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Pensacola Shooting; Trump And Impeachment; Uber Safety; Migrant Teen On Cell Floor For Hours Before He Was Found Dead; Is Impeachment Drama Swaying Wisconsin Swing Voters?; Uber: Sexual Assault More Pervasive In Society Than People Realize. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired December 07, 2019 - 20:00   ET

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

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. Thanks for staying with me.

It's our breaking news this hour, a shocking and sickening detail coming out of the mass killing investigation on an American Navy base in Florida. I'm talking about Pensacola Naval Air Station, where a military officer from Saudi Arabia shot to death three people and wounded eight others yesterday. Now, according to "The New York Times," that gunman attended a dinner party the night before his rampage, where he showed people videos of mass shootings.

Also today, we learned the name and a few personal details about one of the three victims. Ensign Joshua Kaleb Watson was just 23 years old. An Annapolis graduate. His family today praising his courage, saying Watson died a hero who saved other innocent lives during the shooting.

And this investigation extends all over the world. A noted intelligence group, which tracks violent extremism, says this Saudi officer who killed and hurt so many people yesterday hated America and American people. How he got onto a secure U.S. military base as part of a training program is a big part of the investigation this weekend.

CNN's National Correspondent, Brynn Gingras is in Pensacola, Florida. Also with us, CNN's Josh Campbell who is a former FBI supervisory special agent. Brynn, there is a brand new piece of information right now. It's about this gunman and where he spent some time last month. What can you tell us?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Ana. This reporting coming from "The New York Times" who -- it says a source that had knowledge of -- information about this investigation said that the gunman, along with two other Saudi nationals or at least two other Saudi nationals, was visiting New York City around the Thanksgiving holiday, going to certain sites like the Rockefeller Center near the Christmas tree, other sites as well. But it's not clear, from "The Times" reporting why he was there. Was he there as just a tourist or was he there meeting other people? That's unclear, according to their reporting.

But, again, this is all part of the broader question is, what was his motivation? And this is what investigators are doing, right? They're tracking his movements. What has he done in the last few months? Did he go out of the country? Did he come back into the country? Who was he hanging out with?

As part of that, we've also learned from sources that investigators detained some Saudi nationals, trying to get information from them. Again, maybe asking them what was his demeanor like prior to the shooting? So, again, that big question is still out there in this global investigation. What was the motivation behind this heinous act that killed three people here on the naval base behind me in Pensacola, Florida?

CABRERA: And, Josh, what do you make of this new, disturbing detail about this killer allegedly watching videos of mass shootings the night before? And what would FBI agents do with that information?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's interesting reporting. Obviously, for investigators, what took place before the actual act? We've seen that reporting from "The New York Times." We haven't confirmed that for ourselves, here at CNN. But these reports that he was watching videos of shootings before the actual event, itself.

Obviously, a key piece of information for investigators. They want to talk to whoever may have been associated with this person, who may have been at this so-called party where this individual was, you know, watching these videos, to try to determine, you know, what was the nature of what was going on there?

Investigators are now working back from this incident to try to recreate every single step of the way, to try to get into the mind set of this person. And I can tell you, myself and our colleague, Geneva Sands, are hearing, just now from government sources, that investigators don't believe that this suspect had any ties to any actual terrorist groups. Now, that's a key piece of information for investigators obviously trying to determine whether he was inspired or this was some type of conspiracy.

Again, this new piece of information, as of right now, investigators don't think that he had any connectivity to a terrorist group. But, again, that is part of the investigation. And we've talked early on from, you know, the moment that this happened, that this was going to be multifaceted. Investigators not only digging into him, his associates, the other Saudi students who were at this base, other U.S. military members who may have known this person, again to try to get a sense who this person was to get to that motive.

CABRERA: And there is no motive yet. Is that right, Brynn?

GINGRAS: That's right. That's the big question that's still outstanding at this point, Ana. I can tell you, though, the FBI of Jacksonville is the lead investigative agency here on the ground in Pensacola.

