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Miracle in Missouri; Deep Freeze Across Central U.S.

Aired January 13, 2007 - 16:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRAIG AKERS, MISSING BOY'S STEPFATHER: To have one missing child found is just extraordinary. To have two found at the same time is -- is just one of those things that I don't even know if you ever even read about things like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Celebrating in Missouri this evening. Two missing boys back home.

Live reports coming up in the NEWSROOM.

Plus, deep freeze. Frigid temperatures chill the central U.S., knocking out power to thousands.

Also, the Associated Press is reporting that a cave-in has killed two miners in West Virginia.

Hello, and welcome to the CNN NEWSROOM on this Saturday, the 13th day of January.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Two major stories developing at this hour. That shot of icy weather is one of them. But we start with what we know about the miracle in Missouri.

Two teenage boys appeared today with their families safe and sound after being freed from their alleged abductor. Ben Ownby, 13, was missing four days. Shawn Hornbeck, now 15, hadn't been seen for four-and-a-half years.

Police in suburban St. Louis got a tip and on Friday discovered both boys in the same apartment. Pizzeria manager Michael Devlin has been arrested on a single count of kidnapping. Authorities say more charges are expected.

Well, he was 11 the day he was kidnapped. Today he is a full- fledged teenager. A smiling Shawn Hornbeck appeared with his mother and step dad, who never surrendered the hope that they'd see their son again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

C. AKERS: Obviously, this is probably the best day of our lives. It's hard to even come up with words that can express the feeling that we've been going through since 4:00 yesterday afternoon when we received the phone call.

We were on our way home from work yesterday, driving home in the miserable rain and nasty stuff, when we got the call that they believed that Shawn had been found and that he was OK. I think it's probably the phone call that I'll remember most for the rest of my life. It was -- since then, it's been like a dream.

Once I saw the face, I was, like, "Oh, my god, that's my son." And it was just a big group hug, kisses. We told him we loved him and that he's home now, and that was pretty much where we were for about the first five minutes.

There really weren't too many words spoken, other than a lot of "I love you," hugs, kisses and "We're so glad that you're home," and him expressing how glad that he was to finally be home.

PAMELA AKERS, SEAN HORNBECK'S MOTHER: Shawn is a miracle here. We're glad to have him home.

I still feel like I'm in a dream, only this time it's a good dream. It's not my nightmare that I lived for four and a half years.

We've got a lot of catching up to do. He's grown up on me, that's for sure. And I just really want to thank everybody, everybody that has been out there that helped search for Shawn, everybody that's been out there to help us search for other missing kids, everybody that has searched for other missing kids that were not even found. And most likely -- I want to give hat hope to the families, to the families that their kids can come home.

It may be years later, it may be days later, it may be weeks later, but they can come home safe. And just always keep that faith and hope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And listen to this -- Shawn might never have been found if not for a second reported abduction.

Monday afternoon, William Ben Ownby vanished from a school bus stop southwest of St. Louis. The one solid lead, a battered white pickup truck that sped away from the scene. When police found the pickup, they also found both missing boys.

Here's Ben's family speaking today in Union, Missouri.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DORIS OWNBY, BEN OWNBY'S MOTHER: We are just ecstatic. Don't want to let him go or out of our sight. He -- he doesn't want us to hold on to him, but we have. Just -- we're just excited and happy to have him at home.

DON OWNBY, BEN OWNBY'S FATHER: Our focus is just, now that we got our son back, we're going to about him.

QUESTION: What are Amanda's thoughts, the sister?

AMANDA OWNBY, SISTER: I'm just really glad to have Ben back.

QUESTION: How grateful are you to Mitchell?

DORIS OWNBY: Oh, man. What a great kid. I -- we haven't had a chance to talk to him or anything yet, so, yes, he's owed a great big hug from all of us.

QUESTION: Were you able to sleep last night?

DON OWNBY: Oh, yes.

DORIS OWNBY: Oh, yes.

DON OWNBY: We were just so relieved we could finally relax.

DORIS OWNBY: I just told him when I went to bed, "Just don't stay up too late."

QUESTION: What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?

DORIS OWNBY: I went and checked on him.

