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CNN Live Today
Hunting for Serial Rapist
Aired June 12, 2003 - 10:25 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.
HARRIS: And, we are back at 25 minutes after the hour. Police in south Florida are hunting for a serial rapist, and among his victims, latchkey schoolgirls who were home alone after school. Police list two adult women as well among his victims in saying that they range in age from 11 to 55.
Our National Correspondent Susan Candiotti is following the story for us. She checks in now live with more, Susan, good morning.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.
In the words of a police spokesman and the way the sexual attacks have galvanized this community, as everyone they say tries to pull together to try to find the person who is responsible for these serial rape attacks, as police call them.
Now, the Guardian Angels, among other groups, are out and about distributing flyers showing composite sketches of the suspect, and to make matters worse now that school is out for the summer more children possible targets are out and about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): For Guido Hernandez (ph) and his daughter Samantha, the usual excitement of the last day of school is gone this year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This thing is outrageous. It's getting out of hand.
CANDIOTTI: With a serial rapist on the loose, Hernandez is taking his youngest daughter to school himself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to worry about your kids. Every parent should.
CANDIOTTI: Miami Police say they have positive DNA links to at least four attacks and investigators call two more probable. In the last case, police say, the rapist was waiting inside the house of his alleged 12-year-old victim just home from school.
DEP. CHIEF FRANK FERNANDEZ, MIAMI POLICE: He's becoming more bolder. He's becoming, I mean obviously more guts as he comes along and that's dangerous.
CANDIOTTI: These are sketches from the last three victims, girls ages 11 to 13, two of them positive DNA matches according to police. After the most recent assault, police say they connected DNA from other unsolved cases going back to last fall. Two women, ages 21 and 55, then a 79-year-old woman attacked last month, potential victims of all ages being warned to be more aware of their surroundings.
SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ, STUDENT: I should be with a person always looking around over me because there's always someone out there looking at you and you don't know what might happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know what else to think about. I mean I just want the guy to be caught.
CANDIOTTI: The city is being blanketed with flyers, beginning with a neighborhood where the victims live. More police are on patrol, part of newly-formed task force following up on tips.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People who look suspicious, the way they drive, the way they park on a corner, just things that look out of place.
FERNANDEZ: One thing I want to say to this individual if he's watching us on TV right now, we're making it personal. We're going to catch him. If you're watching me now, I'm going to catch you. I'm going to put you behind bars.
CANDIOTTI: The city is posting a $10,000 reward.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: Police are now trying to make even more comparisons to other unsolved cases - Leon.
HARRIS: All right, thank you Susan, and folks down there have to be very careful. Now, the kids are getting out of school this week or next week. All right, thanks Susan.
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 June 12, 2003 - 10:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HARRIS: And, we are back at 25 minutes after the hour. Police in south Florida are hunting for a serial rapist, and among his victims, latchkey schoolgirls who were home alone after school. Police list two adult women as well among his victims in saying that they range in age from 11 to 55.
Our National Correspondent Susan Candiotti is following the story for us. She checks in now live with more, Susan, good morning.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.
In the words of a police spokesman and the way the sexual attacks have galvanized this community, as everyone they say tries to pull together to try to find the person who is responsible for these serial rape attacks, as police call them.
Now, the Guardian Angels, among other groups, are out and about distributing flyers showing composite sketches of the suspect, and to make matters worse now that school is out for the summer more children possible targets are out and about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): For Guido Hernandez (ph) and his daughter Samantha, the usual excitement of the last day of school is gone this year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This thing is outrageous. It's getting out of hand.
CANDIOTTI: With a serial rapist on the loose, Hernandez is taking his youngest daughter to school himself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to worry about your kids. Every parent should.
CANDIOTTI: Miami Police say they have positive DNA links to at least four attacks and investigators call two more probable. In the last case, police say, the rapist was waiting inside the house of his alleged 12-year-old victim just home from school.
DEP. CHIEF FRANK FERNANDEZ, MIAMI POLICE: He's becoming more bolder. He's becoming, I mean obviously more guts as he comes along and that's dangerous.
CANDIOTTI: These are sketches from the last three victims, girls ages 11 to 13, two of them positive DNA matches according to police. After the most recent assault, police say they connected DNA from other unsolved cases going back to last fall. Two women, ages 21 and 55, then a 79-year-old woman attacked last month, potential victims of all ages being warned to be more aware of their surroundings.
SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ, STUDENT: I should be with a person always looking around over me because there's always someone out there looking at you and you don't know what might happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know what else to think about. I mean I just want the guy to be caught.
CANDIOTTI: The city is being blanketed with flyers, beginning with a neighborhood where the victims live. More police are on patrol, part of newly-formed task force following up on tips.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People who look suspicious, the way they drive, the way they park on a corner, just things that look out of place.
FERNANDEZ: One thing I want to say to this individual if he's watching us on TV right now, we're making it personal. We're going to catch him. If you're watching me now, I'm going to catch you. I'm going to put you behind bars.
CANDIOTTI: The city is posting a $10,000 reward.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: Police are now trying to make even more comparisons to other unsolved cases - Leon.
HARRIS: All right, thank you Susan, and folks down there have to be very careful. Now, the kids are getting out of school this week or next week. All right, thanks Susan.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
