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Missing Woman Gabby Petito's Family Pleads with Fiancee to Break Silence; Police Release Bodycam Video of Missing Woman; Interview with Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) on 8,000 Migrants Massed Under a Bridge near Del Rio, Texas; Family Uses Mom's Obituary to Send Message to Unvaccinated. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired September 16, 2021 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Today there are more pleas for help from a Florida father and the police to find a missing YouTube blogger.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Authorities are looking for 22-year-old Gabby Petito. Family members say that she was last seen with her fiancee on a road trip across the West Coast but her fiancee returned home alone. And now police say he's not cooperating.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHIEF TODD GARRISON, NORTH PORT, FLORIDA POLICE: Two people went on a trip. One person returned. And that person that returned isn't providing us any information.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: CNN's Polo Sandoval is here with more about the search. So, Polo, the police have some bodycam video from some kind of altercation or disturbance in the days before her disappearance.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, in mid-August. And we're going to get to that in just a second. But really what this has now evolved into is one family making a desperate plea for another family for any kind of information. Of course, we're talking about Gabby's family here.

There's now a just a short while ago actually issued a letter, sent a letter to the family of her boyfriend, her fiancee, to try to find out exactly what happened to their daughter, who they have not heard from since mid-August.

We've heard from not only the family but also from law enforcement officials who say at this point they have not fully cooperated with this investigation. In fact, they released a statement not too long ago saying that at this point, at least at this juncture, they're waiting in the background but for actually weighing in on this case. So that's really fueling the frustration. And that's why today we saw

Gabby's family issue this letter begging the family of their soon-to- be son-in-law for any information. Here's a portion of that letter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD STAFFORD, PETITO FAMILY ATTORNEY: Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, we are writing this letter to ask you to help find our daughter. We understand you are going through a difficult time and your instinct is strong to protect your son. We ask you to put yourselves in our shoes. We haven't been able to sleep or eat and our lives are falling apart. We believe you know the location of where Brian left Gabby. We beg you to tell us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Here's some video that was also released recently that also paints kind of a clearer picture of what happened about a month before she was reported missing. And this was actually an altercation that police in Moab, Utah, responded to.

They made contact with the couple, spoke to them, and then what happen is that they basically -- I'm reading directly from the police report here that the officer on scene reported that Petito was described as being in a, quote, confused, emotional and manic state, according to that officer.

And he eventually determines this was not a domestic assault but rather what he described in his report as a mental health crisis. No charges filed here, he simply advised both of them to go their separate ways overnight to basically cool off.

And then of course, that brings us here to this point where this family member is now making this desperate plea. Let's just bring viewers up to speed as investigators try to build a better timeline. This is what know at this point. We do know that Gabby and her fiancee were involved in that altercation in Utah on August the 12th.

And it was late August when it was her last communication with her family and it's believed to have been in Wyoming at the time. And then August 25th is when she posted on Instagram for the last time, September 1st is when her boyfriend Brian Laundrie eventually made it back to Florida alone.

That's when people started asking questions. And then it was a Saturday that she was finally reported missing. So basically, we heard today from the family members of this young lady is that we're at a point now where their desperation is turning to anger and they believe Brian's family holds the key or at least some information that can tell them whether or not they're even looking in the right place for their daughter.

CAMEROTA: Is there audio on that police dashcam video?

SANDOVAL: There is audio. I actually watched the whole hour and fifteen minutes of it and you can certainly hear that it was a very complicated moment for both of them, you can certainly hear it was an emotional moment as well.

And she goes into great detail about what led to that altercation between both of them. That eventually it was law enforcement on the scene that determined that this wasn't, in fact, a disturbance and it was simply again what they later described as a mental health crisis and they allowed them to get on their way.

Again, no charges filed but keep in mind this was a month before they actually reported her missing. So, this is the young lady that authorities are looking for right now.

[15:35:00]

The FBI now looking everywhere from Wyoming to Utah, Florida and even where her family is here in New York state.

BLACKWELL: You have got to feel for those parents, the Petitos reaching out mother to mother to say please help me, tell me something. And we'll see if Brian Laundrie ever cooperates with this investigation.

CAMEROTA: Polo Sandoval, thank you very much.

SANDOVAL: Thanks.

BLACKWELL: Well, this is urgent, this is dire. Those words coming from the mayor of Del Rio, Texas. He's calling for help as a growing number of migrants sit under a bridge waiting for U.S. border authorities to take them into custody.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: The mayor of Del Rio, Texas, says his town is beyond crisis.