QUESTION: What do you think your message would be at this point (INAUDIBLE) as to other families who, you know, are in similar situations and haven't had the resolution that you guys have had? What do you think that a situation like yours and Shawn, what's the message that it sends?

DON OWNBY: Well, it really seems bleak, but you can't quit trying. You've got to go forward, do what you can. And hopefully anyone else in this situation, the community will step forward and support them like this community supported us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And we'll have more of the emotional press conferences by the families of the two rescued boys coming up.

Still much more on this story, including emergency -- emerging, rather, details of the kidnapping suspect.

Joining us on the phone from Union Missouri, CNN's Jonathan Freed.

What do we know, Jonathan?

JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, I can tell you that I've been in touch with the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, trying to find out whether we are going to -- whether we should expect to hear anything else of a significant nature in the next little while, and they are telling us quite confidently that they think that they have said what they are going to say today and that we should not expect to hear from them before Tuesday morning at the earliest.

What everybody, of course, is waiting to hear is whether there or not there will be charges added. Right now, Michael Devlin is facing one felony count of kidnapping. And Robert Parks (ph), who is the Franklin County prosecutor, is saying there could be more coming.

And all of the authorities today basically saying, look, we've been able to bring this families out, you've had a chance to see the children involved here. Let us go away and spend the weekend to really focus on this case, because the thing that the prosecutor in particular is saying at this point, Fredricka, is that he really wants to have an airtight case going forward as far as executing -- the prosecution goes.

WHITFIELD: And that is, in part, why, Jonathan, we're not hearing too many details about the home where these kids were being kept or how they were treated, et cetera?

FREED: Our understanding, yes, of course, is that authorities are privy to more information, as they usually are in this kind of a case, than what is being revealed right now. But they are at that very tender point where you move from the active investigation and trying to recover the child and, in this case, unexpectedly, two children, to turning this around and moving forward towards the arraignment and really getting that case together.

There is -- in hindsight, usually in a case like this, the authorities will look back and often say, well, we probably could have revealed this, we probably could have revealed that, information which to us would be very interesting and might be more revealing than what we know at this point. But they tend to play it very, very close until the very last minute.

So, we're being told to kind of hold off for the next little while.

WHITFIELD: Jonathan Freed from Union, Missouri, thank you so much.

So what might these children be going through right now, now that they are back home with family.

Dr. Bob Butterworth is joining us now. He's a child psychologist. He's joining us from Los Angeles.

And perhaps, Dr. Butterworth, you can give us some idea. We know that transitioning for this child from being abducted, being held against their will, to going back home has to be a very tough phase. So what would you recommend the family do at this point to try to reach out, to communicate, to be there for these two boys?

DR. BOB BUTTERWORTH, CHILD'S PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, you know, really, Shawn's probably feeling at this point like a stranger in a strange land. I mean he has to come back...

WHITFIELD: Yes, four years. BUTTERWORTH: Four years. So I think what they need to be doing is sitting down and looking at photos from the past and trying to recreate positive memories from the distant past because, sadly, the memories from the recent past are not so positive.

WHITFIELD: And when we're talking about these two young boys, while they may have been found in the same location, we don't know anything about how they were treated. You know, the four years, versus four days. The trauma that either one of these kids may have endured would be very different, even though they are having similar experiences of being held in a strange place.

So, what should the parents of each family expect? Might their expectations be very different about how to communicate, how to reach their child?

BUTTERWORTH: Well, much different for Shawn, who was abducted for four years. There's a sense that, you know, he's -- they were treating him as a child when he left. And now he's a teenager. So there's going to be a tendency to want to hold on. As we heard in the press conference, not let him out of their sight.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

BUTTERWORTH: But remember, he has to transition not only back to his family, but back to his neighborhood, back to his friends, and back to being a teenager. And you know teenagers, to be normal, you have to kind of let go. And it really is a contradiction.

WHITFIELD: Right. And for prosecutors to really develop this case, it does mean talking, having more dialogue with these two kids.

So, how might they have to approach this gingerly to make sure that they're not I guess deepening the wounds that either one of these kids may have?

