation room. She asks Bree if Hunter is sexually active. Bree scoffs at the suggestion, commenting that Hunter is a baby. Stabler brings Hunter into the room. Hunter is hostile and rude to Bree, who slaps him. Hunter assures the detectives that Bree's abuse is normally limited to verbal assaults. Benson tries to move things along. She asks Bree to initial a Miranda form as she reads Hunter's rights. Bree declares that she's taking Hunter home to deal with this herself and tries to walk out with him. Ben son stops her, explaining that while Bree is free to go, Hunter isn't because he's been arrested. Bree says she's calling an attorney. Stabler comments that the attorney can meet them at the arraignment.

Cragen, Munch and Fin meet with ADA Sherri West in her office. West explains that she can't charge Hunter with a sex crime because she can't present a "thought crime" to a jury. Cragen suggests that West charge Hunter with the crimes they have on him and make enrollment in a sex offender treatment program a condition of any plea. West argues that Hunter is fourteen and it's his first offense. Munch responds that it's not, as Hunter grabbed a teacher's breasts two months ago, but his mother made the incident go away. West comments that she won't even be the one trying the case because Hunter is a minor. Cragen points out that Hunter can be charged as an adult for first-degree burglary with a deadly weapon.

Judge Ridenour presides over Hunter's arraignment. Hunter's attorney argues for the case to be moved to Family Court. West asks the judge to detain Hunter at a juvenile facility instead of setting bail. Judge Ridenour sets bail, so West asks for an order of protection barring Hunter from having any contact with Annie, which he grants. Hunter is furious and says that he's the one who needs a protection order, claiming that he was molested by Stabler.

In the squad room, Benson learns about Hunter's accusation of Stabler. She finds Stabler in the kitchen and tells him about it. Benson warns Stabler not to do anything stupid. Stabler tells her about the incident with Hunter in the windowless office. He explains that he didn't write it up because Hunter played it off as a joke and Stabler forgot about it. Benson reassures Stabler that this will work itself out and tells him not to confront the kid. Stabler says that he won't. He's going to set this right with Internal Affairs (IAB) before they make it public.

As Stabler heads to IAB, he runs into Bree and Hunter leaving. Stabler and Hunter verbally spar until IAB Lt. Ed Tucker interrupts them. He orders Stabler to his office. Tucker advises Stabler that he's entitled to have a lawyer present, which Stabler declines. Stabler tells Tucker that Hunter set him up and is retaliating. Tucker gives Stabler a hard time, commenting on the number of times Stabler has had run-ins with IAB. Tucker asks Stabler about the details of the incident in the windowless office. Stabler is frustrated and reminds Tucker that the door was open. Tucker comments that he knows, as that's why they have a witness.

Benson stops Officer Nelson to ask him what he told IAB. Nelson says that he told them the truth. Benson says that he must've explained that Stabler was being set up. Nelson uncomfortably reveals that all he could do was tell Tucker what he heard and saw. Nelson saw Stabler backing up off Hunter when he heard Nelson, but Nelson didn't see Stabler's hands or him uncuffing Hunter. Benson is incredulous that Nelson let Hunter play him. Nelson walks away.Cragen warns Benson and Stabler not to harass Officer Nelson. He tells Stabler not to get near Hunter because the defense would have a field day with any new dirt Stabler found on him. Benson points out that they would claim Stabler planted evidence as revenge. Cragen tells Benson to inform Munch and Fin that everything they're doing has to be beyond scrutiny. Cragen comments that Hunter is smart, so they have to be smarter.

Hunter's lawyer, Kressler, meets with West. He offers to drop Hunter's molestation claim if West drops the case against Hunter. West declines. Kressler asks if West will at least consider pleading Hunter out. He points out that West will have a hard time getting a jury to convict with no victim, since Hunter never actually touched Annie. West comments that she doesn't want to let a "future Ted Bundy" skate. Kessler offers that if they work out a deal, at least they can stipulate that Hunter get help.Benson calls Stabler at home. His wife, Kathy, answers. Kathy reports to Stabler that he's off the hook on the trumped-up molestation charge that Stabler never bother to tell Kathy about. Kathy tells him that West let Hunter plead out.

At allocution, Judge Emery insists that Hunter take full responsibility for his actions, or she can't accept his plea. Stabler interrupts and tries to get West to request a recess. Bree announces that they have a restraining order against Stabler, and he's not supposed to be within 500 feet of Hunter. Judge Emery orders Stabler out of the courtroom. She returns her attention to Hunter, who continues to make excuses for his actions.Over drinks, Fin points out to Stabler that West cut the deal to cover his ass. West interrupts, tells Stabler that she didn't make the deal for him. West explains that she got a three-year suspended sentence for which any violation will result in mandatory detention, and Hunter will have to enroll in alcohol treatment classes and a sex offender program. Fin gets a call. He tells Stabler that Munch caught a case, but Stabler should stay away.

Despite Munch's warning, Stabler goes with Fin to Munch's crime scene. A woman has been raped and murdered. Munch reports that a wino saw her killer and said he was dressed in black, reeked of whiskey and was wearing pantyhose over his face. The wino also said the suspect looked like a kid and matched Hunter's physical descri ption. Stabler is convinced it was Hunter.Stabler and Sawicki, an NYC Probation officer, go to Hunter's apartment. They inform Bree that it's a surprise visit to confirm that Hunter is in compliance with his seven o'clock curfew. Bree assures them that Hunter is in his room and has been there all night. She knocks on Hunter's door, but he doesn't respond. Stabler hears a noise from the other room and goes to investigate.

