When 12-year-old Stephanie Crowe is brutally murdered at her home in her small home town, the authorities foolishly jump to conclusions that her 14-year-old brother Michael must be responsible. They completely ignore strong evidence that suggests another suspect is the one. They work hard to force Michael to falsely confess to what he did not do, in order to avoid tougher investigation.

Donna Lee Shelby, a mentally challenged girl who lives in Forest Haven, an institution for the developmentally disabled, meets Ricardo Thornton, a fellow resident. When Forest Haven is closed by a court order, Donna and Ricardo venture into the real world on their own.

The once clean and healthy city of Toronto becomes the pariah of the western world when a deadly chain of infection lands in the city. Panic spreads as the number of SARS cases increases as there are no effective treatments.