Benson’s Angry With Foster Care Worker

Uh-oh, someone’s gotten on Captain Olivia Benson’s (Mariska Hargitay) bad side — or rather, it seems, the entire foster care system has — in the Thursday, January 29, episode of Law & Order: SVU. TV Insider has an exclusive sneak peek of the problem.

The logline for the episode, “Hubris,” reads as follows: “A teenager rescued from a dangerous situation begs Benson to help reunite her with her father. Carisi [Peter Scanavino] and CJ [Norma Kuhling] take the foster care system to task for separating families without sufficient proof.”

Our exclusive clip takes place after the teen is rescued from a trafficking situation and Benson confronts the foster care worker, Vivian Parker (Elaine Baez), who’s assigned to the case. From the start, it’s clear that Benson is not happy, from the moment she stresses her rank. And the first thing Benson wants to know is the who the young girl is.

“From her age and description, I think her name is Riley Williams,” Vivian tells her. Benson then asks, “Is there anything in here about her foster father pimping her out?” The foster care worker doesn’t sound certain when she replies, “I don’t think so.”

So, of course, Benson wants to know just how hands on Vivian has been with this case, namely if she’s been checking up on Riley since she was placed in her current foster home, but the worker was just assigned to it.

“Well, then, let me bring you up to speed,” Benson says, obviously upset and frustrated. “She got lost in the system. She’s been forced into prostitution, so I need somebody on this case who actually gives a damn.”

Vivian assures her she does, adding, “I don’t have to tell you the number of cases ACS has to cover: over 50,000 cases and 6000 kids in foster care alone and not enough hours in the day to keep track of them.”

Watch the full sneak peek above for more from Benson and Vivian and a twist Benson wasn’t expecting.

Law & Order: SVU, Thursdays, 9/8c, NBC