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Two Missing Teenage Boys Found in Missouri

Aired January 13, 2007 - 09:59   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAMELA AKERS, MOTHER: 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)

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, that faith and hope has definitely paid off.

We do have two major stories that we're following for you this morning. One, a miracle in Missouri. And we don't use that word lightly.

Also this, though. Look to the right of your screen. A potentially paralyzing ice storm.

In Missouri, breaking news. Two missing boys found safe. Amazingly, one of the boys had been missing for more than four years.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And as Betty just mentioned, an ice storm is slamming the Midwest. The entire state of Oklahoma under a state of emergency this morning. The latest on the spreading storm is just ahead.

NGUYEN: From the CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM. It is Saturday, January 13th.

And we do have some good news to bring you. A lot of news, in fact, though.

Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HOLMES: Certainly glad some of that news is good news.

I'm T.J. Holmes. Thank you so much for starting your day right here with us.

Boy oh boy, what an emotional morning in Missouri. Two families have their missing boys back home.

Meanwhile, 41-year-old Michael Devlin sitting behind bars facing a kidnapping charge. Ben Ownby reported missing Monday, but Shawn Hornbeck, a much longer ordeal for him. He's been missing for more than four years, but his family never lost hope, and they spoke just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

P. AKERS: 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.

Thank you.

CRAIG AKERS, STEPFATHER: You know, there really weren't any words at that point. It was just -- there's a split second of shock. You know, the last time we saw him, he was this tall and 11 years old. You know, it kind of throws you for just a second, but then, you know, once I saw the face, it's 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.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: So happy is that family. And that's one of the main messages Shawn's step dad, Craig Akers, wanted for parents of missing children to know. Never give up hope, that was his message.

CNN's Gary Nurenberg is at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia.

Gary, this has to breathe new hope into all those cases out there as families wait and hope to get the same phone call that this family got.

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That really is the message, Betty.

We're standing at the call center for the National Missing Children's Hotline here in Alexandria, manned 24/7. They get about 700 calls every day. Since Shawn disappeared four and a half years ago, 319 tips in this center about him. Since Ben disappeared on Monday, more than 20 calls, we're told, with tips about what happened to Ben.

Ernie Allen is president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Mr. Allen, Betty said that the lesson that the dad was sending here is never give up hope.

What do you see as the most important lesson in what's happened in the last 24 hours.

ERNIE ALLEN, NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN: I think he's absolutely right. So many people assume that when a child has been missing for a month or a year or, god forbid, multiple years, it's automatically gloom and doom.

The message is that there is hope. And we can recover kids after a long time. This is an inspiration for thousands of searching parents.

NURENBERG: Shawn seemed to be leading a relatively public life with his alleged abductor. Why do you suspect they were able to do that so easily and not be caught before now?

ALLEN: Well, first of all, these abductors tend to blend in. They don't match society's stereotype. They hide in plain sight. And for these kids, they do what it takes to survive.

We don't know what threats have been made against Shawn or his family. But you get past those early days when you assume that this guy is going to kill you. You do whatever it takes. And I think Shawn needs to be praised for doing that.

NURENBERG: I guess it really does raise the question, because when you saw images of Shawn last night and today, he appeared to be in pretty good health. You're saying there may be a reason that he didn't try to escape?

ALLEN: Yes. I mean, we see it all the time. The reality is, this is the ultimate, most fearful possible thing that can happen to a child. And they assume the worst.

If there's small kindnesses, when they see that they're not going to be harmed terribly, in many ways they can adapt to their circumstance. But we don't know what Shawn was told. And we don't know what the totality of the circumstances were.

NURENBERG: We're told that in Ben's case, it was the tip of another student on the school bus that led authorities to this particular vehicle they were looking for. What kind of lesson is there in that for what the rest of us can do when it comes to missing kids?

ALLEN: I think it's a source of inspiration, too, average people doing average things, but paying attention. And through doing that, this other kid, who was alert and aware of what was going on and told authorities, may have saved Ben's life.