They're pretty tight lipped about this. Actually, all day, we've been waiting to get in front of them and ask some of these questions. And they keep postponing a press conference and just told us that there won't be one tonight. So, we won't get any definitive answers from a press conference from them. However, of course, as Josh is tapping out to his sources and others at CNN are reaching out to sources to just try to get more information about this investigation, because that is the major question as we continue to ask what is going on.

At the same time, I do want to tell you, they're -- it's still happening behind me here at the naval base. We know that they have teams on the ground that are still collecting evidence from the building where this shooting took place. Two floors of that building, both inside and outside, collecting that evidence as just part of this much broader investigation.

[20:05:04]

CABRERA: And an international investigation, Josh. We know they've detained additional Saudi nationals for questioning. Talk about the resource sharing happening right now between the U.S. And Saudi Arabia.

CAMPBELL: Yes, absolutely. This is an added layer here with this case. Obviously, the FBI conducts investigations every single day that happened in the United States. This is an added layer, when you now have a foreign government that is now also involved. We've been reporting that the FBI has been reaching out to its legal attache. These are full-time FBI agents that are posted to Riyadh.

The FBI has, actually, a sizable global presence in some 80-plus countries. But the FBI, now according to our reporting, has engaged its agents in Saudi Arabia, attempting to glean from Saudi officials' background information on the shooter. Who this person was. Again, anything that might help them get to this motivation. Any indication of any, you know, past ideology, or, you know, other issues that they may have encountered with this person to try to fill out this full picture.

We don't yet know, as of this point, how forthcoming Saudi officials will be, as far as handing over what they know to U.S. investigators. But, again, a multifaceted investigation, multiple prongs here, multiple threads that FBI agents are having to now look into, globally, both in Riyadh all the way to Florida and, again, trying to dig into this person and this past.

CABRERA: Brynn, we've learned the name and we've heard now from the family of one of the people killed in that mass shooting. He is Ensign Joshua Kaleb Watson. Just 23 years old. A recent graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. And I want to show you what Watson's big brother wrote on Facebook. Today has been the worst day of my life. My youngest brother gave his life for his country in a senseless shooting. Joshua Kaleb Watson saved countless lives today with his own. He died a hero and we are beyond proud.

Brynn, that identification was made by Watson's family not by base officials. When can we expect to hear about the other victims?

GINGRAS: Yes, Ana. What we're hearing from, again the lead investigation team here on the ground, is that they are going by Navy protocol, at this point, which is not giving us any names until at least 24 hours after notifying next of kin. Now, it's unclear at what stage they are at that or if we will ever hear names in the near future here on the ground.

But, yes, we did certainly learn a lot about Joshua Watson from his family. A heart-breaking post there on Facebook. Twenty-three years old. Was excited to be a Navy fighter pilot, after graduating from the naval academy. And, also, you know, we know he is from Enterprise, Alabama, and that the mayor there has asked the governor to fly -- you know, lower the flags in his honor, calling him a hero there as well.

So, it's just heart breaking. One of three people killed in this, and eight people total injured. I just want to give awe quick update on two others. Those are the sheriff's deputies who responded to this call and were injured themselves. We know that one of those sheriff's deputies has been released from the hospital. Another underwent surgery this morning and is expected to be OK and released sometime in the near future -- Ana.

CABRERA: Brynn Gingras and Josh Campbell, thank you.

President Trump telling reporters today that he had a conversation about the Pensacola attack with the king of Saudi Arabia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I spoke with the king of Saudi Arabia. They are devastated in Saudi Arabia. We're finding out what took place, whether it's one person or a number of people. And the king will be involved in taking care of families and loved ones.

He feels very strongly. He's very, very devastated by what happened, what took place. Likewise, the crown prince. They are devastated by what took place in Pensacola. And I think they're going to help out the families very greatly.

But, right now, they send their condolences. And, as you know, I've sent my condolences. It's a very shocking thing. And we'll find out -- we'll get to the bottom of it very quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Investigators are already working on that this weekend and going all the way to the shooter's home. CNN's Nic Robertson is in Saudi Arabia.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: So, establishing that motive really is going to be key to understanding why this attack took place and, really, fully understanding what the repercussions and implications could be.

