The BAU team is on the trail of a serial killer targeting families throughout the Midwest. Meanwhile, Morgan is concerned when Ellie runs away from her foster family and pays him a visit.
When a boy is found murdered on the Appalachian Trail, the BAU team goes deep into its forests in search of a man lurking in the wilderness who is targeting children.
While the BAU are in Miami investigating a series of bizarre ritualistic murders, Reid suffers from intense migraines which makes him concerned about his health.
The BAU are called to Louisiana to get information from an autistic boy who has witnessed his parents' abduction. Meanwhile, Prentiss calls in two old colleagues to track down Ian Doyle.
The BAU hunts a stalker in San Diego who is targeting college students. Meanwhile, the team comes under Strauss' scrutiny in the wake of the loss of Prentiss.
The BAU is called to a North Carolina mountain town after a woman is found badly injured and another is missing, and they discover that these two are not the only victims.
The discovery of bodies buried in the ocean floor off Jacksonville prompts the BAU to intervene; Morgan's aunt suspects her missing daughter may be among the dead.