Mia recalls how she and John once “mind-melded,” then the twins revive that rhythm to reconstruct a timeline: a neighbor gave Detective Janus the park video at 7:30 p.m., before Janus questioned the family, implying Janus was testing them and viewing Eugene as a suspect. Determined to intervene, they barge into the intake hearing.

On the Zoom screen, Officer Higashida asks about Mia’s injured ankle. Mia minimizes it, denying Eugene pushed her, but Janus cites John’s earlier statement suggesting the opposite. Mom backs Mia, dismissing the ankle as irrelevant and defending Eugene’s gentleness, as Shannon objects to Janus’s line of questioning.

Janus plays the neighbor’s video: an escalating meltdown where Adam restrains Eugene, who appears to claw at Adam’s face, then turns toward the filming witness. The sound and imagery unsettle everyone. Eugene, unusually affected by this video, rubs his eyes and mirrors the eye-squeeze motions shown, then composes himself with “calm hands,” refusing his iPad.

Concluding the aggression is ongoing, Officer Higashida allows the petition to proceed and orders secure placement. Mom erupts, warning Eugene won’t survive detention. Shannon argues Eugene is incompetent to stand trial and protected by Virginia’s new autism/ID defense, urging against incarceration; Mia is devastated by labels that feel dehumanizing.

Higashida holds firm. The family hugs Eugene as the call ends, while Eugene fixates on the waving flag screensaver. Mia wonders whether it’s kinder not to grasp the looming separation and wishes she could absorb his fear to shield him.