Now, his family, here in Saudi Arabia, his uncle who we've spoken to, says that he was a good student. That he did well academically. That's why he made it into the military and made it onto this prestigious, long military training in the United States. That was something that the family was proud of.

They say there was nothing in his background that indicated anything untoward. They've been speaking to him over the past two years during his training. They say nothing has changed substantially about him that would give them cause for concern. The bigger family, the tribe, is saying this attack does not speak for the people of Saudi Arabia.

[20:10:00]

It does not represent the people of Saudi Arabia. They put their faith in the kingdom and in the king.

But what we are learning or appear to be learning at this stage, as indicated by a radical propaganda monitoring site, indicating that perhaps this attacker tweeted out some of his thinking or intentions in the minutes before the attack anti-American sentiment. If that is true, then this will make this shooting a more complex issue for the king of Saudi Arabia to deal with, with the United States.

We know that he's called and spoken with President Trump. We know that he's called this a barbaric act. That it doesn't speak for the people of Saudi Arabia. That he's called on Saudi officials to give full cooperation to U.S. investigators.

But, of course, if there is a hint of terrorism behind this, then this will reawaken a lot of old fears going back to the 911 attack, going back, also, to the killing of the Saudi journalist working for "The Washington Post," Jamal Khashoggi. So, all of that relationship will factor in.

But, at the moment, the investigators undoubtedly digging into the attacker's social media, speaking with his family, with friends to find out if his mood or his attitudes had changed in recent days and recent weeks. But, at the moment, really, Saudi Arabia stunned, surprised, shocked, angered, according to the king, at what has happened in Pensacola, Florida. Nic Robertson, CNN, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

CABRERA: Despite a federal investigation into his actions in Ukraine and his client, President Trump facing impeachment and Rudy Giuliani was in Ukraine this week digging for more political dirt. And, according to the president, he found plenty.

[20:11:51]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: Like a trial. According to an official, that's how the House Democrats plan to conduct Monday's impeachment hearing. We are told counsels for the Democrats and for the GOP will lay out their theories on the Intelligence Committee's report.

As for the White House, it's describing the hearing as a -- in a completely different way. White House Counsel Pat Cipollone writing in a letter Friday, your impeachment inquiry is completely baseless and has violated basic principles of due process and fundamental fairness. The White House is refusing to participate in the proceedings. This comes as there is renewed scrutiny on the president's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, after he traveled to Ukraine just this week to continue digging up dirt on Trump's political opponents. Here's what President Trump had to say about the trip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Rudy, as you know, has been one of the great crime fighters of the last 50 years. And he did get back from Europe just recently. And I know -- he has not told me what he found. But I think he wants to go before Congress and say, and also to the attorney general, and to the Department of Justice. I hear he's found plenty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: CNN's Jeremy Diamond is following the president in Florida this weekend. Jeremy, Trump is, clearly, not distancing himself from Giuliani's ongoing dealings in Ukraine.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's certainly right, Ana. And, you know, it's fascinating, of course, because it is the president's efforts to pressure Ukraine to carry out those politically motivated investigations and the efforts carried out on his behalf by his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, that have landed the president in the midst of this impeachment inquiry and his likely impeachment now in the coming weeks. But none of that, of course, is stopping the president or Rudy Giuliani from continuing to focus their efforts in that direction.

We saw Rudy Giuliani returning from Ukraine making a series of claims, including more claims about the Bidens. Of course, we should note that none of the allegations leveled at former Vice President Joe Biden or his son have been substantiated. And, now, you have the president today, once again, touting Rudy Giuliani's efforts in Ukraine.

And all the while the president is also, of course, continuing to criticize this impeachment inquiry as a hoax. That is something that we have seen him do throughout this process. But today came after he was specifically asked whether or not he would testify in this impeachment inquiry. And, so far, the answer has been -- there has been a non-answer, essentially. And so, that is why. As we see the president continuing to criticize this impeachment inquiry, we're seeing his attorney continuing to try and dig up dirt in the Ukraine.

