Foundling | Tortoise Investigates

Episode 5: Betrayal

Host/Reporter: Lucy Greenwell
Release Date: April 21, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the complex ethical and emotional fallout when Chloe, Jess’s half-sister, discovers that her counselor, Jennifer, is in fact Jess’s birth mother—her father's former lover. As journalist Lucy Greenwell investigates, she uncovers a web of long-held secrets, ethical breaches, and unintended consequences that ripple through both families—with devastating personal impact, culminating in Chloe’s tragic suicide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chloe’s Mental Health Journey

• [02:40] Lucy recounts Chloe attending counseling sessions at a local NHS mental health clinic, beginning at age 18.
• Chloe initially struggles to connect with her first nurse, but later develops a trusting therapeutic relationship with a new counselor—Jennifer.
• Chloe’s mother, Debbie, describes Chloe’s fragility, long struggles with depression, and hope placed in Jennifer’s counseling.

2. The Shocking Revelation

• [05:25] Jess’s search for her biological father brings her into Chloe’s life, inadvertently uncovering the connection: Chloe’s trusted counselor is Jess’s birth mother.
• Chloe experiences deep betrayal upon learning her counselor’s identity and her link to family secrets.
  • Quote [06:57] (Lucy reads Chloe’s message):
    “I feel so betrayed. She would have known who I am as well. I feel so angry and hurt. She should never have seen me.”

3. Did Jennifer Know?

• [07:52] Chloe’s family emphatically believes Jennifer must have known Chloe’s identity, given the rarity of Chloe’s surname and the details in her medical records.
  • Quote [07:44] (Chloe's Family):
    “She must have known who Chloe were. There's no way that she didn't. I 110% believe that.”
• Lucy examines the evidence:
  • As service manager, Jennifer managed referrals and access to patients’ full records—which included direct references to Chloe’s parents (Lewis and Debbie).
  • Multiple indicators in records and real-life encounters (including personal greetings) suggest clear awareness.
  • The trust did not find a conflict of interest, but family and independent experts disagree.

4. The Personal and Professional Breach

• Chloe confided her deepest vulnerabilities, family pain, and struggles with trust to Jennifer, unaware of her personal connection.
• [13:22] (Josh, Chloe’s brother): “To imagine that at your lowest point, you had that person with the fingers in your brain…”
• Jess expresses anger over Jennifer’s actions.
  • Quote [14:39] (Jess):
    “That was the most angry I had been at her, at Jennifer, throughout the whole process. That is disgusting… She was too delicate for something like that to happen to her. She really trusted in the counseling that she was getting.”

5. Ethical Context & Failings

• [16:01] Psychologist Kevin Gorney explains why this situation is a profound breach of professional ethics:
  • Unacknowledged conflicts of interest are not only unethical but put vulnerable patients at risk.
  • Disclosure and recusal are standard practice—something all mental health professionals are annually retrained on.
  • Quote [19:06] (Kevin): “Isn't it a situation where one person knows and the other person doesn't? ... The nurse who's giving the counseling has all the power and all the knowledge.”
• The Derbyshire NHS Trust and Nursing and Midwifery Council maintain, after investigation, that no actionable conflict of interest occurred—leaving Chloe’s family feeling dismissed and invisible.

6. The Aftermath: Grief, Trust, and Institutional Response

• [22:03] Six months after the NHS Trust’s dismissive response, Chloe seems to be thriving—finishing college, buying a house, starting a new chapter.
• [22:17–23:01] Chloe dies by suicide, shocking her family and upending assumptions that she was finally “doing well.”
  • Quote [22:20] (Family): “Other times she'd been down and we knew she were down, whereas this was just completely out of the blue.”
• After Chloe’s death, her family again contacts the NHS and the NMC—including mention of Lewis and Jennifer’s public greetings at the clinic.
• The trust slightly amends its statement, admitting Jennifer “could have raised this situation” with her managers, but insists nothing would have changed for Chloe’s care.
  • Quote [24:49] (NHS Trust): “They maintain the care and treatment provided was in line with expected trust standards and there was no conflict of interest.”
• The family highlights how this destroyed Chloe’s trust in the system—effectively cutting her off from future support.
  • Quote [29:58] (Family):
    “That’s cut off now, that NHS access. She didn't want to go down that route anymore.”

