what began that sunny afternoon far away in southern california, san fernando valley, early may, 2012>> something was really wrong, but a lot were wrong than i could imagine. >> reporter: it was the boy who knew at first, knew something was wrong. his dad was supposed to take him to school that morning. but after school -- >> i was to go to school and pick him up after basketball practice. when i showed up, he said, daddy didn't pick me up this morning. i said, what? he said, daddy didn't pick me up this morning. >> reporter: busy family, the boy got to school some other way >> he said he called a friend from around the corner. >> reporter: or sometimes things fall apart. >> the situation sounded too crazy, love affairs, drug dealers, too outlandish. >> reporter: once those stable loving pieces have blown apart, how do they come together again? >> somebody is going to walk away from this who maybe you wish wasn't going to walk away? >> exactly. >> how do people sleep at night? how do they live with themselves? >> reporter: but that afternoon, lisa smith knew instantly, something must