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Parents Of Alleged Michigan School Shooter Arraigned Today; Kremlin: Biden, Putin To Hold Conference Call On Tuesday; Delta Cases Spiking As Omicron Variant Looms; Biden Lays Out Winter Plan To Fight COVID-19; Nine-Year-Old Afghan Child Bride Rescued After CNN Report; Food Banks Survive Pandemic Demand, Now Facing New Problems. Aired 12- 1p ET

Aired December 04, 2021 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST (on camera): The homeowner, apparently used coals as the heat source for the smoke, but then they were placed too close to combustible materials, eventually setting the house on fire. Luckily, no one -- no person injured.

Meanwhile, the status of the snakes, well, still unclear whether they sizzled or slithered.

I'm not advocating for either --

All right. Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right. Now, to our "BREAKING NEWS", the parents of the teenager accused in the -- in the Michigan school shooting are now in jail.

James and Jennifer Crumbley were arraigned in court this morning, facing involuntary manslaughter charges. They each pleaded not guilty. CNN was there as the Crumbley Family -- that the couple there was taken into custody following an hours-long manhunt.

Police tracked them down overnight in a Detroit warehouse after they failed to turn themselves in on Friday. Their 15-year-old son, Ethan, was arrested Tuesday and faces multiple charges, including four first- degree murder counts.

Four students were killed in the Oxford High School shooting, seven others were injured. CNN's Athena Jones is in Pontiac, Michigan, outside the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

So, Athena, tell us about today's arraignment.

ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Hi, Fred. Well, both of Crumbley -- Jennifer and James Crumbley were arraigned this morning. Bond was set at $500,000 for each of them.

If they're able to raise that money and bond out, they will have to wear GPS monitors and submit to other restrictions. As you mentioned, each of them is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of the four teenagers' their son, Ethan Crumbley is charged with killing.

And that is because Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald explains that she believes that the parents should have known that their son was capable of and had the ability to commit a violent act and that they are criminally negligent.

And they said that the day before the shooting, both parents were alerted about a teacher having witnessed Ethan Crumbley searching for ammunition online. They did not respond.

The next day, they were brought into the school after Ethan Crumbley, made a disturbing drawing. Listen to what Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald had to say about that drawing and about the meeting the parents had with Ethan and school administrators. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN MCDONALD, PROSECUTOR, OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN: On November 30th '21, the morning of the shooting, the next day, Ethan Crumbley's teacher came upon a note on Ethan's desk which alarmed her to the point that she took a picture of it on her cell phone.

The note contain the following: a drawing of a semi-automatic handgun pointing at the words, "the thoughts won't stop, helped me." In another section of the note was a drawing of a bullet with the following words above that bullet, "blood everywhere".

Between the drawing of the gun and the bullet is a drawing of a person who appears to have been shot twice and bleeding. Below that figure is a drawing of a laughing emoji. Further down the drawing are there words, "my life is useless". And to the night -- right of that are the words, "The world is dead".

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: So, there you heard the prosecutor describing a very disturbing drawing essentially talking about what he was about to do. After that, during that meeting, the school administration wanted the Crumbley, said, take Ethan home. They refused to do so. And so, he stayed on campus and soon after, carried out this shooting killing these four teens.

And so, that is why these parents are facing charges. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, Athena Jones, thank you so much. Pontiac, Michigan.

Let's talk more about all of this. Here joining me, former U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, Michael Moore, and defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Shan Wu. Good to see both of you.

Michael, you first. You know, we heard a lot of the arguments coming from the couple's defense attorneys about why they didn't turn themselves in. But the fact that it took a tip to police to end up finding them inside a warehouse. How much does that hurt their case, as they defend themselves against the notion of evading arrest?

MICHAEL MOORE, FORMER UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA: (INAUDIBLE), and I'm glad to be with you. Thanks for the invitation.

I think that it will hurt them, in the long run, to make it look like that they were not cooperative or that they may have been trying to leave.

At the same time, I do think, and I -- this is where the prosecutor has to really walk a fine line and not conflate the public's right to know information with talking about tactical decisions or strategy decisions that he or she may make in a case.

And so, you know here, I think Wednesday is actually when she announced that she was thinking about charging the parents. So, I'm not surprised that this happened. I think that they didn't have them sufficiently under surveillance.

I mean, think about this, you know, the spider never says to the fly. I think I'm going to build a web and maybe catch you. You know that -- you don't do that.

[12:05:01]

MOORE: You make that announcement when you have an arrest warrant in hand or you have somebody tight on a couple.

