| “ | I would like to say sorry for the world we live in. | ” |
— Brenda | ||
When a woman claims the doctors who operated on her son murdered him, Brenda investigates and finds that the mother herself may be responsible.
The Victim[]
Hospital Death[]
- Nick Langner, an eight year old boy
Revenge Killing[]
- Dr. Woods
- Shot to death by Melissa Langner in revenge for her son.
The Suspects[]
- Melissa Langner, the victim's mother
- Dr. Aaron Sands, one of the surgeons
- Dr. Woods, one of the surgeons
- Jason Higgins, Melissa Langner's ex-boyfriend
Evidence[]
Closing the Case[]
Brenda's Story[]
Guest Cast[]
Locations[]
Episode Notes[]
The term Munchausen's by proxy describes a mental disorder found in two forms: Munchausen's proper (involving the sufferer themselves) or Munchausen's by proxy, in which the sufferer induces physical ailments and/or illnesses in their child.
As Det. Flynn notes, most (but not all) sufferers of Munchausen's by proxy are women, often having some form of medical knowledge. In this type of the syndrome, sufferers inflict their child with injuries or illness to garner attention, usually from doctors or others in positions of authority (police, media, etc.)
There are other manifestations of the disease, especially in Munchausen's proper, in which a sufferer will intentionally cause a life-threatening incident (such as setting a house on fire) so they can "save" those involved and gain attention by becoming a hero of sorts.
In either case, there is a stigma attached when a sufferer is diagnosed with either form of Munchausen's: often their legitimate complaints are treated with skepticism.