[15:40:00]

More than 8,500 migrants are under the international bridge near the town. The state of Texas has now shut down six points of entry along the border because of the overwhelming influx of people. Del Rio's mayor says on Monday only about 2,200 were waiting in the bridge area to cross the border.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAYOR BRUCE LOZANO (D) DEL RIO, TEXAS: This is beyond crisis. This is urgent. This is dire. My concern is health and safety of the individuals under the bridge. This group of individuals is not processed. They just literally crossed and are waiting to be detained.

And that creates a scenario of unique circumstances because basically they're in no man's land. They're between countries. They're crossing back and forth, getting food from a punia (ph) and just coming right over here and eating it under the bridge. There's diapers everywhere. There's just unsanitary conditions everywhere. And you know the city of Del Rio doesn't have the manpower. (END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Joining me now is Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales who represents Del Rio. Congressman, thank you for your time. First, I understand that you went to this area under the bridge. The video I've seen and the descriptions I've read are of a humanitarian tragedy. What are the conditions you've seen?

REP. TONY GONZALES (R-TX): It's gut wrenching. You know, it's a humanitarian crisis on steroids. You know, over 8,000 migrants under this bridge. It is hot outside. There are only a, you know, handful of port-a-poddies out there. You have children. You have a lot of single males as well.

Border Patrol agents are doing everything they possibly can and they deserve our thanks for that, but this is beyond a breaking point. This is something that needs to be taken seriously now. Time is running out. Everyone is tired in south Texas, in Texas in general, we feel abandoned by the administration. Put the politics aside, come together and let's solve this.

BLACKWELL: So, you say that border agents are doing the best they can. And as the mayor said there that these migrants are coming and just waiting to be detained. What resources are being offered for the people there as they're waiting for these border agents?

GONZALES: Yes, it's like a flash mob. You know, imagine, you know, the bulk of these migrants are Haitians as well. And what has happened is they've encouraged other Haitians to make this trek to Del Rio, because in their minds Del Rio is wide open.

So, you've got thousands of migrants that have just kind of unorganized chaos if you will. You know, border patrol agents are giving out numbers. These migrants are taking those numbers and they're waiting their turn in order to be processed.

But you know there's 8,000 -- over 8,000 under the bridge but there's another 2,000 that are being processed. Del Rio does not have the capacity to handle this situation. Over the course of this year over 233,000 migrants have passed through Del Rio. That is six times the size of this small city and there's no end in sight.

BLACKWELL: You mentioned that most of them are Haitian. And let's put up the map. Because what we've known over the last several years of those people who are coming seeking asylum at the border, crossing the borders, that they're either coming from Mexico or from Central America up through.

Haiti on the bottom right here, was there a -- I guess the question is why Del Rio? Do they come across into southern Mexico and then walk north, or are they coming to the Texas border? What's the path of the Haitians who are coming to Del Rio?

GONZALES: Yes. It's a great question. Why Del Rio? And the bottom line is that you have different cartels that operate on different sides of the border. The cartel that operates on the side across from Del Rio is going to Haiti and their recruiting Haitians in particular. And what they've done is they've become very efficient at this process. And instead of folks walking across Mexico that used to take 22 days, they're now bussing people directly to the source. So that has increased the amount of folks coming that are coming through as well.

What also caused this problem, this really ignited a few days ago. When I visited today, I was very pointed, hey, what caused this? What caused this is DHS, Department of Homeland Security, cancelled flights that were supposed to expel migrants back to their country of origin, around six of these flights.

And that was about a thousand migrants that then had to be reprocessed. And that caused this backlog. We have to reopen -- it's called "The Repatriation Program". That has to happen. Folks that do not qualify for asylum must be sent back to their country of origin.

BLACKWELL: Well, Congressman, two things. Of course, we know that the earthquake was recently there in Haiti and conditions deteriorated dramatically.

[15:45:00]

There's also a political crisis there after the assassination of the president. And we know that asylum is protected under national and international law. But of course, one must qualify for that.

Congressman Tony Gonzales, thank you so much for explaining what you saw when you were there under the bridge.

GONZALES: Yes, now, thank you for having me. And to your point, we absolutely have a political process for legal immigration, legal asylum. What we're seeing right now is illegal immigration. And that's the last thing that we want on our borders. Texans feel abandoned by the Biden administration and it has to stop now.

BLACKWELL: Again, Congressman, asylum, people who come and seek it, that is protected under law internationally and domestically. And we'll see if that asylum is granted. Again, got to move on here but I thank you for your time.

