Dr. Judah Platner is a Jewish pediatrician who cares for children affiliated with his local congregation. One of his patients was Andrea Brown, who grew into adulthood and married Daniel Brown, having a daughter named Sarah who also became Judah's patient.
History[]
When Sarah was found dead in a cooler in the Hudson River, she was tracked to Judah's congregation, but he refused to reveal the Brown family's information. A death certificate he issued was all the team needed to track the Browns.
When a prescription of Imipramine, the drug used to poison Sarah, was found in the Browns' home, prescribed to Andrea by Judah, the mother and doctor are both arrested. Evidence against them was also a familial DNA test of Sarah and exhuming her coffin to reveal it as empty.
Andrea alleged she acted alone, but Judah caved in his confession saying he couldn't stand another child dying painfully, so he felt obligated to provide a painless route for Sarah on Andrea's behalf because she would've done something no matter what due to Sarah's Tay-Sachs disease.
When Judah and the Browns argued outside the courtroom, Judah suddenly decided to take a plea, to the surprise of Cabot and the detectives. She said she'd consider it, but to by time for understanding the motives, which were revealed after careful consideration: Daniel was Jewish by conversion, which means the Browns didn't believe they had to test for Tay-Sachs if not both parents had the genes to pass on to Sarah.
Daniel personally confirms he was devastated not just from Sarah inheriting the disease despite the odds in their family, but he knew Sarah wasn't his daughter and suspected an affair since the disease was confirmed. This was used by Cabot to argue Andrea killed Sarah to dispose of evidence of her infidelity, even if just to secure a conviction.
Judah's plea deal is accepted in exchange for his testimony, and his sentenced is reduced. (SVU: "Mercy")