Return to Transcripts main page

Breaking News

Two Teenaged Girls Abducted From Cars

Aired August 01, 2002 - 10:20   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: For more on those two abducted teenaged girls, I want to bring in reporter Tricia Takasugi, who is covering the story.

Tricia, I'm sorry, I didn't get what you are with.

TRICIA TAKASUGI, KTTV LANCASTER, CALIF.: Hi.

We're here out in Forts Hill. This is desert area of north L.A. County, where they have launched an extensive search for the two teenage girls. Now these girls were abducted as they were sitting in their cars with their male friends.

Now the two males who they were with were actually tied up and -- with duct tape and with plastic ties, and after they were tied up, the alleged kidnapper was able to get the girls at gunpoint into a vehicle that belonged to one of the teenagers and take off, and so at this point, they are searching for that vehicle. It is described as a 1980 white Ford Bronco with a license plate number 1AIZ962.

We have very little information at this time regarding the abductor. He is described only as a male Hispanic in his 30s or 40s. And this all occurred just before 2:00 a.m. in sort after remote area, an area known as a lover's lane area. And these two young couples did not know each other. They were sitting in separate vehicle when this kidnapper approached them. And the suspect was driving what we now know is a stolen car, that has been reported stolen, I believe, out of Nevada. It's a stolen Saturn. And in the back of the car, there was an empty gas container. It appeared that maybe the suspect was trying to destroy or get rid of the vehicle there.

And then once again, he took a vehicle belonging to one of the teenage victims, and that is the vehicle that they are currently searching for.

These two young girls, they are described, one is 17 years Jacqueline Marris. She was last seen with a black shirt and beige pants. And the other young girl they are looking forward is 16-year- old Tamera Brooks. She was last seen wearing red shirt and blue shorts.

They have launched a very extensive search for these two young teenage girls, and bringing in deputies from all around the county and hoping they can get a handle on this as soon as possible. KAGAN: Tricia, as I understand it, the area they were taken from, this is just considered a pretty safe place, where teenagers go and hang out and make out or do whatever they would do when they hang out, that's considered safe.

TAKASUGI: That's correct, Daryn. In fact, joining me live is deputy Steve Jauch from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

Deputy, we are asked about this area where the crime took place. Can you tell us more about the water tower area?

DEP. STEVE JAUCH, L.A. CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: I haven't been by the crime scene myself. I do know hat we have two airships up. We've got three sheriff stations. We are using all of our resources. We have got patrol units canvassing several square miles. As I said, we have two airships searching, several detectives that responded. We are going to use every resource that we can.

We are also asking for the public's assistance. If they see this Ford Bronco, first and foremost use caution and stay away. But call 911 or call your local sheriff's station, and we will do whatever we can with that information.

TAKASUGI: And at the moment, you are able to talk to the two young male teens who are accompanying these two young girls. They were able to give you a lot of information.

JAUCH: Yes, it's fortunate. Their injuries were not significant. Detectives can use these witnesses. It'll aid an investigation, and hopefully, we can get the victims back and make an arrest.

TAKASUGI: And once again, a description on our suspect.

JAUCH: The only information we have is that he is between 30 and 40 years of age. He is believed to be male Hispanic, but we can't confirm that.

TAKASUGI: And he was driving what we now know is a stolen car. Do we know whether or not it is stolen in Nevada or whether the suspect may have come from Nevada.

JAUCH: The only information we have right now is that the vehicle that he arrived in was believed to be taken in a carjacking in Nevada. We are trying to get more details on that vehicle and what took place in Nevada. But he left the scene in the Ford Bronco that we are searching for right now.

TAKASUGI: Thank you very much. That's Deputy Steve Jauch, county sheriff's department.

And, Daryn, to get back to your question, what I've been told about the crime seen was, it's been described as an area kind of known as a lover's lane, where teenagers would often go and hang out in their cars there. And to clarify these two young teenage couples, they did not know each other, they were in separate vehicles. And it appears cannot confusing, but it appears that the kidnapper was able to approach these car separately.

So all of this did not take place at the exact same time.

KAGAN: It appears apparently with a gun and duct tape, he somehow was able to overpower these young men. The tape that your station has provided, shows that at least one of the guys, I think the guy was with Jacqueline, looks like a big, burly guy, but when presented with a gun and threat to safety, I guess you do what someone tells you to go.

TAKASUGI: Yes, and the teenagers were instructed not to look at the suspect. They complied. And they were told nothing would happen if they did comply. They were doing their best to do so. We think they were tied up for about maybe 20, 30 minutes before they were able to free themselves from that duct tape and make their way down to the hill to a pay phone to call for help.

KAGAN: The search goes on.

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