NURENBERG: Ernie Allen is the president of the National Center for Missing Children.

Thanks very much for joining us today.

ALLEN: Thank you, Gary.

NURENBERG: Betty, we'll send it back to you in Atlanta.

NGUYEN: Well, let me ask you something, Gary. And you may want to turn to Ernie as well, because we talk about the issue of not giving up hope. We learned in that news conference that, indeed, Shawn saw his picture on park benches, he knew the anniversary date of when he went missing, he knew the searches were under way.

So, by the fact of a family never giving up hope no matter how many years passed on, does that send a message to the child who may still be in the area?

NURENBERG: Mr. Allen, I know you don't have an ear piece and can't hear Betty, but she's saying that this not giving up hope, seeing your picture on a milk jar or a missing poster, does that send hope to the kid that he shouldn't give up hope?

ALLEN: I don't think there's any question about it. And that's why the media is so important. There's power in the media. And getting that message out there mobilizes the eyes and ears of the public and it provides hope to the child that somebody cares about him and somebody is searching.

NURENBERG: I suppose there's an off chance that right now there's a missing child watching this. Your message to him would be -- or her?

ALLEN: Our message to him or her is that we're looking for you, people care about you. Keep hope alive. We're going to bring you home and reunite you with your family.

NURENBERG: Mr. Allen, thanks again.

Betty, good question.

NGUYEN: And good information, though. We appreciate it, Gary and Ernie -- T.J.

HOLMES: We do want to turn now to Sheila Bradley Smith. We talked earlier -- or heard earlier in the press conference about so many other families out there, and they were doing this so other families could still have hope. Well, Sheila Bradley-Smith is a great aunt of Diamond and Tionda Bradley, who have been missing since July of 2001.

Ms. Bradley-Smith, thank you for spending a little time with us here.

And tell me, what does this story do for you?

SHEILA BRADLEY-SMITH, AUNT OF DIAMOND & TIONDA BRADLEY: You know, this story has brought so much renewed hope to many people that have missing children. Tionda and Diamond, as you said, have been missing since July 6, 2001. And if it had not been for the efforts of the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation, I personally, as well as my family, we don't know how we could have made it this far.

HOLMES: Now, do you certainly find it the case that you do, unfortunately, start to lose that hope? What happens when that hope does begin to fade a little bit?

BRADLEY-SMITH: Well, actually, the hope never fades, because you always keep that small glimpse of hope. And with people like the Rachel Fein Foundation (ph) and the other organizations, what they do is they keep you encouraged by assisting you where needed.

So, regardless if you feel like, well, it's been many years, it's been many years, we haven't found them, never give up that small chance that they will be found. And this is a prime example as to why it's important to keep people like Tionda and Diamond Bradley, Alexis Patterson, as well as Rachel Cooke, to keep these kids in the media.

HOLMES: How closely have you worked with the Hornbeck Foundation, and how well, and I guess maybe even personally, do you know the parents of Shawn Hornbeck?

BRADLEY-SMITH: Well, actually, they were responsible for putting the missing children benches out for Tionda and Diamond. I've been in contact with Pam, as well as her husband, Craig. And with the Rachel Fein Foundation, I mean, it's like we are a family. All of us are one family that's striving towards the ultimate purpose of finding our children.

HOLMES: Do you think many families are out there like you? You said you all never give up hope, but certainly over time, unfortunately, it's just such a sad story. And we don't see enough success stories like that. We just don't.

So, all families in the same position, maybe not as you who are losing -- who may be losing hope -- you said you are not, but some who are losing that hope, does this really kick everything into a new gear, a heightened gear for really families all over the country?

BRADLEY-SMITH: Yes, it does. In fact -- well, whenever something comes up, especially like when they don't find, well, a missing child alive, it does kind of put a damper on it. But even in this situation, it's bittersweet, but it's more sweet for me because I'm so close to the family.

You know, it just gives you this renewed faith, this renewed hope. And again, the media is the main avenue that we need to keep this hope going.

