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CNN Live At Daybreak
Two California Girls Safe After Abduction
Aired August 02, 2002 - 05:03 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're going to get more on that kidnapping story now out of California. The two teenage girls are safe this morning after being kidnapped separately by the same man. In North Los Angeles, the Kern County sheriff says the kidnapper was hunting for a place to kill the teens when deputies stopped him.
Eric Horng has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERIC HORNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The two girls, ages 16 and 17, have been released from the hospital after meeting with crisis counselors and doctors, no doubt happy to be home with loved ones after this very difficult ordeal.
Friends of the two abducted teenagers broke down in tears after hearing the good news. For the parents of the two girls, it was a dramatic end to a harrowing day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I couldn't be a happier man right now and I hope I never, or any of you have to go through something like this.
HORNG: The kidnappings occurred at a popular teen hangout in a remote area about 60 miles north of Los Angeles shortly before 2:00 a.m. Authorities say the two teenagers were in separate cars with male companions when the suspect, identified as Roy Ratliff, tied up the two males with duct tape and abducted the girls at gunpoint, driving off in a white Ford Bronco.
About 12 hours later, a California Highway Patrol officer spotted and stopped the vehicle in neighboring Kern County. Authorities say Ratliff was shot during an exchange of gunfire with sheriffs' deputies.
ASST. SHERIFF LARRY WALDIE, LOS ANGELES COUNTY: The suspect is deceased. He has been killed at the scene. But the good news is the girls have been found. They've been safe.
HORNG: Authorities say the girls had been sexually assaulted. The Kern County sheriff believes they were moments away from being killed.
SHERIFF CARL SPARKS, KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: He was hunting for a place to kill them and bury them. We probably saved them by 10 minutes. He was parked. He had found the spot.
HORNG: Within minutes of the abduction, authorities activated the state's new amber alert, which notified the media and drivers to be on the lookout for the getaway vehicle. Authorities say that new system, implemented just last week in California, may have saved the lives of these two girls.
In Lancaster, California, I'm Eric Horng.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: It is, as Eric mentioned, a new system. You might be wondering just how the amber alert system works. Take a look at the highway information sign. It's got the I.D. of the vehicle police were searching for along with the license plate number. Now, the statewide system goes into effect, whenever a child or a teen is abducted, electronic highway signs alert motorists. The system is named after Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old Arlington, Texas girl who was murdered while riding her bicycle.
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