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Standoff in Idaho Is Over

Aired June 02, 2001 - 22:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: We have just received confirmation that the standoff in Idaho is over. Five children have been holed up in a run-down home with weapons after their mother was arrested Tuesday. It had been a situation in which authorities said they were willing to wait as long as it takes. CNN's Eileen O'Connor has the latest.

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Eileen O'Connor in Garfield Bay, Idaho. The standoff appears to be over. Sheriff's deputy told CNN just moments ago that the children are now safe, that they have been taken away from the compound where they have been for the last five days, holding off sheriff's deputies.

A sports utility vehicle went into the compound about an hour earlier, and coming out of the compound, it did appear to have children in the back seat. Now, the sheriff is saying only that they have taken the children out, that they are safe. They are not taking -- saying whether or not they took them into a hospital.

Their mother, though, is still in jail. She is accused of child abuse, accused of neglecting their basic needs, keeping them without food and electricity, especially after their father died several weeks ago.

Authorities say that the standoff began when they came, in fact, to take the children into protective custody on Tuesday. The children then unleashed some vicious wild dogs that were in the compound with them, 27 dogs, is what -- the figure that's being talked about. The children also were said to have guns on the property.

Now, all of the standoff came to end because they said they were able to reach contact with the children about 24 hours ago, when two people that the children trusted were able to go in, deliver a message from their mother, where she said that she loved them, she hoped they were OK, and that they should cooperate with authorities.

So, now we know that the children have cooperated, they are out, and according to the authorities, they are safe.

I'm Eileen O'Connor, reporting live. Back to you.

SAVIDGE: CNN's Eileen O'Connor in northern Idaho where the standoff has now come to an end peacefully.

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