HOLMES: OK. Well, we also have pictures that we want to show of Diamond and Tionda Bradley as well. Again, missing since 2001, July of 2001.

If you can, tell me -- I assume you have seen some of this coverage and the press conference we have been showing here of the Hornbeck family. Did you certainly, when seeing that press conference, stop for a second and picture yourself possibly standing in front of a microphone one day in front of the cameras smiling, standing next to Diamond and Tionda?

BRADLEY-SMITH: You know, I can see that so clearly. I mean, just for so many missing children. And I just want Tionda and Diamond to know that we are looking, we will find you. No matter what, we will find you.

HOLMES: Well, Sheila Bradley-Smith, again, the great aunt of Diamond and Tionda Bradley, missing since July of 2001.

Thank so you much for spending some time with us on this day, which, like you said, gives so much renewed hope and promise to so many families around the country. And best of luck to you in your efforts with your family there.

BRADLEY-SMITH: And thank you for all your help.

NGUYEN: It is a great ending to the story of two missing boys. But at the same time, there are still a lot of questions.

So here to help us go through some of those and find some answers is Dr. Bob Butterworth. He's a child psychologist.

Are you on the line with us?

DR. BOB BUTTERWORTH, CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST: Yes, Betty. Hello.

NGUYEN: Hello, Doctor.

Help us understand what is happening right now, specifically with Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby. They were just found yesterday. A lot must be going through their mind. But at the same time, a lot of people want to know what happened.

So, how do you approach that?

BUTTERWORTH: Well, you first approach it by looking at -- looking at Shawn and understanding that he's thinking about, my god, I want my four years back. He was abducted for four years. And I know throughout the news conference there are a lot of people that are saying to themselves, well, he was there four years, why didn't he try to run away?

NGUYEN: Exactly. And that's one of the main question.

We spoke with Ed Smart, Elizabeth Smart's daughter (sic) -- I'm sorry, the father of Elizabeth Smart, who was missing back in June of 2000, found in 2003. She wasn't very far from home. And there were many cases where folks had said, well, maybe she could have just broken away from her captor.

But is that something that a child knows to do, or are they just simply fearful that if they do that, where will they go?

BUTTERWORTH: It's not only that. In Elizabeth Smart's case, the abductor said that if you did run away, I can run -- I ran into your bedroom and got you. I could run into your bedroom and hurt your sister.

And, you know, so the bonds are not always physical, but they're emotional. A lot of times they will say they will hurt a family member, there may be a pet. They say they could hurt a pet.

And remember, an 11-year-old, there's an adult that's in power. And usually when they're captured -- when they're under capture, they are physically or emotionally tied down. It's only after years that they actually give them a little space.

NGUYEN: But in the case of Shawn Hornbeck, he was in captivity for four years. He even saw a photo of him on a park bench. He knew his family was looking for him.

But in cases like that, when he's actually outside in the world seeing the search that's going on, what would keep a child like that -- because right now he's no longer just a child, he's a teenager. He's 15 years old. What would keep him from leaving?

BUTTERWORTH: Part of it is the effect of the Stockholm Syndrome. Really, you do -- you do form a loyalty attachment to the abductor. As much as you want to leave, there are reasons why you can't.

Now, what we don't know is what happened in those four years. Are there situations where this youngster maybe feeling shame? And remember, kids sometimes think that it's not their -- it's not the other person, but they did something wrong.

So there are a lot of emotional locks and constraints that the abductor will put up. And we don't -- at this point, we don't know the reasons why he didn't leave, but there must be some very strong reasons.

NGUYEN: And as we look at pictures of him, he has definitely grown up. Even his family said when they first laid eyes on him, while they were so excited to see him, they had to take a minute to make sure it was him because he has changed in those four years.

So, as he has changed and he has grown up in this captivity, per se, how do you break through that? How do you get a young man like Shawn back to normalcy?