But what we're not seeing from the White House is any effort to cooperate, of course, with this impeachment inquiry. As you mentioned, Ana, there was that letter from the White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, saying that they would not participate. Instead, what the White House is doing, they're looking forward to the Senate, where the president will have a trial. That is where the White House is now focusing its efforts -- Ana.

CABRERA: OK. Thank you very much, Jeremy Diamond. I want to bring in national politics reporter for Yahoo News, Brittany Shepherd; and Congressional reporter for "The Washington Post," Karoun Demirjian. And, Karoun, let me start with you. What are Republican lawmakers thinking, when they hear the president not only condones Giuliani's trip but he's saying, you know, he's going to turn over the findings now to the attorney general.

KAROUN DEMIRJIAN, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Yes. I mean, look, generally speaking, this is a problematic gesture and adventure for Giuliani to be taking right now, because it is basically confirming what the Democrats have been arguing that the Trump camp did. Which is that they, you know, sought to seek foreign meddling in Ukraine and foreign interference in the election. And the fact that Giuliani is there while this is happening is not the greatest look.

But the GOP has rallied around the president so much, at this point, arguing there is nothing wrong there. That there was reason to be concerned about corruption. That it's, kind of, you know, not that -- they've, kind of, accepted that things happen that Giuliani did.

I think that there's many in the GOP who are willing to, kind of, say, well, Giuliani does his own thing. He's a bit of a loose cannon so we can't hold the president responsible for everything he does. And if he just so happens to turn up more dirt that actually supports their counterargument right now to the story.

So, you haven't really heard that many GOP lawmakers pay that much attention. Because if they focus on it, they have to, kind of, explain it. And, at this point, it doesn't completely contradict what their counternarrative has been, even if it looks like it's playing right into what the Democrats have been saying was always the point of what the president was doing in the Ukraine since the get-go.

CABRERA: And here's the thing, Brittany. Rudy Giuliani is under federal investigation for his work in Ukraine. Two of his associates have been indicted. President Trump is facing potential impeachment for pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden. Why did Giuliani and Trump think flying to Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden is helpful?

[20:20:01]

BRITTANY SHEPHERD, NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER, YAHOO NEWS: Well, it's definitely not optically ideal. Even President Zelensky is telling his allies that he, kind of, wants nothing to do with Rudy Giuliani. We have reporting showing that he actually refused to meet with Giuliani when he was in the Ukraine last week.

But I do think that there is a White House and GOP strategy that says, please make the focus in our playbook on Joe Biden and Hunter Biden. It's kind of similar to what happened with Hillary Clinton back in 2016. The Republican playbook was even if the facts aren't all there, if we are continuous with our questioning, it's just about putting doubts in voters' minds.

And, right now, you know, even the voters who might not be paying very close attention to the inquiry, might say, actually, huh, it might be optically kind of weird that the son of a vice president has such a high-paying job. Even if the theories around that have been continually debunked. So, maybe that is part of Giuliani's play in Europe.

CABRERA: And, Karoun, final impeachment hearings we know begin on Monday. The White House is now saying it will not take part in any of this. Do Republican lawmakers think that's a good strategy?

DEMIRJIAN: Yes, I think the Republicans generally think that the Senate is going to be a better forum in which Trump can get a chance to make his defense and make it in a more sympathetic atmosphere. Of course, the Senate is led by the GOP. And so, I think that the GOP members of the House have been, basically, ready to write it off the entire impeachment inquiry in the House since the get-go also.

They've been arguing that it's illegitimate. That it's biased. That it's procedurally questionable. And so, I don't think that there is any sore feelings on the Republicans' side that the president has decided to skip out on this.

Republicans want to -- are playing along to the extent that they've requested other witnesses to come in and be part of what the proceedings will be this week. But it's very doubtful that we will actually see Hunter Biden being brought in as a witness or the whistle-blower or anything like that.

CABRERA: Right.

