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Lost Boy Scout Found; Cheney at G.W. Medical Center
Aired March 20, 2007 - 10:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You're with CNN. You're informed. I'm Tony Harris.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Heidi Collins. Developments keep coming into the NEWSROOM on this Tuesday, March 20th, the first day of spring. Here's what's on the rundown now.
Career call. President Bush gets his embattled attorney general on the line. A strong show of support for Alberto Gonzales this morning.
HARRIS: A few clues, but a father refuses to give up hope. The search for a Boy Scout in the mountains of North Carolina. The 12- year-old missing since Saturday.
COLLINS: The Grand Canyon never looked so grand. A glass- bottomed skywalk opens today. Watch your step. It's almost a mile to the bottom. Grand view in the NEWSROOM.
Want to get you updated on a story that we've been following this morning. A body that was found at Purdue University. Our Betty Nguyen has been following this one.
And, Betty, we know that this body has now been identified.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. It has been identified as Wade Steffey, a 19-year-old who went missing after a fraternity party on January 13th. I want you to take a listen to a news conference that just wrapped up there on the university. Purdue spokesperson Jeanne Nordberg is giving us more information on exactly what happened.
JEANNE NORDBERG, PURDUE UNIVERSITY: Today, the search for Wade Steffey is over. Our Tippecanoe County coroner has found that the individual who was found in the high voltage area of a vault at Owen Hall (ph) is, indeed, our missing Purdue freshman from Bloomington (ph).
NGUYEN: Just a sad moment for the university and, of course, the family of Wade Steffey. Again, he went missing on January 13th, about two months ago, after leaving a fraternity party. And what we've learned from that news conference, according to his parents, is that he went back into Owen Hall, which is a dormitory, to get his coat, but he couldn't find a door that was unlooked. The only door that was unlocked was a door to a high voltage utility room.
And we understand that in that room, according to authorities, he apparently tripped and fell on to a power transformer, which caused him to die instantly. Now his body was found yesterday because a worker was investigating a pinging or a popping sound in the utility closet. Again an investigation, though, is still under way, because there are a lot of questions today about why the door -- the outside door to that high voltage utility room, was unlocked.
It's a room that is very dark and, according to authorities, once you walk inside it, you can't really get your bearings because you can't see hardly anything. And when the door shuts, that door is locked. So once he was in that room, he was stuck in there. And apparently he tripped and fell onto a power transformer, which electrocuted him. Again, he has been missing for two months. And his body was found yesterday. Not the kind of news that his parents wanted to hear, but at least they know what has happened to their son -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Oh, boy, so sad. All right, Betty Nguyen, thanks.
HARRIS: Let's take everyone to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, now. And, Heidi, help me with this. Moments after a successful emergency landing there, the pilot of this aircraft, you'll see here in just a moment, was having some problem with the landing gear. Apparently the landing gear may have actually collapsed at touchdown.
Now, Heidi, we see this -- what is this called, suppression foam?
COLLINS: Well, it's weird, because I haven't seen this in a long time. I know that they used to use the foam for -- yes, in case the plane comes down hard enough where they might be a fire. They put this down to prevent that from happening. But they haven't really been doing that very often. They did it a lot in the military. But now they have also learned with aircraft like this, this looks to be a business jet, that it can cause trouble with the brakes.
You know, you can't slow down in this stuff and it's possible you could overshoot the runway. So it's very interesting to me they are using this. Obviously, there was a distress call that went in about the landing gear, as you said, so this seemed to be probably the best option. It's been used like way back, since the '60s. But then they never banned it, really, but I think that they quit using it somewhere in the '80s. Just wasn't really the recommendation.
HARRIS: And as we watch this picture unfold, here's the best news of all of this, no one injured. No reports of any injuries connected to this at all.
COLLINS: And we see the landing gear, too which maybe it wasn't locked at the time but at least we see it down there.
HARRIS: So we'll keep an eye on it for you.
COLLINS: Meanwhile, in the mountains of North Carolina, a new focus in the search for a missing Boy Scout. 12-year-old Michael Auberry disappeared on Saturday. He'd been on a camping trip with his Scout troop at a park near the Virginia state line. The latest from our national correspondent Bob Franken in McGrady, North Carolina -- Bob. BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, we have just spoken within Park Ranger officials at the command post site in the mountains in back of me, in an area where they've been searching for Michael Auberry, now, since Saturday.
Here's what they're saying. They have heard there may be, may be, a possible development. And they're going to try to confirm that with the -- that is the case. The reason, of course, that the Park Ranger officials were not able to immediately confirm, because their command post is separated by a great distance from the remote area where those who are searching are looking.
So what we're being told is there may be a development. We don't know what the development is. They don't know what the development is. But the possibility is that we'll have some news. Possibility will be that it's being a false alarm. Obviously, we just have to follow it very closely.
As you know, the family has been obviously following this very closely. They've been on pins and needle, as you might imagine, throughout this entire ordeal. And they've also been aware that there has so much speculation about the circumstances that preceded the disappearance of their son, Michael.
Well, the part of it has to do with the questions that have been raised about why it was that he did not start the day going on a hike with his fellow Boy Scouts. His father, today, in his first conversation with reporters, wanted to put speculation to rest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENT AUBERRY, MICHAEL'S FATHER: Michael is a late and sound sleeper. And I've heard -- I've talked to the Scout leaders. I've talked with the Scouts. And there was nothing -- nothing was going on. And he was in good spirits. And he was -- I think he was off -- he ate a good lunch. Chatting and laughing with the boys. And then was walking around with -- I think some Pringles and the mess kit. And then the next moment, and it sounds like a blink of the eye, he was gone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: Now, the continuing efforts of the officials who are up in the command post area, they are trying to confirm that there might be -- I have to emphasize this, might be news. Obviously, we're going to keep you up-to-date on what we get when it is confirmed.
