Sandra Knowles is the mother of murdered drug addict Tricia Knowles and grandmother of her son Austin.
History[]
Sandra did not approve of her daughter's friendship with neighbor Lizzie Jones, especially when Lizzie got Tricia hooked on drugs. She tried to cease their interactions but the two ran away from home, causing Sandra to search for her daughter. She found her daughter while she was with her ex-boyfriend Vance Dennis at a drug cartel house and wanted Tricia to come home, but Detective Odafin Tutuola, who was undercover in Narcotics, threatened her and forced her out at gunpoint.
Around two years later, Fin was hailed as a hero after he stopped a bodega stickup. Sandra finally confronted him at his precinct. She wanted to launch a complaint to Captain Cragen now that she knew who Fin was and jogged his memory of their last meeting. Although he explained that he was undercover, she criticized him for not saving her daughter while he was at the drug house.
The confrontation led to Fin partnering with newcomer Detective Mike Sandoval to track her down. Sandra was heartbroken to find out Tricia was killed by the Murphy Twins, two drug dealers, and told Fin to leave her alone.
Much later, Sandra is visited by Fin and Sandoval after the investigation leads them to Lizzie Jones, a childhood friend and fellow drug addict of Tricia. Sandra realizes that Lizzie may have had a role in the death of her daughter, before asking why they're looking for her. Sandra is then shocked to learn that before her daughter died, she had a healthy baby boy named Austin, making her a grandmother. The detectives inform her that Austin might be with Lizzie, as Sandra pleaded to Fin to find him and return him safely. Fin promised to do so and continued to search.
Asking around revealed Lizzie was using Austin to rob drug stores, leaving him in the primary care of another dealer and her boyfriend, T.D. Beeman. After Lizzie and Beeman were arrested, Austin was rescued. Fin later called Sandra to tell her the good news and where to come. Sandra urgently arrived at the house to retrieve her grandson, as everyone was being disinfected from the meth cooking in the house. Sandra begged Captain Cragen to let her in so she could see Austin and he guided her through the scene. When they found Fin, Sandra was overcome by emotion to meet her grandson for the first time when Fin pointed to her, whispering "thank you". Sandra forgave Fin and eventually took Austin home. (SVU: "Haunted")