it's summer 1989, and patricia and david stallings are beginning their lives as a married couple. they have recently had their first child, named ryan. but in july, 3-month-old ryan falls ill. he is vomiting and listless and seems to have difficulty breathing. patricia stallings rushes her son to the hospital. serum and blood samples are taken from ryan and sent to an outside laboratory. the results from the lab are shocking. blood tests reveal an elevated level of ethylene glycol, an ingredient found in antifreeze. the hospital immediately starts ryan on an ethanol drip to counteract the poison. the diagnosis would begin a medical and forensics mystery that will take years to unravel.