On Friday night, "Dateline" will investigate the case of Crystal McDowell, a mother of two who disappeared during Hurricane Harvey. Throughout the episode of the NBC crime show, Dennis Murphy will examine the circumstances surrounding her death and the investigation that followed.

As a child, McDowell had lived a difficult life. At the age of 11, she lost both of her parents. Then, at 13, she was abducted by a man who kept her in a chicken coop. After escaping, she relocated.

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Following her move to Texas, she started to create a new life for herself, one that was filled with people who spoke kindly of her. Described as "very, very loving" and hardworking, McDowell became a successful realtor and was eventually introduced to her husband, Steve.

After meeting Steve, her aunt Cindy stated that she believed her niece had met the "man of her dreams."

Then, around the time of the hurricane in 2017, those close to McDowell were alerted to her disappearance after not hearing from her. Initially, many brushed it off due to her busy schedule, but as she continued to be unreachable, suspicions began to emerge that something had happened to her.

Due to the enormity of the storm, law enforcement had to use resources for rescuing those in the area. As a result, McDowell's friends and family took to social media in an effort to discover her whereabouts. Eventually, they were alerted over Facebook that her car had been found at a motel.

As seen below, this sparked an investigation and some unexpected steps were taken in an attempt to get a confession.

On Friday night, those who tune in to watch the NBC crime show will get to see how those close to McDowell searched for answers before reaching a "major break in the case," as noted by NBC's synopsis. Throughout the episode, it will also become clear that she had been the "victim of something sinister."

This episode of "Dateline," called "Before the Storm," airs Friday at 10 p.m. EDT on NBC.

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"Dateline" key art is pictured. NBCUniversal
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