BUTTERWORTH: That's really hard, Fredricka, because the fact is, that a lot of times when these traumas happen -- and we really don't know what occurred for Shawn for four years -- but, you, you know, you let it unfold naturally. But letting it unfold naturally can take sometimes years.

WHITFIELD: Right. And law enforcement, they're on a schedule. They want to get this, you know, speedy trial, et cetera. So, you know, they may not be patient with naturally, right?

BUTTERWORTH: And they're not going to be. So generally what's best is to create a timeline and have them work through a timeline. And to do this on videotape, so he has to do it maybe just once or twice at the most.

And then just kind of let him go at his own pace. And with professional help, things should start falling into place. But as opposed to the youngster that was gone four days, it's a much different -- it's a much different kind of phenomenon.

WHITFIELD: Dr. Bob Butterworth, thank you so much for your expertise, joining us from Los Angeles this weekend.

BUTTERWORTH: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: So, it's tough to imagine, but just how often do these kinds of kidnappings take place? And what can you do to protect your children?

CNN's Joshua Levs has a reality check you won't want to miss. He joins us live in just about 20 minutes.

The other big story that we're following here today, wicked weather in parts of the central and southern U.S.

REGGIE AQUI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Round one wasn't too bad. But round two, well, that could be a doozy.

I'm Reggie Aqui in Oklahoma City. More on that frigid weather and a storm that's coming tonight coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

C. AKERS: We're so, so fortunate. And this, once again, is a prime example of why over the last four years I've told everyone in this situation not to give up hope. There's always hope. Hope is what gets you through. And sometimes this is what happens when you have that hope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And now an update of what we know about those two missing boys found alive in a Missouri apartment.

After their ordeal, the boys have been reunited with their families and are said to be in good spirits. Thirteen-year-old Ben Ownby had been missing for four days. Fifteen-year-old Shawn Hornbeck disappeared in 2002.

Suspect Michael Devlin is under arrest and is expected to be arraigned on a kidnapping charge next week. Officials say more charges are likely.

The weather, brutal weather, pounding parts of the nation this weekend. It's frigid and it's deadly.

There's a state of emergency in Missouri. Snow and ice have canceled flights and cut power to thousands of households in the St. Louis area.

Across the region, six deaths are blamed on the arctic blast. The latest report of a fatality was in Oklahoma, where there is also a state of emergency in effect. The storm dropped half an inch of sleet and left 24,000 homes and businesses without electricity.

In Texas, they are coping with floods. The storm brought high water to the Austin area. Strong winds blew out windows and caused other damage in north Texas.

A second round of severe weather is expected in many of those areas later on today.

CNN's Sumi Das is standing by in St. Louis, but first let's go to reporter Reggie Aqui in Oklahoma City, where the situation there is bleak -- Reggie.

AQUI: Hi, Fredricka. Well, let me show you what the problem is right away.

This is what we have on our roadways, our sidewalks, really covering much of Oklahoma and the states surrounding us. It's a thick layer of ice. And it's very slippery out there on the roadways.

As you take a look at the roadways, I'll tell you, I just talked to the person who is in charge of cleaning up the streets, really, after a storm like this, and he tells me here in Oklahoma City, well, it's a battle that he already knew he was going to lose before he started. You see, it's extremely expensive and it requires a lot of manpower.

Oklahoma City really isn't prepared for this type of storm that lasted this long and that is so cold that doesn't have some melting during the day. In fact, he tells me that he's already spent $150,000 on these storms that he has had in the past couple of months. His budget for the year, well, it's supposed to be $100,000. That's going to be a little problem for him.

He's also having a problem with his staffing, because, of course, he's having to have people work 12-hour shifts.

Now, at the airport it's a whole other problem. Now, yesterday is when they started to cancel flights into Oklahoma, and today we saw an even more expansive problem with the system because of what was happening at Dallas-Fort Worth and some of the other airports.

In fact, at Dallas-Fort Worth, about of the flights were canceled. That's 300 flights where people just didn't know how they were going to get home.

