Mary is a fifteen-year-old African American teenager who has spent the last six years in custody for allegedly killing a white baby. Living in a squalid group home, she keeps her head down, studies for her GED, and volunteers as a candy striper at a nursing home. Highly intelligent and resourceful, Mary maintains her innocence while dealing with the trauma of her past and facing the harsh realities of the juvenile justice system. She discovers she is pregnant and determines to create a better life for her unborn child.

Dawn, often referred to as Momma, is Mary's mother and a former neonatal nurse. She suffers from severe mental illness that causes sudden shifts in her behavior, alternating between deep affection and severe neglect. Having recently married a wealthy man, she maintains a polished, church-going appearance that hides her erratic parenting and history of prioritizing romantic partners over her daughter's safety.

Ted is an eighteen-year-old parolee living in a group home across town from Mary. He works at the nursing home where he and Mary develop a close, affectionate bond away from the eyes of social workers. Facing imminent homelessness as he ages out of the child welfare system, Ted attempts to secure a future for himself, Mary, and their unborn child, though his limited options push him toward dangerous decisions.

Mrs. Richardson is the mother of the baby Mary is accused of murdering. Before the tragedy, she was a kind, supportive presence in Mary's life, encouraging the young girl's education and acting as the healthy maternal figure Mary desired. Following the death of her daughter, she suffers from severe grief, which severely damages her marriage and emotional well-being.

Bean is the affectionate nickname Mary and Ted give to their unborn baby boy. The pregnancy acts as the primary motivation for Mary to seek an appeal for her conviction, as she wishes to retain custody and provide a loving home for the child outside the state system.

Ms. Cora is a young, dedicated attorney of Indian descent working for the Absolution Project. Having followed Mary's case closely since law school, she firmly believes in Mary's innocence. She aggressively pursues an appeal, offering Mary free legal representation and personal support regardless of Mary's ability to pay.

Ms. Claire is a generous supporter who recognizes Mary's academic potential. She provides Mary with sound advice, a free SAT preparation course, and warm winter clothing. Her unconditional kindness offers Mary a rare positive role model outside the child welfare and justice systems.

Sarah, universally known in the group home as New Girl, is a recent arrival who initially seems vulnerable and poorly equipped for the harsh environment. Coming from a privileged background with demanding parents, she struggles to adapt to the group home's aggressive dynamics before revealing a darker, more volatile personality.

Kelly is a violent and confrontational resident of the group home. Described as looking like a blonde Barbie, she frequently starts physical altercations and creates an environment of fear among the other girls. She holds a reputation for dangerous, retaliatory behavior.

Ms. Stein is the abrasive and apathetic foster mother in charge of Mary's group home. Demoted from her previous role as a social worker, she shows evident disdain for the girls in her care, frequently ignoring bullying and failing to provide a safe or clean living environment.

Ms. Reba is Ms. Stein's sister and assistant at the group home. While she generally follows her sister's harsh management style, she occasionally demonstrates small moments of leniency toward the girls. She is deeply attached to her pet cat.

Winters is Mary's parole officer. A family man with a wife and five daughters, he attempts to balance his strict professional duties with a growing empathy for Mary's situation as an expectant mother attempting to improve her life.

Ms. Carmen is Mary's eighth social worker, known for her strict demeanor and skepticism regarding Mary's rehabilitation. She regularly inspects the group home and pushes Mary toward vocational training rather than higher education, doubting Mary's academic potential.

Ms. Veronica is the well-intentioned but out-of-touch psychologist assigned to the group home. Wealthy and cheerful, her attempts to connect with the girls through therapy circles are frequently met with mockery and disrespect from residents who view her as naive.

Ray is Dawn Cooper's former boyfriend and the father of Junior. An abusive alcoholic, he exerted immense control over Dawn and physically and emotionally abused Mary during her childhood, drastically worsening their home life.

Alyssa is the three-month-old daughter of the Richardsons. Her tragic death six years prior to the story's present serves as the central inciting incident that led to Mary's incarceration and the unraveling of both families.

Junior is Dawn and Ray's deceased baby boy. His sudden passing deeply traumatized Dawn and drastically altered the parent-child dynamic, forcing Mary to take on a caretaker role for her grieving mother.

Herbert is a housefly that Mary respectfully coexists with in the group home, considering him a pet. He symbolizes Mary's own resilience and her ability to survive in a hostile, squalid environment where she has nothing else of her own.

Mr. Giggles is Ms. Reba's pet cat. His presence in the group home provides a rare instance of domestic normalcy in an otherwise chaotic and dangerous environment, until he becomes a target of violence.

Tara is an aggressive roommate at the group home who physically attacks Mary and routinely attempts to provoke altercations. Her actions highlight the lack of supervision and safety in Ms. Stein's facility.

Marisol is one of Mary's roommates in the group home. She holds strong views on family loyalty and frequently challenges Mary's perspective on motherhood, pointing out that Dawn is the only parent who consistently visits the facility.

Leticia is a young woman living in a Brooklyn apartment complex who provides Ted with a place to stay when he faces homelessness. Her presence introduces extreme conflict into Mary and Ted's relationship.

Mr. Worthington is Dawn Cooper's new husband. Wealthy and detached from Mary's situation, his resources allow Dawn to maintain a polished, church-going lifestyle while her daughter remains incarcerated in squalor.