BUTTERWORTH: Well, by getting back to normal is getting back to a normal situation and slowly getting back to real life. And by that I mean getting back to your friends, betting back to a school. He hasn't been in school in four years. Getting back to family.

But it's going to be -- it's going to be a little strange. It's going to be like a stranger in a strange land until he starts to adapt.

And as he adapts, a lot of this anger is going to come out -- my god, I've lost four years of my life. Right now he's excited, but as the weeks go on, he's going to have a lot of anger and maybe even fear.

NGUYEN: So is it important to probe and get that information out, or do you just need to take your time with it and let him talk about it when he's ready?

BUTTERWORTH: Well, Ed Smart is probably the best psychologist on this, the daughter (sic) of Elizabeth Smart, and I agree with him 100 percent. You let things evolve. You don't push.

You let him slowly open up and tell when he needs -- when he needs to talk about the things he needs to talk about. But the problem is, law enforcement is going to need him to get through the story fairly quickly. And that's always the conflict between the needs of the police and law enforcement and psychological recommendations.

NGUYEN: That's a balance that needs to be made there. But the good news today, Doctor, obviously, is that both Shawn and Ben are alive and well.

And we appreciate your insight. Thank you.

BUTTERWORTH: Thank you, Betty.

HOLMES: We do want to tell you now what's going to be coming up here at CNN throughout the day, really. We are expecting at the top of the hour, at about 45 minutes, I guess now, 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, we are expecting a press conference from the sheriff's officials there, the sheriff's department there in Franklin County.

They are going to talk about this case and about the suspect, hopefully. We are hoping to learn more. Michael Devlin is the same, a 41-year-old man that we understand did not have a criminal history. Expecting to hear from the sheriff's department, maybe get more information on that suspect and really everything surrounding finding these two boys.

Also, need to let you know that at 12:30 Eastern Time, we're going to show you this press conference that we just -- you can't get away from -- the parents.

NGUYEN: It is definitely worth seeing again. And what an emotional press conference.

HOLMES: Four years.

NGUYEN: And just to hear from the family. And they said they did it because they wanted to give hope to others out there who are waiting for their children to come back home.

HOLMES: But yes, going to have that replay for you of that news conference in its entirety coming up at 12:30 Eastern Time. You'll certainly want to stick around and see that if you did miss it. Or if you did see it, it's worth seeing again.

NGUYEN: It is.

HOLMES: Four years, they say it finally paid off, paid off in a big way for them today.

Stay here with CNN. We've got much more coverage to come on this major breaking story today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: All right. Here it is, our other big story of the day. The entire state of Oklahoma under a state of emergency this morning.

The reason? Well, you see it right there, a major ice storm that is moving across the nation's midsection.

Oklahoma's governor has already issued emergency declarations for all of the state's 77 counties. At least four deaths are blamed on the storm. All four the result of traffic accidents on icy roads.

This storm has also knocked out power in some areas. Utility officials in Missouri say 158,000 people in the St. Louis and Springfield areas are without electricity this morning.

HOLMES: And of course our Reynolds Wolf our go-to guy on all things weather-related.

And we need you more than ever these days.

Reynolds, please, tell us what's going on.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'll tell you, man, it's good to be needed, but I wish it was really some better news that I was giving people, especially in Missouri.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: And we want to see actually what you folks out there -- want to see what's happening in your neighborhood, and what the winter storm is bringing to or doing to, maybe, your neighborhood. Send us your photos and videos to I-Report. Go click on CNN.com, and then click on the I-Report link.

NGUYEN: Well, we do have much more to come on that major story that we have there with the ice storm, but this one, too. Have you heard already today? If you haven't, you definitely want to tune in for more information -- two missing boys found alive and well in Missouri.

You see right there Shawn Hornbeck, the gentleman in the middle with the red shirt on. He's 15 now, just 11 when he was missing. We will hear more from his family as we piece together what happened and why.

