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Shooting at Arbor Place Mall Outside Atlanta; Texas Police Make Arrests in 'Baby Grace' Case; Redskins Player Shot
Aired November 26, 2007 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: In death she became "Baby Grace." In life she was probably Riley Ann Sawyers. So say police in Texas, who believe Riley's mother knows how the child ended up in a box in Galveston Bay.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: How did a player for the Washington Redskins end up shot, critically hurt in his home in Florida? Police on the case while Sean Taylor fights for his life in a Miami hospital.
Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
2:00 Eastern and we start with a developing story.
Let's go straight to the newsroom. T.J. Holmes working the details of a mall shooting here in Georgia.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, west of downtown Atlanta. This is in Douglasville, Georgia, about 20 miles west of downtown Atlanta, at the Arbor Place Mall.
We just got the final word -- or confirmation, at least -- from the officials there that in fact two people have been shot after someone tried to rob a Brinks armored car, an employee who was leaving that mall with money. The suspect, according to the Douglasville police chief, approached the Brinks employee and shots were exchanged.
Both the security guard and the suspect now in the hospital, according to police. According to police as well, the security guard -- or rather the Brinks employee -- is expected to survive. Both are expected to survive. However, the suspect, according to police, is in pretty worse shape, as he put it, out of the two.
Now, the mall was put in lockdown for a short time, but it's now open again and people are coming and going once again. The police chief also could not confirm whether or not there were any more suspects out there.
He said there's nothing that leads him to believe that. However, he was not ruling anything out. So not being an alarmist, as he put it, to tell people to look out for anyone else. They don't have any other suspect description, but still could not rule out the possibility of another suspect being out there.
And also, Don, here one other thing he mentioned of note was this had to be something that was planned. This was not a crime of opportunity, that someone just looked up and saw a guard leaving and decided to act. He said this was something that definitely had to be planned by the suspect.
LEMON: All right, T.J.
And I'm also hearing that we're getting new video from our affiliates and we're going to bring that to you just as soon as we get it.
T.J., check back when we get that video.
HOLMES: All right.
LEMON: Thank you, sir.
PHILLIPS: It started with a fisherman's gruesome find, a toddler's body stuffed inside a plastic box. Now investigators believe they can put a real face on "Baby Grace" and that terrible crime.
CNN's Sean Callebs is in Spring, Texas, the last place that anyone remembers seeing Riley Ann Sawyers alive.
Hi, Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
The Galveston Sheriff's Office held a news conference a short while ago. They showed an actual photo of who they believe this young girl is, 2-year-old Riley Ann Sawyers. And just take a look at the picture of her and then the composite sketch. It really sends chill up the spine of people living in this community.
And we can tell you now the girl's young mother, Kimberly Trenor, who is 19, is under arrest, as is well as her companion, Royce Zeigler. There's some speculation those two got married back in June. They lived in this house right behind me.
You may wonder how could people in this community not notice that a little, beautiful 2-year-old girl is missing. Well, if you look around you can see the walled areas, the fence out here. People are tired of the media already.
There's a sign on that door right there that says, "Journalists, please stay away. We know nothing."
But we will tell you, Kyra, we were able to talk to a neighbor a short while ago, and she told us that about two weeks before the body of young Riley Ann Sawyers, who authorities believe where Riley Ann Sawyers was found, that Royce Zeigler stopped coming here. so, about mid-October he stopped coming home, and it was only Kimberly Trenor who was living in this house. Now, we know that the family who lived -- the biological father up in Ohio hoped against hope that the mother was hiding the child, but apparently that's not the case -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, we'll keep following it. And we're also -- Sean, as you know, we're expecting much more ahead on this story. At 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time the (INAUDIBLE) Ohio Police Department is holding a news conference. Riley Sawyers' grandparents are expected to be there.
We're going to take you live and continue to talk with Sean and what he's finding out there from his sources.
LEMON: Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor is in a Miami hospital right now. He was shot in his own home early this morning and his life may be on the line.
Our John Zarella is in Miami with the very latest on this.
John, on the line, his life, possibly?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there's no question about it, that he is listed in critical condition at the Jackson Memorial Hospital Ryder Trauma Center.
Now, we're here at his home in the Palmetto Bay area, which is south of Miami, and you can see there's a concrete wall back there, a white concrete wall, where a little while ago we could see police investigators sifting through some of the shrubbery there. And a van, a police investigator's van, did show up a little while ago, crime scene investigations here at the scene.
Now, what apparently happened was at about 1:45 a.m. this morning, the police, the Miami-Dade County Police, received reports there had been shots fired here at the house. When they got here they found Sean Taylor on the floor. He was immediately airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Now, police are not exactly saying what happened here. They really probably don't know. They have been -- they have said it was possibly a break-in, possibly a robbery attempt, but they're not confirming that.
His family is not saying much at all either about what has happened here today. But in Washington, D.C., Clinton Portis, who is a teammate of Sean Taylor's both in Washington and back in their days at the University of Miami, did speak about his friend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON PORTIS, REDSKINS RUNNING BACK: I've been told he lost a lot of blood and he's fighting to hang on. So pray for him and hopefully he keeps fighting.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ZARRELLA: Now, it's not entirely clear what he was doing here in Miami, although Taylor did not play for the Redskins the past couple of weeks. He's been out injured, so he didn't play yesterday in the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So he was here at the house last night, but exactly why he was in Miami is still unclear -- Don.
