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CNN Live Today

Interview With Missing Boy's Aunt

Aired April 29, 2003 - 10:23   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: We turn now to the latest on that case of the missing boy who disappeared from North Carolina more than two years ago. Relatives there are hoping that DNA testing underway right now will prove that Tristen Myers is the same child found alive near Chicago three months ago. Now, this 6-year-old says he doesn't remember who he is. Tristen's aunt, Donna Myers, joins us now by telephone from Roseboro, North Carolina.
Donna, are you there?

DONNA MYERS, AUNT OF MISSING BOY: Yes.

HARRIS: Good to have you with us this morning. I'm seen you on the TV quite a bit today. You've been smiling a lot today, and I believe you have got good reason to.

MYERS: I hope so.

HARRIS: You are positive this is the boy?

MYERS: I hope so. I am doing a lot of praying. It sure looks like him.

HARRIS: You've seen pictures of him that convince you of that?

MYERS: Yes.

HARRIS: Any idea of how he could have wound up in Chicago, if this is Buddy?

MYERS: No idea whatsoever.

HARRIS: Any -- has there been any -- any conclusion at all as to how he walked out of your home? As I understand it, the story goes about two and a half years ago, he was in your home watching TV?

MYERS: Yes. He had fallen asleep on the floor, and I laid down on the couch right in the same room with him, and he woke up and went outside, and then I got woken by the phone, and I noticed he wasn't there, and I went directly outside looking for him, and he wasn't out there.

HARRIS: Did the police in Chicago tell you anything at all about what kind of condition he's in right now?

MYERS: I haven't talked to the police in Chicago.

HARRIS: Who have you been talking to?

MYERS: The sheriff's department here.

HARRIS: Have they been able to give you any information?

MYERS: As far as I understand, he's fine.

HARRIS: And the police are telling you that the boy that they have in Chicago does not remember who he is?

MYERS: Yes.

HARRIS: Have they thought about, or have they tried even showing him a picture of you? Do you think that would help him?

MYERS: I don't know if they have or not.

HARRIS: Would you want them to?

MYERS: I would like them to. I would like to have them show him pictures of the family and pictures of the dogs, especially the three legged-dog, because I think he -- that would trigger something there, because how many times would he have seen a three-legged dog, you know?

HARRIS: I got to think for a boy that would really stick in his memory.

(CROSSTALK)

MYERS: ... his uncle's truck, I think that would make him -- have him remember something.

HARRIS: Now, how old was he when you lost him?

MYERS: Four.

HARRIS: He was 4. So a 4-year-old boy would remember those sorts of things. What happens now in the meantime, Donna? What do you do?

MYERS: Wait. It's hard, but just waiting for the DNA test to come back, and they say it may take four to six weeks, and one day is too long for me.

HARRIS: What happens if it is determined that this boy is Buddy? What do you do?

MYERS: Hopefully, we'll be flying there or they'll be flying him here.

HARRIS: And you think that could just be within a matter of days?

MYERS: It would be nice, but I don't know because we're waiting for the DNA tests to come back. HARRIS: What's the first thing you are going to do when you see him, then?

MYERS: Hug him, hold him.

HARRIS: I can just see you doing that in my mind's eye right now. Now, if he does come back to Roseboro, what happens with him in the family? Does he stay with you, does he go back with his mom or what? Do you know that, or have you thought about that?

MYERS: I'm not sure at this time. I'm hoping that he'll be here.

HARRIS: As I understand it now, the testing that is being done right now is with DNA samples that were taken from his birth mother, correct?

MYERS: Yes.

HARRIS: Now, is she planning on being a part of his life when he comes back? As I understand it, you were either petitioning for custody of him, or you were trying to adopt him. Is that correct?

MYERS: Yes. I really don't know at this time.

HARRIS: Well, we'll have to see how this all turns out. We're hoping here for the very best, both for your family and for this boy in Chicago. And you are positive because of the different markings. Apparently, he has got a scar on his face. Is that correct?

MYERS: On his neck.

HARRIS: How would you identify him? Give us -- those who may be just now hearing this story for the first time, how would you describe to them the boy that you have been looking for?

MYERS: Very loving child, and he has a scar on the left side of his neck, and he has blue eyes, and at the time, his hair was a little bit lighter than it is now, like a sandy blond hair.

HARRIS: That sure sounds a lot like the boy they have in Chicago. Donna, we are going to have to let you go right now, but before we let you go, let me ask you this. If this boy is watching television right now in Chicago, what would you tell him? What would you say to him?

MYERS: Tell him I love him very much, and hopefully I'll see him soon.

HARRIS: We'll be watching to see if that does happen, Donna. Donna Myers, good luck to you.