Stay with us right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

C. AKERS: He's in good health. He's in good spirits. Obviously glad to be home. There's really, you know, at this point, not anything we need to be concerned about other than, you know, giving -- giving everyone time to let everything take its course and let all this sink in. And, you know, we'll just take it one minute at a time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: They've got a lot of catching up to do. Shawn Hornbeck's family -- that's not Shawn Hornbeck there, that was the other boy he was found with. But Shawn Hornbeck's family -- there he is when he was found the other day. But Hornbeck's family, they refused to give up after four years. Now their prayers have been answered, as we just saw in that press conference.

We're going to have more on that for you. But yes, Shawn Hornbeck, after four years he is back home.

NGUYEN: It is such an amazing story. One honestly we just want to hear more about.

As mentioned, four years ago, when Shawn Hornbeck disappeared, the last thing his parents suspected is that he had been abducted. This is how our affiliate KTVI covered the story the day after he disappeared.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): This is what 11-year-old Shawn Damien Hornbeck looks like. He was wearing an orange T-shirt and jeans riding his green mountain bike. His mother says he was going to a friend's house about 1:00 Sunday afternoon.

C. AKERS: When he didn't show up at 6:00, I went down to the friend's house, and they said they hadn't even seen him all day. And then my husband and my sister looked for him, and a few other friends went out looking for him. And when he didn't show up by 8:00, we called the Washington County Sheriff's Department.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The area of the search is thick and heavily wooded near Highway 47 and A.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Be thorough. Just take your time. If you're out there and need help, we'll have the radio on each side of him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Volunteers from the area and trained search teams used ATVs, dogs, a helicopter, and even walked the fields looking for any sign of the fifth grader. There's no indication of foul play, but search leaders worry that he may have fallen off of his bike and is lying injured. And after a night in the cold, he could be disoriented.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our guys are trained to recognize hypothermia and suspect hypothermia. And that's how we would expect him to be, tired and hungry and very cold. So we are working against the clock.

C. AKERS: At this point, I'm clueless. I wish I had the answers, but I don't.

This is totally out of, you know, the ordinary for him. He's never been late. He's scared of the dark. That's why when he didn't come home last night, I knew it wasn't right.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And that's Shawn's mother that you saw right there, obviously all smiles today.

HOLMES: Much different.

NGUYEN: But as we talk about the case, we learned a little bit earlier from the affiliate there in Missouri -- Alex Fees said that, really, the leads had gone cold. And at one point they thought, well, maybe he had been hit by a car and his body had just not been found. So really had no clue that he was still in a nearby area, in St. Louis, about 60 miles away, and was indeed alive and well.

HOLMES: And this one threw everybody off. There was another missing boy getting a lot of press coverage in the area. Ben Ownby, who had only been missing for about four days, he was getting all the coverage. Everybody had their eyes on him, and lo and behold, they are looking for Ben and they get a two for one, a big two for one here, and Shawn Hornbeck, after four years is back with his family.

We have much more coming up on this story, including at the top of the hour, 11:00 Eastern time, expecting a press conference from the sheriff's department. We're hoping to get a lot more information, as much as possible about the suspect, Michael Devlin in this case, hoping to hear more about that. Also at 12:30 Eastern time, we need to let you know that the press conference we all watched earlier with the family, the parents of Shawn Hornbeck ...

NGUYEN: Emotional press conference.

HOLMES: Shawn was in attendance as well. He didn't speak, but you certainly want to hear what the family had to say. We're going to play that in its entirety coming up at 12:30 Eastern time. Stay right here with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Now in the news, if you haven't heard, miracles do happen. That is what the family of one of those missing Missouri teenagers is saying. Shawn Hornbeck's family addressed the media last hour saying they never lost hope during the four-year ordeal.

Meanwhile, the man suspected of kidnapping both Sean and 13-year- old Ben Ownby is in custody. There's a picture of him right there. Michael Devlin is being held on $1 million bond and we are expecting to hear more from the sheriff's department in a live news conference at the top of the hour. You don't want to miss that. CNN will bring you live coverage when it happens.