So, Fredricka, as you can see, this is not just a deadly storm, as you mentioned. About so far six people dead because of ice-related accidents. It's an extremely expensive one for these communities, who just aren't prepared for this sort of icing. And tonight it could get much worse, as we expect possibly an inch or maybe even more precipitation to fall again.

WHITFIELD: All right, costly on so many levels.

Reggie Aqui, thank you so much.

Well, as we mentioned earlier, power outages in many areas, including St. Louis. Well, that's where they believe that's the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

CNN's Sumi Das is live in St. Louis.

And what they are they bracing for next, Sumi?

SUMI DAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.

It certainly feels like the tip of the iceberg here. I want to tell you what Matt Blunt, the Missouri governor, has done to make sure that resources are available for the residents of his state to keep them safe during the freezing temperatures that are expected over the next couple of days.

First of all, as you mentioned, he's issued a state of emergency, he's mobilized the National Guard, and DMAT is on standby. That's the disaster medical assistance teams.

The first system came through here early this morning. It is cold now, but it is going to get colder.

Up to half an inch of ice has accumulated in parts of Missouri. I want to tell you some of the damage that has been caused so far.

Ameren, the local power company, says there are about 105,000 customer in the metropolitan St. Louis area that are without power at this time. That's actually improved over earlier today, when there were more than 120,000 customers that were left in the dark.

There are hundreds of crews that are working, they are expected to work all night long. They are getting help from nearby states, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, even Tennessee. But Ameren is not predicting when power is going to be restored to all homes because they say the problem could get worse, and that's because of the additional systems that are expected to come through this area.

The affected airports, numerous flight everybody canceled, just as is the case in Oklahoma. Lambert, St. Louis airport, Springfield, and Kansas City airports all have had problems due to this storm. And it's also affecting the rail lines.

I spoke to somebody from Amtrak earlier today, and he told me that the St. Louis Mule and the Kansas City Mule -- those are the trains that run between those two cities -- they began canceling those trains early today. They called customers up and told them that they may know later today whether or not trains will be running tomorrow.

The reason why is because there is debris. Basically, trees have fallen onto the railroad tracks and it's prevented trains from passing.

Now, the ice storm warning that's in effect right now, that's going to stay in effect until Monday morning. The stronger system is expected to come through Missouri tomorrow, and it's also going to bring gusty northwest winds. That's going to cause additional damage, most likely, to trees and to power lines.

So the message to the folks in Missouri, it's going to get worse before it gets better -- Fredricka. WHITFIELD: Not good news at all. All right. Thanks so much, Sumi Das.

Let's check in with Bonnie Schneider.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, more on the remarkable case of two missing boys found. We've heard a lot from Shawn Hornbeck's family. Well, how about from Ben Ownby's mom? We're going to hear from her when we come back.

And then, just how often do kidnappings like these happen in the United States? Joshua Levs will joins us to talk more about that, and to give us tips on what parents can do to try to keep their kids safe.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DORIS OWNBY: He's Ben. He's Ben. The first thing we asked him what he wanted to do when he got home, and he said he wanted to play computer games.

So, when we got home, he -- got him something to eat, and then he was sitting there next to me knowing that I probably didn't want him to leave. And I looked at him, and I said, "Do you want to go to your room?" And he said, "Yeah."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That was the voice of Doris Ownby, describing part of the reunion with her son, Ben, last night.

Here's what we know about the cases.

A 41-year-old pizza restaurant manager is facing kidnapping charges in the alleged abductions of Ben Ownby and Shawn Hornbeck. Both boys have been reunited with their families. Police are still collecting evidence in this case.

And now news "Across America."

The North Carolina Attorney General's Office is taking over the Duke lacrosse sexual assault case. The move came at the request of embattled district attorney Michael Nifong, who asked to be removed from the case. He faces ethics charges that could lead to his disbarment.

The Associated Press is reporting that two miners trapped in West Virginia are dead. State police and local officials rushed to the mine near Cucumber, West Virginia. A police spokesperson says the miners became trapped when the roof collapsed about a mile into the mine. In other stories "Across America," in Michigan, a man is in jail after leading police on this wild chase. Police were tracking two men suspected of stealing personal watercraft. They caught up with one of them in a separate vehicle early on. But officers chased this guy for almost an hour before he lost his trailer.

