The fifth episode of Little Disasters opens with a poignant flashback, painting a picture of the 10 months leading up to Betsey's injury. Ed is on his way to work, while Jess is grappling with an overwhelming sense of guilt and self-doubt. Her intrusive thoughts have her questioning her motherly abilities, leaving her feeling like a failure.
As the scene shifts, Liz is seen bidding a heartfelt farewell to Betsey, realizing the infant is no longer in the ICU. She alerts Sheila, urging her to take a few moments to search for Jess and Betsey. After a swift search, they discover Jess is no longer inside the building. Liz finds her in the car, with Betsey crying in her arms. She pleads with Jess to open up and talk, warning her of the dangers of taking Betsey from the ICU. Jess, her mind set on saving her baby, repeats her resolve to her friend. After a heart-to-heart conversation, Liz manages to get the child back and calls the police, who swiftly arrive to arrest Jess.
Meanwhile, Ed is at home with the kids, oblivious to what's transpired. As he receives a call about Jess's arrest, he rushes to the police station. Andrew informs him that Jess will be kept overnight and will be interrogated the next day, urging him to return home.
Back at the house, Charlotte confesses her feelings for Ed with a mix of shame and hesitation. Fortunately, Ed politely turns her down and clarifies his love for his wife. As he prepares to leave for the police station, Mel returns home and gets into an argument with Rob. He has sent their son to his sister's place without her knowledge and has also withdrawn money from her card. She confronts him about their financial situation, but he insists he's handling it. She offers to get a job, but he belittles her efforts.
In the holding cell, Jess continues to feel like a failure as a mother. She relives the traumatic birth of Betsey at the hospital, where she endured a difficult delivery and bled profusely on the table. Meanwhile, at home, Ed goes through Jess's search history and deletes everything in an attempt to help her move on from the incident.
The following dawn, Andrew made his way to the station to find Jess, persuading her with all his might to entrust him with her legal representation. Her heart filled with joy, she readily agreed, grateful for having a friend by her side.
Meanwhile, Steve and Mollie were busy preparing their assault on Jess during the interrogation. They had just discovered that Jess had briefly left her children in the evening to procure medicine from a corner store. Their suspicions also lingered over Ed's supposed romantic involvement with Charlotte.
At school, Mel's patience snapped when Rob deliberately denied her a chance to see the kids. He also issued an ultimatum, warning her to return home that evening or never return again. Pushed to the brink, Mel unleashed a public outburst, only to be rescued by Charlotte who witnessed the whole scene and pulled her away.
At Liz's abode, she confided in Nick about her guilt, and he comforted her before bringing up her drinking problem. At first, she denied using alcohol as a coping mechanism.
However, as he spoke to her calmly about it, she began to realize that he meant well. She admitted to drinking a bit more than usual, but tried to rationalize it.
Back at the station, Steve and Mollie grilled Jess about the kidnapping and her mistrust of doctors. They deliberately led her into admitting that she only administered medication to her children when necessary.
Jess held fast to her initial statement that she had never left the house, and that Betsey had fallen while crawling. Throughout the interrogation, Jess blamed herself internally, thinking she was a poor mother.
Steve and Mollie pounced like sharks, accusing her of lying and hurting Betsey. They insisted that she might have gotten upset over Ed's alleged affair with Charlotte and taken it out on the child.
The shocking allegation of Ed's alleged affair catches both Jess and Andrew off guard, as if a bolt from the blue had struck them. Despite the intense pressure, Jess insists that she didn't harm her child, her voice firm and unwavering. Andrew wraps up the interrogation, offering Jess time to settle her nerves, his tone compassionate.
In Mel's interview, she reveals that Jess once suspected Ed and Charlotte of having a relationship back in university. She was concerned that Ed would get back with Charlotte and leave her. The news of the alleged affair puts Jess in an awkward position, and it's clear that she is struggling to come to terms with it.
Back at school, Mel confides in Charlotte about her marital problems. In a shocking twist, Mel reveals that everything is under Rob's name. He never lets her work, and she has no idea about their financial status. Charlotte warns her that it is a bit concerning; however, Mel is convinced everything will work out.
At the police station, Steve and Mollie resume the interrogation. This time, they specifically ask why she left the house to get medicine. Jess thinks back to how worn out she felt that day, Frankie's constant playing and Betsey's incessant crying overwhelming her. They show her CCTV footage of her at the shop and she seems distracted and anxious. The police theorize that she hurt Betsey and rushed to the store to get medicine. Once again, Jess claims her innocence, her voice trembling with emotion.
After school, Mel gets a chance to talk to the kids before Rob arrives. She scolds her son for being a bully, her tone stern. She then suggests a playdate with Jess's children, but Rob refuses, whispering a warning in her ear not to spend the night at Jess's place. Charlotte is gobsmacked as she silently watches the whole interaction.
Meanwhile, Nick returns home and finds Liz. She reveals that she has been looking up Jessica's recent behavior and thinks her friend is suffering from a form of postnatal anxiety called perinatal OCD. Nick encourages her to talk to him about her concerns, especially if the information can help Jess. With Nick's encouragement, Liz visits Ed at his place and finds Mel and Charlotte. Thankfully, Ed is more receptive to what she has to say this time, but he fears that Jess won't benefit from a formal diagnosis. It also makes him question the possibility that Jess might have hurt Betsey.
The scene cuts to Steve informing Jess and Andrew that they are prosecuting her. Andrew insists on Jess being released on pre-charge bail, but the police refuse, claiming that she is a flight risk and has already tried to kidnap Betsey once. As they talk, Jess thinks back to the day Betsey got hurt, her mind a whirl of emotions. As they walk her back to the holding cell, she is barely mentally there, her thoughts consumed by the guilt of being a bad mother. The episode ends with a flashback of Frankie opening the door to someone on the evening that Betsey got hurt