Of course, you can imagine that the Park Rangers, everybody, have been struggling so hard to try and find the young boy who disappeared on Saturday. And, of course, they all are aiming toward one goal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TINA WHITE, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: I can tell you that you don't give up. Every day that you walk out there, you want to be the person that makes that family happy. You want to be the person that finds that child. And that's the way those folks, when I just left, they're all getting geared up. They're getting their equipment on. And they're ready to do it again. And they're going to keep doing it until we find him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: And, of course, the very nature of this search, the very nature of the area is it's very remote, very far flung. Even communication becomes difficult. So we'll keep you up-to-date obviously on whatever developments are occurring if there have been any new developments. Officials say that perhaps, underline perhaps, they have -- Tony.
COLLINS: I'll take it for you, Bob. But boy, we are very interested of course, and I think a lot of people are, in the outcome of this story. If there is a development, I'm certain that you will let us know. We will come right to you. Bob Franken, from McGrady, North Carolina. Thanks, Bob.
HARRIS: Another high-profile execution in Iraq, Saddam Hussein's former vice president, hanged for his role in the killing of more than 140 Shiites. More now from CNN's Kyra Phillips in Baghdad.
Kyra, great to see you. As we heard from an adviser to Iraq's prime minister, this execution went, quote, "smoothly." We also know that has not always been the case with these executions.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, you'll remember -- with Saddam Hussein's hanging, Tony, you remember just the controversy over somebody taking video on a cell phone and that just created a lot of debate among Iraqi officials and obviously, the U.S. We haven't seen anything like that surface yet with regard to this hanging. It happened just before dawn. This is the fourth man in Saddam Hussein's inner circle, including Saddam, to be hanged.
Taha Yassin Ramadan is his name. He was the vice president when Saddam Hussein's regime was taken down in 2003. He was sentenced to death actually last month by the high tribunal for his role in the killing of 148 men and boys in Dujail, Iraq, after that failed assassination attempt on Saddam Hussein.
Ramadan had originally been sentenced to life in prison. But then the high court and the appeals chamber said that that was too lenient. Therefore, he was to die by hanging. The other two that were hanged being you may remember, Awad Bandar, that was Saddam's chief judge in the former Revolutionary Court under Saddam Hussein, and also Barzan Hassan, he was Saddam's half-brother. He was in charge of Saddam's secret intelligence when that was in full force.
Now the next trial is the trial that will be following obviously is the Anfal trial, that was the horrendous gassing of the Kurds, up to 180,000 (ph) Kurds. We'll be following that and of course, the most infamous defendant, Chemical Ali -- Tony.
HARRIS: And, Kyra, I know you're following more reports of violence in Iraq today. What can you tell us? PHILLIPS: Yes, it's something that we actually bring to you every single day. There's never a calm day in Baghdad or outside of Iraq. We were telling you this morning about two car bombs and a series of mortar round. Now we have a total of 14 Iraqis killed and dozens more injured today. In the morning hours, we told you about the two separate car bombs in central Baghdad. That killed seven people, wounded another 24. Then other incidents across Baghdad included a bombing in a minibus, also a car-bombing outside of a mosque and a mortar attack on an outdoor market that left an additional nine Iraqis injured.
Meanwhile, U.S. military...
HARRIS: And, Kyra, if I could...
PHILLIPS: ... reporting to us, Tony...
HARRIS: Kyra, I apologize, this is the second time we've had to do this to you this morning. But we've got some news coming out of McGrady, North Carolina. I apologize, Kyra.
COLLINS: We thought that we had some information for you. Unfortunately, we had heard just a little while ago from one of the National Park Service people, Tina White, she had conducted that press conference just a few minutes ago, alongside Kent Auberry, Michael Auberry, the little 12-year-old Boy Scout who is missing and has been for nearly three days now, she was beside him as he gave that press conference.
So we are waiting to speak with her. We had her on the line just a moment ago and, unfortunately, a technical issue. And we lost her. So we will be waiting for that and bring it to you as soon as we possibly can.
In the meantime, Congress on the e-mail trail. But President Bush on the phone. The attorney general gets the call. Will lawmakers get the message? Prosecutors fired and political fallout here in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Air traveler's nightmare. You're on the move but your luggage is going nowhere fast. What you can do when your luggage is lost. That's coming up in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: And as promised, we do, now, have Tina White. She is with the National Park Service.
Tina, I want to go directly to you and find out if there are any developments in the case of Michael Auberry now.
WHITE: Yes, actually, just within the past few minutes, we received a radio report that Michael had been found. And at this point, we are rushing rescuers to the scene to confirm this report. And the family's also running to meet their son.
COLLINS: This is incredible news, Tina. Tell us what more you may know about where he was found and who came upon him. WHITE: Actually, since this news just happened within minutes of this time, don't have any details at this point, other than he was in one of the main zones that we were searching, northeast of the primitive camping site where the group was camping.
COLLINS: not even any idea how far away from that camping location at this point, Tina?
WHITE: No, like I said, we just received the radio report...
COLLINS: Sure.
WHITE: ... that he had been found and we're confirming and finding out more details even as we speak.
COLLINS: All right, well, it is very exciting news for everyone who has been following this story. But certainly, by far, the most exciting news for his family. Kent Auberry and his mother, Debbie Hayes. We will let you go, Tina, I know you have a lot of busy work to do to get all of the details on this. But once again, certainly, want to remind everyone, that little boy, 12-year-old Michael Auberry who has been missing since Saturday from a camping trip in Doughton Park, has now been found. We are waiting to get more details. I know Bob Franken is with us as well.
HARRIS: Yes. Let's get you to McGrady, North Carolina, now, and Bob Franken.
Bob, we understand, now, as you've just heard the news and you may have gotten it moments before we did, that Michael Auberry has been found. Talk to us about this search. Because we know initially there was a wide canvassing search of the immediate areas. And then the search started to narrow considerably.
FRANKEN: Well, what they did is overnight we were told by officials, is they went to computers. And they divided the area, the area behind me, that very densely wooded area, about 6,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They divided it into 35 scientifically designed sectors. And today, they flooded those areas.
They were sending dogs. They were sending out trackers. They were sending out the full gamut of searching devices that they had to try and make a big push to find the young man. They had, all along, said that his survival was not an impossibility at all. A, he had had some Scout training. Beyond that, although it has been cold, it has not been the kind of cold that somebody would experience in the Upper Midwest.
