Chicago PD: Did Burgess and Ruzek lose custody of Makayla?

Burgess (Marina Squerciati) has had a rough season. Not only was she shot and nearly killed, but she had to fight for the custody of her adopted daughter Makayla (Ramona Edith Williams) in the new episode.

Makayla’s paternal uncle came out of the woodwork to propose that he be given full custody, and the cop had a crisis of confidence over whether she’s fit to be a parent. The battle also took a toll on Ruzek (Patrick Fleuger).

Find out what happened in the Chicago PD episode “Blood Relation” and which character won the custody battle.

Who took Makayla on Chicago PD?

The bulk of the episode suggests that Burgess is at a huge disadvantage. Makayla’s uncle, Theo, points out that she should be with her biological family, and he also alludes to Burgess being white as a drawback in her parenting.

While Burgess tries her best to downplay the comment, it does creep into her mind when she has a hard time styling Makayla’s hair. Due to her inexperience with African American hair, she has to call Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) for assistance. She admits that she’s starting to feel like she’s not equipped to raise Makayla as a white woman in Chicago, but Atwater assures her that she is.

If that weren’t enough, Theo points to Burgess’ near-death experience as proof that her job as an officer makes for an unsafe and potentially damaging environment. This also touches a soft spot for the character, who relies on the comfort of Ruzek to get through the rest of the case.

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In the end, Burgess is left to take the honest route. She admits that she isn’t perfect, and has had to deal with traumatic experiences as a result of her work, but she asserts that she is a dedicated mother and that her and Makayla have an unbreakable bond. “She’s my family and I’m hers”, she announced.

Burgess’ appeal to emotion paid off. The court ultimately ruled in her favor, and Burgess won custody of Makayla. It’s a triumphant moment for the two of them, as well as Ruzek, who’s there to celebrate with them.

The celebration was short lived, as the cops arrived home to find Makayla’s babysitter bleeding out on the living floor and Makayla missing, but that’s quite literally a story for next week. As it stands, the makeshift family of Burgess, Ruzek, and Makayla is still technically intact.

For the latest Chicago PD season 9 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago PD category at One Chicago Center.