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CNN Live Event/Special

Update on Carlie Brucia Case

Aired February 04, 2004 - 13:58   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to go straight to Sarasota, Florida now.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Sarasota's county sheriff is addressing reporters with an update on the disappearance of Carlie Brucia.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

SHERIFF BILL BALKWILL, SARASOTA CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: We're going to release it to you. We now have well over 400 leads. We are starting to get a few names. We are following those names as we speak.

Once again, I want to reiterate about the following agencies that are involved. This team work has come together. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The governor has set down numerous agents from there. The FBI has set down numerous agents. U.S. Marshals. We have other local law enforcement agencies who are providing investigators for us at this time to continue to follow up every lead as immediately as possible, as we can.

We're going to continue. As soon as we get some further information, we will bring it back to you immediately.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BALKWILL: As part of the investigation, again, we're going to take any piece of the evidence that we can have to help verify anything we get. So they probably did go over there, yes.

QUESTION: Do you have any idea what (OFF-MIKE)?

BALKWILL: No, we do not have that. No.

QUESTION: Are you working on that?

BALKWILL: Yes, we are. Any leads, like I said, once again -- people are calling in, numerous people are now starting to bring name forward to us who they think possibly this person might be. Anything that we get we're going to follow up whether it's a name or we can attach a vehicle to it, we're going to follow those leads up.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BALKWILL: Are we questioning anybody yet? We're doing an investigation on people now. OK.

QUESTION: Other than that, how do you continue the investigation when you've been going at it now for so long? You going back over the same things?

BALKWILL: Because -- no. We go over the same things. Yes, we do. But we also get tips, these tips that are coming in on phone calls. And again, we thank the citizens, not only of Sarasota County, but the citizens of Florida who are providing us with as much information as they can so we can follow those leads up.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BALKWILL: We're hoping that come in any minute. And as soon as we get it, it's coming right here.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BALKWILL: FBI and NASA are right now, yes.

QUESTION: Have you been able to find the two (OFF-MIKE) witnessed this? That supposedly were out during the time of the abduction?

BALKWILL: I'm not aware of that. If they did that, that's probably one of the leads that they are trying to follow up. I'm not aware of that at this time.

QUESTION: What about all the volunteers that come forward? They want (OFF-MIKE)?

BALKWILL: Well that's going depend and, you know, and where we can eventually find Carlie.

And right now what we have are volunteers doing are passing out flyers for us, trying to get any information that they can. They're going door to door for us, they're walking up and going to businesses. This is so important to us and we appreciate all their help that they're giving us at this particular time. They're here night and day helping us. So we really appreciate that at this time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (OFF-MIKE)

QUESTION: Sheriff, can you also tell us about the forensic unit at the -- Carlie's friend's mother's house? They were there for a few minutes earlier today. About why that was?

BALKWILL: I'm not aware of where the forensic unit was. But, if they were -- again, we're try trying to follow up anything that we can that might lead there. I'm not aware of that at this time, no.

QUESTION: Any specific locations like you had the other day on Kissimmee?

BALKWILL: No, that still has not been verified at all, no. QUESTION: Can you give us numbers of people that are involved from the sheriff's department, from the state, from the FBI? can you give us a ballpark figure?

BALKWILL: There is well over 100 and some -- about 125 investigators on this case right now. I will get that break down for you. How many are being provided by which agencies.

QUESTION: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Sheriff Bill Balkwill from Sarasota, Florida. He's the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department addressing reporters now on the investigation that continues into trying find the 11-year-old girl Carlie Brucia who's been missing since Sunday. You'll remember her abduction --it's now being called an abduction -- was caught on surveillance tape at a car wash there in Sarasota.

Right now the sheriff saying more than 400 leads they are following. Actually doing investigations on some specific people. They've been given a number of names. They're following up on those names. The FBI and NASA continuing to study those digital images that we've been seeing over and over again of a man confronting this 11- year-old girl.

We'll continue to follow those leads that investigators are following and bring you as much information as we get it.