The temperature would get down to the 20s. But he had been wearing some pretty good cold weather gear, including a heavy jacket and some fleece underneath that. So there was a hope -- a continuous hope that this would have a happy ending. And we're getting an impression now -- and a little bit of this is sketchy, so I really want to withhold any sort of celebration until they actually have seen him. And the reason that this is as difficult as it is, this is really remote. We went out yesterday into this area with some dog handlers just to get some idea of the terrain, what we were talking about here. It is the type of thing where oftentimes you can hear somebody, but you can't see them because it is so heavily wooded, because there's so many different valleys and this type of thing.
The fear all along had been he had fallen down one of the ravines and that kind of thing. Now, the indication is that he has been found. We want to make sure we get more details before we talk about the final disposition of this. But the hope, of course, for all of us, is that there's a happy ending to this story.
HARRIS: But, Bob, if you would take us back just a couple moments when you were talking to Heidi just a short time ago. There was at that time a buzz. You seemed to be getting at least indications that there might be a break-through here. Would you describe the kind of activity you were seeing around that initial report that there might be some news.
FRANKEN: Sort of the holy cow reaction. As you know, Tony, on any story that you have cover or any of us have covered, you establish contacts. You establish a number of people with whom you speak.
HARRIS: Sure.
FRANKEN: As you also know, we're very, very careful to make sure that we don't report anything that we know. Well, I have to say that the Park Ranger officials are in that same situation. That it is such a scattered out operation that they want to be very careful that they report only what they know. So obviously, we have to be very deliberative in what we are putting out. And of course I know you will agree, we need to be for the rest of this story.
COLLINS: You know, Bob, it was interesting. I know that a little bit earlier we listened to Kent Auberry, Michael's father. And he had said that he was in the search team for some time, but felt like he was slowing them down a little bit because of that little cliff that he mentioned, and he had gone down and up and down and up so many times trying to figure out if it was something that his little boy would be able to handle if, in fact, he may have fallen. But hard to know, certainly, all the circumstances, as to where he was found.
FRANKEN: Well, it is, but one of the things his father pointed out is that he got some comfort in the fact that when he was worried about his son falling down into one of these ravines that I was talking about, he observed that it would really be very hard to fall all the way down.
That's because of all of the trees and underbrush that are there. And that gave him some satisfaction. What he also pointed out is that after he went out on that first day he realized that as somebody who's not the expert in this type of thing that he was only getting in the way.
And one of the circumstances that they've had here is because of all the publicity, a lot of people with the best of intentions have volunteered, some of them just coming to help, and sometimes their noses have been out of joint just a little bit when professionals have said, look, I'm sorry, we can't use you, we need to have these professional people who combine tactics that range all the way from the old traditional Wild West days, when people were trackers, to the use of dogs, which is something of course you would call low technology, to the highest of technology.
They had an FBI plane here that had the very, very best state of the art heat-seeking equipment that was being used. They had a variety of different devices. This had become something that they were going to throw the whole resources of the search into.
And now it looks like we're going to be having a result that we should know more about in just a few moments.
HARRIS: Now let me just sort of gauge your reporting on this and a bit of the reservation that I hear in your voice, Bob, and I think it's totally understandable. There is -- the word that we've received from the official with the Park Service that Heidi just spoke to just moments ago, and then there is your location. Are you at sort of a staging area? And what's happening is that there is some distance from where you are and where the rangers and the teams are actually doing their work right now? So is there is a bit of a lag in terms of communication about this news, getting back to your position?
FRANKEN: The difficulty is not in our communication with the staging area. In fact, CNN has people on the scene of that staging area. The difficulty is getting the absolute certain right information from the areas of the search because it is just so rough and cell phones don't necessarily work. Radios don't work. The line of sight techniques that would be used don't necessarily work.
So everybody who, of course, has experienced in the past reports that have raised false optimism or pessimism, everybody wants to be extremely careful in this circumstance to make sure that the absolute correct information is put out to the public.
HARRIS: And what's interesting, if this outcome, in fact, is what we believe it to be at this point, we heard in the news conference from Kent Auberry, Michael's father, that there was a book, this book called "Hatchet" that Michael's class studied and read and it was all about a young boy surviving in the wilderness.
What if it comes to pass that this book was somehow helpful to this young man? That would be an amazing story.
FRANKEN: It will be an amazing story. And you immediately want to go out and buy some stock in that book company. It was interesting. During the news conference, Michael Auberry's father talked about the last conversation, what I'm calling the $5 conversation, that he had with his son before the hike.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AUBERRY: The last thing he said to me was, well, if I come back and I didn't have a good time, will you give me $5? And I said, Michael, I won't do that for you, but if you come back and tell me you didn't have a good time, I promise you we'll have a good time on Sunday. So that's -- and he was in good spirits when we did that.
Michael sometimes, we need to give him a word of encouragement or two to do something he really likes to do. So he is -- he likes to chill. So sometimes we need to say, Michael, it's time for an adventure or something.
QUESTION: If he comes back are you going to give him $5?
AUBERRY: He's going to get the $5, yes. And we'll do something fun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: Well, of course if this turns out like we're hoping it does, there's going to be a tremendous celebration, fun. The family has been very generous with reporters. Until today, neither of the father or mother wanted to go on television. They did talk with us. They did share their information. They did talk about their son's attention deficit disorder and how they believed it was not a factor, even though he was without his medication.
What we are led to understand is that he has been found not far from the actual campsite. And that's such an interesting thing. I know that you've both been in dense forest area like this. This is the kind of place that you can get lost almost immediately. If -- and this is just obviously creating a scenario, if somebody decided -- any of us, you know what, I want to go over there and look, and we don't pay close enough attention, all of a sudden we realize that every direction looks like every other direction.
He doesn't seem to have been carrying a compass, which would have been very helpful, that's why we have them. So it would not be difficult to get lost. Of course, a lot of questions have been raised about the whole matter and there will be time for that. But of course the big question that we're waiting for an answer on now is his condition and if, in fact, he's going to be able to come back safe.
