Cherished is a single British true crime drama, written by acclaimed screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes, that first broadcast on BBC One on 22 February 2005.

Mother Angela (Sarah Lancashire), who is alone in the house at the time, is roused by the sound of a sleep apnea alarm fitted to Matthew's cot.

Two vulnerable persons detectives, DS Rob Findlay (Jake Nightingale) and WDC Jill Dawson (Alison Lomas), take on the case and interview Angela.

Despite denying all of the accusations against her, Angela is charged with the murder of Matthew and two of her other children, Gemma and Jason, who died in 1989 and 1991 respectively.

The case is taken to court, and Angela is represented by defence lawyer Bill Bache (Ian McNeice), who is convinced that the jury cannot possibly find her guilty due to a lack of corroborative evidence and eyewitness testimony.

Whilst in prison, a woman claiming to be Angela's half-sister comes forward, and through dogged detective work, Bache and his team of colleagues uncover a genetic history of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Angela's extended family.

Coupled with the recent acquittal of Sally Clark, who was tried and found guilty of the murder of her two children based on statistical evidence provided by Sir Roy Meadow (Ronald Pickup), who also provided evidence in Angela's trial, Bache launches an appeal.