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Boarding School Sued Over Girl's Suicide; Poll: Obama Worst President Since WWII; Tim Howard Nearly Saves The Day For U.S. Team; Waitresses Openly Armed At "Shooters Grill"

Aired July 02, 2014 - 15:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Bottom of the hour, you're watching CNN, I'm Brooke Baldwin. I want to a moment just to tell you this tragic story out of Pennsylvania. A family is embroiled in this legal battle with a prominent boarding school where their daughter spent the last nine years of her life.

Their daughter, Abby, struggled with depression and they claimed, the school's handling of her trouble sent the 14-year-old over the edge causing her to take her own life. Our national correspondent, Gary Tuchman, traveled to Hershey, Pennsylvania for answers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Abbie Bartels loved where she went to school. The Milton Hershey Boarding School, a prestigious secondary school in a small town. A school with $12 billion endowment and a huge picture-esque campus. But it wasn't just a school to her, it was a second home. Julie Bartels is her mother.

JULIE BARTELS, ABBIE BARTELS' MOTHER: I was very proud of her. She was doing -- she was, you know, honor roll. She was on the anti- bullying committee. She was on the swim team. She made student of the month. She was doing everything she was supposed to do, and doing it well.

TUCHMAN: In addition to her mom, the 14-year-old also had a father, stepmother, brothers and a stepgrandfather, but her father has had trouble with alcohol and the law, and medical records show that as well other family issues contributed to Abby getting very depressed.

The records indicate Abby frequently thought about killing herself, and that all become relevant because the Hershey school, which prides itself on taking in disadvantaged but promising children has a policy that students need to be free of seriously emotional and behavioral problem.

In the spring of 2013, the school said Abbie needed to be professionally treated at a mental health institution that does work in conjunction with the school and its students.

BARTELS: They told me that if I did not put her into the institution, she would lose her enrollment. And she wanted -- this was -- I mean, this was her goal. She wanted to be in the school.

TUCHMAN (on camera): Abbie Bartels has been going to here since she was 4 years old. So she had spent most of her life at this boarding school. She was approaching a proud milestone. She was about to finish eighth grade and graduate from middle school.

(voice-over): On June 5th, 16 days before her graduation day, a psychiatrist at the Full Haven Institution discharged Abbie declaring she had made good progress, but should receive aftercare in the supportive environment of the structured support of returning to Milton Hershey School.

She did go back to school for two days, but had a relapse, and was then sent to a different Pennsylvania institution. Abbie's family was told the very least she would have to take a leave of absence for a year while she continued treatment. But she was released from that second institution two days before the graduation ceremony.

She looked forward to at least being in the audience and going to a graduation party to see her friends. She had missed them all, so she had made these cards for each of the girls that lived in her residence hall. But Abbie's mother was stunned when the school told her Abbie was not invited to either event.

And Julie Bartels said the school told her that security would keep them out if they tried to come. The Milton Hershey School told CNN, "We must balance the goal of keeping a child at the school with the absolute mandate to ensure the safety of all children entrusted to our care."

In other words, the school believed Abbie could be a danger to other students. Abbie's stepmother told the 14-year-old the bad news.

KAREN FITZSIMMONS, ABBIE BARTELS' STEPMOTHER: I said the school does not want you to attend graduation because you have been in the hospital.

TUCHMAN: Abbie was devastated. Her mother called the school.

BARTELS: Abbie has been through so much, been through so much, this would be devastating to her. I cannot believe you're doing this. I said are you a child care professional at all? What are you a bunch of morons?

TUCHMAN: The school did not budge. Eight days after the graduation, she wasn't allowed today go to, Abbie's stepgrandfather was in the house and called Abbies's name. He did not get a response. He walked up to her room and saw her in the closet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I said, my God, Abbie, what did you do. I was waiting for an answer, but I knew it wouldn't come.

TUCHMAN: Abbie was dead. She had hanged herself on the clothing rod in her closet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I miss her and I wish she was still here. TUCHMAN: Abbie's family believes the Hershey school made an inhumane decision by barring her from campus on a day she had looked forward to for most of her life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They crushed her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They did.