DEMIRJIAN: So, I think that pretty much the Republicans have written off the House process, since it seems very likely that that's headed towards an impeachment vote by the full House before Christmas and are just focused on what the president's defense will end up being in the Senate.

CABRERA: Brittany, the fact that the White House won't be present, does it work in Trump's favor? Give the appearance that it's less serious than it is make Democrats look powerless?

SHEPHERD: Well, it's definitely consistent with what he's been saying and his allies have been saying since the beginning. You know, they said they wouldn't form an actual war room, because that would give some kind of credence. So, why have a war room, if we are not really fighting this war? So, it definitely is in line with the rationale that the White House has been having. Does it absolve him? I'm not so sure.

CABRERA: Karoun, Democrats, they have been kind of debating whether to include Mueller's findings in the Articles of Impeachment.

DEMIRJIAN: Right.

CABRERA: Where does that internal struggle stand right now?

DEMIRJIAN: Well, the question is, how broad do you want to make the scope? It's clear that they want to articulate and list all the different grievances they have against what the president has been doing visa vi Ukraine. And that they believe that the president has also been obstructing Congress routinely. So, you can expect to see an obstruction of Congress article.

I think there's questions here about whether they will actually do an article that goes to bribery as well. Because, certainly, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, many others have said this rises to the level of bribery. But will they actually list that in the articles?

And then, in the question that you raised about whether this will be expanded to the scope of Mueller. If you -- if you include things from the Mueller probe, you're starting to talk about not just obstruction of Congress, but obstruction of justice as well. And if you name things in those articles that go back to the Russia investigation, you can, basically, create what they've been trying to say, in terms of their statements, which is that this is a pattern of behavior.

It's not just Ukraine. It's not just this 2020 election that was -- that was in question. But the president welcomed foreign interference in the 2016 election from Russia and now he's soliciting it from Ukraine in the 2020 election. And Ukraine can't be separated from Russia so it's all part and parcel of the same thing.

Democrats have been trying to make that argument rhetorically. They will support that argument rhetorically if they decide to expand the articles beyond just the facts of this instant -- this few months regarding Ukraine to include that much greater swath of information.

CABRERA: Final thoughts?

DEMIRJIAN: But that's the debate right now of which they should.

CABRERA: Brittany, quick, final thought?

SHEPHERD: Well, I definitely think that, besides having the Democrats kind of -- they've essentially been unified on -- publicly on impeachment. But what hasn't been absolutely clear is the scope of these articles. But the quicker that these proceedings pull through, then the quicker there will be an inevitable vote. And that will throw things to the Senate.

And I think that many Democrats on the road are a bit antsy of this to move to a hearing. Because, you know, many senators are running for president and that takes them off the campaign when Iowa is so crucial too. So, it's kind of a part of impeachment that we're not really paying attention to, but it's definitely an anxiety on the mind of Democrats on the road.

CABRERA: All right, Brittany Shepherd, Karoun Demirjian, thank you, both, for your contributions. Good to have you here.

DEMIRJIAN: Thank you, Ana.

CABRERA: Uber releases stunning statistics about sexual assault driving home. Concerns about passenger safety on the ride share app. Stay with us. [20:24:51]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: How many times have you grabbed a ride somewhere courtesy of Uber? The popular ride sharing app has revolutionized the way a lot of us get around. The Uber Web site claims it completes 14 million trips every day.

But there is another statistic Uber isn't bragging about, the number of sexual assaults that Uber riders have reported. It's in the thousands. CNN's Drew Griffin takes a closer look at the numbers and Uber's response.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Buried on page 59 of a polished, long-anticipated report are the stunning numbers, 5,981 sexual assaults reported over two years, 464 of them rapes. Uber emphasizing with millions of rides daily the odds of attack are miniscule but Tony West, Uber's Chief Legal Officer, who for nearly two years now has refused to being interviewed by CNN, admitted to NBC, the number is alarming.

TONY WEST, CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER, UBER: That's a hard number. But I'm not surprised. And I'm not surprised because sexual violence is just much more pervasive in society than I think most people realize.