Whenever a child goes missing for a long time, police come up with a sketch of what the child might look like. Well, coming up next here in the NEWSROOM, the Hornbeck family talks about the picture of their once-missing son.

JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How often do kidnappings like this happen, and what can parents do to help protect their children?

I'm Joshua Levs. I'm going to have that for you coming up in the CNN "Reality Check."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AKERS: You know, this -- this is just one of those rare, rare things. I mean, to have one missing child found is -- is just extraordinary. To have two found at the same time is -- is just one of those things that I don't even know if you ever even read about things like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Jubilation in Missouri today. Two sets of parents overjoyed at dual reunions with two missing boys. Police found Ben Ownby and Shawn Hornbeck in the same apartment Friday. Ownby had been missing for four days. Hornbeck had been missing for four years.

America's Heartland is in the chilling grip of a brutal ice storm today. At least three highway deaths in Oklahoma are blamed on that storm, which dumped a half an inch of sleet and ice. Thousands are without power as well. Another round of wintry weather is hitting the area today.

And in the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is trying to breathe new life into the roadmap for peace. She's meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders during her stop in the region. Later, she also hopes to urge Iraq's neighbors to support President Bush's planned U.S. troop buildup.

As the congressional debate over increasing troops levels in Iraq heats up here at home, three U.S. lawmakers are visiting Baghdad. Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Evan Bayh, and Representative John McHugh are meeting with Iraqi officials today. They'll also visit U.S. troops before heading to Afghanistan.

It is being called the miracle in Missouri. Here's what we know. Two teenage boys are safe and sound today, reunited with their families after both were kidnapped four years apart. Their alleged abductor is expected to be arraigned next week. The FBI said 41 year-old Michael Devlin could also face federal charges. Little is known about him, but police are exploring Devlin's background and interviewing people who know him.

The families of both boys are ecstatic over the homecomings. Shawn Hornbeck was gone the longest, over four years. Little has been said about how he and Ben Ownby were treated, but apparently Hornbeck does have some thoughts about the age progression photos of him released to the public.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AKERS: About the only comment that I've heard so far was that the first age progressed photo was an insult. We agreed. That was one of the ones that we didn't like either. And so we've reached the consensus that that first one just really wasn't any good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, it's so nice they can all laugh about that and other things right now. Well, so far no details have been released about what was found in the apartment where the boys were allegedly held.

A man who knows the agony of what these families had been going through, Marc Klaas. But in his case, there was no happy ending.

After Klaas's 12 year-old daughter, Polly (ph), was kidnapped at knife point from her mother's California home in 1993, her body was found two months later. Marc Klaas founded the Klaaskids Foundation, dedicated to fighting crime against children. Klaas says that this latest reunion of the boys underscores finding missing children is a team effort.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC KLAAS, KLAASKIDS FOUNDATION: Well, you know, this is all about partnerships between law enforcement and media and the public. And these are -- these are protocols that have been evolving for years and years and years now. We have a much greater understanding of the issue than we ever did before. The technology has advanced tremendously. Law enforcement understands the integral components here and how working together, we can really start making a change.

And as a result of that, and as a result of legislation that has been passed over the course of the last 12 or 13 years, we're seeing more and more of these children recovered, much more quickly than they ever have in the past. And you know, that's a testament to people like Craig Akers and to people like me and to people like Ed Smart and to the families and to the -- to the law enforcement and to the legislators.

And we're all a part of this -- this evolution. No one entity should ever give themselves too much credit.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: Klaas says the situation in Missouri proved investigators in missing children cases should never lose hope and never ignore leads, no matter how cold their case seems to be.

Well, how often do kidnappings like this happen? And what can be done to protect children against them?

Joshua Levs has a reality check for us now.

JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi.

Yes, in order to answer the question, we've been looking today into government figures. And what we're finding is that kidnappings by strangers are actually very rare. What happens much more often is that a child will be kidnapped by someone he or she knows.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEVS (voice-over): The faces and names become memorable. You will probably recall these two boys and their story for years. Parents everywhere know the fear of it happening to their children.

How often does it happen?