COLLINS: Yes, and Bob, also in that press conference, we heard Kent Auberry talking a little bit about, as you mentioned, the ADHD that Michael has and the medication that he's on. Just some clarification for the people who are looking for him and for the press, he says he's pretty much the same kid, whether or not he was on that medicine. Let's go ahead and listen just for a second, Bob, to the sound from their press conference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AUBERRY: It's just we want him to have every tool to help him deal with what he's facing, just like we'd like him to have his wool hat and his gloves. We'd like him to have medication that helps him focus a little better than he would otherwise. You know, Michael is the same kid when he's off the medication as he is on the medication, but it does help him with certain -- with tasks and he's not a linear thinker.
My wife and I are lawyers so we are. But there are many things about Michael's personality that may be connected with the ADHD that are really wonderful, that are really positive. His imagination, his creativity. So he's not the kid with ADHD who is lost in the mountains. He's our son who's lost in the mountains. And that is a fact that we gave to the rescuers so they'd know to help fill in the puzzle as they try to find him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Now this was just a few minutes ago -- actually about an hour ago now or so, the father of Michael Auberry. We have Bob Franken standing by with some new information in this case.
Bob, what have you learned now?
FRANKEN: Good news. We have a producer, Eric Fiegle (ph), who is up at the site, at the command post, and he just spoke to David Bower (ph), who is the incident commander. I'll explain that in a moment. Bower tells Eric Fiegle that Michael Auberry was able to, quote, "walk out on his own." This is, of course, a report from somebody who is not at the site, but he obviously would be getting the good information.
The way this was set up is the incident commander is the overall commander who is somebody who coordinates with the state police, the FBI, et cetera. He is with the National Park Service, David Bower. He has been somebody who has been very open to the media throughout this process, considers it a constructive process. And so was available to offer the kind of confirmation that we were thrilled to get. And that is that Michael Auberry was able to, quote, walk out on his own.
COLLINS: It's amazing, Bob. It is really some terrific news that I think everybody has been waiting for. And we always love to hear these outcomes after being gone as long as he was, nearly three days now, 12-year-old little boy. So excellent news. Bob Franken reporting live for us on this story from McGrady, North Carolina, 12- year-old Michael Auberry has been found, according to the National Park Service, alive.
We will continue to follow it and make sure we learn more about his condition just as soon as possible. Bob, thanks.
HARRIS: And let's get you to our White House correspondent Ed Henry right now.
And, Ed, you have new information on the vice president. I understand that he's paying a visit to George Washington University, the medical center there.
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right.
HARRIS: Just a little check up on a condition, a blood clotting condition in -- was it his left leg? HENRY: Well, that's right. CNN confirming right now from the vice president's office, Megan McGinn, spokeswoman saying that the vice president is over at George Washington Medical Center right now. She is saying this is just a routine checkup on his leg, that deep vein thrombosis that you know popped up after the vice president's long trip overseas recently.
What his office is stressing right now is that there was no specific episode this morning, that it's just a follow up visit with his doctor. And that he's at his doctor's office right now, not in the hospital area, of George Washington University Medical Center.
And according to Megan McGinn, his spokeswoman this is not an emergency situation. But I want to note that about a half hour ago when I first called the vice president's office, they said that he was in his West Wing office and essentially there was nothing going on. But then they said, hold on, we're getting more information, we're going to have to call you back in a few minutes.
Just, again, made contact with the vice president's office and they say he is in fact now at George Washington University Medical Center. Now we know every Tuesday pretty much the vice president is normally, around lunchtime, over at the Capitol, meeting behind closed doors with Senate Republicans.
Instead, as I noted, and reporting now, he is over at George Washington University Medical Center. We don't have anymore information about his condition, but, again, his office is stressing that this is just a follow-up visit to what you had mentioned. And it was in his left lower leg that deep vein thrombosis, Tony.
So we do know the vice president is over at George Washington University Medical Center. We're still trying to get more details exactly on the situation.
HARRIS: White House correspondent Ed Henry for us. Ed, thank you.
HENRY: Thank you.
COLLINS: Want to go ahead and get back to our Bob Franken, looking for him in the monitor. There he is. OK, Bob Franken, from McGrady, North Carolina, with the very latest, Bob, now on the information coming in about 12-year-old Michael Auberry, the Boy Scout who has been missing for almost three days, according to the National Park Service, has been found.
FRANKEN: And not only that, but the incident commander there tells CNN that he was able to walk out under his own power from wherever it was he was. We're getting an impression that he didn't really go that far from the site of the camping trip by the Boy Scouts that was way back there in the mountains there.
And he had been having lunch with the other members of his Troop, a small Troop of Boy Scouts, when he suddenly disappeared. And officials all say that is not unusual. Somebody decides to just suddenly take a look at something and then gets disoriented. And that's it. And you have the kind of result that you have here.
What is interesting, also, is the kind of problem, searchers said, that they might be encountering. Here you have a 12-year-old who might be worried that his parents are going to discipline him or something like that and who, in effect, hides from authorities. They say that that is extremely common.
They haven't said that that's the case in this particular point, but it is the kind of problem that they run into. Also, you might have a situation where somebody like Michael who is trained to some degree in survival skills in cold weather, may have -- as he is supposed to, have sequestered himself under some sort of coverage and all that type of thing.
His father already said he's a heavy sleeper and they just may have overlooked him. We do know that the dogs that were sent out to smell for him -- to sniff for him sometimes would come up with what they thought was a lead but they were not able to make anything out of it.
We have an awful lot of questions that have to be answered. But apparently the one that we really wanted is the one that we got by all reports. Michael Auberry is safe, has been found safe.
COLLINS: And so far, again, I know we're working on these details, but, boy, we keep on learning about the food and the water, but of the utmost importance in a situation like this, finding shelter. So very interested to hear what that little boy was able to do for himself.
As far as we know, right now, according to Bob and the incident commander of the National Park Service, he was able to walk out on his own from Doughton Park after being lost for nearly three days.
