The Darkest Web: 3. The hidden child

The podcast investigates the hunt for a young girl, named Lucy, being sexually abused and exploited on the dark web. Special Agents Greg Squire and Pete Manning leverage digital forensics, object identification, and brick analysis to narrow their search to a specific geographical area. The discovery of a locally made sofa significantly reduces the number of potential suspects, leading to a breakthrough via social media. After Lucy's rescue and the abuser's arrest, the dark web community's reaction prompts Greg to infiltrate their networks, highlighting the pervasive nature of online child exploitation and abuse. Simultaneously, the podcast introduces another narrative involving Elisa, who reflects on her childhood, marked by her brother Staten's abuse and her family's increasing religious extremism, and his continued pattern of placing himself around children.