TUCHMAN: We wanted to find out why the school couldn't have allowed this child to at the very least say goodbye to her friends she went to school with for nine years. We looked through over 400 pages of Abbie's medical records given to us by family lawyers after they received them from the school.

They did indicate Abbie received quality care by the school and particularly from a school psychologist named Dr. Benjamin Herr. But they also showed no concern that Abbie could be dangerous to any other children.

Last April, Abbie acknowledged putting her arm around a housemate's neck after that housemate complained of aggressive behavior. Abbie told faculty she was playing around. It sounds like it could have been a serious incident, but Dr. Herr, the school's own psychologist down played it writing, "We agreed that Abbie is not a malicious girl and did not intend to harm her housemate."

And there is more from Dr. Herr, two days before the graduation, he declared Abbie is an excellent. Abbie is a well behaved student. So does the school standby its decision not to allow Abbie on campus on graduation day.

(on camera): My name is Gary Tuchman with CNN.

(voice-over): During our visit, we were told the school administration did not want to talk on camera. But the chief public relations woman at the school sent us written statements, which declare in part, "Abbie made clear to us that she wanted to keep her struggles private. Even if this was not the case, school policy and law require that we keep her medical records and details surrounding this tragic situation confidential."

Rick Fouad is one of Abbie's family attorneys and also a graduate of the Milton Hershey School.

RIC FOUAD, ATTORNEY: It's almost as if they went out of their way to be as mean spirited about it as possible.

FITZSIMMONS: I love her, and if she would have just given it some more time, she would have got over what the school denied her.

TUCHMAN: After Abbie died, a funeral was held on the school grounds and one of her house parents who lived in her small residence hall gave the eulogies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She cared for others in a way that I have not seen in many people in my life. TUCHMAN: And this school, which did not permit Abbie to go to the graduation, did permit her to be buried in the Hershey School section of a local cemetery. Gary Tuchman, CNN, Hershey, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Gary Tuchman, thank you so much. Coming up next, a food truck explosion. Look at this, flames and smoke shooting up, no one was injured or killed. Now police know what happened.

Plus, his record setting performance has people calling him the secretary of defense. U.S. goalkeeper, Tim Howard talks to CNN today. He is "The Man." We asked what his plans are once he comes home. Part of his response, getting more ink. We'll explain next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A Baltimore man is in serious trouble after allegedly driving drunk and hitting a police officer. The whole thing caught on video. The officer out there directing traffic following this accident yesterday on the beltway, when a car barrels into him. The officer slammed his fist into the car. The 58-year-old driver got out and was handcuffed, charged with DUI. The officer, by the way, is a 20-year veteran of the force is recovering from non-life threatening injuries.

At the height of the dinner hour in Philadelphia, a food truck parked on a street exploded into a massive fire ball. Witnesses say the ground underneath them shook. It happened yesterday. Several passersby, two people inside the truck suffered burns. The entire thing caught on surveillance cameras. CNN's Miguel Marquez explains what may have caused it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Caught on camera, this food truck blowing up and sending massive flames and billowing smoke into the sky. It looks like something out of a war zone, it's not. The explosion of a food truck serving Mexican food taking place right around dinner time, around 5:30, Tuesday evening.

It took place here in the Philadelphia's Felltonville neighborhood. The food truck parked in front of an auto repair shop.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And then the fire just came out of nowhere.

MARQUEZ: The 24-year-old Latoya Page was one of the 12 blast victims rushed to the hospital.

LATOYA PAGE, FOOD TRUCK EXPLOSION VICTIM: I was walking by and the truck just blew up and I just saw the fire and the fire just hit me and I started running.

MARQUEZ: She was released last night.

PAGE: I had first degree burns on my left side. MARQUEZ: Eyewitnesses say when this food truck exploded, parts of the truck and propane tank were sent flying.

CHIEF INSPECTOR SCOTT SMALL, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: It appears the cause of the explosion was a propane tank.

MARQUEZ: A passing car even singe in the crossfire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That pole over there caught on fire all the way up to the top.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The whole house shook like an earthquake.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was walking and I missed a step. It rocked me.