This is a terrible (INAUDIBLE)

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: And I guess that's why it is confusing too if that kind of announcement is going to be made, then, why wasn't there some surveillance, you know, of the couple?

MOORE: I think they -- she mentioned at one point that they were following things on a telephone or some cell phones, but you don't have to do much. But watch an episode or two of CSI, I mean, and people know, to throw their phones out the window or turn them off. And so, I didn't find that to be completely compelling in the surveillance.

Now, having said that, it doesn't mitigate what these individuals are charged with, doesn't mitigate the crime here. It makes me sick every time that we're having more of these cases. I'm really troubled by that. I hope that we'll have some politicians that will say, we ought to be putting metal detectors in schools and doing things like that.

I mean, we can build bridges and roads. But if our kids aren't living long enough to drive on them, really what was the point?

WHITFIELD: Shan, here is the flip side of the defense attorney's argument that they weren't trying to run because they had already retained an attorney. And that, that demonstrates they were going to cooperate with prosecutors. What do you say to that?

SHAN WU, CNN LEGAL ANALYST (on camera): Yes, I'm not really sure there is a defense to being a fugitive. I've retained a counsel. That doesn't really work. And you know, they're going to have to face the consequences for that.

I don't know if they're being, you know, charged right now with being fugitives or not. But obviously, their behavior, it doesn't look like they're about to turn themselves in.

They had an arraignment date, the afternoon before. So, you know, how come you weren't there? They're claiming they were afraid for their lives, you know, as -- as -- if you weren't really worried about your security, turn yourself in, you'll be protected.

WHITFIELD: Yes, that's far, at least in the arraignment in that hearing that we all heard. Four counts of involuntary manslaughter, we didn't hear anything about, right? A charge about evading arrest or anything like that.

So, then, Michael, you know, when you look at the totality, or the scope of school shootings in recent years, reportedly, there have only been about the cases of maybe four, four parents who have actually faced charges as a result of it with their connections to their kids who, you know, allegedly carried out the attacks.

Do you see that with this arrest, what's become a very high-profile, highly publicized case? Do you see that this is a potential turning point in, in culpability when the next, you know, incident happens, that these minors, you know, that their parents are also being held responsible for any actions that a minor takes?

MOORE: It could be. I mean, I think there have been cases where parents should have been charged. I think, you know, there is some case where other folks should have been charged, who may could have intervened too.

At this case, I want the facts will tell us with this we go forward. You know, it's an interesting sort of a conundrum here, because on the one hand, the young man, the shooter is charged as an adult. And he's, I think, he's 15 years old, if I remember, right?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MOORE: And so, that's basically saying he's facing adult punishment, he has a mentality where to commit crimes as an adult and didn't receive the sort of the shield of the juvenile justice system.

On the other hand, with him telling his parents that you should have controlled your minor child. So, these are arguments that will play out in court, but you know, I think that we ought to be pushing laws that hold people responsible, good gun safety laws, you know, you can be pro-gun, and pro-gun safety at the same time.

And so, hopefully, this type of -- this type of case, will shed some light on walls or enhanced laws, maybe change some policies in other states where these types of provisions can be effective.

WHITFIELD: Shan, how do you see it?

WU: Yes, I agree with Michael. Laws need to be the solution here. Criminal prosecutions are not a way to make laws. And this is a case which may be morally very strong. But legally, I don't think it's so strong. I mean, if the best evidence the prosecutors have is this text from the mom that said, lol, you know, just don't get caught because he was looking ammunition. That's not criminal.

And really, part of the investigation, I think, needs to look at the school's culpability. Did they question him? Do you have a gun? Did they search his locker which they can do in a school?

So, you have to look at that as well as the parents. It's very divisive. I mean, there's a lot of controversy right now with hostility being directed at school boards, obviously big divide in the country over guns.

And then, prosecutions, you have to be careful not to let all that understandably emotion sway you in terms of how the case is prosecuted. It's got to be done on the facts of this case.

Right now, from what little we know, I don't think it's that strong of a case against them.

WHITFIELD: And Shan, you know that the prosecution argues that this couple is a flight risk. The judge, you know, set bond at $500,000. Is that adequate?

WU: You know, I personally don't like money bonds as security for people. I think you need to evaluate them on the dangerousness of the people.

[12:10:04]

WU: But certainly, under the existing laws, they are flight risk. They had an appointment to show up and they didn't. So, they're going to have to -- they can revisit that later, their attorneys can make a further argument. But I think that's the right call at the moment given that they were on the run, and they were found that they're held.