Here's our other major story today. A large ice storm grips the nation's midsection. It is dumping snow, freezing rain all across the region. Icy roads have already caused travel problems. At least four traffic deaths are blamed on the storm and flight delays, well that's happening, too, not only delayed but cancelled at several airports yesterday.

In other news, President Bush is spending part of this holiday weekend at Camp David. But this is no holiday weekend. The president invited top Republican leaders from the House and Senate to join him there. This as President Bush seeks support for his plan to send more U.S. troops to Iraq.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel this morning. Here's some pictures of that. Her Middle East trip is designed in part to help find a solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Meetings are scheduled with leaders in Jerusalem and the west bank.

An emotional morning in Missouri, that is putting it lightly. Two families have their missing boys finally back home. Meanwhile, 41-year-old Michael Devlin sits behind bars facing a kidnapping charge. Ben Ownby reported missing on Monday, but for Shawn Hornbeck, it was a much longer ordeal, missing for more than four years. His family says they never lost hope. They spoke just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

P. AKERS: ... miracle here. We are 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've 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's been out there to help 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 that hope to the family, to the family that their kids can come home. It may be years later, may be days later, may be weeks later, but they can come home safe and just always keep that faith and hope. Thank you.

C. AKERS: There really weren't any words at that point. It was just there's a split second of shock. The last time we saw him, he was yay tall and 11 years old. It kind of throws you for just a second. But then, you know, once I saw the face, it's 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 yous, hugs, kisses, and we're so glad that you're home and him expressing how glad that he was to finally be home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: To finally be home. Shortly we expect to hear from the Franklin County sheriff's department. That live news conference is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Eastern. When it happens, we will bring it to you live. We really have been focusing a lot on Missouri today.

One for that missing boy's story, but also for the weather conditions there. In fact, we have the Missouri Governor Matt Blunt on the line with us. Governor, let me ask you first of all to get your reaction to the story on the two boys who were found alive.

VOICE OF GOV. MATT BLUNT (R), MISSOURI: It's a great day for Missouri and Missouri families. It was the answer to literally thousands of prayers. Both for Ben and Shawn and really it is an exciting day. It was wonderful to see those families reunited. We are learning more details about the nature of the crime.

And certainly want to commend the sheriff's department and the state highway patrol and the Kirkwood police department, the FBI who all worked extremely well together to bring the case with Ben to a quick completion and then to have the wonderful unexpected result with Shawn Hornbeck really was a great -- again a great blessing and we are certainly grateful to God and the great work of the law enforcement personnel that brought this thing to a conclusion.

NGUYEN: Governor, you say you are learning more details about the crime and the man who is accused of committing the crime here. Any of those details you can share with us now?

BLUNT: Obviously, we are still learning a number of things about this person, individual and the nature of the crime, really the nature of the situation that's existed over the past four years. I don't know if there's anything we can really get into at this point. There will be a press conference, as you said, later today. Unfortunately, I have had to shift some of my attention now to trying to deal with this pretty bad winter weather that we have here in Missouri.

NGUYEN: Yes and we do hope to hear more about this case at 11:00 a.m. when the Franklin County sheriff's department will be speaking live. So let's do make that turn right now because your state is experiencing one heck of a storm right now. It's causing so many accidents, a couple of deaths being reported as well. Give me an update on the situation now.

BLUNT: Well, it is a very terrible winter storm with some tremendous ice damage really along the interstate 44 corridor. The hardest hit area appears to be around Springfield but also the St. Louis region has also been hit pretty as well. There are approximately 200,000 households and customers that do not have power at this time. We are trying to do everything we can to help the utilities to restore power to those households.

Obviously two executive orders, one delaying a state of emergency for the state, the other activating the Missouri National Guard and we're going to begin immediately activating 350 guardsmen and women to begin to provide support. We have put a disaster medical assistance team on stand by to begin to deal with some of the health-related consequences we'll have from this storm.

