AllMovie

This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, takes a look at the high number of child sex abuse cases that came out in the late '80s involving day care centers. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode explores how some of these cases were hyped up by the press and how coverage of these scandals affected day care centers for years to come. When true, this is a very serious subject, but at times, serious incidents get out of hand and the truth becomes misunderstood. 20th Century With Mike Wallace explores how such serious occurrences became more of a media frenzy than a potential criminal investigation. Interviews with media and law enforcement people add personal insights into these cases of excessive hype. There is also a detailed study of the McMartin preschool case, where an entire family was destroyed solely by abuse allegations.