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CNN Live Today

Police Continue to Search Lake for Little Girl

Aired August 13, 2002 - 10:09   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Beginning in Southern California, that is where police have another missing girl case on their hands, and they have issued a statewide alert amid fears that she was abducted. The grim declaration comes after searching a lake on Sunday night and Monday, based on an assumption that this little girl may have accidentally drowned.
Our James Hattori brings us the latest on this developing story -- James, good morning.

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. It started out as a pleasant day in the park Sunday for 4-year-old Jessica Cortez, her brother, and her parents, who sell food here at Echo Park, which is just northeast of downtown Los Angeles. But she vanished sometime around 7:30 Sunday evening. Police issued an Amber Alert, but later canceled it. One official was quoted as saying they erred on the side of caution. After her brother said that he last saw her in the lake here in the park, they began searching the waters looking for her body, but so far they have found nothing.

Some 200 police officers are involved in the investigation, searching the lake as well as canvassing the neighborhood, talking with neighbors. Last night, after talking with some witnesses, police issued a composite sketch of a man who was last seen with Jessica Sunday. He is described as a perhaps African-American or Latino, 20 to 25 years old, 5-foot-8, 6-foot tall, 160 to 180 pounds, with a tattoo of a cross on his left leg. He is a man who was also carrying a dog, a Chihuahua.

Now, also Monday night, friends and neighbors held a vigil in the park. Jessica's parents pleaded for her safe return. They speak mostly Spanish, but also a little bit of English. This morning, police are expected to give us an update on the case, perhaps in about an hour. Police are also expected to resume searching the lake here. Perhaps you see some swimmers from the Los Angeles County Life Guard Service who are maybe taking part in that search.

So, Daryn, they have not ruled out the possibility that Jessica may be in the lake -- her body, perhaps, in the lake, but they are holding out hope that if they find this man they are looking for, that he will have some information that will lead to her safe return -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So the status on the Amber Alert in this case, James, it is on or it is off?

HATTORI: Well, it was on at first, they canceled it. It is now out again, but more specifically looking for the man who they think may have some information about her disappearance.

KAGAN: All right. Well, we will check back with you, and again, in that news conference, interested to see what police have to say about that. James Hattori in Los Angeles, thank you.

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