Lori-Ann Dufoy (Malinda Williams) is the hidden main villainess of "Careless", episode 5.18 of Law & Order: SVU (airdate March 2, 2004).
Backstory[]
Lori-Ann married Sam Dufoy, a rising college basketball star, when she was young. However, after Sam's basketball career ended due to a knee injury, the embittered Lori-Ann decided that they would take in foster children in order to make ends meet. The callous and aggravated villainess abused these children until they ran away, whilst still collecting childcare checks for them afterwards.
Events of "Careless"[]
Prior to the events of the episode, Lori-Ann and Sam were caring for both Jamie Semple and Megan Rose. After becoming frustrated with Jamie’s tantrums that were brought on by his epilepsy and ADHD, Lori-Ann snapped and smothered the boy to death with a pillow. When she found out that Megan witnessed her murderous deed, Lori-Ann had her placed in a mental hospital, claiming that she was psychotic and also having delusions. When the SVU detectives investigated Jamie’s death, Lori-Ann allowed Sam to falsely confess so that he would take the fall for her crimes.
Halfway through the episode, however, the villainess’ adoption scam was uncovered, which she claimed was the result of a computer error under interrogation. Her true persona began to manifest itself, though, through her hostility towards detectives Munch and Tutuola. Later on, Tutola went to see Megan in the mental hospital, where the traumatized girl revealed how she had seen Lori-Ann murder Jamie, marking her villainous reveal.
When interrogated, Lori-Ann tried to claim that Megan was delusional and that she cut herself (attempting to explain the injuries that she gave her with a cheese grater). She then boldly claimed that a jury would believe her over “some teenage delinquent” and referred to Sam as her “loser husband” when the subject of Jamie’s death was brought up. The callous Lori-Ann prepared to leave when Sam was brought into the interrogation room, having listened to the whole conversation. He confessed that he had taken the blame for the murder to protect Lori-Ann, who selfishly claimed that Sam had never protected her, obviously bitter over his promising sports career being cut short. Sam called Lori-Ann out on her selfish behavior before the detectives arrested her.
Quotes[]
- "Protect me, you NEVER protected me! You promised me everything and you gave me nothing! I wasted my life on you!" (Lori-Ann's vicious berating of Sam after he confessed that she is Jamie's true killer)