GONZALES: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: All right.

CAMEROTA: That video is incredible of the people under the bridge, just incredible, the numbers and the kids and everything.

BLACKWELL: And it's expected that those numbers will grow dramatically over the next couple of weeks. So, we'll see.

CAMEROTA: All right, meanwhile, this story. The family of an Illinois woman who died from COVID-19 used her obituary to send a message to the unvaccinated. That family joins us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:50:00]

CAMEROTA: The obituary for 66-year-old Candace Cay Ayers begins with an unusual line, it says basically that Candace was preceded in death by more than 4.5 million others infected with COVID-19. She was vaccinated but was infected by others who chose not to be. The cost was her life.

I'm joined now by Candy's children, Mandy and Mark Ayers. And thanks, guys, for being here. We're so sorry for your loss.

But Mandy, that obituary really got our attention. And so why did you want to start it with that message?

MANDY AYERS, DAUGHTER OF VACCINATED WOMAN WHO DIED OF COVID-19: It wasn't meant to be political. I was just so tired of people not being vaccinated and not caring about people that are at risk. I was just tired of -- I'm just really exhausted. No one's wearing mask. Aren't people tired of the schools being closed down. I'm tired of ICU beds being full.

I mean this pandemic is never going to be over until we all do our part, until we're all vaccinated, until we all start wearing a mask and start protecting -- until we all start protecting each other and doing our part. And that's what I really wanted to happen by writing this obituary is for all of us to step up and work together and do our part.

CAMEROTA: And Mark, I mean I think that was your mother's philosophy too, she was only 66 years old but I've read that she was an outspoken opponent basically of people who refuse to get vaccinated.

MARK AYERS, SON OF VACCINATED WOMAN WHO DIED OF COVID-19: Yes, she was a great mom, she was a great grandma, she was a wonderful wife. She was extremely opinionated. She was very out front about this pandemic and the causes of this pandemic. And she did everything right.

We as a family did everything right. We social distanced early on in the pandemic. We wore our masks out everywhere in public. We still do.

And when the vaccine became available, we were there in line with everyone else to get it. We got the second jabs sometime in early March. We did everything that was asked of us but there's still a sizable portion of this country that refuses to do any of that.

CAMEROTA: And Mandy, one of the other sad ironies of your mom's story is that she had in July made a trip to visit a grieving friend in Mississippi where the vaccination rate is extremely low, just 33 percent. But this was before we knew how bad the Delta variant was. But yet on that trip she had second thoughts and it sounds like was nervous when she was there.

MANDY AYERS: Yes, she was really nervous about going down there and had expressed those concerns to us. But her l rheumatologist and even her primary physician had told her that it was OK to go down there. And at the time things were opening up around here, we were told that is was OK to go unmasked everywhere. And this before the Delta variant was a widespread concern around here and all of us -- even those of us that were vaccinated were told it was OK to go around unmasked.

And so, we all felt safe and even her going down there, we felt safe having her go down. And we know now that that wasn't the case and that was a bad decision.

CAMEROTA: And you just mentioned her rheumatologist. And I just do want to bring up, Mark, that she had severe rheumatoid arthritis and that there are some studies that suggest people with autoimmune diseases, the vaccine is less effective for them and maybe that's what happened in your mom's case. But what's the message that you want to get out today to anybody who is still on the fence about being vaccinated?

MARK AYERS: The message is to please get vaccinated. I think that's the overall message that we want to have put out there and that's --

[15:55:00]

We've received a lot of messages from people and the public, complete strangers who contacted myself and my sister and others, who said that because of our story they're now going to get vaccinated and they're going to start wearing masks again. But I think the overall, the bigger message that we want to have put out there is for the immune- compromised. Certainly, those with rheumatoid arthritis, those who are taking drugs that literally lower your immune system. That even if you're fully vaxed, please still be careful going out into the general public. Please continue wearing those masks and continue to social distance.

I wish we had a second opinion from a doctor that told our mom not to go because that could have saved her life. And so overall the message is to mask up still. Do what the medical experts are asking. Continue to wear those masks and social distance and get the vaccine for yourself.

CAMEROTA: Yes, Mark and Mandy Ayers, thank you very much for sharing your mother's story and your grief to try to help others. We really appreciate it.

MARK AYERS: Thank you.

MANDY AYERS: thank you.

BLACKWELL: "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: A fortress around the Capitol once again. THE LEAD starts right now.

END