WHITFIELD: Michael, do you want to add to that last word?

MOORE: Well, I think it's a again, I mean, you got parents now who have a child that are -- that's charged with murder. That's going to -- that face a life in prison, you know, because evidence -- so, the question will be at some point, this is the judge setting this bond to make a statement, and at some point, will it be reduced?

It's hard for me to imagine that the court keeps the entire family locked up as people prepare defenses me, we're lawyers, and do those kinds of things that don't mean necessarily moving forward.

You know, there are things that you can do like ankle monitoring and all. The cash bond or the surety that's out there is really made to give the incentive for another party to make sure that these folks come back to court when there's summon back.

WHITFIELD: OK.

MOORE: So, I was surprised that there was some bond set. My guess is if they don't make it, it will be -- it will be lowered at some point in the future.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll leave it there for now.

Michael Moore and Shan Wu. Good to see you both. Gentlemen. Thanks so much.

Still ahead, a U.S. intelligence agencies estimate that Russia is positioning up to 175,000 troops along its border with Ukraine, and could be going to military offensive in a matter of months. What President Biden is saying about that possibility?

And later, as scientists work to understand the new Omicron variant, the CDC warns that it could become the dominant strain in the U.S.

And this quick programming note, join CNN's Elle Reeve, for a new documentary, "WHITE POWER ON TRIAL: RETURN TO CHARLOTTESVILLE". The CNN special report begins tomorrow, 9:00 p.m.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:15:57]

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. CNN has learned that President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to speak on Tuesday amid fears the Kremlin is on the verge of invading Ukraine.

New U.S. intelligence findings estimate that Russia could begin a military offensive in Ukraine in a matter of months as they amass up to 175,000 troops along the border.

Biden says he is now preparing initiatives to make it difficult for Putin to carry out military action against Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've been aware of Russia's actions for a long time. And my expectation is we're going to have a long discussion with Putin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you accept Putin's red line on Ukraine?

BIDEN: I don't accept anybody' red line.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: For more on this tense standoff, let's bring in Matthew Chance now in Kiev. So, Matthew, what more do we know about this upcoming Biden-Putin call. MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): But we know it's been in the works for some time, Fredricka. And we now know over the course of the past hour, that it's going to be taking place on December the 7th. So, on Tuesday, Tuesday evening, Moscow time is what the Kremlin said to me. It says about around now, in a -- in a couple of days from now.

We also know that it's going to be a virtual summit, it's going to essentially be a video call between presidents Biden and Putin -- Vladimir Putin of Russia, of course. And that they are going to be focused front and center on the pending issue of Ukraine. And that extremely worrying buildup of Russian forces near the border of Ukraine, in Russian territory, for the most part. But also in Annex territory as well.

That about -- you know, tens of thousands of troops gathered there at the moment. The latest U.S. Intel, these just heard just reported, saying that could be up to 175,000 Russian troops there, put in place before any plan to invade Ukraine is actually set in motion by the Russians.

So, that's what they're going to be discussing. The Russians have made clear what they want, which is for the United States to give guarantees that NATO, the western military alliance, will not advance any further eastwards towards Russian borders. It's a red line for them.

And you heard President Biden there say that, you know, he doesn't abide by any of these red lines. For national security term, it terms for the Russians.

And also, the Ukrainians have been speaking up as well, saying that look, you know, we're the country that gets support from NATO, we need it in our battle against the Russians in the east of the country. Russia should not have a voice on our relationship with western military alliance. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Matthew Chance in Kiev. Thanks so much for that.

All right, coming up at least a dozen states have now identified cases of the new COVID variant Omicron.

How pharmaceutical companies are preparing to potentially update the vaccines next?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:23:19]

WHITFIELD: As more states confirmed cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, health experts are responding to the emerging threat. Dr. Anthony Fauci says pharmaceutical companies are already making plans in the case of the current vaccines just in case they don't offer enough protection.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: They do have plans that have multiple contingency. One is to rev up the production of the vaccines that they already have. The next is to make, for example, a by valence, where you have the vaccine against both the ancestral strain and the new variant and the other is to make a variant-specific boost.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD (voice-over): All right, while other concerns over this new variant dominate the headlines, it's the Delta variant that is dominating case counts. Nearly every state we saw a steep rise in cases over the last week.

And the country is back over 100,000 cases a day now for the first time in two months.