LEMON: All right. A lot to unravel there.
John Zarella in Miami.
Thank you for your report, John.
PHILLIPS: Arson investigators led bloodhounds to an outdoor party spot that may have been the source of the Malibu wildfire that broke out over the weekend. Officials now say the fire was caused by people, and reports suggest a late-night campfire may have sprung out of control. That blaze is in nearing full containment today with help from dying winds and full-fledged attacks by pre-positioned firefighters. Still, though, 53 families are returning to the hillsides to find their homes destroyed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANITA STANLEY, HOMEOWNER: I didn't think that it was going to be gone until I got down to the bottom of the canyon and I looked up and saw huge flames. And my heart just sunk and I thought, God, it might burn. And it did.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Fire crews are snuffing out spot fires today in the hills and canyons of Malibu. They expect full containment of that ruinous blaze that erupted Saturday morning. We were telling you about that, destroying dozens of luxury homes.
With the latest from the scene we're told we've got Dan Simon now fired up there on a live connection.
Dan, we heard a little bit from some of the victims, and Chad was obviously telling us about the conditions that affected that. But you're right there in the middle of it. Tell us what it's like there this morning -- or this afternoon.
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's actually perfectly calm here, and that's why they're going to have containment sometime today. At this point we are told this fire is 90 percent contained, but it's a beautiful day here in Malibu, but obviously devastating for folks who are coming back to get a look at the wreckage.
You can see that this home totally gone here. Normally when you cover wildfires you can tell what some of the items were in the house. This particular house you can't really make out anything.
You see this car here, just a rusty shell. And then behind us another home completely leveled. And we're reminded of how random the wildfires can be, because diagonal to us you see a home perfectly intact.
Fifty-three homes leveled to the ground. Obviously, for people coming up here, totally devastating. We spoke to one couple. Their home actually did survive, but you can imagine what it was like when they got that knock on the door from firefighters at 4:00 in the morning.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I knew things weren't good. I've been evacuated before, and I've been through many fires. And I immediately walked outside to see -- evaluate my evaluation of it. And I looked outside to the hillside here and I saw from one end to about a half a mile in a pure line of golden flame coming at us, and I said to my husband, "Honey, we ain't going to make it out of here this time. Let's get out of here."
It was so sad. It was so sad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: Investigators are still trying to determine a cause for this wildfire, but right now the operating theory is that some teenagers in sort of a remote area went to this particular place to throw a party. They set a campfire -- at least that's what we're being told -- and they think that that campfire is actually what caused this wildfire, 5,000-acre wildfire, again, 53 homes destroyed -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. We'll follow up with you obviously throughout the day.
Dan Simon, appreciate it.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: 2:15 Eastern Time right now. Here's some of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.
A botched robbery of an armored car guard in suburban Atlanta. A man shot the guard as he was leaving a mall carrying money. The guard returned fire. Both are wounded.
Police in Texas say they're fairly confident they have identified "Baby Grace," the girl whose body washed up in a storage box near Galveston last month. They think she's actually 2-year-old Riley Ann Sawyers. Police have arrested the girl's mother and the mom's boyfriend.
A pro bowl player for the Washington Redskins is hospitalized in critical condition. Sean Taylor was shot at his home near Miami early this morning in what police are investigating as a possible robbery. LEMON: Well, Senate Republicans will soon say farewell to a longtime leader. Minority whip Trent Lott announced today he will retire by the end of the year. Sources say he's bound for the private sector, and if he waits to step down he'll have to wait two years instead of one before becoming a lobbyist.
Today though, Lott said he had no firm plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: Let me make it clear. There are no problems. I feel fine.
I may look my 66 years, but I honestly feel good. And I get up every day believing that I can maybe have a positive effect on what we do in the Senate. I like being a happy warrior. I don't like some of the negativism that we're dealing with now, but that's life and that's the role I guess of politics sometimes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: A spokesman for Arizona Senator Jon Kyl says Kyl plans to run for the minority whip post. Right now he's the GOP's number three man in the Senate.
Presidential politics now.
Barack Obama's presidential campaign touts its grassroots support, but it also hopes to mow down rivals with the help of a media titan. Oprah Winfrey has just firmed up plans to stump for the Illinois senator in some very crucial states.
Joining us live from London, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.
So, Bill, Obama is getting some high-profile help from Oprah. How significant will that be in the states that they are visiting together? Probably pretty significant.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes in, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, which has a large African-American population, yes, it could be significant. She's one of the most popular figures in America, and she goes across party lines, of course, but she has a lot of appeal to her audience.
It's really a following that includes a lot of women around the country who have been very strongly supportive of Hillary Clinton's campaign. And now here comes Oprah campaigning for Barack Obama.
African-Americans, also, they have tended to favor Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama, but they are also Oprah admirers. So when she comes down to campaign for Barack Obama, that could cut into some of Hillary Clinton's support. Normally I would say that an endorsement doesn't transfer directly to a candidate, but in the case of Oprah, we're going to have to leave that question open until we see what happens. LEMON: Yes. To me, Bill, it's just sort of interesting. I talked a little bit about this with the political folks this morning.
Do we have the split screen, Obama and Oprah Winfrey there? Two very powerful African-Americans. She gets the women vote, black vote, white vote, or at least her following, as you say. She transcends.