GRIFFIN: CNN sounded the alarm in April of 2018 in an investigation that uncovered the serious problem of drivers assaulting passengers.

[20:30:02]

This woman was attacked by her Uber driver in Miami who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for the crime.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The next morning, I woke up and both my pants and my underwear were on the floor.

GRIFFIN: In a series of reports on Uber assaults, CNN exposed a practice with the rideshare company's sought to quietly settle sexual assault complaints with out of court settlements in exchange for non- disclosure agreements from victims.

Uber changed the policy after our report, no longer requiring victims to sign NDAs. CNN found dozens of cases of sexual assault and abuse by scouring public records, police reports, civil and criminal court cases. But sources told us then, there were many, many more.

Uber's report confirms that. CNN also found that thousands of Uber drivers had criminal records. One was even an accused war criminal. All as Uber lobbied local governments against tougher rules for background checks.

Since CNN's investigation, Uber added safety features to its app, says they have improved and tightened background checks, and with this report, is vowing to be more transparent on the safety of riding in an Uber.

Early estimates for 2019 show sexual assaults in Ubers continue. Uber claims the rate is dropping. But based on its own recent statistics, every day, someone is sexually assaulted taking an Uber ride.

TONY WEST, CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER, UBER: Uber couldn't simply ignore what was happening on its platform. And most importantly, we have to then address it.

GRIFFIN: Uber is not the only rideshare company with a problem. Lyft also admits it is dealing with sexual assaults and has vowed to release its own transparency report in the near future.

Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: New video shows the agonizing last hours of a migrant teen who died while in U.S. border patrol custody. The reporter who fought to uncover that video and what happened, joins us live next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:35:25]

CABRERA: New and troubling questions about the treatment of migrant children at the U.S. border with Mexico. Shocking surveillance video released by ProPublica shows a sick 16-year-old boy collapsing in his cell unresponsive for hours before being found dead.

CNN's Nick Valencia reports. And a warning, the footage is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These are the final moments of life for this 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant, Carlos Hernandez Vazquez. The video is not only disturbing to watch, it calls into question the official narrative released by border patrol after the teen's death in May.

The security footage was first obtained by the investigative team at ProPublica. In the surveillance video from the early morning hours of my 20th, the Guatemalan teen who was diagnosed with the flu and a 103- degree fever can be seen inside his cell at a border patrol station in Weslaco, Texas.

The time stamps on the video are from ProPublica's analysis. At 1:20 a.m. Vasquez was seen laying on a concrete bench appearing to be in pain. Four minutes later, he collapses on the floor face down clutching a Mylar blanket.

After more than 10 minutes and with seemingly no one responding, the teen picks himself up and appears to prop himself against the toilet inside the cell. His feet can be seen flailing for minutes before the video abruptly ends at 1:47 a.m. According to welfare check records obtained by ProPublica, border patrol says an agent checked on Vazquez three times over the next four and a half hours. The log does not indicate how those checks were done.

At 5:48 a.m., the video begins again. Officials did not provide an explanation for the gap. Vazquez still hasn't moved.

In an official press release by border patrol, the agency says Vazquez was found unresponsive during a welfare check, but video shows it isn't until Vazquez's cell mate wakes up that anyone realizes something is wrong. Several agents are then seen tending to Vazquez, but it's already too late.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: Nick Valencia reporting there.

Robert Moore is a freelance journalist who has been reporting on child migrant deaths at the border for months. He contributed to the ProPublica reporting on Carlos's death.

Robert, thanks for being here. What have you learned about Carlos' story and what happened to him?

ROBERT MOORE, FREELANCE JOURNALIST: It's clear that in the last 24 hours of his life, there were a number of warning signs that were ignored both by medical professionals on contract for Customs and Border Protection and by border patrol agents.

As Nick's piece noted, the border patrol agent, Oscar Garza, noted three times while we know that Carlos was on the floor that he had done a welfare check, but nobody apparently ever went into the cell to actually check on him. So he lay dead or dying for four and a half hours next to a toilet in his cell.

