The Crimes That Bind (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Gladys was sentenced to 17 years for suffocating her newborn baby in Alicia and Ignacio's home. The baby was the result of an assault by Daniel, Alicia's son, which Gladys had never disclosed. The infanticide occurred while Gladys was working as the family's live-in maid.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish Gladys as emotionally withdrawn and carrying deep trauma from her abusive childhood.

• gladys sentence
• infanticide
• newborn death
• gladys crimes

Alicia's wealthy social circle in Buenos Aires ostracized her as damning evidence against Daniel accumulated in court. Their abandonment reflects the community's unwillingness to associate with someone whose son faced serious violence charges, particularly attempted murder of his ex-wife Marcela.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with Alicia hosting affluent friends, establishing the social stakes she had to lose.

• alicia friends
• social ostracism
• daniel trial
• Buenos Aires elite

During Alicia's visit to the prison, Gladys revealed that Daniel had previously assaulted her, which resulted in her pregnancy. This meant the baby Gladys killed was actually Alicia's grandchild, and that Daniel was not the innocent victim Alicia had believed him to be.

Foreshadowing: Gladys's emotional shift during her own trial, where she finally spoke out and apologized, hinted at hidden truths she was carrying.

• gladys reveals truth
• daniel assault
• daniel gladys pregnancy
• family secret

Ignacio, Alicia's 70-year-old husband, was unable to cope with the turmoil surrounding their family. When Alicia suggested downsizing their lifestyle to afford a high-profile lawyer for Daniel, Ignacio decided to leave her rather than face further emotional strain and potential financial ruin.

Foreshadowing: Ignacio's warning about the lawyer's dubious ethics early on signals his discomfort with the direction events are taking.

• ignacio leaves
• alicia husband
• family breakdown
• daniel lawyer

Alicia's psychologist and activist Paola Barrientos helped her process the revelation from Gladys. Combined with evidence from her financial dealings with the lawyer who had suppressed proof of Daniel's guilt, Alicia was forced to accept that her son was a perpetrator of violence against women, not a victim.

Foreshadowing: The parallel court cases, both Daniel's and Gladys's trials, gradually exposed the patterns of violence that Alicia had been denying.

• alicia transformation
• daniel perpetrator
• accepting truth
• psychology

After learning the truth about Daniel's violence, Alicia chose to become an ally to both of his victims. She used evidence from her financial dealings with the corrupt lawyer, evidence that had momentarily secured Daniel's release, to help Marcela build her case against her ex-husband.

Foreshadowing: The film shows Alicia transitioning from denial to active support for victims, a journey facilitated by her new understanding of Daniel's true nature.

• alicia helps marcela
• marcela case
• domestic violence
• victim ally

Daniel had sexually assaulted Gladys, the family's live-in maid. This assault resulted in Gladys's pregnancy and subsequent infanticide. Daniel never acknowledged this crime, and Gladys remained silent about his identity as the father until her prison confession to Alicia.

Foreshadowing: Gladys's portrayal as emotionally distant and 'simple' masked the trauma she was carrying from both her past and this undisclosed assault.

• daniel gladys
• assault
• sexual violence
• power dynamic

Alicia uncovered evidence through her financial dealings with the high-profile lawyer who had represented Daniel. This lawyer had suppressed evidence of Daniel's guilt while securing his momentary release. Alicia used this evidence to support Marcela's case against her ex-husband.

Foreshadowing: The lawyer's dubious ethical practices, which Ignacio warned about, became the source of the very evidence needed to convict Daniel.

• evidence against daniel
• marcela evidence
• lawyer corruption
• court case

Gladys suffocated her newborn baby, who was conceived through Daniel's assault. The trauma of the assault, combined with her history of childhood abuse and neglect, led her to commit infanticide. She never revealed Daniel's identity as the father until her confession to Alicia in prison.

Foreshadowing: Gladys's troubled past, including losing her mother young and suffering abuse from her father, establishes the psychological context for her actions.

• infanticide reason
• gladys trauma
• childhood abuse
• assault consequences

Alicia's transformation was driven by the gradual collapse of her denial. First, she lost her social status as friends abandoned her. Then she lost her husband Ignacio. Most devastatingly, she learned from Gladys that her son was a perpetrator of violence. With the support of her psychologist and activist Paola Barrientos, Alicia moved from blind loyalty to accepting hard truths and becoming an ally to victims.

Foreshadowing: The film's steady pacing methodically builds evidence against Daniel while stripping away Alicia's illusions layer by layer.

• alicia character arc
• denial to acceptance
• mother son relationship
• personal growth

The final gathering includes Alicia, Santi (Gladys's son whom Alicia gained custody of), Marcela, and Marcela's grandson, a child of Daniel. The shift from their luxurious Buenos Aires apartment to a humbler setting symbolizes how Alicia's journey led her from wealth and denial to a smaller but emotionally genuine family built on truth and accountability rather than lies.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with Alicia hosting affluent friends in opulence, directly contrasting with this modest but honest conclusion.

• film ending
• family conclusion
• humble life
• new family

Paola Barrientos played a psychologist and activist who guided Alicia through the painful process of accepting the truth about Daniel. She helped Alicia move beyond maternal denial to recognize her son's role as a perpetrator, and supported her decision to become an ally to violence victims.

Foreshadowing: The psychologist appears at key turning points, particularly as Alicia's worldview crumbles under the weight of revelations.

• paola barrientos
• psychologist
• therapy
• victim support