In the show: The judge sides with the McCulloughs. After a brutal court battle, Linda and Mark McCullough win custody of baby May Ling, whom they adopted after her birth mother, Bebe Chow, abandoned her at a fire station.

Does Bebe steal the baby in the book?

An immigrant from China, Bebe had been abandoned by her boyfriend after he learned she was pregnant. ... In the end, after a long, drawn-out court case, the McCulloughs win custody over "Mirabelle." But Bebe steals her baby in the middle of the night and runs off. The McCulloughs then decide to adopt a child from China.

Who Keeps May Ling?

Little Fires Everywhere: 6 Reasons May Ling Belongs With Bebe (& 4 Reasons She Belongs With Linda) The custody rights of May Ling is a central theme in Little Fires Everywhere.