During a family holiday at the seaside, mother Sarah and father David lose sight of their eldest daughter, four year old Alice Hooper. Despite a frantic search the child's body is never found.
11 years later Sarah and David are still trying to cope with their loss. Their two other children, Sean and Jasmine now young teenagers and Alice would be 14.

As Sarah goes to her local shopping centre she catches sight of a girl who she believes to be her missing daughter. Positive it is her, Sarah returns the next day waiting to confirm her suspicions. 

Nervous and tense with anticipation Sarah sees the same teenager walking through the mall with a group of her friends. Unable to approach her, Sarah follows the girl to a flat on an out of town estate. 

Now absolutely convinced the girl is her missing daughter, Sarah is determined to uncover the truth. She goes back to the estate the following day and waits in her car. 

As she watches the estate, she sees the young girl emerging from the block of flats and to meet a man who is calling her Lori. 

Sarah confronts the pair and physically attacks Stephen Taylor as he believes he stole her child all those years ago. 

Both he and Lori are visibly shocked; Lori, confused and frightened, locks herself in Stephen's car as he phones the police. 

DS Sally Bridges is attached to case, and when Sarah is brought in, she cautions her. However, there is something about Sarah that makes Bridges look twice. 

Sarah clearly believes what she is saying, and is so adamant that Lori is in fact Alice, the police officer unable to dismiss her argument. 

A mother herself, when Sarah asks Bridges if she could recognise her own child after 11 years, Bridges believes that she could. 

The officer pays a courtesy visit to Stephen's home where she bumps into Lori who is with her mother Joanna. 

It's the first time the two women have met and it's instantly clear to DS Bridges, that Joanna and her daughter are very close. 

Having just returned from a shopping trip to celebrate Lori's 16th birthday two weeks prior the two are loaded down with bags.
 
Joanna has also allowed her daughter to get a tattoo on her upper left arm; something it seems she had been reluctant to do up until now. 

Bridges feels Joanna's gift of a tattoo is overcompensating for the 'ordeal' she has gone through. 

Bridges' suspicions are now aroused, and she calls Sarah later that day asking whether Alice had any distinguishing marks. Sarah confirms that Alice had a small scar on her upper left arm. 

The following day, Bridges goes back to Lori's home asking to see a birth certificate or some other documentation that can confirm Joanna and Stephen's paternal links to Alice.
 
Stephen, is Lori's step father, but is furious at the accusation that Joanna is not Lori's biological mother. 

He vehemently denies any wrong doing and demands Joanna show proof Lori is hers. However, Joanna becomes agitated under the pressure and it becomes clear she is unable to provide any documentation.
 
When she is taken into custody, Joanna breaks down and tearfully re-counts a chain of events which will have huge ramifications for both families.