So, Bob, quickly, want to ask you, any possibility -- I imagine that the parents and family members will be coming or may already be there on the scene. Any idea if we will hear from them later on today?
FRANKEN: Well, I certainly hope so. Obviously, we -- sensitive people that we are, are going to give them the space that they want. But they had -- in their sort of quiet way had shared their apprehensions with the world, with us. They've been very generous with their time. And obviously if you were watching this morning, you saw that it is not a comfortable place for them to be in.
So they can obviously understand that there's going to be just a whole world, for that matter, who is going to celebrate if this turns out as happily as it appears, is going to celebrate the successful saving of this life and return of the son to their family. We're going to sort have to let them set the tempo here.
COLLINS: All right. Bob, we are just learning now also from the public information officer at, I believe, the camp or the National Park Service, that apparently -- the National Park Service, that apparently Michael was found only about a mile-and-a-half away from that campsite that he left on Saturday afternoon.
So once again, Michael Auberry being found about a mile-and-a- half away, according to the public information officer for the National Park Service. So not very far at all. But as Bob and some of the other people we've been speaking to have said, it is very, very dense and really, really tough to find people, even if you only wander, you know, possibly a few steps away, in this case, a mile and a half.
HARRIS: You know, it's interesting, we often want to hear from the parents in a situation like this, and there's some sort of standard out there for what we do, that the parents need to come forward right away and make some kind of public statement and talk about their kids and this and the other. And you can understand sometimes why parents want to sort of hang on to their emotions, keep them to themselves, and there was this moment this morning when Kent Auberry was asked about that. Essentially not why haven't you come forward sooner to talk to us about him, but the emotions that you're feeling.
Here was Kent Auberry's response:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENT AUBERRY: I'm a little -- I haven't had a lot of sleep and we're a little raw emotionally so please bear with me. My partner, law partner Julie Field (ph), who my wife -- was the person least likely to let me say something dumb, so she's here to help me. I have -- you know, I have no statement. But we did -- understand, we're not seeing the media coverage, so we don't know what's out there. But we understand that with nothing to say that there's a lot of speculation. If I can help tamp that down, because what we've got here is our son who's lost, lost somewhere out there, and we don't know where he is, and we've got great professionals looking for him, and we're just waiting for the news, so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And the news is great, I mean, it's just absolutely great.
Hey, Bob Franken, I'm just curious. Boy, my sense of this is as I was watching it sort of unfold starting over the weekend, and of course this morning as well is the searchers, the Park Rangers, they seemed optimistic about a positive outcome on this. They never seemed to let doubt creep in to their public statements.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And there's a reason for that, according to them, and I've spoke within them so many times, and they insisted that it was not some sort of facade of optimism. What they said was, is that it is not unusual that somebody in this circumstance is able to survive. They talked about sometimes a period of weeks.
Now, obviously, there are some factors involved. One of them being shelter and keeping warm. Hypothermia of course is always a fear. Hunger could be a problem, because he wasn't carrying food. He'd already gone through the Pringles that he had taken along with him that we were told about. And he -- the larger one, of course, is water. And we're going to hear how he was able to deal with that. There's obviously water there.
But in this day and age, it is dangerous to drink the water. What is also very interesting to me is something you pointed out just a moment ago. And that is, he seems to have been found only a mile and a half from the campsite. That does not mean that he didn't walk for 20, 30, 50 miles in this period that he was gone, because he was walking in circles. One the reasons you carry a compass is to avoid this type of thing. But under these circumstance, and in that dense, treacherous wooded area it would not be at all surprising to find out that he was on foot constantly.
HARRIS: OK. Bob, what an amazing outcome to this story. I know Chad is with us now, and he can help us tell this story a little bit from a weather perspective. Chad, talk to us, if you would, about the weather conditions over the last couple of days. We know the nights were pretty cold. But not to the extent that if you had some sense of survival techniques that you might be able to handle it.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right, and not the Mt. Hood-type weather, not the wind chill 30, 40, 50 degrees below zero. Morning lows were cold, 20 and 30 degrees. Afternoon highs, though, even right now, though, Charlotte's already 60, so it was fairly pleasant in the afternoon. Had a chance probably for him to warm up. His father also said, and so did the rangers, that he was well equipped, he had coats on, he was well equipped for this type of weather.
And I think the big thing, though -- I was a Tender Foot as well at some point in time, after being a Webelo. You've got to have that book of matches in your pocket too, because you can maybe start a little signal fire. You don't want to start a forest fire, but at least he was able to, obviously we know now, walk out on his own. And really, it was a chance that this was not December, this was not January, and the Scout and the rangers knew, and the Scout leaders knew what the weather would be like for this little overnight trip he took.
HARRIS: All right, Chad, thank you.
COLLINS: Quickly we want to take you back just a few minutes ago when we first got the news directly from the National Park Service. Let's listen in.
Here's Tina White.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TINA WHITE, NATIONAL PARK RANGER: We received a radio report that Michael had been found. And at this point we are rushing rescuers to the scene to confirm this report. And the family's also running to meet their son.
(END VIDEO CLIP) COLLINS: You can just picture it can't you, the parents running to meet their son, and we are quite certain, and certainly very hopeful that is happening right now. Reminding everybody that Michael Auberry, 12-year-old Boy scout who went missing Saturday afternoon has now been found alive, apparently. According to the public information officer, a different person at the National Park Service, one mile and a half away from that original campsite.
And as Bob Franken had pointed out to us, very smartly, of course that, doesn't mean that he was just sitting and resting one mile and a half away, could have been walking for this entire time. Very difficult to find your way around.
Bob's joining us now -- Bob.
FRANKEN: Tina -- I'm speaking with Tina White who has been the conduit of information.
You have a big smile on your face.
TINA WHITE, NATL. PARK RANGER: I have a great big smile on my face. We're still trying to confirm the initial report. But we did have radio traffic come from one of our searchers on the scene saying that young Michael has been found. He is alive, and they're preparing to walk him back out on the trail.
FRANKEN: Well, that last part is very interesting. Dave Bauer (ph) had told us what you did about his being able to walk out.
