Bridgette Gibson (A Deadly Adoption)

Bridgette Gibson, aka Joni Mathers (Jessica Lowndes) was the main villainess in the 2015 Lifetime film A Deadly Adoption (airdate June 20th, 2015).

Backstory[]

Five years prior the events, Joni had an affair with Robert Benson, a financial writer who became an alcoholic when his wife Sarah suffered a miscarriage and became infertile. Robert later redeemed himself by sobering up to become a better husband and father while also ending his affair with Joni. However, Joni became fixed on Robert and was later revealed to be pregnant by him but lost her baby. Joni continued her search for Robert and soon enlisted her boyfriend Dwayne Tisdale in tracking the Benson family down.

Events[]

Five years later after Sarah's miscarriage and the Bensons' plan to have another child, Joni learns about Sarah's infertility and the couple's attempts to adopt. Joni finds the couple's original adopted mother Bridgette Gibson and murders her, then poses her as Bridgette by using a fake belly and charms the couple as well as six-year-old Sully. Bridgette also lies to the couple stating that she's been living in a homeless shelter with the couple allowing her to move in with them. When Sully discovers Bridgette wearing a fake belly, Joni lies to her and manipulates Sully into keeping her secret by lying saying that she wears the fake belly because her stomach didn't grow like most women. Bridgette also lies to Sully about her encounter with Dwayne when Dwayne arrived as Sully's bike almost went into the road. Bridgette begins to attempt multiple times to seduce Robert but Robert rejects her as he is very loyal to Sarah.

Robert learns about Bridgette's true identity after finding his autographed book in her belongings. Bridgette and Dwayne kidnap Sully with Dwayne believing that they can use Sully for ransom unaware that Bridgette only abducted her to win Robert's affection. Robert and Sarah report Bridgette to the police where they learn that Joni murdered the real Bridgette and stole her identity. Robert also reveals to Sarah that he had an affair with Joni. Sarah's co-worker Charlie follows Dwayne to the cabin where he discovers the villainous couple holding Sully hostage, the couple confront him and Dwayne shoots the man to death. Sully begins to fell ill because of her lack of insulin with Sully begging Bridgette for her medicine. Joni then returned to the Benson residence where she once again tried to seduce Robert into leaving Sarah but Robert rejected the villainess later getting into a struggle with her that resulted in Bridgette shooting Robert (non fatally) in the shoulder. Joni then gets into a struggle with Sarah that results in Joni knocking Sarah unconscious and placing her inside of a running car leaving Sarah to die from carbon monoxide poisoning but Robert manages to save his wife.

Climax/Death[]

Joni attacking Sarah — Joni during her standoff with Sarah

Dwayne realizes that Joni's plan to abduct Sully was a way to her get win Robert back which angers him. Dwayne threatens to foil her plan that results in Joni shooting Dwayne (non-fatally) and fleeing with Sully in his truck. Joni gets into a standoff with Robert where she attempts to run him down but Robert jumps out of the way. Sully reunites with her father with Joni holding them at gunpoint and berating Robert for his one night stand with Joni. Robert then whispers to Sully to jump off the bridge in order to get to a boat with Sully going along with her father's plan. Robert jumps into the water after Sully with Joni realizing that the two are attempting to escape. Joni points her gun at them but Sarah arrives and shoots Joni in the back. Joni turns around and is shocked to see Sarah then proceeds to fall over the bridge and dies of her gunshot wound destroying her chance at getting Robert back forever.

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Trivia[]

Jessica Lowndes also played villainess Vanessa Redlynn in the 2012 Lifetime film A Mother's Nightmare and the 2018 sequel A Father's Nightmare.