She read them without comment, and let the ugliness of them fill the room.

And then, side by side, she presented the reports of the neutral, court-appointed supervisors, describing the identical visits: a patient, gentle, deeply affectionate father, whose two small sons displayed what the professionals called strong and secure attachment.

Then she turned to Selina’s mother, on the stand.

“Mrs.

Cole,” she said, holding up one of the woman’s own reports, “you documented an incident, here, in which Mr.

Sterling knelt down to help his son tie his shoe.