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 February 4, 2004 - 13:58   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to go straight to Sarasota, Florida now.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Sarasota's county sheriff is addressing reporters with an update on the disappearance of Carlie Brucia.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

SHERIFF BILL BALKWILL, SARASOTA CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: We're going to release it to you. We now have well over 400 leads. We are starting to get a few names. We are following those names as we speak.

Once again, I want to reiterate about the following agencies that are involved. This team work has come together. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The governor has set down numerous agents from there. The FBI has set down numerous agents. U.S. Marshals. We have other local law enforcement agencies who are providing investigators for us at this time to continue to follow up every lead as immediately as possible, as we can.

We're going to continue. As soon as we get some further information, we will bring it back to you immediately.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BALKWILL: As part of the investigation, again, we're going to take any piece of the evidence that we can have to help verify anything we get. So they probably did go over there, yes.

QUESTION: Do you have any idea what (OFF-MIKE)?

BALKWILL: No, we do not have that. No.

QUESTION: Are you working on that?

BALKWILL: Yes, we are. Any leads, like I said, once again -- people are calling in, numerous people are now starting to bring name forward to us who they think possibly this person might be. Anything that we get we're going to follow up whether it's a name or we can attach a vehicle to it, we're going to follow those leads up.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BALKWILL: Are we questioning anybody yet? We're doing an investigation on people now. OK.

QUESTION: Other than that, how do you continue the investigation when you've been going at it now for so long? You going back over the same things?

BALKWILL: Because -- no. We go over the same things. Yes, we do. But we also get tips, these tips that are coming in on phone calls. And again, we thank the citizens, not only of Sarasota County, but the citizens of Florida who are providing us with as much information as they can so we can follow those leads up.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BALKWILL: We're hoping that come in any minute. And as soon as we get it, it's coming right here.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BALKWILL: FBI and NASA are right now, yes.

QUESTION: Have you been able to find the two (OFF-MIKE) witnessed this? That supposedly were out during the time of the abduction?

BALKWILL: I'm not aware of that. If they did that, that's probably one of the leads that they are trying to follow up. I'm not aware of that at this time.

QUESTION: What about all the volunteers that come forward? They want (OFF-MIKE)?

BALKWILL: Well that's going depend and, you know, and where we can eventually find Carlie.

And right now what we have are volunteers doing are passing out flyers for us, trying to get any information that they can. They're going door to door for us, they're walking up and going to businesses. This is so important to us and we appreciate all their help that they're giving us at this particular time. They're here night and day helping us. So we really appreciate that at this time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (OFF-MIKE)

QUESTION: Sheriff, can you also tell us about the forensic unit at the -- Carlie's friend's mother's house? They were there for a few minutes earlier today. About why that was?

BALKWILL: I'm not aware of where the forensic unit was. But, if they were -- again, we're try trying to follow up anything that we can that might lead there. I'm not aware of that at this time, no.

QUESTION: Any specific locations like you had the other day on Kissimmee?

BALKWILL: No, that still has not been verified at all, no. QUESTION: Can you give us numbers of people that are involved from the sheriff's department, from the state, from the FBI? can you give us a ballpark figure?

BALKWILL: There is well over 100 and some -- about 125 investigators on this case right now. I will get that break down for you. How many are being provided by which agencies.

QUESTION: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Sheriff Bill Balkwill from Sarasota, Florida. He's the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department addressing reporters now on the investigation that continues into trying find the 11-year-old girl Carlie Brucia who's been missing since Sunday. You'll remember her abduction --it's now being called an abduction -- was caught on surveillance tape at a car wash there in Sarasota.

Right now the sheriff saying more than 400 leads they are following. Actually doing investigations on some specific people. They've been given a number of names. They're following up on those names. The FBI and NASA continuing to study those digital images that we've been seeing over and over again of a man confronting this 11- year-old girl.

We'll continue to follow those leads that investigators are following and bring you as much information as we get it.

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