And you have Barack Obama. Two very heavy powerhouses, and both of them are African-Americans vying to get the presidency locked up.
SCHNEIDER: That's right, and both of them have an appeal that goes beyond race. They are not primarily racial figures. They haven't been deeply involved. Personally, they haven't made their careers in racial politics. Obama tries to reach across racial lines.
LEMON: Right.
SCHNEIDER: And Oprah's audience is very, very much a biracial audience. So they both symbolize the same appeal.
LEMON: OK. So, Senator Clinton squabbled over whose health care plan is better over the weekend, hers or her opponents'. Why are they both hitting that issue so hard?
SCHNEIDER: Well, because it's a big issue to Democrats. It's their number one domestic issue. And because the race is tightening up.
The latest national polls, as well as the polls in New Hampshire, in Iowa, show the race between the front-runner, Hillary Clinton, and the second place Democrat, Barack Obama, is getting a little bit tighter. Hillary Clinton is still front-runner, although in Iowa, it's really neck and neck. Obama in the latest poll is a few points ahead of Senator Clinton, virtually a tie between three candidates -- Obama, Clinton and Jon Edwards. But in New Hampshire and in national polls, the race is tightening up.
So the gloves are off and they are going after each other really by name, particularly Senator Clinton, who criticized Obama's health care plan as not covering all Americans, not being universal. And she criticized him by name, which she hasn't done very often in the past.
LEMON: OK. Senior political analyst Bill Schneider.
Bill, thank you so much.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
LEMON: You want up-to-the-minute political news available anytime, anywhere? CNNPolitics.com has it all for you. Get the very latest news from the campaign trail and behind-the-scenes details from the best political team on television -- CNNPolitics.com.
PHILLIPS: Is the toddler known as "Baby Grace" named Riley Ann Sawyers? Investigators wait for DNA to prove it, but Texas police don't wait to start making arrests. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BUSINESS REPORT)
LEMON: Well, Senate bigwig Trent Lott makes a very big announcement. The lowdown on why he's joining the Republican rush away from Capitol Hill.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Don Lemon. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
A direct negotiator, a shuttle diplomat. President Bush has been neither when it comes to Middle East peace efforts, but now almost seven years into his presidency he's hosting his first Middle East Peace Summit tomorrow in Annapolis, Maryland. Today he sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the White House and then he held a separate sit-down with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in which he repeated his call for an independent Palestinian state.
PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES: Thank you for working hard to implement a vision for a Palestinian state. We want to help you. We want there to be peace. We want the people in the Palestinian territories to have hope and we thank you for your willingness to sit down with Israel to negotiate the settlement. The United States cannot impose our vision, but we can help facilitate.
LEMON: Tomorrow's summit has broad Arab support, even longtime Israeli rival Syria is sending a delegation.
Iran and Hamas weren't invited to Maryland, but they are planning a smaller session of their own. CNN's Aneesh Raman is in Tehran.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is all of Iran's revolutionary regime, a brother to the Palestinians. Here's Yasser Arafat in Tehran in the early '80s. In Tehran today, there's a Palestine square, a monument to Palestinian resistance and plenty of slogans which means Iran should be the Palestinians' best friend, but Iran and Hamas, its surrogate in the battle with Israel, won't be coming to Annapolis.
In Iran, the Palestinian cause has always been linked with an antagonism towards Israel, and you see it virtually everywhere. Right now we're just off a main highway that runs through Tehran, and across it is a mural with a portrait of Hamas' spiritual founder and down below it a familiar slogan, down with the USA and Israel.
When Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel won big in Palestinian legislative elections, Iran went beyond slogans, sending money to Hamas' stronghold in Gaza putting Israel on edge, and as George Bush heads to Annapolis getting even Syria, an Iranian ally at the table, Hamas and Iran are not invited and for them opportunity knocks.
Which of these participants in Annapolis is the real representative of the Palestinian people, President Ahmadinejad recently asked. What right do they have to go there? So instead of there, Ahmadinejad is bringing them here. He's planning a conference soon with the head of Hamas and Palestinians who favor the group. For Iran the Annapolis summit isn't just about the Palestinians.
PROF. MAJID MARANDI, TEHRAN UNIVERSITY: Yes, I think it's more about Bush in the eyes of most Iranians and politicians in the country.
RAMAN: Many Iranians say the Palestinian cause must be helped with fellow Muslims but a lagging economy more and more question the money leaving home. The help should be given inside Iran, says this woman, not to the Palestinian people. We need help. There's poverty and unemployment. Still, for Iran's president Annapolis is another welcome challenge to see if President Bush can influence a conference of neighbors where one of its key residents, Iran, is absent. Aneesh Raman, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Time to do something else. With those six words, Senate minority whip, Trent Lott, confirmed that he'll be leaving Capitol Hill. After more than three decades he's got three weeks to go. Brianna Keilar joins us now from our Washington bureau with more on Lott's announcement. Brianna.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, that's right. Trent Lott has been in Congress for about 35 years and with significant ups and downs. You may recall a major gaff back in 2002 that cost him his post as senate majority leader. That's when he made controversial remarks about Mississippi support for former Senator Strom Thurmond when he ran on a segregationist platform back in 1948. Lott made a comeback in the most recent election rising to the post of senate minority whip, number two position, and as he announced his retirement he lasted the controversies and the republicans losing their majority this fall and also talked about his missteps over the years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: I've been in the majority and been in the minority back and forth six times, you know, and I don't like being in the minority as much, and if I were 20 years younger, I'd be mounting my horse saying, you know, let's get this majority back, but, you know, I showed that, you know, I was willing to acknowledge where mistakes are made and just keep on working.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: So why leave now? Well, Lott was insistent it has nothing to do with his health. He said this is a decision he made on his own terms, and it is widely known that Lott intended to retire in 2006, but he says he ran for re-election to help his struggling gulf coast state post-hurricane Katrina. Something else that's really worth pointing out though. Lott will leave the senate before ethics reform law kicks in the new year making the period for legislators who want to become lobbyists extend from one to two years so he'll narrowly avoid having that apply to him but a senior advisor said that was one reason for his decision though Lott downplayed that motivation today at his press conference.