MARQUEZ: According to CNN affiliate, KYW, a mother and daughter were working inside the truck when it happened and they have been seriously burned. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

SMALL: They have two similar propane tanks in the rear of the truck. Two are still intact, the other exploded.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: So that might have caused it. Miguel Marquez, thank you. The "Philadelphia Inquirer" is reporting that the mother and daughter suffered third degree burns over 50 percent of their bodies. One of them was blown from the truck.

Coming up next, who is the worst president since World War II? That is the focus of a new national survey. Any guesses? We'll talk about that with Jake Tapper.

Also, U.S. goalkeeper, Tim Howard sits down with CNN after his record setting performance against Belgium. Coming up next, we'll share his immediate plans now that the U.S. is out and does he have another World Cup in him? The answers on that interview next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: I know we talk about polls often, but let me talk about this new one. President Obama is at the top of this new poll, but it's not welcome news at the White House. Jake Tapper joins me live from Washington. He's up next, of course, with "THE LEAD." Tell me about this poll, Jake.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST, "THE LEAD": Quinnipiac has this poll, who is the worst president since World War II? And President Obama tops the list this year with 33 percent of those respondents saying that he is the worst president followed by George W. Bush at 28 percent, and Nixon at 13 percent, and Jimmy Carter at 8 percent.

We should point out this is only the second time that the Q poll has asked the question and when they did previously in 2006, George W. Bush then was at the top of the list with 34 percent saying he was the worst president since World War II followed by Nixon and Carter. So being president doesn't seem to help your standing when it comes to whether or not the public feels you're the worst.

BALDWIN: OK, and we've established that. We also know one of the questions they asked was about Mitt Romney, about a possible Mitt Romney presidency, would the country have been better off, and the answer was?

TAPPER: Forty five percent, a plurality of those polled say that the country would be better off if Mitt Romney were president, 38 percent say worse off. That is better than John McCain did when asked a similar question a couple of years after his defeat at the hands of President Obama. But we should point out, that Mitt Romney got 47 percent of the vote in the presidential elections.

So it's not really all that surprising that 45 percent would say that the country would be better off. It is surprising though, of course, that 10 percent of Democrats feel that way, but look, President Obama is not very popular right now and these ratings are just other dimensions to that unpopularity.

BALDWIN: OK, Jake Tapper, thank you. We'll see you in 10 minutes on "THE LEAD."

Now to this. Roll that animation, Tim Howard, you know him as the bald, bearded and lovely eyes -- can I go there? Goalkeeper for the U.S. men's soccer team, but last night against Belgium he looked like a brick wall, save after save after save, seemingly keeping the U.S. team in the game by himself.

But after more than 90 minutes of play Belgium broke through Howard's defense eventually beating Team USA 2-1 and ousting them from the World Cup tournament. Despite the loss, Howard's heroics are what everyone is talking about today. Have you seen this?

It's all over social media and on Twitter anointing him as presidential candidate and he is now secretary of defense and even carving his face into Mount Rushmore. They get so creative, don't they? This morning, Tim Howard actually talked to CNN about the loss and about what comes next for him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM HOWARD, GOALKEEPER, TEAM USA: The margins are so fine, you know, when you play in the big games against top teams and Belgium is a scary team. They're so talented. You know, a little bit of quality at the end. When you play against top players sometimes you can play your utmost and you still get beat.

At the end of the game, we created two incredible opportunities and we were right there, we were right in it and we could be talking about a whole different scenario this morning, but it wasn't to be.

I'm going to go home and I'm going to relax and hide away, you know? Hang out with the kids and get some more tattoos, you know? Just be me.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: His voice barely hanging in after quite the match. The 35- year-old went on to say that while the U.S. team is young, talented and ready for another World Cup run in four years, Tim Howard isn't ready to commit to come back just yet.

