The lives of Escondido, California residents Cheryl and Stephen Crowe change one morning when they find their twelve year old daughter Stephanie Crowe stabbed to death in her bedroom. As procedure dictates, the police take each member of the household away individually to be questioned, and the remaining children - fourteen year old Michael Crowe and adolescent Shannon Crowe - are taken into protective custody until Cheryl and Stephen can be cleared. The police end up placing much of their focus on the sullen Michael, who they question without counsel and without discussion with his parents. The tone of the police questioning is that they believe Michael did kill his sister, the police lying, harassing and coercing in the process. Under the barrage of questioning, Michael eventually confesses, as do two of his friends, both questioned under the same threatening tone. Cheryl and Stephen, who are finally made aware of the questioning and the confessions...

l'interrogatoire et les aveux forcés d'un garçon de 14 ans accusé d'avoir assassiné sa sœur de 12 ans. Après un interrogatoire intensif de plusieurs heures auquel n'assistent ni ses parents ni un avocat, Michael s'effondre et avoue un crime qu'il n'a pas commis.

La dodicenne Stephanie Crowe viene brutalmente assassinata nella sua abitazione nella piccola cittadina di Escondido, in California. Le autorità saltano alle conclusioni credendo responsabile il fratello quattordicenne Michael. Ignorano del tutto le forti evidenze che conducono a un altro sospetto e fanno di tutto per costringere l'adolescente a confessare ciò che non ha fatto.

Michael es el hijo mediano de una familia acomodada, cuya vida transcurre feliz hasta que una mañana sucede una tragedia. Cuando el padre acude a la habitación de su hija, ésta aparece asesinada. Entre el dolor y la consternación, ni la familia, ni la policía se explican quién y cómo ha podido suceder.