A disturbing case that involves school authorities will open the second half of "Law & Order: SVU" season 17.

Based on the synopsis for the upcoming episode that is aptly titled "Catfishing Teacher," Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and the team are having a hard time investigating the case of a sexual predator inside an academic institution.

SpoilerTV posted the official synopsis for the episode, which reads in part:

"A high school student plans a clandestine hookup with his female teacher but ends up in a far more sinister situation."

The promo trailer for the episode centers on the team's investigation regarding the sexual relationship of a young student and his female teacher. But things got tougher when the student mysteriously disappears.

The team then finds out that they are not just dealing with a single sexual predator, since another one remains at large in school. However, they must act fast before things get too late.

Meanwhile, fans of the show are speculating about the return of Detective Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) in the second half of the season 17 of the long-running police procedural series.

In the midseason finale, viewers saw that the pregnant detective was already having labor contractions. Some believed that she would have to be out of the show for the meantime. However, the casting details continue to bear her name. This could mean that Rollins will still be a part of the show in a certain capacity.

Meanwhile, there are reports pointing to the return of Assistant District Attorney Kenneth O'Dwyer in the upcoming episodes of "Law & Order: SVU." It could mean trouble for the team, since the lawyer is known to have brought more challenges to the team's investigations during his first three appearances in the show.

"Law & Order: SVU" season 17 returns on NBC on Wednesday, Jan. 6.