To answer that, the Justice Department compiled figures across the country for one year: 1999. Nearly 800,000 children were reported missing that year. But most were not kidnapped. In many cases, their whereabouts were temporarily unknown. Some ran away. About 200,000 were abducted by family members. Fifty-eight thousand were taken by non-relatives. One hundred and fifteen kids were classified as being taken by strangers.

AKERS: Sure, he's got plans...

LEVS: Kidnapped children lucky enough to be rescued sometimes take years before talking about everything that happened. But experts say they often can resume normal lives.

ED SMART, FATHER OF ELIZABETH SMART: I haven't heard every detail, nor do I need to know every detail because I know it was horrific. And the important thing is they're back home, and they're with you, and they're going to be able to be there, and you're going to be whole as a family again instead of this big, gaping hole.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEVS (on camera): And authorities offer some advice to help protect your children. First of all, obviously, always know where your kids are. Next, they say never leave your kids in a car. This means even if the door is locked, even if the car is not running. No matter what, don't leave your kids unattended in a car.

They also say this: don't only teach your kids not to go away with strangers. Teach your kids not to take a ride with any person they know, unless in that specific instance you have told them that at that time it's OK. Now, obviously that's not going on to prevent all kidnappings. I mean, the fact is, as we know from stories we've covered at CNN, a girl can be kidnapped from her home, a boy could be kidnapped riding his bicycle somewhere. It will still happen.

But, Fred, authorities say that those kinds of steps could help keep kids safer.

WHITFIELD: Yes, and we are glad, really glad for the Hornbeck and the Ownby family that they had a happy ending. But how rare is this, that, you know, a child abducted is returned safely to their home?

LEVS: Yes, I mean, and that depends how you break down the numbers. Here's something else I can tell you about that -- it's interesting -- when you look at the total figure of kids who are kidnapped by a non-family member, way up in the thousands, 99 percent of them make it home safely. That number, virtually all of them.

But there's a much smaller figure of kids who are kidnapped by strangers. In those cases, according the statistics that we've gotten from the Justice Department, only about half of those, Fred, end up making it home safely. And among those, about half of the ones who make it back have some kind of injury.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Joshua.

LEVS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As Fredricka said, two happy families tonight. But thousands more are still living with the agony of not knowing where their children on. Inside the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, when CNN NEWSROOM continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In the headlines today, that miraculous rescue of two missing Missouri boys. How inspiring is that, especially for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, constantly working to find clues for so many cases like this?

Joining us now from the center's headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, CNN's Gary Nurenberg -- Gary.

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The happy resolution of these two cases, Fredricka, is cause for celebration here. But the unhappy reality is that thousands of other cases remain unresolved. It's one reason the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has a hot line which is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, one reason it has a website, missingkids.com. It urges people to go there and see what they can do to help.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Jean (ph). May I help you?

NURENBERG (voice-over): The National Missing Children's Hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST, got 319 tips about Shawn Hornbeck, who was in its database for more than four years. The age progression images of him, testament to the conviction here you never give up.

ERNIE ALLEN, NATL. CTR. FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN: The key message from Missouri is hope. So many people assume because that you don't recover a child in the first hours or days, that you're looking for a body. It's gloom and doom. The reality is children are recoverable. Most of America's missing children come home safely. And we've got to keep hope alive.

JOANN DONNELLAN, NATL. CTR. FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHIDDEN: The poster that we have on Ben...

NURENBERG: Like Shawn's, William Ben Ownby's missing poster was also online at missingkids.com, where the public can see the details surrounding each case. In Ben's that included a description of the white pickup truck a friend of Ben's saw in the area where he disappeared, a vital clue in this case.

DONNELLAN: That kind of information is critical when you're trying to find a missing child because the general public then has information to go on. So when they're driving down the street, they can look for that truck that has all of those, you know, critical descriptors.

NURENBERG: Although there is celebration here about Shawn and Ben, the Center for Missing and Exploited Children says it adds new cases every day.