Stabler finds Hunter in the kitchen with his back to Stabler, standing at a drawer. Hunter turns, holding a steak knife. Stabler orders him to put the knife down. Instead, Hunter approaches him with the knife. Bree and Sawicki enter the kitchen as Stabler disarms Hunter. Sawicki asks where Hunter has been. He claims that he was just out getting some air on his roof. Stabler and Sawicki go to check Hunter's room. Stabler notices that the clothes Hunter is wearing don't fit him. Bree covers for Hunter. Stabler reminds Hunter that sobriety is a condition of his probation. Sawicki requires Hunter to blow into a breathalyzer. The device registers a .09, which indicates that Hunter has been drinking, thus violating his probation. Stabler tells Sawicki to arrest Hunter. Bree panics and begs Sawicki not to take Hunter.

The next day, Fin asks Cragen why Probation didn't haul Hunter in the previous night. Cragen explains that Probation has a higher standard than parole, and they can't make a summary arrest without a hearing. Munch catches up with them and shares that he can't find a connection between Hunter and the rape/murder victim. Cragen thinks it was a crime of opportunity.Fin and Munch stop by the morgue to talk to Medical Examiner Birch. Birch has finished the autopsy on the rape/murder victim. She choked to death on her own blood after her attacker slit her throat from behind. Her attacker didn't wear a condom, so he left DNA. Fin and Munch have to find a way to get a sample of Hunter's DNA.

Fin and Munch visit Annie at her apartment. She's already thrown away the nightgown that Hunter was clutching against him when she found him in her bed. They use luminol to check the closet where Hunter was hiding and find DNA samples aplenty.Stabler stands out of view as Hunter leaves his school. Stabler sees Hunter follow a girl into a church, so he goes after him. In the church basement, Stabler grabs Hunter and reminds him that he's supposed to go straight home after school. Hunter tells Stabler that he's following court orders. He opens a door to a teen AA meeting.

Cragen reprimands Stabler for not staying away from Hunter. Fin interrupts them to point out that Birch has arrived. Birch reports that he ran the DNA from the rape/murder victim through CODIS and got a hit on five unsolved rapes in Oregon. Birch further shares that the DNA from the closet is a definite match to the others. Stabler is stunned that Hunter is a fourteen-year-old serial rapist.Munch and Fin arrest Hunter at his school. They inform him that the law is the same in Oregon, not that he'll be going there any time soon. Hunter comments that he hates Oregon and that his father fought so hard for summer custody only to ignore him.

Benson and Stabler lose patience with Bree's blind defense of Hunter. They show her photos of Hunter's Oregon rape victims. Cragen shows Bree a composite that the Portland PD put together. It resembles Hunter, but Bree refuses to acknowledge that it looks anything like him. Benson comments that Hunter thought it did because he started wearing pantyhose over his face after that. Stabler tells Bree that Hunter's sperm was found inside the women. Benson shares that twenty percent of all sexual assaults are committed by teenagers, but their victims are usually kids of the same age or younger. Stabler wonders why Hunter is fixated on older women. He suggests that maybe someone Bree's age molested him. Bree is incensed and denies the implication that she molested Hunter, offering to take a polygraph. She demands to see Hunter.

Fin calls the precinct to report that Hunter was injured jumping out of the police car he was being transported in. Munch reprimands the officers for rolling down the window for such a con artist. Fin insists on accompanying Hunter, who has been fitted with a neck brace, in the ambulance to the hospital. Fin tells the others to meet him at Bellevue.At the hospital, Munch reports to Cragen that Hunter didn't break any bones. They run into Fin in the hallway. Cragen reminds him that he told Fin not to let Hunter out of his sight. Fin explains that Hunter is getting an MRI and he couldn't stay in the room with his gun because it's metal. Cragen realizes that Hunter must be uncuffed. He rushes into the MRI room and finds the unconscious Tech lying in the MRI machine. Hunter is nowhere to be found. Fin notices an air duct covering askew.

Stabler and Fin visit Bree to find Hunter. The phone rings and they tell Bree to pick up and keep quiet about the fact that the police are there so that they can trace the call. Bree answers and it is Hunter on the line. Bree notices Hunter is slurring his speech and he admits that he's been drinking. Bree begs Hunter to come home so she can take care of him. Hunter comments that Bree hasn't taken such good care of him and that she should've "done something." Now Hunter has to do it himself. Before Hunter hangs up, he says goodbye to the cops and tells them that he's going to do their job for them. Bree doesn't know what he's talking about. Fin gets a location on the call.

Fin and Munch use GPS to locate the cell phone that Hunter used. It belongs to a homeless man. He confirms that he loaned his phone to Hunter to make one call.Benson and Stabler report to Cragen that they've had no luck finding Hunter. Bree interrupts. She tells them that they were right and Hunter was molested by a babysitter when he was seven. Bree didn't press charges because she didn't want anyone to know. Bree explains that she never sought counseling for Hunter because she wanted him to forget about it and be normal again. Stabler wonders if Hunter would know how to find the babysitter. Bree says that Hunter used to spend time at her apartment, but that was seven years ago.

Benson and Stabler go to the babysitter's apartment. They find the babysitter dead on the living room floor and Hunter lying next to her, covered in blood. They think he's dead at first, then Hunter rolls over. Hunter says that he's not hurt, just hungover, and the blood is all the babysitter's. Hunter says that the other women he hurt, it wasn't him, and he doesn't know why he kept doing those things. Hunter thought that if he confronted the babysitter and made her tell him why she did those things to him, it would end. But she wouldn't tell him. Now Hunter has made sure that the babysitter will never do those things to anyone else. And neither will Hunter. He tells Benson and Stabler that he thinks he's going to be all right now.