WHITFIELD (on camera): Nadia Romero is with us now. Are they attributing that to people getting together for the holidays?

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Yes, absolutely. Because we just had --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Simple as that.

ROMERO: The TSA said we had a record number of pandemic travelers last weekend following Thanksgiving. And we're still in the midst of holiday travel, right? So, more people are expected to travel around the U.S. and around the world. That adds another layer of concern.

But whether you're talking about this new variant or the Delta variant, health experts say that getting the vaccine and the booster shot that is still your best bet to fight against COVID 19.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAUREN MOON, SEQUENCING MANAGER, MAKO MEDICAL'S NEXT GENERATION SEQUENCING LAB, NORTH CAROLINA.: So, there are like millions upon millions of tiny little microscopic wells on here.

ROMERO (voice-over): About 30,000 COVID-19 positive samples tested per day by North Carolina diagnostic laboratory, MAKO Medical, a key step in tracing the spread of the Omicron variant.

[12:25:05]

MATTHEW TUGWELL, DIRECTOR OF GENOMICS, MACO MEDICAL: At every time they transmits from a person to another person, it's another chance for the virus to mutate and change into something different.

ROMERO: Last week, South Africa became the first to announce it had identified the Omicron variant. But we now know that even then, the variant was already present in the United States. The day after Thanksgiving, the Biden administration announced travelers from eight countries in southern Africa would not be allowed into the U.S., sparking international criticism.

But a week later, the administration making this announcement.

JEFFREY ZIENTS, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE COORDINATOR: Already we have shipped for free, with no strings attached, 291 million doses to 110 different countries. That's more vaccines donated and shipped by the United States than all other countries in the world combined.

A welcome move by the World Health Organization.

Dr. MARGARET HARRIS, SPOKESWOMAN, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: And that is great because it's -- I'm sorry that it took Omicron to make people understand how serious this is, because we have been saying, and you've been saying that we need to vaccinate the whole world so that we don't give the virus a chance to turn itself into a more effective version.

ROMERO: To fight this variant, the makers of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine say they can modify their current vaccine formula, but it will take time.

UGUR SAHIN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BIONTECH: If we develop a vaccine, a new vaccine, we will most likely not be able to prevent the first wave of infections -- was a new vaccine, because it will take about 100 day, yes, to develop a new and distribute a new vaccine, or start to distribute anew vaccine.

ROMERO: While the Omicron variant is already here. The full extent of its potential to wreak havoc is still unknown.

DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL: What we do know is that early data and even mutation data are telling us that this may well be a more transmissible variant than Delta. And so, we're this is going to take some time to sort out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMERO (on camera): So, the Biden administration is rolling out new efforts to try to limit this winter surge of COVID-19. And one of those begins on Monday. A travel policy that requires all international travelers to be tested for COVID 19 and have a negative COVID test the day before they traveled to enter the country.

Fredericka, no travel restrictions or policies right now for domestic travelers. But you're starting to see more screenings and more COVID testing available at different airports all across the country.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Yes, lots of adjustments that are being made now and we know more will come too.

ROMERO: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Nadia, good to see you. All right, let's talk more about all this with Dr. Taison Bell. An assistant professor of medicine at the University of Virginia. Dr. Bell, good to see you again.

So, you just heard Nadia here about President Biden's winter plan for this pandemic. Is this enough in your view?

Oh, Dr. Taison Bell, are you able to hear me? This Fredricka in Atlanta.

Yes. Oh, but I can't hear you. I can see you, though. So, let's see if we can work. Actually, give me another audio check. If you can hear me, can you talk to me?

OK, we can't hear you. So, we're going to have to try and redress this. Dr. Taison Bell. Thanks so much.

All right, coming up, a 9-year-old Afghan girl sold into marriage by her father, then, CNN told her story. We'll tell you how the world responded, and where she is now. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. The Biden administration announced this week, their plan to tackle COVID this winter. We're going to try this again. We're bringing back now Dr. Taison Bell. Sorry for the technical problem. He's an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Virginia. It's so good to see you, Dr. Bell. You can hear me now?

DR. TAISON BELL, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, UNIV. OF VIRGINIA: Yes, I can hear you just fine.

WHITFIELD: OK. There we go. All right, so what's your thought about the Biden winter plan, and we're talking about negative tests for international travelers a day before arriving into the U.S. and increasing vaccination rates among adults in the U.S. just to name a few. Does this go far enough in your view?

BELL: I think this is a really good step, I think we really need to buff up our travel policies. Because we really don't want to ban people in countries, we want to keep cases out. And so buffing up testing and having testing done before travel, and then again after travel makes a lot of sense.

