An observant teacher reads a school essay, in which young Holly describes violent physical abuse by her stepfather. The teacher immediately involves the town’s child protective services authorities. Dedicated social worker Lars is assigned to the case. Although no facts or hard evidence are available, his sixth sense and a few clues lead him to act promptly and decisively – any doubts or doubters are pushed aside. Convinced of the veracity of Holly’s narrative, he removes her and her seven-year-old brother Theo from their home and puts them in foster care that very same day. But when key members of the family – including Holly’s stepfather – claim that the essay is nothing more than an expression of teenage rebellion, Lar’s self-assurance begins to waver. Can you trust children? Who is telling the truth? How much pain can a family bear? How much can Lars justify and when is it time to blame himself?