A 26-Year Age Divide: Can This Couple Be Saved?

Twenty-five-year-old Brianna claims that at age 15, she was raped by two male classmates at a post-Homecoming party, and when prosecutors initially refused to file charges, she says her mom, Bridget, coerced her into sharing her story with the national media, sparking backlash from her peers. Why does she say she believes her mom had an ulterior motive in getting her to speak out? Bridget insists she wanted to empower her daughter, because she felt they weren’t getting anywhere with the legal system. Does she take any ownership in the fallout that her daughter says she received? Bridget and her husband, Michael, say Brianna — who now has a 7-year-old son — has since spiraled out of control, and they fear for their grandson’s safety. They claim Brianna and her partner, Vickie, use drugs and that Vickie has been abusive toward the child — allegations both women deny. Is Brianna’s son in danger? Emotions run high when the family faces each other on Dr. Phil’s stage. Then, best-selling author Mitch Albom shares a painful, personal experience that inspired his new book, The First Phone Call from Heaven, and offers advice to Bridget and Brianna. Can this mother and daughter make peace with the past and fix their fractured relationship?