Out with his girlfriend, a young man from a well-to-do family is snatched from a quiet suburban street in broad daylight. Armed attackers force him into their car and disappear. But despite the emotional trauma of what she has just witnessed, the man's girlfriend observes key clues.

In an unprecedented television event, Friday, April 6 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC-TV, Bob McKeown hosts a live and interactive special edition of the fifth estate — "Kidnapped."

Viewers don't just get to observe — they can weigh in via Facebook, Twitter and by scanning the on-screen QR code with their smartphones, as the true-life drama unfolds, offering their input on what they think investigators should do each step of the way to find the victim and bring the kidnappers to justice. Before each commercial break, viewers will have the opportunity to interact and give their view on how investigators should proceed next. This special broadcast will be hosted live-to-air in five separate time zones across Canada, with real-time results tabulated and revealed live in each region.

Whether viewers choose to interact or simply observe, either way this edition of the fifth estate will be an especially intriguing television experience. It's edge-of-your-seat television with a life hanging in the balance — and it's all true.

Much of that truth comes from the people who were at the centre of the story — the victim's father and the Police Team Commander relive the day-to-day drama. Plus, a leading international hostage negotiator, appearing in shadow, explains how these crimes often play out, and how the family, the police and the media have to proceed with utmost caution and stealth so as not to trigger a tragic outcome.