7. Rippling Consequences Among Survivors

• Jess’s inclusion in the family is transformed by Chloe’s death; she feels lost, unsure of where she fits in their grief.
  • Quote [32:35] (Jess):
    “I didn’t want to overstep the mark... Where’s the boundaries? Because I’m new to the scene.”
• Jess is not told about Chloe’s funeral, heightening feelings of exclusion and sorrow.
• The episode closes by reflecting on the complexity of “truth-seeking,” the fragility of family bonds, and the far-reaching impact of hidden histories.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• Debbie on Chloe's trust in Jennifer
  [04:32] “She trusted her... she was quite responsive. And she'd usually try and get Chloe an appointment as quick as she could if she thought she needed one.”

• Chloe’s message after discovery
  [06:57] “I feel so betrayed. She would have known who I am as well. I feel so angry and hurt. She should never have seen me.”

• Josh on vulnerability
  [13:22] “To imagine that at your lowest point, you had that person with the fingers in your brain, I can't imagine how that felt for her.”

• Jess’s anger at Jennifer
  [14:39] “That was the most angry I had been at her... that is disgusting... She was too delicate for something like that to happen to her.”

• Kevin Gorney on power dynamics
  [19:06] “Isn't it a situation where one person knows and the other person doesn't?... That the nurse who's giving the counseling has all the power and all the knowledge and will be emotionally conflicted as well?”

• Family’s sense of dismissal by NHS
  [24:54] “They maintain the care and treatment provided was in line with expected trust standards and there was no conflict of interest.”

• Kim on destroyed trust
  [29:58] “That’s cut off now that NHS access that she just... didn't want to go down that route anymore.”

• Jess on exclusion
  [32:35] “I didn’t want to overstep the mark and be too, too much and, yeah, I didn’t know what to do or say, really. Where's the boundaries? Because I'm new to the scene, so how does that work?”

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:40 | Chloe’s counseling journey and relationship with Jennifer | | 05:25 | Discovery: Jennifer is Jess’s birth mother | | 06:57 | Chloe’s feeling of betrayal and anger | | 07:52 | Family analysis: “Did Jennifer know?” and evidence in records | | 13:22 | Sibling responses: Emotional impact on Chloe | | 14:39 | Jess’s fury at Jennifer’s ethical breach | | 16:01 | Expert analysis: Kevin Gorney on ethics and conflicts of interest | | 19:06 | Power dynamics in therapeutic relationships | | 22:03 | Chloe’s apparent improvement before her death | | 22:20 | Family’s shock at Chloe’s suicide | | 23:01–24:49| NHS and NMC official responses; meetings between Lewis and Jennifer | | 29:58 | Kim describes the rupture in trust toward NHS and mental health services | | 32:35 | Jess on navigating family boundaries after loss |

Tone and Style

• Respectful yet probing, with an investigative, empathetic approach.
• First-person narration from Lucy Greenwell is reflective and emotionally engaged.
• Family members’ voices are direct, raw, and candid.
• Professional experts provide clarity and gravitas amid personal distress.

Conclusion

Episode 5: Betrayal exposes the ethical and emotional consequences of hidden connections and institutional failings, centering on the story of Chloe, her tragic death, and the aftermath for all involved. Lucy Greenwell’s reporting underscores the imperative of trust, transparency, and accountability—reminding listeners of the profound human cost when these are lost or dismissed. The episode ends on unresolved pain, with questions lingering about responsibility, healing, and the true meaning of family.

Next time on Foundling:
Lucid revelations, further family confrontations, and continued search for truth and closure.