Missing children may be a tired TV trope, but they are the source of some of the most heartwrenching drama imaginable.

A child's disappearance is one of every parent's worst nightmares. In some ways, a missing child is worse than a dead child -- even though it is tragic to lose a young life, at least the parents know what happened to their beloved son or daughter.

Law & Order Season 23: Everything We Know

When the child goes missing, sometimes parents go a lifetime without answers, unsure whether they should hold onto hope or presume their child has passed away.

That always gets to Benson, who is determined to help survivors heal. But it will also be raw and painful for Rollins and Carisi.

When Rollins first became pregnant, she considered abortion because she didn't want to bring a child into a world full of the type of horror she comes face-to-face with every time she works with SVU.

Working for this unit is one of the most traumatic jobs out there, and it took courage for Rollins and Carisi to decide to bring a child into this world despite the horrors they deal with daily.

But now, just as their baby comes into the world, someone else's disappears in broad daylight.

That'll make the new parents question everything, including whether their new baby is safe.

Let's hope, for their sakes as well as the victims, that the child is found alive! It will be almost as devastating for Rollins and Carisi to contemplate a future where their new baby meets a similar fate as it will be for the victim's mother.

Benson will do her damnedest to prevent that tragic outcome. She's often dedicated to the point that both other characters and viewers worry about her mental health, and a case like this will be no exception.

Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 4: Everything We Know

Benson wants to keep her promise to the victim's mother, and she's also a mom herself. Noah is either a pre-teen or a young teenager, so Benson will undoubtedly think about him as she works on this case.

According to the spoiler video, Benson realizes that the missing girl was deliberately targeted, which will send the investigation in a powerful new direction.

It's not clear who targeted the girl or why -- we'll have to tune in to find that out -- but it suggests a predator out there who may be targeting more than one child.

That's got to be scary for all the parents in the area, especially if the news picks up the story and sensationalizes things.

This new case will require a team effort, but who will be on the team?

A clip in the spoiler video shows Bruno in the background -- he's supposed to be a semi-regular this season, so he's probably working this case.

That's excellent news. Bruno was the most popular of the new detectives on loan from Bronx SVU, and his chemistry with Fin rivaled that of past partnerships, especially Fin and Munch.

He's also intelligent and intuitive and has both the heart and the stomach for dealing with SVU cases. When he threatens to quit, it's because his bosses aren't doing enough to get justice for survivors, not because he can't take it anymore.

We need more of that.

Bruno -- and possibly Churlish -- will help round out the cast on a big case like this. It's unrealistic for the entire department to consist of Fin, Benson, and Rollins -- all of whom should be in leadership positions by now, plus Rollins will be busy giving birth.

Still, Law & Order: SVU will rotate cast members throughout the season, so any time Bruno appears is a cause for celebration!

Your turn, Law & Order: SVU fanatics!

What do you think will happen during the season premiere?

Are you looking forward to the Rollisi baby? And do you believe the missing child will be found alive?

Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know.

Law & Order: SVU returns for its historic 25th season on January 18, 2025 at 9/8c.