Robert Cook is the father of Stephen Talmadge. His efforts to be reunited with his son drew him into a legal battle with Tyler's adopted parents, Adam and Erin Blake.
History[]
Cook had a relationship with Jennifer Talmadge while the two were in college in 1989. When Cook learned that his on-and-off girlfriend Linda was pregnant, he dumped Jennifer to reconcile with her, unaware that he had also impregnated Jennifer. His son Brandon was born, and Robert and Linda subsequently married. When Jennifer's son Stephen was born only a month later, Jennifer considered putting him up for adoption, but changed her mind. Robert was aware of her pregnancy but never considered the possibility that he was the father.
However, Jennifer wrote a letter to Robert to inform him that she had given birth to his son. Linda intercepted the letter and feared Jennifer would file a paternity suit. She went to Jennifer's apartment to try and scare her off, or at least reason with her, but accidentally killed her instead. Desperate, she sold Stephen to a baby broker named Mark Sanford under Jennifer's name. Stephen was adopted by Adam and Erin Blake shortly afterwards and named Tyler. In the intervening years, Robert and Linda had a second son. However, their marriage fell apart in 2001, and they battled for custody of the children; Robert gained custody of both sons.
Shortly after, Sanford was arrested after a crack addict named Alicia Brown sold him Emma Daricek, a baby she kidnapped after her own child was stillborn. In the process of investigating Sanford to see if any of his other brokered babies had been stolen, the detectives at the Special Victims Unit learned Stephen had been adopted through Sanford's agency. After Robert was identified as the biological father, he was shocked to learn that he had another son and immediately sought custody, leading to a legal battle with the Blake family. During the hearing, he revealed his thanks to the Blake couple for raising his son well and admitted guilt to taking Tyler away from them. He also declared he would treat Tyler like his other sons and he wanted Jennifer's parents in Tyler's life as well, something that surprised them. Due to her own sympathies with the Blake's, ADA Cabot acted as Stephen's lawyer to maintain neutrality. Eventually, Linda was implicated as Jennifer's killer while Robert won custody of Tyler, but she was willing to make arrangements to keep the Blakes in his son's life, something he was considering. (SVU: "Stolen")