Our state emergency management agency is fully manned. And we're just trying to get a full sense of what the needs are. As you would suspect, reports are filtering in from county emergency operations centers in our state as to what the impact has been and what immediate needs are and we're trying to meet those needs as quickly as possible.

With other winter weather, there are some challenges out there. We have requests for generators and some of our traditional sources for generators have really dried up because they have been helping Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. So include (ph), got some challenges ahead of us in Missouri and my first concern is for the safety of Missourians and all available state resources will be available to local communities as they recover from this storm.

NGUYEN: Hopefully people heed the warning. You have declared a state of emergency. People will stay inside and go to the shelters if needed and obviously stay off the roadways. Governor Matt Blunt, we appreciate your time today.

BLUNT: Thank you very much.

NGUYEN: Let's update now on how the storm is affecting Oklahoma because it is through the middle section of the U.S. where people are just really getting hit hard today. Joining us by phone from Oklahoma City is Albert Ashwood, the director of the department of emergency management.

And Mr. Ashwood, let me talk to you first and foremost. As we heard the Missouri governor declare a state of emergency, the governor of Oklahoma has done the same. Are people heeding the warnings?

ALBERT ASHWOOD, OKLAHOMA DEPT. OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Absolutely. Well before the storm started, we saw people out in the local stores buying bread, milk, the necessary items to stay home for the weekend.

NGUYEN: And with that being the case, what kind of power outages, what kind of problems are folks in Oklahoma experiencing because of this storm?

ASHWOOD: It's rather fluid right now. We are up to 24,000 statewide customers without electricity but that's going to be growing probably over today and tomorrow as we get two more waves of this storm to come through. So right now, we've got the emergency operations center activated. We are helping out communities with generators, helping set up shelters if they need to, anything we can as far as state resources to make sure that we can alleviate some of the problems they have.

NGUYEN: All right. Albert Ashwood, director of the department of emergency management there in Oklahoma City. We appreciate your time and information.

Want to take you now to CNN's Reynolds Wolf for just another update, a closer look at where this storm is and where it's headed because this thing isn't over yet Reynolds.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: It's going to be a very busy weekend. Thank you Reynolds.

HOLMES: And while all that busy stuff is going on weather wise, we actually want to see what that winter storm is doing to your neighborhood. You can send us your photos and videos, I-reports. Just go to CNN.com and click on the I-report link.

Of course, we've been talking about the ice storm being the big story today. The other big one, missing boys found in Missouri. We're going to have a press conference coming up at 11:00 Eastern time to talk about it. This is where we are going to hear from the sheriff's department and hoping to get more information on the suspect but we're also learning now that the family of the other missing boy who had been missing for four days, Ben Ownby, his family expected to be there.

Don't know if he will be there as well, but his family expected to be at that press conference as well. Expect that to be an emotional one just like the other we saw for the family of Shawn Hornbeck. So please stick with CNN throughout the day and throughout the next hour or so. It just keeps coming. We're going to keep bringing it to you. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: We have been talking about throughout this morning the remarkable story out of Missouri they are calling the miracle in Missouri two missing boys found, two abducted boys found. One of them had been missing four days, the other four years. Shawn Hornbeck back with his family after a four-year ordeal.

We're going to rejoin Ed Smart who a lot of people will certainly remember that name and know the story of his daughter Elizabeth who was taken from her bedroom back in 2002, I believe it was, gone for nine months and she found her way back home, reunited.

Ed Smart, sir, you saw this press conference this morning. How desperate were you during that nine months your daughter was missing for some kind of an event like that, something to just reenergize you? Not saying you all ever lost hope, but still, how crucial was something like a story like we're seeing today have helped you along?

VOICE OF ED SMART, ELIZABETH SMART'S FATHER: I think the more that we hear children are being found alive and able to reunite with family, it just gives everyone out there this club that nobody wants to belong to, gives them hope. And you know, we want to see those children all come back to their parents. We don't want to hear the bad endings.

