Home and Away Spoilers – Roo says a sad goodbye to Eliza

Next week on Home and Away in the UK, as Roo finally realises the extent of Eliza’s problems, she makes the heartbreaking decision to send her away.

There’s devastation for Roo (Georgie Parker) next week, as the full extent of foster child Eliza’s (Martha Kate Morgan) disturbing behaviour finally comes to light, forcing her to make a drastic decision.

14-year-old Eliza came to Summer Bay as an emergency placement two months ago, the first child placed into the care of Roo since she signed up to a fostering agency a year ago.

Eliza had been taken away from her parents at a young age and brought up by her grandmother. When she died after falling down the stairs four years ago, Eliza was placed into the care system.

Eliza’s previous foster home had been destroyed in a fire, and she brought with her the only possession she managed to save—a musical jewellery box.

But the box contained some pretty unusual items, as we soon discovered, including a lock of hair, a family photo with the faces of her parents scratched out, and most tellingly, a lighter.

Eliza’s behaviour quickly raised red flags, particularly with Marilyn (Emily Symons), who she took an almost immediate dislike to.

As Eliza began making veiled threats towards her, Marilyn did some digging and learned that Eliza’s previous foster parents suspected her of setting fire to their house.

With Eliza also having threatened a fellow pupil of Tane’s (Ethan Browne) youth program with a broken bottle, Marilyn decided to move out of Summer Bay House and stay with Irene (Lynne McGranger), telling Roo that she didn’t feel safe living under the same roof as Eliza.

This created tension between the long-time friends, with Roo accusing Marilyn of judging too quickly and not giving the girl a chance. But Marilyn stood firm, warning that Eliza might be dangerous.

Roo began to have her own doubts when she discovered what was inside Eliza’s music box, particularly after finding Alf’s missing fishing knife in there, but Eliza explained that the items held special memories for her. The day she’d spent with Alf, she claimed, he had felt like a grandfather to her.

Eliza’s interactions with Harper (Jessica Redmayne) were also of concern.

Early on, she made Harper uncomfortable by touching her pregnant belly without permission, showing an unsettling fascination with the unborn baby.

Things took a darker turn when the two went on a bushwalk and Harper unexpectedly went into labour, having already been booked in for a caesarean due to the dangers of her giving birth naturally.

Eliza said she would call for an ambulance but didn’t, fascinated to see what would happen next.

Luckily Tane and Levi (Tristan Gorey) tracked them down, and Harper gave birth whilst Eliza secretly filmed the whole thing.

Roo was stunned when Eliza casually showed her the footage, shaken by her cold, detached attitude to what was a serious medical emergency.

Tane was also deeply concerned when Eliza showed the footage to him, warning Roo to keep Eliza away from his family and wondering whether she’d been expecting to film a birth or a death.

The situation escalated further this week when Alf suffered chest pains whilst alone with Eliza at the bait shop.

Though he begged her to locate his medication and fetch help, Eliza stood by and did nothing—pocketing the pills and claiming she couldn’t find them, that the phone was dead, and that all the caravan park guests were out.

By pure chance, John (Shane Withington) came by looking for Alf and was able to help him up to the house where he had another supply of his meds.

Eliza’s lack of concern for Alf’s welfare, when she subsequently disappeared in an attempt to find Harper at the Beach House, led Roo to a shocking conclusion. Apologising to Marilyn for doubting her, Roo admitted her belief that Eliza could have been prepared to let Alf die.

Next week, Roo hasn’t been able to bring herself to call the department about Eliza, not wishing to renege on her promise to not give up on her. Alf assures Roo that she’s done everything she can for Eliza, but she’s now out of her depth.

Upstairs, shut away in her room, Eliza repeatedly watches the video she filmed of Harper giving birth. Inside her music box, there are two new additions—a screenshot she’s printed from the video, showing Harper in agony, and Alf’s missing bottle of heart medication.

Later, Roo meets with Harper and Tane at Salt to get Harper’s perspective on what happened when Alf fell ill.

Tane brings up the birth video, but Harper’s confused—Eliza told her the phone was dead and that was why she had to use Harper’s to call for help.

Tane checks Harper’s call log and finds his suspicions confirmed. Eliza never contacted the emergency services.

The realisation that Eliza deliberately left her to go through labour alone horrifies Harper, and she finally accepts that the teen is far more dangerous than she first believed.

Back home, Roo discovers the new items in the music box and confronts Eliza, placing the contents in front of her.

She asks why Eliza took Alf’s pills—did she really want to watch him die?

“What if I did?” Eliza chillingly replies.

She then admits all her previous stories about the items were lies, leaving Roo heartbroken.

Roo and Harper meet at the diner to discuss what happens next, whilst Marilyn heads back to the house to be with Alf, not wanting to leave him alone with Eliza.

Harper confirms that after talking with Eliza’s caseworker, the decision has been taken out of their hands—the department is stepping in, and Eliza will be removed.

She adds that Eliza needs professional care and will be institutionalised, assuring Roo that it will be the best thing for her.

When Roo returns to the house, she breaks the news to Alf and Marilyn, unaware that Eliza is listening from the hallway.

Upstairs, Eliza is close to tears as Roo gently tells her she can no longer stay.

“I know I’m different,” Eliza pleads. “People have been telling me that my whole life. Please don’t make me go. I’ll try harder, I’m sorry.”

But Roo explains that this is no longer her decision, and that Eliza needs help she simply can’t provide.

The next morning, Harper arrives to pick up Eliza and Roo. A last-minute apology to Alf about his pills, followed by a blunt “I apologised, can I stay?” does nothing to help Eliza’s cause, as Harper explains it doesn’t work like that.

Roo assures Eliza that with the right help her life can be better, but as they prepare to leave, the embittered teen can’t help but take one last shot.