CABRERA: Wow. I look at that video and it really breaks my heart to see children -- in what looks like a jail cell while they're sick on concrete without any kind of comfort close by.

What kind of care did he receive?

MOORE: We know that in the last 24 hours of his life, he saw a nurse practitioner at about 1:00 a.m. on the 19th of May, and then he saw another nurse practitioner about 19 hours later at 8:00 p.m. that night.

The first nurse practitioner diagnosed the flu and a 103-degree fever. The second nurse practitioner gave him Tamiflu but didn't record any vital signs and filled out a boilerplate form saying that he had shown no symptoms or no complaints.

[20:40:06]

And then the border patrol agents put him back in cell 199 at Weslaco and as you saw in the video, he collapsed probably around 1:20 in the morning and ceased moving at about 1:39.

CABRERA: And, again, that's when border officials were really struggling to handle the volume of people crossing the border. We know that this facility was not equipped to handle anybody for the number of days that Carlos and others were held there.

Was this standard treatment of sick migrants at the time?

MOORE: Not necessarily. We know that, you know, unfortunately, Carlos was the fifth Guatemalan child to die while in border patrol custody between December and May.

Unlike the other children, though, Carlos was never given any outside medical attention. The other children who passed away, at least, were sent to a hospital. Carlos, even though the first nurse practitioner had seen him recommended that he be taken to an emergency room if his symptoms worsened, was never taken outside of border patrol custody and lost his life.

CABRERA: I know DHS has an ongoing investigation into this case. How have border officials explained this?

MOORE: Well, they haven't. And they've refused to provide any information to the public or to Congress even about these deaths.

And as our investigation showed, the description that they've released about how Carlos died has certainly been incomplete for the most part and factually inaccurate in other parts.

CABRERA: Beyond the migrant numbers decreasing, what has changed to try to prevent another child from suffering and ultimately dying the way Carlos did?

MOORE: We know from a letter that was sent to Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut from the appropriations subcommittee that oversees health and human services, the Centers for Disease Control recommended last January that the border patrol start vaccinating migrants for the flu as they took them into custody. They refused that recommendation.

Two children died subsequent to -- of the flu subsequent to the decision not to vaccinate children. The border patrol still refuses to provide vaccines saying the children are only held for a brief period of time and it creates logistical problems.

Now, instead of detaining these children, though, they are largely being sent back to northern Mexican cities in conditions that aren't very hygienic. They're overcrowded. The weather is starting to get cold at the border. We're right back where we were a year ago where we have children kept in very unhealthy conditions. It's just now it's in Mexico instead of in the United States.

CABRERA: Robert Moore, thank you for sharing your reporting with us. Keep on top of it. We'll be in touch.

MOORE: Thank you. CABRERA: President Trump won Wisconsin with a narrow margin in 2016. Democrats in the swing state say they are determined that won't happen again. But will impeachment hurt or help them? We'll take you there next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:45:13]

CABRERA: Politics and pints, hotcakes and hearings. Gavel to gavel impeachment coverage in the swing state of Wisconsin. Progressive voters are doing everything they can to flip the state in 2020.

CNN's Kyung Lah reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now live from the heart of liberal Wisconsin where the political party is just beginning.

KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A drop of blue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The impeachment of Donald Trump, it continues, Dom.

LAH: In a sea of conservative talk radio in Wisconsin, two progressives, pounding impeachment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Impeachment, is this sort of an optional thing?

LAH: To sway whatever swayable voters are listening to one of the only left-leaning talk radio stations in this swing state.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And will you, sir, be on the right side of history for a change?

LAH: Hillary Clinton lost Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016. Energized Democrats and disaffected Republicans and these progressives believe the president won't win here again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I'm trying to convince are the reasonable Republicans.

LAH (on camera): Is your mission to flip the state?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.

LAH: And to broadcasting the impeachment hearings?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gavel to gavel.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got a big show, Dom.

LAH (voice over): From radio to television, wall to wall impeachment coverage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. Welcome to (INAUDIBLE). How you doing? LAH: At this Milwaukee diner, hotcakes are served with hearings in the background.

