Herbert Talmadge is the father of murdered college woman and infant mother Jennifer Talmadge, her son Stephen not meeting his grandparents for twelve years.
History[]
Herbert and his wife Margaret were devastated after Jennifer was killed and Stephen went missing, pleading with Donald Cragen and Max Greevey to solve the case for their family's justice for years. When Greevey was assassinated two years later, the investigation stopped, and the case went cold. In the passing time, the Talmadges never gave up hope and bought birthday presents for their grandchild, to give him once he was found.
Stephen was finally found when Mark Sanford was arrested for baby laundering and Stephen was found to have been sold as Tyler Blake to Erin and Adam Blake. The Talmadges wanted to meet Stephen in the midst of a legal battle for custody between the Blakes and Stephen's birth father Robert Cook, who sired Stephen with Jennifer during their brief relationship in college.
The Talmadges were heartbroken to learn Jennifer initially want to put it their grandson up for adoption but they were able to inform SVU that the signature was not their daughters. This led the detectives to discover Robert's ex-wife Linda was Jennifer's killer and Stephen's kidnapper, to be Robert's only women after also being pregnant with a son of his, Brandon. However, they were pleased to finally meet their grandson and shared a tearful moment with him.
In court, he and his wife witnessed the custody hearing between Robert and the Blakes. They were surprised but happy to hear Robert announce he wanted them in Stephen's life should he gain custody. Robert won custody of Stephen, but the judge encouraged Robert to have the Blake family in Stephen's life as well. The united families could be seen discussing in their relationship going forward, as the adults who loved and supported Stephen. (SVU: "Stolen")