DONNELLAN: Take the time. Take a few minutes. Go to our website, and look. Erica is still missing, Avery's still missing, Tristan's still missing. There are thousands of children still missing, but the public has the power to help bring them home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NURENBERG (on camera): You know, when you walk through the doors here, they just beat you over the head with that message: the public has the power to bring them home. And they urge CNN viewers to go to the website, missingkids.com, poke around, see if you can find any information to help bring someone else home, particularly in light of the energizing revelation this weekend, the energizing reminder that happy endings do happen -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: That's right. And every little bit helps.

Gary Nurenberg, thank you so much.

And joining me here, Rick Sanchez with more of the NEWSROOM, a lot on tap.

HELLO? RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Have a look at this. No, I'm just -- I'm still mesmerized by this story, as I'm sure you are. I have three kids, as you know, three boys. I also have a little daughter. But I can't even begin to imagine as a father what it would be like to experience something like this.

What would I do? What would you do to search out and look for your son or your daughter? Is there any part of this world that you wouldn't scour?

Well, so what is Craig Akers' story, because he seems like a very committed father? He seems like he loves his boy, as well. We heard his story this morning. It's moved so many people. We've gotten so much response that we want to tell you more about him.

You're going to find out exactly what he went through, actually lost his leg...

WHITFIELD: I know...

SANCHEZ: ... in his effort.

WHITFIELD: ... he's a remarkable individual. I mean, I think he was so impressive during this press conference. Everyone saw that. But the story behind this man, really jaw-dropping.

SANCHEZ: And I don't think there's a person watching us right now or a person who's been watching this story unfold who hasn't within themselves wondered, "How did this all happen? How was the boy gone for so long? Where was he? Why did this happen this why?"

And those are the kind of questions that we're going to try to answer for you tonight.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll be watching throughout the evening.

Thanks a lot, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And we know you'll also be watching Monday night. Why? Because it's a big night in Hollywood. It's the Golden Globe Awards. Coming up, why too much of -- This man? That man? -- Leonardo DiCaprio is not always a good thing. So say some.

Plus, Johnny Depp: Russian spy? Check out one of the most popular stories on CNN.com next in the NEWSROOM. Maybe not right there looking like a Russian spy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He needs a haircut, doesn't he?

WHITFIELD: That's the pirate.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Popular stories right now on CNN.com. The death of a man known as the Secret Santa of Kansas city, Missouri. His real name: Larry Stewart, a wealthy businessman who gave away over $1 million to strangers every Christmas. Stewart died of complication from esophageal cancer. He was 58 years old.

A presidential report card from someone who actually held the post: Gerald Ford. In interviews to be released upon his death, the former president gives a candid review of fellow commander in chiefs. He calls President Kennedy overrated and ranks Eisenhower as the best president in his lifetime.

And the case of the Russian spy who was poisoned to death will be played out on the big screen. "Variety" magazine reports Johnny Depp will produce a movie about Alexander Litvinenko. Depp may also star in the film. Just click on to CNN.com for more details.

Well, she was best known for being booted off "American Idol", but Monday Jennifer Hudson and the rest of the "Dream Girls" cast could see their dearest wishes come true at the Golden Globes. Hollywood is all a-buzz with anticipation. Our Sibila Vargas is as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From "Dream Girls" to dream boats.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO, ACTOR: What's the difference?

VARGAS: There will be plenty of glamour at this year's Golden Globes. But when the stardust is settled, who will go home with the gold?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don't think I tried?

VARGAS: In the race for Best Motion Picture Drama, some say it's down to two contenders.

MICHAEL FLEEMAN, "PEOPLE MAGAZINE": I think "Babel" has the inside track. I think that might edge out "The Departed", although "The Departed" could probably sneak in.

VARGAS: The multi-lingual "Babel" comes into the Globes with a leading seven nominations. "The Departed" is right behind with six.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who are you?

VARGAS: The Globes have a separate Best Picture category for musical or comedy, with "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Borat" in contention. But there's no question about the favorites.

FLEEMAN: "Dream Girls" is a slam dunk. This is going to be the year of "Dream Girls".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) CROWD: (INAUDIBLE)

VARGAS: The Best Foreign Language Film category normally might not generate intense interest, but this year is a little different.