PHILLIPS: Any idea on who may replace him?
KEILAR: There's too ways to look at it. At this point, Senator John Kyl of Arizona has confirmed he is expected to run for whip and then two representatives in the House are being floated as the names to succeed Lott in his senate seat, Congressman Chip Pickering and Congressman Roger Wicker.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Brianna.
LEMON: Republican rivals Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani took big knocks at each other at campaign stops this weekend in New Hampshire. One issue they are tussling over is law and order. Giuliani seized on an opportunity of a Romney-appointed judge to bash his rival's record on crime and Romney turned it around though bashing the ex-mayor's record on appointees. Here's what Romney told our very own Wolf Blitzer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's strange to have him bringing in my selction for individuals to serve, judges and so forth, when he has Bernie Kerik all over him the place these days. When he knew he was being investigated he recommended to the president to be the secretary of homeland security. That I find a position, if you will, throwing stones from a glass house is never a wise thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Catch the rest of Wolf Blitzer's chat with Mitt Romney later today in "THE SITUATION ROOM," right after we wrap it up here in the NEWSROOM at 4 p.m. eastern.
PHILLIPS: Is a toddler known as Baby Grace known as Riley Ann Sawyers? Investigators wait for DNA to prove it but Texas police don't wait to start making arrests. I'm going to speak now with one of the investigators who have been pretty emotional about this case.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MAJ. RAY TUTTOILMONDO, GALVESTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: A few weeks ago I held up this little shoe and asked who is Baby Grace, who does this belong to? We're now fairly confident we know the answer to that.
PHILLIPS: You saw it right there, the shoe in his hand, a catch in his throat. Major Ray Tuttoilmondo announces a turning point in the Baby Grace investigation. Major Tuttoilmondo joins us on the phone now from Galveston, Texas with more. Sir, I think we all got a lump in our throat when we first found out about that story and continually seeing that shoe and not knowing who this little girl was. How did you get the break?
TUTTOILMONDO: It was certainly a lot of good investigative work by all the detectives that were working on this case, a little bit of being in the right place at the right time and talking to the right people. Things started falling together.
PHILLIPS: Let's talk about how things have fallen together. It's actually kind of complicated to put it all together, but maybe we start with the mother and the fact that she had this child with another -- a young man but had met a second man online and taken off to live with him, correct, and then the daughter went missing and she tells the story that a case worker came to her house. Should we pick it up from there? Is that where it starts to get interesting?
TUTTOILMONDO: Well, where it got interesting for us is when we started working on this back on November 7 when we received a tip about this information and it's been us letting the investigation lead us to where we need it to go that's gotten us to this point so far. What's important to remember though is we still have a lot more work to do and there are still 22 little girls on our list with question marks by their names.
PHILLIPS: Wow. So this could actually - well, let me get to that in a minute. But let's get back to this case and the mom, Kimberly Trenor and her boyfriend Roy Ziegler. They're the ones that had moved away. She met him online. The little girl was apparently with them. What happened because she says a story that a case cwker showed up at the house and took her little girl away. Is that correct?
TUTTOILMONDO: From what we are told in some of the information that was coming out on the media that's what we understand the complete answer to what happened and how it happened is something that we're very much still working on.
PHILLIPS: Well, can you if you tell us if you've determined the cause of death?
TUTTOILMONDO: It's not yet been released by the medical examiner.
PHILLIPS: What about DNA? Have you obtained that from Robert Sawyers, the baby's father?
TUTTOILMONDO: All the DNA samples that are part of this case are still at the laboratory being processed.
PHILLIPS: But right now you believe that you have identified this little girl, no longer Baby Grace but you believe this is Riley Sawyers.
TUTTOILMONDO: And again, that is a tentative identification, and we're confirming that with DNA, again still a couple of weeks out before that's finalized.
PHILLIPS: Can you tell us anything about the mother's state of mind?
TUTTOILMONDO: That's a little bit speculative that I cannot get into.
PHILLIPS: Why have you arrested Trenor and Ziegler? Why have you arrested these two?
TUTTOILMONDO: The investigation at that point led to more than sufficient probable cause for charges that were filed and in consultation with our district attorney's office, they made some recommendations that we proceed in that direct and that's what has led us to this point.
PHILLIPS: Could this young mother and her new boyfriend be charged with murder?
TUTTOILMONDO: That is something that lies in the hands of the prosecutors and of courts and as we continue our investigation, we'll provide them with all the information that we gather and they will take a look at that when the time is appropriate.
PHILLIPS: Well, they have been charged with injury to a child and tampering with evidence. So why were they charged with those two specifically?