WHITE: I think that's great news. Certainly we expected at the least for him to be weak and dehydrated. But yes, we're all smiling now because we're very optimistic that we're going to soon confirm this officially, once our instant commander visually sees Michael.
FRANKEN: Did the people on the site, those who called in the report, did they talk at all about what he said or anything like that?
WHITE: No, at this point, that's what we're still trying to gather, the rest of that information. So real limited right now. But hey, limited is good; we'll take it.
FRANKEN: Tina White, who's been the spokesperson for the National Park Service. This has all been going on and had to bear the brunt of our coverage, and seems to be a story that's going to have a happy ending.
WHITE: Thank you.
FRANKEN: Tina White of the National Park Service, who as you might imagine right now is very much in demand, as everyone want to do what we just did, which is talk to her and get the news that we did.
COLLINS: All right, Bob Franken. Yes, certainly, waiting to confirm all of this. It does sound very, very good. But as you smartly point out, just want to make sure that someone actually gets a chance to see Michael, and that would include the National Park Service and those fine people who have been searching for him since the better part of Saturday, almost three days ago now. So we are waiting for that. But according to the initial radio reports, the traffic that's been going back and forth between those search crews. It appears that Michael Auberry has been found alive and able to walk out on his own.
HARRIS: And it's been -- I can't imagine the ordeal for the parents. We've been talking about it all morning when we've had a break in our coverage, to just think about what this has been like for those parents of this young man, trying to figure out exactly how to handle this situation, what to do, to be a part of the search team or to stay back and let the professionals do their job, whether to make a statement to the public. And they did this morning. Kent Auberry deciding to come before the microphones, at this moment you see right here on camera, and talking about his son, talking about the fact that Michael is a basketball player, a runner, in good shape, and the fact that, you know, he was a kid who liked to chill.
So let's listen a little bit more to Kent Auberry from this morning's press conference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENT AUBERRY, MICHAEL'S FATHER: Michael is a late and sound sleeper. And I've heard -- I've talked to the Scout leaders. I've talked with the Scouts. And there was nothing -- nothing was going on. And he was in good spirits. I think he was off -- he ate a good lunch, chatting and laughing with the boys, and then was walking around with I think some Pringles and the mess kit. And then the next moment, and sounds like a blink of the eye, he was gone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: In a blink of an eye he was gone. A Webelo Scout, not quite a full-fledged Boy Scout. I was a Boy Scout. I was a Webelo Scout and, my goodness, I can't imagine that. I can't remember anything from those days. Oh, he was a Boy Scout. Webelo Scouts are full-fledged Boy Scouts. All right, we're getting clarification on that. I don't think I made it though. But certainly couldn't have handled what this young man has come through.
The great news this morning -- as I see Bob Franken with us now. The great news is that the initial indications, and they are strong, that 12-year-old Michael Auberry has been found -- Bob.
FRANKEN: Well, it's like dotting the i's and crossing the t's now. There's every reason to know that he's safe, but what we have is the incident commander Dave Bower who is somebody who could probably be a good reporter you know, the addage of reporting if your mother says she loves you, check it out.
And he is really kind of in that very careful mode, too. He wants to make sure. He wants to see the young man. But the reports from the scene are that he not only has been found safe, but he was able to walk out under his own power. You know, when you think about it a little bit this is a 12-year- old kid. They're very, very -- they're very, very physically flexible and all this type of thing. And probably don't always have the best judgment as evidenced by the fact that he walked into the woods and got himself so lost, but the one thing about a story like this is that when it is a happy ending, it is an exhilaratingly happy ending, and that appears to be what we're going to be having here.
HARRIS: Bob, I would love for you -- for folks who are just joining us, to talk us through how the park rangers, how the officials, went through this search. There was a wide grid that they searched initially. And in which they threw a bunch of resources out there to get to key areas as quickly as they possibly could. And then over the course of a day or so, they decided to narrow that down and it look likes that has really paid off.
FRANKEN: Well, you know, it's interesting, they call it making a more dense search. And what they do, after the larger overview, is they then get people who are experienced and they position them in this particular case, said they were 10 meter separations. And that is an area where they can just have their field of vision. Sometimes it gets even closer than that where they lock arms.
I've witnessed that kind of search in certain events even in the Washington area when there was a missing person in Rock Creek Park a few years ago. So it's just that kind of thing.
But overnight last night, they decided to go to a new approach. That is, they got computers, very, very sophisticated technology, and they divided that segment, 5,900 acres that they were searching in the very dense wooded area of the Blue Ridge Mountains you see in back of me, they divided it into 35 different segments. Each of them had its own characteristics. Then they sent in teams, specialized teams, that were appropriate for that segment.
That is what they were doing today. And from every indication that was what it took. In addition to which, if you would remember from this morning's reporting, they also were considering the possibility that somehow the young man had left the park. There are roads surrounding the park. And had been picked up or had somehow just disappeared.
They filed a missing person report. They actually had, if you go to the Web site of the national -- the missing and exploited children's Web site, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, you will see his face on there and a description. And they decided to try that possibility also.
So, it really suggests that they were doing everything they could because they believed the chances were good they would have success. And their belief, as we're finding out, paid off.
COLLINS: Boy, that's for sure. Those grid searches, really end up -- seems like anyway, helping these rescuers to really look at the lay of the land and get to every single inch of it. Bob, a couple of things we're learning here, as we look at this new video coming in, you can see Tina White there with the National Park Service, a smile on her face. That may have been the phone call, confirming to her, anyway that Michael Auberry has been found alive. Not certain of that but this was some of the activity that we have seen now over the past few minutes or so, once hearing this news.
Also, we are learning here at CNN that there will be a press conference coming up shortly. We're going to continue to follow this story. Not exactly sure at this point who will be at that press conference. But of course we will continue to follow that.
Bob, I'm also getting a report here. You may or may not know this from where you are standing. About the parents and the fact that they are being accompanied by that incident commander you mentioned just a little while ago, David Bower, to a site near the campsite where Michael disappeared, on their way right now.