So I agree with that policy. We certainly do need to expand rapid testing. That's been one thing that I've really wanted to happen now for several months has a really good ability to try to decrease the spread, if you know that you're positive, the sooner the better.

The only issue is, we still need to bring costs down, being able to get a reimbursement through insurances, OK, but we really need to get the overall cost down and of course, expand access to boosters and primary vaccination and make sure that people are getting protected.

WHITFIELD: OK, and then, you know, post-Thanksgiving holiday, a lot of folks, a lot more people were getting together this holiday season. Now we're also saying the U.S. is averaging 100,000 daily cases, again, how serious of a concern is this for you? As we get into yet another holiday season. We're actually still in the midst of a holiday season.

BELL: Well, I got some unwelcome news on my phone during Thanksgiving gathering that there is Omicron variant, and that may potentially change how we look towards getting together for the Christmas holiday. We're seeing that cases are really exploded in, in South Africa it's already here.

There's community transmission. And we still need to learn a lot more about how it's going to affect our country people that are vaccinated, people that are unvaccinated. So I'm still at this point planning to travel but, you know, that could change any moment.

[12:35:16]

WHITFIELD: According to a U.K. Health Security Agency report this week, more than half of the people with confirmed Omicron cases in the U.K. had received at least two doses of a COVID vaccine, but no one died and no one was hospitalized. What does that tell you about the efficacy of these vaccines against that new variant?

BELL: Well, we should not expect that vaccine protection should be an on or off switch. You can expect that people who have vaccine induced immunity, especially if they're boosted should have protection. Omicron variant might erode some of that protection, but it still should be there. Natural immunity is certainly seems to struggle against the Omicron variants.

That's another argument to expand boosters and vaccinations. But it is a good sign that we haven't seen hospitalizations in South Africa. Pick up on people that are fully vaccinated. But it really is important if there is any reason to get a vaccine dose, now it really is the time.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dr. Taison Bell, thanks for hanging with us on that. Appreciate it.

BELL: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right now to an update on a very disturbing story that triggered an international outcry. Last month, CNN brought you exclusive reporting about child marriage in Afghanistan, and many of you were especially disturbed by the case of a nine-year-old Parwana, who was sold into marriage to a 55-year-old man for about $2,000. CNN was granted rare permission to document the final sale and handover. Well following our story, a nonprofit group intervened and rescued Parwana. CNN's Anna Coren has this exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An Iranian love song plays from a cassette as the driver navigates his

way through the snow dusted layman valley in northwestern Afghanistan. Rammed in the back of his station wagon is a mother and her six children who've just left behind a life of constant struggle and hardship, all they've ever known, among them, nine-year-old Parwana.

Our cameraman Siddiqui asked her how she's feeling. I'm so happy she says with a beaming smile. CNN met Parwana dressed in pink, in an internally displaced camp in Badghis Province back in October. Her father claims he was selling her to feed the rest of the family as a humanitarian crisis grips the country.

He'd already sold his 12-year-old into marriage and told CNN that unless his situation improved, he would have to sell his four remaining daughters as well, including the youngest just two. If I didn't have these daughters to sell he asked, what should I do?

Parwana's buyer who lived in a nearby village confirmed he was taking the nine-year-old as his second wife.

QORBAN, BUYER OF PARWANA (through translator): I'm 55 years old. I have a wife with four daughters and a son. I bought her for myself. I will wait until she becomes older.

COREN (voice-over): CNN was granted rare access to film the final payment and handover. The buyer asked for it to take place at a house in his village and not the camp for security reasons. He paid a total of 200,000 Afghanis just over 2,000 U.S. dollars for Parwana inland, shape, and cash.

This is your bride please take care of her, says Parwana's father. Of course I will take care of her replies the man. As he drags her away, she whimpers. Moments later, she digs her heels into the dirt, refusing to go, but it's hopeless. CNN story caused an outcry.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: -- in a distressing story out of Afghanistan showing the --

COREN (voice-over): The network was inundated with offers of help from the public, aid organizations, and NGOs wanting to assist Parwana and the other girls featured in our story. The U.S.-based charity Too Young to Wed took the lead.

Its founding executive director Stephanie Sinclair has been working to end child marriage and help vulnerable girls around the world for almost 20 years. She says the perfect storm is brewing in Afghanistan, and it's the girls that are suffering.

