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CNN Live Today

Utah Police Still Lack Leads in Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping

Aired June 10, 2002 - 13:32   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Utah, the mother of a missing 14- year-old girl says that she believes in miracles, and that she knows her daughter will come home safe. Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her home in the predawn hours last Wednesday, and today the search continues.

Our James Hattori is in Salt Lake City. He's been there from the first day on this story. He checks in now with the very latest.

Anything new to report now, James?

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Leon.

Authorities just held a briefing a short time ago, and they say that there is no new solid lead or suspect in mind. They did confirm, however, reports that the father of Elizabeth Smart, Ed Smart, has taken a polygraph test, a lie detector test. That was yesterday. They wouldn't characterize the results of that test, or why they chose to administer that test. But it is an indication of how investigators, after reaching dead end after dead end, are looking at all possibilities.

Now, volunteers efforts have been moved to the Mormon church here behind me. Searchers are again going out to canvass neighborhoods in the canyons surrounding the house where 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped early Wednesday morning.

Police say they have about 100 investigators working on this case, including 40 from the FBI. The FBI has not completed work on a profile of a suspect that they have started. Police also say they intend to interview, for the third time, Elizabeth Smart's sister, Mary Catherine, 9-year-old who was in the bedroom at the time of the kidnapping. They also say that, based on what they've learned about what happened, and from talking with Mary Catherine at least two times before, that they have definitely ruled out that this was a runaway case; and that, in fact, they believe Elizabeth was, indeed, kidnapped.

Now, I also asked authorities how long they thought they could keep up this level of effort -- 100 investigators and really, the entire -- a lot of the police force tied up on this case. They said that, for the moment, as long as there's a chance, they're going to pursue it; they're going to keep following every lead. The leads do continue to come in. But they do concede that, as time goes on, the chances, if you look statistically at how these things play out, the chances of finding Elizabeth diminish as time goes on -- Leon.

HARRIS: James Hattori in Salt Lake City. Boy, sure hope they find some good news soon there.

Thanks very much James. We'll see you later on.

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