FRANKEN: That's consistent with what we were hearing that they are being taken so they can have their reunion. As you can imagine, after the intense feelings they've been going throug, this emotional roller coaster, they want to have some time to celebrate their private family success, the roller coaster and the high that has come with all this.
They wanted to be able to do that in private. I have little doubt that at some point very soon they're going to share the good news with the rest of the world, as they shared all their apprehensions just in the last couple of days.
But, of course, nobody would begrudge the fact that they have to have this private moment, to have the reunion with their son. And finally allow things to settle down a little bit and to deal with the intense, intense uncertainty that they've had to face in the last several days.
COLLINS: You know what, they're going to have a really good cry, I imagine.
FRANKEN: Yes.
COLLINS: Which is something that would be expected for parents after going through something like this.
Bob, also, we are letting everybody know at this time that that press conference I mentioned just a few minutes ago, to the best of our knowledge, will be come up just a few minutes before noon. We of course are going to stay right here on this story. You see the microphones in the back there of that picture coming through.
Bob, any idea -- I noticed that one of the points of your reporting earlier this morning that there was an ambulance that had gone through your shot. It went very slowly and, of course, without any sirens or anything. I imagine certainly after a little boy has been out in the wilderness and exposed to the elements for the better part of three days, he will certainly be taken to some sort of hospital for a check of his condition.
FRANKEN: One would think. Although I'm a bit out of my element here. The fact that he walked out of the woods under his own power is something -- is something that, for many of us consider remarkable. But they're obviously going to have to check for such things as frostbite, and any other untoward physical reactions he had to his time that he was alone like this.
Obviously, there's also going to have to be time for him to unwind himself. I'm sure that he was scared a lot of the time. And obviously, they have to deal with that. That possibly will be a long- term prospect. And also the family. The parents are going to have to all do that.
The father has already told us, as we heard a few minutes ago, that one of the last things Michael told him before he went on this trip was if he enjoyed himself when he came back, would he give him $5. And the father said yes, but more importantly, they would go out and have some fun. Well, it looks like every indication is they're going to be able to go out and have that fun and hopefully have that fun for many years to come.
COLLINS: Yes, and quickly, Bob, it has been, at least the best that we can tell, and you've been there, so as far as the weather reports were concerned, it seems like the searchers would probably have to say, even though I know it got cold at night, that the weather held out. I know they were very, very concerned about possibly getting rain. They said that the rain was much more of a concern to them then snow at that point before Michael was actually found.
FRANKEN: You know, it's interesting, the rain, of course would bring in the wetness, which is a conductor for cold and all that. He was wearing blue jeans, we were told, and they are not the best gear for wet weather.
Happily, the rain held off, and as a matter of fact, it's a lovely day here today in more ways than one. But he was dressed with a warm jacket and had fleece on under that. And I was wearing something probably of a similar weight while doing the reports here and I got to tell you, it was plenty warm.
There was -- the weather, 20 degrees or so, it was not the same as 10 below with windchill and all that. The wind was relatively mild. So cold, yes, really overbearingly so, apparently not.
COLLINS: Yes, and thank you for that, Bob, because obviously, you've been there. It's hard for us to see all of that on the screen. But we do see the sun out. We also do see these microphones here. We are again, just reminding everyone, awaiting a news conference. We believe it will be coming about five minutes before the top of the hour so we're going to stay right here on that as well.
HARRIS: Bob, Heidi, you want to hear something that is very cool, way cool? Listen to the official radio traffic moments ago indicating that Michael had been found.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have found Michael. He is OK. (r)MDNM¯They're getting ready to walk him out now. That was ZDQR (ph). Will you copy, relay?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I copy that. I did copy that. Let me have glee (ph) coordinates for where he is located --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: They have found Michael. He is OK. The official radio traffic of that -- that wonderful moment. When the searchers came upon Michael. It'll be interesting to know. Among the questions, was Michael able to signal the rescuers that -- of his location, where he was? And we had heard indications, Heidi, that Michael was able to walk out under his own power. So, again, maybe we can recue that.
Moments ago, the official radio traffic indicating that Michael had, in fact, been found and we understand that it set off -- you can see some of the activity now with folks rushing to either get more information or to help out in any way that they could at that particular moment.
So once again, I just want to play it again because it is the moment, the official radio traffic, indicating that Michael had been found.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Station one, advise, they have found Michael. He is OK. They're getting ready to walk out now. ZDQR, do you copy, relay?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I copied that. I did copy that. Let me have the coordinates for where he's located, if you can give --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: So there you have it, those were the moments, the radio traffic indicating that Michael had been found, the good news that we had all been hoping for, as we watched the story unfold for nearly three days now.
We understand that this sort of touched off quite a celebration. Apparently the boy scouts have received word of this, that Michael is OK. So you can imagine their reaction of the scouts, to the news that Michael has been found, that he is OK. And let's show everyone, Michael, again, the bank of microphones again, where we are expecting to hear the official, official word. That Michael has been found and is OK.
COLLINS: OK, want to go ahead and get to Charlie Peek right now, he's with the North Carolina division of parks and rec.
Charlie, tell us what you know at this point. And where you were when the word came in. CHARLIE PEEK, N.C. DIVISION OF PARKS AND RECREATION: I was at incident command post at the lower edge of this National Park Service land. And there was a radio report from a search team in the field that they had found Michael and were walking him out. And then listened to incident command, commander to that location to confirm that. And it's my understanding he has confirmed it and it is Michael and he is alive and in relatively good health.
COLLINS: Now, Charlie, tell us how many times just roughly you have been involved in a search like this. And what typically happens? I mean, we are watching the video here of everyone listening in to that exact radio call that you're talking about. And I can't imagine as someone who is there in the field what that must be like.
PEEK: It is tremendous elation and just an overall relief that more or less descends on everyone there. And just for a split second. Then they start thinking, OK, how can we make this as easy as possible to get him out and reunite him with his family and make sure it's the happiest of outcomes.