I think that having hope, I will never forget some of my very good friends out there. When Elizabeth came home, I didn't know what to say to them. I didn't know how to respond because I wanted them to have the same thing and yet they weren't. And one of them, I didn't speak to for about a month and a half, she called me up and she said Ed, we are so happy.

I said, you know, I wanted so badly to call you and tell you how happy we are, but I just almost felt guilty about it. And I -- and she said to me, Ed, it just gives us great hope that we are going to find our children. And, you know that is what is so important because we have to keep the hope up out there.

HOLMES: What happens, sir, in a family during that time where those hot and heavy leads aren't coming in, when there's kind of a lull in the case? What happens to a family in that time period? It has to just be desperate times where maybe some of that hope does begin to fade.

SMART: Well, you know, I don't know that you give up hope, but certainly there are times of doubt. And you know, the important thing is to keep on working, trying to keep their face out there, so that they'll be recognized. Because, really, when it comes down to it, the public is the greatest asset in finding our children and it's a matter of keeping their face out there and keeping hope and trying in different ways to make the connection so that people will keep looking.

HOLMES: Tell us -- and you certainly know this more than anybody, really -- how tough of an ordeal does Shawn Hornbeck now face being gone for four years from his home, from his life? What kind of an ordeal does he face now and the times ahead for him to try to readjust to life?

SMART: Well, you know, I think that nobody knows what he's been through and certainly his family, you know, doesn't have any idea. It might just be the ultimate nightmare on top of being kidnapped. But the important thing for, I know, we felt for Elizabeth was to know that it was not their fault. And, you know, they did what they did to survive. And, you know, not place any blame or ask, you know, why didn't you try to escape this way or that way?

They tried to survive. The important thing is that they're home alive. And I think that when they realize that, you know, they're in a safe place. They can start to resume their life and pick up the pieces and move forward. I think that that is critically important for any child that is found. I mean, the trauma that they have been through in trying to be able to resume some kind of normalcy is, I think it's a challenge.

HOLMES: All right. Well, Ed Smart, thank you so much, sir. Unfortunately you have some expertise, but fortunately it all worked out for you and your family. So certainly appreciate you taking some time out to spend with us on a good day here where we have some good news. Thank you sir.

SMART: We just hope that the Senate and the House hurry and appropriate funds for this Adam Walsh bill so more children will come home.

HOLMES: That's another story. We'll stay on top of that one as well. Again, Mr. Smart, thank you so much for your time sir.

SMART: Thank you.

NGUYEN: And in just a matter of minutes, we are waiting to see this news conference begin. You see it on the right hand of your screen, zooming into a chair right now but that's where that press conference is going to be taking place. The Franklin County sheriff's department will be talking about this case but we're also getting word that we will hear from the family of Ben Ownby. He is the 13-year-old who was found along with Shawn Hornbeck.

And we want to hear from his family, because the one of Hornbeck's family earlier was just so emotional and brought so much information into our eyes as to exactly what happened and how these young boys are doing now. So stay tuned for that, something you don't want to miss. It's coming up at the top of the hour. We'll take a short break and be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Keeping an eye here on the press conference we are expecting out of Missouri. We are expecting to hear from the sheriff's officials, the Franklin County sheriff's department, after -- like we've been saying today got good news. Two missing boys -- one of them been missing for four years -- found together, the other boy missing for four days.

We saw them earlier, heard from the family of Shawn Hornbeck. The 15-year-old had been missing for four years, emotional reunion with his family. You are seeing some of that press conference we showed earlier there on the left, but there he is in the middle.

But on the right, what you're seeing, sheriff's department officials at the top of the hour. It does looks like they're about to start, said they were going to start this about 11:00. We're expecting the family of the other boy found -- and expecting at 11:00.

But Ben Hornby -- excuse me, Ownby, the other boy, Ownby, Ben Ownby, been missing for four days, expecting his family to speak at this press conference as well. We are looking at the sheriff of Franklin County, Gary Toelke, but it looks like they are going to start this thing and maybe just a couple minutes early. So we will stick around here and see what happens with it, but hoping to get a lot of information here.

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