MALCOLM STEWART, WISCONSIN VOTER: I did not vote in 2016.

LAH (on camera): Will you vote this time?

STEWART: I think I will. I think I will.

LAH (voice over): Malcolm Stewart says he's a swing voter, not a fan of the president, but wonders if weeks of hearings will have any impact.

STEWART: But as far as public opinion, people pretty much already have, you know, clear pro-Trump or anti-Trump pretty much right now. So I don't think it really helps or hurts.

JEFF SCHMIDT, WISCONSIN VOTER: Did you want something to drink?

LAH: Frustrating for Democrat, Jeff Schmidt, who spends his day talking to table after table.

LAH (on camera): And is that the sense you get that people are stuck and they're not moving?

SCHMIT: Somewhat, yes. I don't -- I think -- I don't know what it's going to take for people to realize that there is -- this is an issue.

LAH (voice over): Progressives in Wisconsin say it just takes more work.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here's to you, here's to me, here's to drinking liberally.

LAH: At an event called Drinking Liberally, the hearings have brought in new members. Among them, former Republicans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In 2016, I was wrong. I should have voted for Hillary Clinton.

LAH: Instead, life-long GOP-er, Aaron Perry, left his ballot blank. Now, he's working to elect Democrats. And like these progressives believes impeachment will eventually help his new party.

LAH (on camera): Is it helpful to Republicans?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the long run, I don't think that's a winning hand.

LAH (voice over): Win or lose, these Democrats say they have no choice but to move forward.

LAH (on camera): Will it be worth it if Democrats lose the state in 2020?

KRISTIN HANSEN, DRINKING LIBERALLY WAUKESHA CHAPTER HOST: Yes. Yes. If we don't impeach Donald Trump, who in the world are we ever going to impeach? There is a reason that the framers put this out in the Constitution to say --

[20:50:09]

LAH: Even if you lose?

HANSEN: Even if we lose. We have to do it for future generations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: Kyung Lah reporting.

Coming up, the heartwarming moments, a deaf baby hears for the first time caught on tape. More of this video next.

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CABRERA: If fluffy socks, crackling fires, and the cold winter chill don't put you in the Christmas spirit, how about the scent of chicken? Kentucky Fried Chicken is teaming up with an enviro log to bring back the 11 herbs and spices fire log this winter season, otherwise known as a hunk of flammable chicken-scented bliss.

Logs are proving to be just as popular this year. They are already sold out on Wal-Mart's website where they are exclusively sold. Last year, they sold out in just under three hours.

Well, this is a moment that sure to make you smile today. Squirming in the chair here is 5-year-old Michael. He was in a courtroom in Michigan Thursday for an adoption hearing with his foster parents.

[20:55:59]

There in the crowd, it wasn't your typical members of the courthouse gallery. Joining him that day was his entire kindergarten class.

And when his adoption became official, this happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: His entire class joined in this celebration, waving their handmade heart signs to show Michael their love, and it was a first for the judges.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's a great tribute to Michael that he had someone. He have his classmates here and so many said he was their best friend, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never have I experienced that before and it was loads of fun. And the kids were into it in supporting their best friend and the family of Michael as well. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Such a great and touching moment, just in time for the holiday season.

Meantime, more than half a million people online have now shared in the joy of a U.K. family who captured on camera the moment their 4- month-old baby daughter was fitted with tiny hearing aids.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There we go. OK. So we just turned your hearing on. Can you say hello to everybody? Can you say hello?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a very loud to know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Can she get any more precious? That is Georgina Addison who was diagnosed with severe deafness as a newborn. And her dad says it has just been heartwarming to learn about other children and their experiences and that's given hope to his family. What a cutie pie.

We have this just in to CNN. North Korean state media reporting that a very important test took place today. It's not immediately clear what was tested. State media reporting that the test produced a successful result and was of great significance and that it will change the strategic position of North Korea in the very near future.

That does it for me. I'm Ana Cabrera. We'll be back tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern here in the NEWSROOM. "The Nineties" is next.

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