TUTTOILMONDO: Again, that's based on investigations at that point with the district attorney's office and they are the ones that make those recommendations based on their analysis of the facts.
PHILLIPS: You've gotten pretty emotional about this case, why?
TUTTOILMONDO: Any time we're dealing with a case that's involving a little child, yeah. It's tough on all of us and, you know, it's certainly a little bit of the sense of relief that we at least have a very good idea now. We still need to confirm a lot of things. We still have a lot more work to do. Any time there's a child involved it's certainly emotional.
PHILLIPS: So let me just as you this final question. You feel pretty good about where you are right now and you think you're pretty much going to be able to wrap up this case and come to a final conclusion, something that we all think that we know already.
TUTTOILMONDO: We're not going to let the conclusions lead the investigation. We still have a lot of work to do to take a look at the facts, take a look at the speculation and sort the wheat from the shaft and start answering those questions of how and what.
PHILLIPS: Major Ray Tuttoilmondo, Galveston County Sheriff's Department, I appreciate your time, sir.
TUTTOILMONDO: Thank you. PHILLIPS: And at 3 p.m. eastern, the Mentor, Ohio police department is holding a news conference. Riley Sawyers' grandparents are expected to be there. It's actually the grandmother that really fought to identify this child and that's why things are where they are right now in addition to the investigations of course on behalf of Galveston County Sheriff's Department. We'll bring that to you live as soon as it begins.
LEMON: A Washington Redskins player is in a trauma hospital right now in Florida. His life may be on the line. Sean Taylor was shot early this morning at his house in suburban Miami. His girlfriend called 911. Police say Taylor was airlifted to hospital in critical condition after what may have been a robbery. A Miami TV station reported that the bullet hit an artery in Taylor's leg and that he lost a lot of blood. Taylor played safety for the Redskins but he lives near Miami. The Redskins' owner had this to say before heading to south Florida.
DAN SNYDER, REDSKINS OWNER: Our hearts and prayers go out to Sean and his family. Myself and a group of Redskins are on the way to Miami. We really don't have any other details other than what everybody else has been reporting and we appreciate very, very much the outcry of support and we're just hearts and prayers with Sean and his family. Thanks so much.
LEMON: And Taylor has missed the past couple of games with a knee injury.
PHILLIPS: Beauty pageant sabotage. Who spiked Miss Puerto Rico's makeup and gown with pepper spray?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brooke Anderson in studio city, California. At least two dozen shows that suspended including "24" and "Desperate Housewives," but today a move towards getting those shows back on the air. Those details when we CNN NEWSROOM returns. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Let's talk some showbiz now but this is very serious because on the streets and at the table, there's movement, if not progress in the entertainment writers strike and joining from us Los Angeles with the latest is CNN's Brooke Anderson. Brooke, you're right there on the picket line or on the protest line. I have to ask you, a lot of folks will be spending more time at home for the holidays during the Christmas season and their shows may not be on or may be in repeats because the writers haven't gotten back to work.
ANDERSON: No, they haven't, Don, but there is a glimmer of hope today because both sides of this dispute, representatives from the Writers' Guild and also the Producers' Alliance, are back at the bargaining table for the very first time since talks broke down back on November 4. We expect the talks today to go through late afternoon, early evening, but a press blackout has been implemented so the plan is no statement will be issued until something is finalized. I was actually speaking to a couple of writers here from the FX show "Dirt" which has halted production and they told me that they have been fantasizing out here in members, representative from the Writers' Guild will appear any moment and make an announcement on a megaphone that an agreement has been reached and everyone can celebrate and we can move on with our lives and go back to work. Everyone is cautiously optimistic that they are taking steps in the right direction. I'm at CBS Radford Studios in Studio City, California. This is actually one of the nine picketing locations throughout Los Angeles. I've spoken to a number of picketers here throughout the day about the sacrifice they are making by walking off the job and coming out here to strike, one of whom is Bob Kushell. He's the co-executive producer and writer for the ABC show "Samantha Who" which halted production here a few days ago. Listen to what he said.
BOB KUSHELL, CO-EXEC. PROD./WRITER, "SAMANTHA WHO": Leaving a show that you love with people that you love working with and fighting for a cause that you believe in stronger than those emotions that come with making the show.
MIKE PREISTER, WRITER: I'm a middle class guy. I live in a one- room apartment. I'm not a rich writer by any means and right now I'm waiting for this to go through. I can't really make a dime on any new projects until this gets settled.
ANDERSON: Mike Preister, who you just heard from, actually just signed a film production deal about two days before the strike began so the timing is very unfortunate for him and many others. But they believe they are justified in what they are doing. They are actually fighting actually for future generations. The main point of contention is of course new media compensation. The writers want more money for materials distributed on the internet, mp-3 players and cell phones but the Producers' Alliance says new media is still in its early stages and they can't get a clear picture of what compensation should be. Don.
LEMON: Brooke Anderson, right in the middle of it all, thanks for your report, Brooke.
PHILLIPS: T.J. in the NEWSROOM working a story out of Nellis Air Force Base. What's going on, T.J.?
