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CNN Live Saturday

Standoff in Idaho Enters Its Fifth Day

Aired June 02, 2001 - 15:09   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Police in northern Idaho are still waiting for five kids holed up in their home. The standoff is now in its fifth day. It's near the resort community of Garfield Bay. That's where we find CNN's national correspondent Eileen O'Connor with the latest for us -- Eileen.

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Donna, patience and restraint, those are the two watch words here. But there does seem to be a little bit of movement, a little bit of hope. After last night, according to the attorney for JoAnn McGuckin, who stands accused of child abuse, into the house law enforcement officials were able to send two individuals who the children trust.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRYCE POWELL, MOTHER'S ATTORNEY: These two individuals that the children know did enter the house. They got within the threshold of the house, and were able to communicate with the children orally at that point. They didn't make face-to-face contact. The children were in another room. The dogs were within the house, but they were able to talk with them.

They brought in food and water, and they were able to deliver a message from my clients to the children, which stated: "I love you, I hope you are OK, and please cooperate with this man, Mr. Powell."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'CONNOR: Now the mother, Joanne McGuckin, still remains in the jail. She is accused of child abuse, of neglecting these children's basic needs. Her husband died a few weeks ago. She had been cut the family off for several years, some have said because she feared that the farm and the house they had would have been taken away by authorities because of an unpaid tax debt.

Now, the children themselves, the lawyers and everyone who has had contact with them, say that they are very scared, very distrustful still. The children on Tuesday let lose a pack of vicious dogs onto authorities who came to get them to try to put them into protective custody.

There have, of course, been some inflammatory statements made on the Internet and publicly from certain individuals representing militia groups saying that militia groups who also are critical of local and federal law enforcement, could come to the aid of the children. Law enforcement authorities and some of the attorneys involved, including McGuckin's attorney, say that that kind of talk is certainly unhelpful -- Donna.

KELLEY: Eileen O'Connor in Idaho, thanks very much.

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