First off, the one thing I love about this episode is that a friend of mine, who I did theater with some 7-8 summers ago, played one of the victims. The joy I felt seeing her in one of my favorite TV shows!!
That's where the fun ends. Dean Cain is painful to watch in this. I grew up watching him in Lois & Clark, so there's some bias to overcome. He's not believable. What a waste of a guest.
This is a sloppy story that gets taken over by a subplot I didn't care for. The mother (I recognize her from Scary Movie lol) overacts. The ending has predictable elements and is one of the most unsatisfying I can recall. Part of it doesn't even make sense but I don't want to spoil it, even if I already think it's rotten.
I gave it 4 stars...1 for my friend, 1 because it's SVU, and 2 for not having Adam Beach.