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well we understand right now they are checking out a suspicious vehicle because a bomb sniffing dog alerted on this particular vehicle. Again, this is Nellis Air Force Base out in Las Vegas. You're seeing a live picture of the base here now. But a bomb-sniffing dog apparently was checking out a vehicle, sensed something inside wasn't quite right and so now officials there are taking the proper steps to check this vehicle out and the driver now being cautioned. We have with us here on the line someone who can possibly help us understand exactly what's going on, Captain Jessica Martin who is on the base. Captain Martin, do I have the information right so far about what's going on out there? Please clear these things up and tell us what's happening.
CAPT. JESSICA MARTIN, NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE: That's exactly right. A canine did pick up a scent this morning and it alerted our security forces group, and as a precaution we inspect the vehicle. At this point our explosive ordinance disposal team is on the scene trying to determine exactly what it is. We have involved our metro police department to assist with traffic control, and that is standard procedure whenever an incident affects the civilian populous.
HOLMES: Can you tell us where the vehicle was going, was it heading to the base, did it have business there? And did the driver check out as being someone who had legitimate business at the base?
MARTIN: The vehicle was attempting to go through the hospital gate and that's when it was detected. We're still getting more information on the nature of the visit and then visual at this time.
HOLMES: Also, where is that individual now?
MARTIN: That I would have to check with a security forces personnel.
HOLMES: All right. Was this part of I guess a routine check of coming and going at base at hospital there or is this just part of a routine check, if you will, for security, is there something else that raised suspicion about this particular vehicle?
MARTIN: Well, everyone is checked when they come through the gate. Our priority is safety for not only our personnel but for the civilian populous. At this time, it was not anything necessarily out of ordinary. We just -- we check everyone that comes through, and, you know, we trust in the training for our personnel and as well as our canines and when they alert us to anything of this nature we take it with the utmost security and we prioritize that.
HOLMES: All right. Captain Jessica Martin, we appreciate you taking the time out of updating our viewers of what is happening there. Guys, we will continue to keep our eyes on it and bring you back with any updates as we get them but still just doing this out of precaution. Hopefully they will get an all clear and this did not turn out to be any kind of dangerous situation. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: T.J., thanks. I want to get straight to Mentor, Ohio. Sheryl Sawyers, the grandmother of Baby Grace is speaking to reporters now.
SHERYL SAWYERS, GRANDMOTHER OF RILEY ANN SAWYERS: Some of the questions obviously that they have involved, when exactly did Riley disappear, how did it happen, what were the circumstances that led to her demise? They are obviously very distraught about not knowing things, and at this point it's my understanding that because of the ongoing investigation that that information is not being released and we have to respect the request of law enforcement to let them do this job to make sure that this case is prosecuted successfully so I think those are some of the questions that they have right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you talk a little bit about the daughter? Can you just give us a sense of what she was like?
ROBERT SAWYERS, FATHER OF RILEY ANN SAWYERS: She was very, very fun loving girl. I mean, there wasn't anything she couldn't make, like she had a very big imagination, I mean, for such a little girl she could play with anything and just have fun with it, I mean, like some of the pictures that some. News stations used were her playing with the water hose and spraying the whole patio soaking wet until she was done with it. I mean, she was just very fun and very active, very hyper but also very well behaved. I mean, our family never really had a problem with her behavior at all. For a 2-year-old that's quite amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Next question, please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were you surprised when you found out about Baby Grace? When was the last time you talked to Kimberly?
SAWYERS: March 31st was the last time I talked to her.
SAWYERS: The last time they saw each other was at a court hearing in Lake County on or about May 25 or 26. They had an opportunity to negotiate a settlement regarding custody and visitation for their daughter. After that hearing, Kimberly disappeared and we were no longer able to find her. And that was really the last communication that we had with Kimberly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kim's parents knew anything about what was going on?
SAWYERS: We haven't had any conversations, at least I don't believe, anybody has had any conversations with the Trenor family. There was obviously the allegation that was made where Mr. Trenor indicated to authorities that he had seen Riley approximately 10 days ago, two weeks ago here in Lake County and we certainly know that that's simply not true and that's the only communication that we've had from that side of the family at this time.
QUESTION: Can you talk a little bit about how you found out that your -- your granddaughter was missing and the stories that heard surrounding her disappearance? You kind of thought something was up.
SHERYL SAWYERS, GRANDMOTHER OF RILEY ANN SAWYERS: Yes.
Well, I mean, obviously, anybody who listened to that story, that you're living in Texas and somebody from Ohio Child Protective Services comes down and takes your child, well, you know, Ohio really has no jurisdiction in the state of Texas, for one.
So, that didn't make any sense. And I really -- to remove a child from the home, there would have had to have been prior investigations. And you think that they might have contacted the father if they were suspicious of something or the grandparents. And then as the story went on, and then it came out that she claimed that the social worker knocked her down and took her child, it's like, and you didn't get up and go see what kind of car she was in and get a license plate number and call the police?
Because you have just now been assaulted. Somebody knocked you over, and grabbed your child. So it just -- it didn't make any sense. None of it made any sense. QUESTION: Sheryl and Robert, can you tell us what would be justice for Riley now?
LAURA DEPALMA, ATTORNEY FOR SAWYERS: I think I will answer that question.
I think what Riley needs is to be brought home. I think this family needs some closure as far as a memorial service to remember her. As far as justice goes, we certainly hope -- sorry -- we certainly hope -- obviously, our goal is that justice is served, as always, and if there is evidence that links Kimberly Trenor and I believe it's Royce Zeigler, we certainly hope that they're prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
It's a heinous, heinous crime.
