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CNN Live Saturday

Authorities Are Cautiously Optimistic in the Idaho Standoff

Aired June 02, 2001 - 16:05   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: Authorities in Idaho are cautiously optimistic today after the first face-to-face meetings with five armed children holed up in a house. For details, we go to CNN's Eileen O'Connor. She is in Garfield Bay, Idaho, for a live report for us -- Eileen?

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Donna, someone from the sheriff's office right now and an attorney who has been involved in this case have been briefing reporters. Basically what they're saying is that there's five children still remaining in the house. They still remain very distrustful of authorities, and that is why they are remaining in the house. But they do say that progress has been made, because contact has been made with these children.

As you know, their mother, JoAnn McGuckin, is still in jail right now. She has not been released on bond. She has been accused of child abuse for neglecting the basic needs of these children and for cutting them off from the community.

Now, attorneys who represented her and the children say that this was over a tax dispute with the government, but she was taken into custody last Tuesday. After that, when the authorities came to get the children, they unleashed some vicious dogs on authorities. Authorities do confirm there are guns in the house, but they also say their main concern is for the safety of the children. So they set up a meeting with two individuals that the children trusted, according to the attorney for Mrs. McGuckin, Bryce Powell.

(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, when the spokesman, the sheriff, was asked how long they would wait for these children to come out, apparently the sheriff had said: "I've just been elected for another term, and it goes for four years" -- Donna.

KELLEY: Eileen, I was listening to the news conference, and I heard you, of course, asking some of the questions. But one of the parts that I kind of missed, can you tell us a little bit more about, when they asked if there were certain agencies who could step up and take the children as a unit, if necessary, if something happens with the mother and this arrest that's happened, if necessary. Was that possible?

O'CONNOR: Well, what the sheriff spokesman said that they were in contact with some friends of the family, and they have been in contact with some family members in the community. So, it does seem to be that there is some kind of talk at least among people who know the McGuckins about possibly taking the children in, and that could be one of the things that they are offering to the children.

Another point, Donna, is that they do say they are attempting to make some kind of communications again today. They won't specify exactly how those communications are going to take place.

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

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