FLEEMAN: We have two foreign language movies made by American directors, "Apocalypto" by Mel Gibson, "Letters From Iwo Jima" by Clint Eastwood, not directors you usually associate with foreign films.

VARGAS: Eastwood made Globes history by picking up two directing nominations, one for "Letters From Iwo Jima", the other for "Flags of Our Fathers".

Leonardo DiCaprio pulled a double of his own, earning Best Actor Drama nominations for "Blood Diamond" and "The Departed". But competing against himself could leave the door open to Forest Whitaker from "The King of Scotland".

FLEEMAN: I think Leo is going to cancel out Leo. Forest Whitaker is going to come away with the Globe.

VARGAS: For Best Actress Drama, expect the star of "The Queen" to be crowned.

FLEEMAN: This will be a Helen Mirren year.

SACHA BARON COHEN, COMEDIAN: Nice!

VARGAS: The news could be nice, but "Borat" star Sacha Baron Cohen in the Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical category. As for Actress in a Musical or Comedy, where "Prada's" Meryl Streep and Dream Girl Beyonce are in the running, it's a toss-up.

FLEEMAN: It's going to be a real difficult category to predict, and I just say it's anyone's call.

VARGAS: In the TV categories, look for Globes to go to a pair of freshman shows, "Heroes" as Best Drama and "Ugly Betty" for Best Comedy.

FLEEMAN: The Globes traditionally like new TV shows.

VARGAS: The Globes are known as Hollywood's biggest party, so win or lose, the stars are bound to have a good time.

Sibila Vargas, CNN, Beverly Hills, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And now two words for the weather in the Midwest this evening: deep freeze. Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider is in the NEWSROOM next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Big freeze in the midsection of this country also means big mess. Bonnie Schneider is in the Severe Weather Center -- Bonnie.

(WEATHER REPORT)

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Veronica de la Cruz at the .Com Desk.

I wanted to share a couple of iReports with you of all the severe weather that's happening across the country. And you might be surprised to see where there is snow.

Well, let's go ahead and start in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the problem isn't so much snow but ice. Take a look at this photo. It was sent to us by Allison Schmeling (ph). It's a shot of the bumper of her Cadillac freezing over.

And let's head west now to the desert. Yes, the desert. This is Morongo Valley, California. And you can see the cactus and the desert flora in this photo covered in snow. Bill P. sent us this photo. And he says in the summertime, it is 115 degrees there.

And this van, well, if you could make it out, belongs to Robert Pierson (ph) in Tacoma, Washington. He took the photo of his vehicle about after an hour it was outside. One hour equals one inch of snow. And he says that it is snowing in Tacoma like he hasn't seen in about 15 years.

If you didn't see your photo here, you can always log on to CNN.com/exchange. And please do keep sending us your pictures and video.

I'm Veronica de la Cruz for the .Com Desk.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Thanks, Veronica.

And you can see the varying weather happening across the country, so please send in your iReports not just today, but through the weekend. We want to know what's happening where you are -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: That's right. It's great to get the views...

SCHNEIDER: It is.

WHITFIELD: ... from so many, you know, different households.

Thanks so much, Bonnie.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, much more of the NEWSROOM continuing. Rick Sanchez is on now.

Hi, Rick. SANCHEZ: We're going to be talking a lot, Fred, about that very thing that you and I were talking about moments ago. In fact, we're going to continue to follow the day's top stories for you.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ecstatic, don't want to let him go or out of our sight. He doesn't want us to hold on to him, but we have. Just -- we're just excited and happy to have him at home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: What a story. Two missing boys safe and sound today, one of them gone for more than four years.

Severe weather, real severe in some places, all over the country from flash flooding in the South to an ice storm in the Midwest.

And a coal mine tragedy in West Virginia. A roof collapse reportedly kills two miners.

What better to way to refer to it? The miracle in Missouri: two missing boys now safe and sound. One hadn't been seen since 2002.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AKERS: There's always hope. Hope is what you gets you through. And sometimes this is what happens when you have that hope. You know, this is just one of those rare, rare things. I mean, you know, to have one missing child found is -- is just extraordinary. To have two found at the same time is just one of those things that I don't even know if you ever even read about things like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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