QUESTION: Sheryl (OFF-MIKE)
S. SAWYERS: Well, Riley loved Elmo. And I had gotten this just a couple weeks ago, anticipating Christmas and maybe seeing her. So, yes.
QUESTION: What was Kimberly like as a mother? I know that (OFF- MIKE) Was she in your home for a while?
S. SAWYERS: Yes. She lived with me for two years.
QUESTION: What was she like? (OFF-MIKE)
S. SAWYERS: Yes. Yes.
DEPALMA: Kimberly lived with the Sawyers for approximately two years. Obviously, it was teenage -- they were high school sweethearts. Somebody asked me that once being and I wasn't -- I had said no, but it does appear that they were high school sweethearts.
Obviously, the parenting skills weren't what they needed to be, because they were living with Sheryl. And Sheryl was pretty much the primary caregiver and overseer of her care on a regular basis.
So, as far as her parenting skills, they were what you would expect any 16-year-old to have. I mean, it's just -- obviously needed a lot of guidance, a lot of structure.
QUESTION: Do Robert or Sheryl have a memory that they would like to see cherished, something in particular they want to share? (OFF- MIKE)
DEPALMA: I don't think they're ready for that at this time. We have discussed that.
And, you know, the media attention is literally -- it's just overwhelming. It's overwhelming to me without the added burden -- the added emotional burden. I do know that they want to speak with people individually. They want to talk about Riley. They want to share the time that she was with us. They certainly want to share the joy that she brought them. And I think that day will come. I don't think that day is today. I'm thinking perhaps tomorrow, money Thursday, we can maybe start to arrange some one-on-one interviews, so that you guys get the information that you want and they can have an opportunity to tell their story.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
DEPALMA: Pardon me?
QUESTION: When would she have been three?
S. SAWYERS: March 11.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: So, coming up March...
(CROSSTALK)
S. SAWYERS: Yes, coming up March 11, she would have been 3 years old.
QUESTION: Sheryl, does this information, does it provide any closure or is it even more painful now that you and Robert, too, know what happened?
DEPALMA: OK. One of the things that we talked about was, we didn't know if Baby Grace was going to be Riley.
And when they first started talking to the media, our goal was to bring Riley's picture out front and forward, because, if she wasn't Baby Grace, then she was still missing. She was cleared kidnapped. And we talked about whether or not this would be the end of a chapter or the beginning of another chapter and how it would play out. And clearly at this point this chapter is concluded and now we need to move on to the next chapter.
And that would be obviously bringing Riley home. And the next chapter is going to be the prosecution of the people responsible for her death.
QUESTION: What are the ages of these pictures?
S. SAWYERS: This picture here, that was something I had done special for her first birthday, event portraits at the mall, did that photo (INAUDIBLE) of her. And those pictures there, the one where she looks like she's posing, it's one of my favorites. That was from Easter of this past year. And that one was in May on my back patio.
DEPALMA: So, that's the most recent photo?
(CROSSTALK)
S. SAWYERS: Yes. Yes. QUESTION: Robert, in many of your interviews, you have been very brave and forthcoming with all of the media, holding onto hope. Sort of along the same lines of the question that was just answered, does this bring you any closure at all?
ROBERT SAWYERS, FATHER OF RILEY ANN SAWYERS: (INAUDIBLE) Could you please...
DEPALMA: I -- again, it's the same thing.
You know, it definitely -- the wondering, the worrying about where she is and what she's doing and whether or not she's being cared for is over. Just give me one second.
S. SAWYERS: Yes.
DEPALMA: OK.
And obviously, the worrying -- like I said, worrying about where she is and what kind of care she's receiving is over, but there is certainly a bit of relief among the family members to know that she is resting peacefully and that she's no longer subject to any more abuse, if that is the case. And I don't -- I mean abuse in general, not any specific abuse.
QUESTION: Well, does the family think that Zeigler was married to (OFF-MIKE)
DEPALMA: It's our understanding that, initially, when she went to Texas, that she was not married to him and that that marriage occurred some time after she went to Texas. But we don't really have any -- I shouldn't -- we really don't have...
(CROSSTALK)
S. SAWYERS: ... records.
DEPALMA: Pardon me?
S. SAWYERS: I have never seen a marriage record.
(CROSSTALK)
DEPALMA: Yes. We tried to search databases down there to see if we could find a marriage license or something like that to put a time frame to it and we were unsuccessful.
QUESTION: Robert, I know you made a slide slow a few days ago of all the pictures you have of Riley. You set it to music. And are those the kind of things you're trying to do right now, concentrate on the happy times and all those pictures and...
R. SAWYERS: Yes. I'm just trying to get through all of this. It's very rough.
I mean, I didn't go to work yesterday. I left early today because I was just so stressed out through all this. I think saying it's hard would be an understatement.
DEPALMA: Is there another question?
QUESTION: When Kimberly moved to Texas, did ever imagine an outcome like this?
DEPALMA: I feel safe in saying none of us could ever have imagined anything this horrible. Never. Ever.
QUESTION: Did Kimberly ever show any signs of anger towards the child? I mean, is this something that the family could possibly ever have suspected of her character?
S. SAWYERS: No.
(CROSSTALK)
DEPALMA: There was no history of abuse. There was no history of dependencies in this case. There was no history of domestic violence on either the mother or the father's part until there was that incident that occurred in probably mid to late May. But other than that, there had been nothing.
