David Roth and Irene are 17 years old and in love. He's Jewish and she's Greek. Although their families have lived in the same neighborhood for years, marriage is out of the question. So David and Irene are secretly married in another state and she becomes pregnant. Unfortunately, the baby is born prematurely and dies shortly after birth. David leaves the baby in front of a doctor's office. However, the baby is not dead after all, is taken to a hospital and dies of pneumonia shortly after arrival. The police are called and determine that David is the father. He refuses to say who the mother is. David's parents refuse to have anything to do with him and consider him dead. The Prestons are appointed by the presiding Judge to defend David against a charge of criminal neglect. At the trial, the pathologist who examined the baby's body is forced to admit that the baby was so premature it had little chance of survival even if it had the best of care. Irene tries to hide among the spectators at the trial but is quickly discovered by the Prestons. She testifies that the baby was a symbol of the couple's love and there was no way either of them wanted the baby to die. David is found not guilty and he and Irene embrace but both are disowned by their families.