Ep 22. Bringing Brooke Home

As a parent, you expect to be able to trust adults who are caring for your children. However, when Brooke Bennett's mother entrusts her to the care of her ex-boyfriend, things take a tragic turn. On June 25, 2008, 12-year-old Brooke Bennett went missing in Braintree, Vermont. The community immediately banded together to search for her, but as days turned into weeks, the search began to appear hopeless. With no leads, investigators feared the worst. That is, until they made a shocking discovery.

In this episode of Dateline on ID titled "Bringing Brooke Home," viewers are taken through the heartbreaking disappearance and subsequent investigation. Brooke was last seen at a convenience store with her ex-boyfriend, Michael Jacques. Police were alerted to the situation after her mother reported her missing, and soon began their search for the young girl. Friends and family helped search the surrounding areas, but it was fruitless.

In the following days, police would learn shocking details about Jacques' past. It turns out, he had already been convicted of sexual offenses against minors and was on probation at the time of Brooke's disappearance. As investigators dug deeper, they found that Jacques had been grooming Brooke for months and had been using the internet to do so.

Despite the mounting evidence against him, Jacques initially denied knowing anything about Brooke's disappearance. But he took a polygraph test and failed. And then, on July 2, 2008, investigators made a startling discovery in a makeshift dungeon they found on Jacques' property. They found Brooke, and the situation became a murder investigation.

Dateline on ID viewers will watch as investigators piece together the evidence against Jacques and work to find justice for Brooke. Interviews with family members and law enforcement officials provide insight into the emotional toll the case took on everyone involved. Additionally, viewers get a glimpse into how predators use the internet to groom and manipulate their victims.

As the trial progresses, viewers see the lengths that Jacques' defense team go to in order to try to save him from the consequences of his actions. However, the prosecution is relentless in their pursuit of justice for Brooke.

Ultimately, viewers watch as justice is served, and Brooke's killer is brought to justice. "Bringing Brooke Home" is a heart-wrenching reminder of the importance of vigilance when it comes to protecting children and the critical role technology plays in facilitating the worst kind of predatory behavior.