Elizabeth Grace Vaughn was born to an elementary school teacher and a detective, the only child that would be graced to the couple. Instead of growing up idolizing her mother, Elizabeth grew up desperate for her father's attention, wanting nothing more than to go along with work with her dad. Jim Vaughn was an honored detective, one who took his job very seriously and worked long hours to ensure the city stayed safe.
After a memorable 'take your daughter to work day' elizabeth was given the nickname 'Betty' from one of the other detectives, and she was so tickled by it that it stuck for good, insisting that everyone referred to her by her new nickname. It was time for Mr. Vaughn to finally get a promotion, and it wasn't until Betty was in the fourth grade before her parents sat her down and explained that they were moving to Boston. Jim had gotten a transfer and promotion, which meant that the vaughns were moving out to Beantown. Betty kept in touch with some classmates through letters and the rare long-distance phone call, but eventually they faded and she had to make new friends quickly.
Being raised a detective's daughter made Betty afraid of trying anything that could get her into trouble. In high school she kept her nose clean; she participated in musical theater and choir, too afraid of her dad's disapproval to act out. It wasn't until she got to college where she finally started to experiment with the things some kids in her graduated class had been doing for years.
She majored in criminal justice, her one true passion in life, and graduated on time and with honors from Boston College in 2010 and with one vision in mind: becoming a detective just like her father. After graduation she almost immediately applied for the police academy, but could not pass both the physical and academic at the same time; one would pass, and then the other would. It was the physical portion that Betty just could not pass. So she buckled down and took some martial arts classes in order to get into the shape she needed to be to become the detective she always dreamed of being.
It took nearly five years and a couple receptionist jobs in order to finally get where she needed to be, but Betty finally passed the exam and the police academy. In May she graduated and has been learning the ropes ever since. She takes her job very seriously and believes above all else in justice for all.