COLLINS: Yes, boy, I bet. You would probably be a very good person, too, Charlie, even though we've been reporting on it, certainly we have our correspondents on the ground there telling us a little bit about the lay of the land. Explain to us this area. When we talk about Doten (ph) Park. We know it's on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We have been told, very dense area. Can you tell us anymore about the specific location?
PEEK: At the end of this park, it's sweeping view, the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Piedmont of North Carolina, and then it drops off very precipitously into some portrait landscape just below. And the National Park Service land reaches down the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge into gorges and ravines that are very heavily forested, very steep, and very difficult to get through.
COLLINS: So the biggest challenge is, then, obviously, would be exactly that. We're also looking at a picture of one of the bloodhounds that I believe they used in the course of this search. Unfortunately, though, in the middle of it all, I believe that they thought they had a scent for a while there and that unfortunately led to nothing.
PEEK: The dogs have sent us several signals. You know, it takes some time and we're still thinking about how many of those were good signals and how many were, you know, false leads. But any kind of lead is a good one when you are in the midst of a search.
COLLINS: Boy that certainly is the case. And just want to remind everyone, as we're speaking now to Charlie Peek, with the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, in just a matter of minutes, we are awaiting this press conference coming to us from McGrady, North Carolina, on the very latest on the situation with the 12-year-old boy who has been found. Missing Boy Scout for almost three days now, Michael Auberry.
We have reports that there is a bit of a reunion going on right now with his two very, very happy parents. I am certain of that. As we continue to follow this story for you.
And we also have a little bit more to show you here, quickly. We were able to interview Tina White. She is with the National Park Service. Our Bob Franken has been working this story for a couple of days now. He was able to speak with her very quickly after the news came out. Let's go ahead and listen to that once again.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tina, I'm speaking with Tina White, who has been the conduit of information. You have a big smile on your face.
TINA WHITE, NATIONAL PARK RANGER: I have a great big smile on my face. We're still trying to confirm the initial report. But we did have radio traffic come from one of our searchers on the scene, saying that young Michael has been found, he is alive, and they're preparing to walk him but the back out on the trail.
FRANKEN: That last part is very interesting. Dave Bower (ph) had told us what you did about his being able to walk out.
WHITE: I think that's great news. Certainly we expected at the least for him to be weak and dehydrated. But yes, we're all smiling now. Because we're very optimistic that we're going to soon confirm this officially, once our incident commander visually sees Michael.
FRANKEN: Did the people on the site, those who called in the report, did they talk at all about what he said or anything like that?
WHITE: No. At this point, that's what we're still trying to gather, the rest of that information. So real limited right now. But, hey, limited is good. We'll take it.
COLLINS: CNN's Bob Franken joining us now to sort of reset the picture for us, quickly if you wouldn't mind, Bob, just in case people are just joining us, as we continue to keep our eyes trained on those microphones and remind everyone that we will break in here and go directly to that news conference that we are awaiting at McGrady, North Carolina.
FRANKEN: You think we're going to cover that?
COLLINS: Yes, we will certainly be covering that, they're checking the audio right now, my friend.
FRANKEN: As a matter of fact, they are getting ready, or something like that. That is the CBS technician at the moment, checking out the audio. And we are waiting for the news conference. We're assuming it's Tina White. But that is only an assumption. Of course this is only in the last hour or so been breaking.
We were able to show, you were able to let us listen a moment ago to the original radio traffic. If there's anything that ever qualified as music to our ears, that was it. The report from the scene that young Michael had been found, found not only alive but in good health apparently. Subsequent to that, the incident commander said he had been told the young man had walked out on his own. What we have here is a situation where everybody is being astoundingly careful.
Right now, we have a situation where Tina White is about to hold her news conference. As soon as people get their microphones ready. This would be a case of the tail wagging the dog. I should point out, by the way, Tina has been somebody who has had a constant flow of information throughout this thing. To the point where we can all be on a first name basis. She's going to have official word. I'm trying to get some feel for when she's going to start talking here while I just talk my little heart out.
But at any case, what she's going to do now is bring us an update, an update from the interview we had with her a few moments ago. Reporting, hopefully, the official confirmation of what we have already known. She's probably waiting for somebody to tell her it's time to go. Here she goes.
WHITE: ... I come before you with the big smile on my face and confirmation that our young Boy Scout has been found. But we do have enough information to where I feel comfortable standing up in front of you all and smiling. Michael was discovered back on the trail near the primitive campsite area where the scout group was originally camping. It was a search and rescue group that called into the command post via radio to let us know he had been found. And he was alive.
Since that, I've also received additional reports that he is weak, but in good condition. But, therefore, because he is weak, we are not going to have him walk off the trails. He will be transported on a vehicle off those trails. And reunited with his parents. So at this point, we still want our incident commander to get up on site so that he can actually see Michael, confirm that everything is okay, but I think we have enough information right now with the additional things about his condition and his location that he's coming in off the trail to say that we have our Boy Scout home with his family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Has he told you where he's been for the past few days, what he's been doing?
WHITE: Good question. The next point, what will happen next, is we will get Michael off the trail. He will be taken to another location where he will be debriefed. He will have time to talk and visit with his parents and relax for a little bit.
But a big part of all the questions that many of us have about what happened and what went wrong and why did Michael walk off. Those are all questions that have been plaguing us as we've been following this search. And those are hopefully questions that will get answered whenever we meet with Michael privately so we can debrief him and find out more information.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's your understanding he is now in the care of rescue workers? In other words, they have his hands on him?
WHITE: The search and rescue workers who located him have their hands on him. Whether or not the vehicles that are providing transportation to get him off the trail have reached him yet, I'm not sure of that. But he is in the care of search and rescue workers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tina, let me ask you this. Did you, rescue workers sort of like, how he was found, that is, was it an area that they searched before and re-searched?
WHITE: We don't have any details about the terrain or the type of area that he was in. But probably the most important thing that we all heard come across the radio was A1, which means he is in A1 condition. I don't think it's unreasonable that this young man would be weak. Think about how many days he's gone without food, probably very limited water supply out there, too. Aside from that, this has been a very traumatic situation of even just having to stay outside overnight.
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