Coming up next, as target becomes the latest chain to ban guns in store, the waitresses are packing heat for everyone to see. We'll talk live with the grill's owner about whether their motto was a jab at the president.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Target is telling its customers today if you're shopping in our store, respectfully leave your guns at home. The shopping chain changing its policy even in places where it is legal and in specific states to do this, they prefer the customers leave their firearms at home. This all started when a gun rights group began posting pictures like these on social media web sites of people walking up and down the aisles of a Dallas-area Target.

A mother took offense and started organizing boycotts urging Target to change their policy and now they have, but let's flip the script because in the town of Rifle, Colorado. That's right, Rifle. In a restaurant called shooter's grill you can openly carry a gun and so can the waitresses. Take a look at the sign on the door.

All guns are welcome here and as you can see in the picture, the waitresses free to jot down your burger order with a loaded gun in the holster. Their 27-year-old owner was the first to carry a pistol and so the waitresses liked the idea and so they, too, started packing heat, but there are strict rules in place, one of them being to keep all weapons holstered unless the need arises.

So let me bring in the owner of Shooter's Grill. She is Lauren Boebert. Lauren, thanks for coming on.

LAUREN BOEBERT, OWNER, SHOOTERS GRILL: Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

BALDWIN: I mentioned the name of the town. It's called Rifle. It's Shooter's Grill. This is hunting country in Colorado. What has the response been to your armed waitresses?

BOEBERT: Well, up until recently it wasn't a big deal. It's kind of a way of life here. There's hundreds and thousands of people who open carry, conceal carry and hardly think anything of it. In fact, we've been open for one year, a little more than that and us open carrying was not a big deal until just recently until it started hitting all over America.

BALDWIN: Until just recently when a newspaper reporter decided to walk into your restaurant and here we go, you're on CNN.

BOEBERT: Yes.

BALDWIN: We mentioned, Lauren, that the guns are loaded. They're holstered. I'm assuming the safeties are on.

BOEBERT: Yes, of course. We have safeties. I mean, guns nowadays or firearms are manufactured great. The holsters, they cover your trigger. You know, there are no accidents that are going to happen. I mean -- there's no such thing these days. We do keep them holsters and no reason a waitress is ever allowed to unholster. If something did happen, we are not anticipating an attack. We do not expect it.

We have fire extinguishers. We are not expecting a hire and I would doubt that any of our waitresses would ever need to unholster if the need did arise as the sign is quoted as saying. We have patrons that would carry and would stand up for my girls that we wouldn't even need to do anything.

BALDWIN: Let me back up to one of your points. Sadly, I've done this job way too many times to say accidents do happen. There are bad people out there. Lauren, I have to push you on that point because I realize that this is legal. You have the best of intentions and you have these gun, safeties, in these holsters but what if. You have to play out the scenario of a criminal walking in, going for the gun. It's just attached to the holster by a snap, what about kids grabbing a gun.

BOEBERT: There's a locking mechanism where you can only pull them out at certain angles and even then that would be in an intense situation where there are many people around and not just a single waitress who has her hands tied and can't do anything to defend herself.

BALDWIN: OK.

BOEBERT: So and kids do not reach for them. They don't come near them. I have four boys myself and the ones who are old enough to hold a firearm, they're actually being trained how to properly do that so there is no ignorance when they start shooting and get older and start going out on their own.

BALDWIN: I understand your kids are and maybe not all kids are, but let me move on to my final point. I know on your wall there you have copies of the Declaration of the Independence, you have a copy of the Bill of Rights, is the sign to those sitting inside that they are proudly clinging to by guns and bible and let me pause and play our viewers something.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: And it's not surprising then they get bitter. They cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was then-Senator Obama back in 2008 campaigning, comment caught off-mic talking about people in rural areas clinging to their guns and religion. I have to ask is the sign in your restaurant a direct jab at Obama? BOEBERT: No. I would never do anything to disrespect my president. I believe it is an office that is in place by God and I would never say anything to disrespect him. I didn't know that that comment was even made. I actually just picked up the sign at a local store. No, I stand corrected, a friend of mine bought that for me, and I thought it was fitting.

BALDWIN: OK, Lauren Boebert, we're running against the clock. Thank you so much for coming on, though, your perspective, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.