R. SAWYERS: March.
DEPALMA: Was it March?
R. SAWYERS: It was March.
(CROSSTALK)
S. SAWYERS: ... March, yes.
DEPALMA: OK. OK.
(CROSSTALK)
DEPALMA: Other than that, there was nothing. As far as we know, she has no criminal record. And neither does Mr..
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Have you been able to learn anything about him or (OFF-MIKE)
S. SAWYERS: I saw his picture for the first time today on TV. That's...
(CROSSTALK)
DEPALMA: Yes. We don't have any information about him.
(CROSSTALK)
S. SAWYERS: The only information we know about him is what he told her while he was talking to her on the Internet, which, who knows.
QUESTION: Sheryl, when you saw that picture, how (OFF-MIKE)
S. SAWYERS: Of him?
QUESTION: Of him. The first time you saw him.
DEPALMA: I was there. Do you want me to answer?
S. SAWYERS: Yes.
DEPALMA: I had an opportunity to be at the Sawyers' house this afternoon as that initial broadcast was made and his picture flashed up on the screen. And I can tell you that that there was, I guess, just disbelief, disgust, anger. Just, there was a general groan in the room looking at the person who would be responsible for your granddaughter and daughter's death.
It was -- it definitely had an impact on everybody in the room.
QUESTION: Sheryl, you did tell me that he kind of talked to her about what a great life he had in Houston, and what a great job he had and how he did international travel.
S. SAWYERS: Yes. (INAUDIBLE) Houston, one of them, I guess.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Do you think that he tried to sweep her off her feet, manipulated her?
S. SAWYERS: I think pretty much he could be anybody he wanted to be on the Internet, yes.
And Kim was young, 18 years old, you know, naive. And, you know, maybe he painted a pretty picture and that's what made her move down there. Why her father didn't think to, you know, step in and say, "What's -- what do you really know about him?" I don't know.
QUESTION: The father, the other grandfather, is saying that he saw her 10 days ago. Are we looking now at charges against them (OFF- MIKE) known something or hiding or lying?
DEPALMA: Well, it depends on where the statement was made. Obviously, if he made it to a police officer, there would be falsification charges or could be a potential that would be under the guise of the Manor (ph) prosecutor, if that were to happen. If he just made it in general, in passing, then people make misstatements all the time without consequences.
So, I'm sure that's something the Manor Police Department and the prosecutor's office will investigate. And if charges are appropriate, then they will be. But it's very likely that they may not be appropriate.
QUESTION: Sheryl, Robert, I know the focus right now is to bring Riley back home here to Manor. But how important is it for you all to ask the question of why? Do you really want to know why?
S. SAWYERS: I want to know why, yes.
DEPALMA: And I think that we will get that answer as the case progresses through the judicial system. One way or the other, I think we will get those answers. But we don't have them today.
QUESTION: Do you feel the charges could be more serious than what they are right now?
S. SAWYERS: Yes, and I'm hoping that they are upgraded to -- just injury of a child. She's not just injured. She's dead.
QUESTION: There were other families who submitted DNA to see if Riley was their daughter. Do you have anything to say to them today?
(CROSSTALK)
DEPALMA: I think what I would say to them is, first of all, our heart goes out to them, because we know that their children are still missing. And I think that it's a tragedy that we have -- there is I believe 357 inquiries and that there were that many 2- to 3-year-old blonde-haired little girls missing in our country, and I think that's a tragedy that should never, ever happen.
To those families, obviously, I would express, from Mr. Sawyers and Sheryl Sawyers their profound sympathy and their wish for recovery and a more happy ending, absolutely a more happy ending.
Any other questions?
QUESTION: Sorry. I'm not that familiar with this case. To confirm some of the facts, was Riley born here?
S. SAWYERS: Yes, she was.
R. SAWYERS: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) native here, too? Obviously, she went to high school here.
(CROSSTALK)
R. SAWYERS: Yes.
S. SAWYERS: No, she was born here also, yes.
R. SAWYERS: Oh, Riley was born at the -- at Geauga (ph) Hospital...
(CROSSTALK)
S. SAWYERS: That's, yes, in the same area, right.
R. SAWYERS: Yes.
S. SAWYERS: Yes.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
R. SAWYERS: I have been here all of my life.
S. SAWYERS: Yes.
DEPALMA: Anybody else.
QUESTION: Robert, is there anything else you want to all the people who helped out or gave tips or called in...
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the lawyer, Laura DePalma, said she's looking for some type of happy ending.
What we have learned today is definitely far from a happy ending. This is what we can tell you right now, live pictures. That's the father of Baby Grace. As we know now, this little girl, her name is Riley Sawyers.
It started with a gruesome find by a fisherman, a toddler's body stuffed inside a plastic box near Galveston, Texas. Now investigators have come forward and said we can put a name to this face. And they believe that it is Riley Sawyers, the little 2-year-old that had been missing after a custody battle between her mother and her father.
Her mother, Kimberly Trenor, apparently met Royce Clyde Zeigler on the Internet. They took off with that daughter, not to be seen again. The next thing you know, the toddler's body washes ashore. A fisherman finds it, and now we're finding that these two have been arrested on a number of charges. Not quite sure if they will be charged with murder. The investigation is still going on. They're being charged with injury to a child and tampering with evidence.
We're following the case. And we will bring you more details as we get it.
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