Michelle Osborne is a woman who arranged the botched kidnapping of a girl, Patty Branson, who reminded her of her daughter, who ultimately turned out to be another daughter of hers due to the machinations of her doctor.
Background[]
In August 1998, Michelle and her husband Steve had a baby girl named Anna. Unbeknownst to the couple, their doctor, Stanley Norton, intentionally manipulated Michelle's medical files so she could unknowingly donate unused embryos and pay extra money in the process. This resulted in her having four other biological children via in-vitro fertilization. These children were born without her knowledge to other couples who were unable to traditionally procreate, and who were also Norton's patients. One of those children was Patty Branson, who was born to Sarah and Matt Branson.
In 2000, Steve and Anna were killed in a severe car accident involving a gasoline tanker explosion that completely vaporized their bodies. Michelle was left extremely traumatized and mentally unstable from the accident. One day in 2004, she saw Patty on the street, and a combination of motherly intuition and her mental instability led her to believe Patty was Anna. As a result, she hired two private detectives to kidnap Patty.
Birthright[]
Patty is almost kidnapped by one of the private detectives in a playground, and Matt Branson subsequently calls the police. Detectives Benson and Stabler investigate the case and eventually arrest the private detective and his partner, who both say they were hired to kidnap Patty and bring her to Michelle. Benson and Stabler arrest Michelle and a restraining order is granted to keep her away from Patty. Michelle later disregards it, however, and attempts to take Patty herself, but this time, she has evidence claiming that Patty is her biological daughter. ADA Novak brings this to the Bransons' and Michelle's attention, as well as mentioning the fatal car accident and Norton's manipulations.
The Bransons become sympathetic and ask that the restraining order be removed, explaining that they didn't want Michelle to suffer anymore pain. However, Novak says that Michelle broke the law and she has to take her to trial. Michelle later kidnaps Patty from her school and takes her to a beach house. Benson finds Patty, who tells her that Michelle said she was her "egg mommy". Michelle is taken to trial again and Patty is forced to testify on the stand. When the testimony becomes too traumatic for Patty, Michelle gives up, being unable to see her daughter in tears, and says she will not bother her anymore. She later changes her plea to guilty, but is given a suspended sentence for custodial interference and moves out of state so she isn't near Patty due to it being too painful for her. Later, Benson goes through Norton's paperwork and discovers that Michelle has two other daughters and a son out there.