The Baby Plot Hole That Was Never Addressed On Law & Order: SVU

"Law & Order: SVU" is one of the most prolific shows currently on television. With over 20 seasons and 500 episodes to its name, the show has managed to tell a ton of great stories over the years with Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) at the helm. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep audiences engaged, but one thing that happens when viewers pay attention to every last detail is that they pick up on plot holes the writers were probably hoping flew under the radar.

It's one thing for a character to have a confusing exit or for a particular case to not quite add up, but it's another thing entirely to introduce a baby into a character's life and then have it never come up again. That's precisely what happened with Olivia Benson. No, she didn't have a child of her own you forgot about. She was left to make medical decisions for a baby, but we never hear about such a child again, which seems like it would come up at least once over the course of her career at some point.

In Season 11, Episode 14, titled "Savior," Olivia gets into contact with a pregnant sex worker played by Mischa Barton from "The O.C." She's a survivor of a terrible attack, and Olivia manages to convince her to testify against her assailant. By the end of the episode, she delivers a premature baby girl, whom she leaves in the care of Olivia Benson because she's too overwhelmed by the responsibility. The episode ends with Olivia being asked what route she wants to take regarding the baby's medical care. From that point, we never hear anything about the baby ever again.

To be fair, the most likely explanation is that the baby passed away shortly after its birth. It was born premature and required extensive medical care, so it's not outside the realm of reason that it would die. However, it's a little odd Olivia never mentions the moment or experience ever again, especially when considering all of the conversations she's had on the show about motherhood. One would surmise the incident would impact her somehow, but it seems like it didn't.

It's all the more strange considering the fact she later adopts a child — Noah Porter Benson (Ryan Buggle). He also had health issues as an infant, so it would make sense she would draw connections between Noah and the girl she cared for briefly in Season 11. But given her busy job, Olivia must not have a lot of time to reflect on that time of her life.