A heartbreaking case involving neglected children will be the focus of Lieutenant Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) in the next episode of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" season 17.

The upcoming fourth episode, titled "Institutional Fail," deals with the reported negligence of the Department of Child Services in carrying out its duty of ensuring that each child in the country is well taken care of.

According to the synopsis, the episode begins with a hungry toddler wandering the streets without a companion. This prompts the detectives to investigate the situation in the house of Manuela Ozuna (Jessica Pimental), only to find another child in a more devastating condition. The investigation points leads to Department of Child Services caseworker Keith Musio (John Magaro), and the team finds out that Musio's reports on the children in that household have not been checked for several months.

Musio claims that his supervisor Janette Greyson (Whoopi Goldberg) orchestrated the fake reports on the children. This prompts Chief Dodds (Peter Gallagher) to conduct an internal investigation. However, the investigation seems to be too late because one of the children has died because of neglect. Because of this, assistant district attorney Rafael Barba (Raul Esparza) orders the authorities responsible for the death to be arrested.

Greyson and Musio will face court to defend themselves.

Meanwhile, Dodds will begin to make changes in Benson's team. The spoilers did not reveal whether there will be an additional member this season or if someone is planning to leave the team.

Aside from Goldberg, Magaro, and Pimental, the upcoming episode will also feature Joseph Lyle Taylor as Counselor D'Angelo, Josh Pais as Hank Abraham, Yvonna Kopaca-Wright as Dr. Wilder, Josh Mercantel as Matt Sheridan, as well as Scott William Winters as Det. Dumas in the fourth season of Netflix's police procedural legal drama.

"Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" season 17 episode 4 will air on Wednesday, Oct. 7, on NBC.