MYERS: OK.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired April 29, 2003 - 10:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn now to the latest on that case of the missing boy who disappeared from North Carolina more than two years ago. Relatives there are hoping that DNA testing underway right now will prove that Tristen Myers is the same child found alive near Chicago three months ago. Now, this 6-year-old says he doesn't remember who he is. Tristen's aunt, Donna Myers, joins us now by telephone from Roseboro, North Carolina.
Donna, are you there?

DONNA MYERS, AUNT OF MISSING BOY: Yes.

HARRIS: Good to have you with us this morning. I'm seen you on the TV quite a bit today. You've been smiling a lot today, and I believe you have got good reason to.

MYERS: I hope so.

HARRIS: You are positive this is the boy?

MYERS: I hope so. I am doing a lot of praying. It sure looks like him.

HARRIS: You've seen pictures of him that convince you of that?

MYERS: Yes.

HARRIS: Any idea of how he could have wound up in Chicago, if this is Buddy?

MYERS: No idea whatsoever.

HARRIS: Any -- has there been any -- any conclusion at all as to how he walked out of your home? As I understand it, the story goes about two and a half years ago, he was in your home watching TV?

MYERS: Yes. He had fallen asleep on the floor, and I laid down on the couch right in the same room with him, and he woke up and went outside, and then I got woken by the phone, and I noticed he wasn't there, and I went directly outside looking for him, and he wasn't out there.

HARRIS: Did the police in Chicago tell you anything at all about what kind of condition he's in right now?

MYERS: I haven't talked to the police in Chicago.

HARRIS: Who have you been talking to?

MYERS: The sheriff's department here.

HARRIS: Have they been able to give you any information?

MYERS: As far as I understand, he's fine.

HARRIS: And the police are telling you that the boy that they have in Chicago does not remember who he is?

MYERS: Yes.

HARRIS: Have they thought about, or have they tried even showing him a picture of you? Do you think that would help him?

MYERS: I don't know if they have or not.

HARRIS: Would you want them to?

MYERS: I would like them to. I would like to have them show him pictures of the family and pictures of the dogs, especially the three legged-dog, because I think he -- that would trigger something there, because how many times would he have seen a three-legged dog, you know?

HARRIS: I got to think for a boy that would really stick in his memory.

(CROSSTALK)

MYERS: ... his uncle's truck, I think that would make him -- have him remember something.

HARRIS: Now, how old was he when you lost him?

MYERS: Four.

HARRIS: He was 4. So a 4-year-old boy would remember those sorts of things. What happens now in the meantime, Donna? What do you do?

MYERS: Wait. It's hard, but just waiting for the DNA test to come back, and they say it may take four to six weeks, and one day is too long for me.

HARRIS: What happens if it is determined that this boy is Buddy? What do you do?

MYERS: Hopefully, we'll be flying there or they'll be flying him here.

HARRIS: And you think that could just be within a matter of days?

MYERS: It would be nice, but I don't know because we're waiting for the DNA tests to come back. HARRIS: What's the first thing you are going to do when you see him, then?

MYERS: Hug him, hold him.

HARRIS: I can just see you doing that in my mind's eye right now. Now, if he does come back to Roseboro, what happens with him in the family? Does he stay with you, does he go back with his mom or what? Do you know that, or have you thought about that?

MYERS: I'm not sure at this time. I'm hoping that he'll be here.

HARRIS: As I understand it now, the testing that is being done right now is with DNA samples that were taken from his birth mother, correct?

MYERS: Yes.

HARRIS: Now, is she planning on being a part of his life when he comes back? As I understand it, you were either petitioning for custody of him, or you were trying to adopt him. Is that correct?

MYERS: Yes. I really don't know at this time.

HARRIS: Well, we'll have to see how this all turns out. We're hoping here for the very best, both for your family and for this boy in Chicago. And you are positive because of the different markings. Apparently, he has got a scar on his face. Is that correct?

MYERS: On his neck.

HARRIS: How would you identify him? Give us -- those who may be just now hearing this story for the first time, how would you describe to them the boy that you have been looking for?

MYERS: Very loving child, and he has a scar on the left side of his neck, and he has blue eyes, and at the time, his hair was a little bit lighter than it is now, like a sandy blond hair.

HARRIS: That sure sounds a lot like the boy they have in Chicago. Donna, we are going to have to let you go right now, but before we let you go, let me ask you this. If this boy is watching television right now in Chicago, what would you tell him? What would you say to him?

MYERS: Tell him I love him very much, and hopefully I'll see him soon.

HARRIS: We'll be watching to see if that does happen, Donna. Donna Myers, good luck to you.

MYERS: OK.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com