STEPHANIE SINCLAIR, FOUNDER, TOO YOUNG TO WED: I know these stories are difficult to watch and they're difficult to do. And they bring in around a lot of concern but at the same time we need to keep people understanding that this is happening. We need to keep ringing the alarm bell, understand these are real girls and real lives and they can be changed.

[12:40:05] COREN (voice-over): Within Badghis Province there was widespread backlash towards Parwana's father and the buyer after our story went to wear with claims they brought shame on the community. Even the Taliban told CNN, the practice is forbidden.

MAWLAWI BAZ MOHAMMAD SARWARY, BADGHIS INFORMATION & CULTURE DIRECTORATE (through translator): I request everyone not to sell their children. Child marriage is not a good thing. And we condemn it.

COREN (voice-over): Women's rights activist and U.S. citizen Mahbouba Seraj who chose to stay in Kabul after the Taliban swept to power in August to run her women's shelter says Parwana's case is just the tip of the iceberg.

MAHBOUBA SERAJ, AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: There is a lot of misery. There is a lot of mistreatment. There is a lot of abuse is involved in these things. And it will keep on happening with the hunger, with the winter, with poverty.

COREN (voice-over): As a result of the controversy caused by the story and intervention from the charity. Parwana was allowed to return home after almost two weeks with the buyer's family. Since Parwana has been rescued, I'm very happy for that says Parwana's father. He admitted to CNN that under duress from the community and some local media outlets, he changed his story out of embarrassment for what he had done and apologized.

The buyer is unreachable for comment, but the debt is still outstanding. Too Young to Wed then organized to have Parwana, her mother, and siblings removed from the camp with the father's permission. Before our journey to neighboring Herat province was broken up with some childhood fun before arriving at the motel. The children who've only ever lived in a tent, the novelty of being warm, fed, and safe wasn't there enough.

They rescued me. They've given me a new life says Parwana. I think the charity for helping me. A few days later they moved into the safe house. Parwana's mother, 27-year-old Reza Gul has never lived in a house. She was sold into marriage at 13 and has since had seven children, six of whom were girls. Most days in the camp she would beg for food. And often her family would go to sleep hungry. Now all she wants is to give her children a better life.

I have a dream, a wish they go to school and start an education she says. I have a lot of wishes for them. Too Young to Wed has already begun distributing aid to Parwana's has impoverished camp among others. While the small charity is prepared to bridge the gap, they're calling on the large aid organizations to step up.

SINCLAIR: These are communities that have relied on international aid for the last 20 years. And so with a lot of that aid stopping, these people didn't stop needing support. And we can't let them pay the price, you know, because ultimately girls always pay the biggest price.

COREN (voice-over): I speak to Parwana on zoom through my colleague Besia (ph).

(on camera): Hello Parwana, I'm Anna.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you? How are you feeling?

COREN: I'm very good. Thank you. How are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm fine. I'm so happy. I'm safe. I rescued.

COREN: Then she asks, when are you sending me to school? She wants to study and become a doctor or a teacher. But fairytale endings are few and far between for girls in Afghanistan, even more so now than ever.

Anna Coren, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Powerful.

[12:43:47]

All right, still ahead, supply chain issues, inflation, labor shortages, how food banks are fighting to survive the pandemic, the president and chief operating officer of Feeding America joining me live next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. At the height of the pandemic, food banks felt the impact from increased demand. And now they're dealing with a new set of challenges, supply chain disruptions and inflation are making it more expensive for food banks to purchase and send food nationwide. Joining me right now is Katie Fitzgerald. She is the president and chief operating officer of Feeding America. Katie, so good to see you.

KATIE FITZGERALD, PRESIDENT & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, FEEDING AMERICA: Thank you. It's so good to be on.

WHITFIELD: Wonderful. So, you know, none of these very tough times. I mean, this is a set of problems uniquely created by the pandemic. And the USDA says 38 million Americans face food insecurity right now. So what did the holidays mean for demand on food banks so that you can reach out and help as many people as you need to?

FITZGERALD: Yes, so ever since the pandemic began, the charitable food system in the public sector has done an extraordinary job responding to food insecurity. But this is really another perfect storm that we're seeing here with the elevated food prices and the ongoing challenges in the supply chain is really making a situation where people are struggling to put food on the table. At the same time as you mentioned, food banks are really struggling and being hit hard by this need.

WHITFIELD: As big as your organization is, are you worried that you're not going to be able to meet the needs of everyone in the way in which you're accustomed to doing?

FITZGERALD: We're not worried. We're not going to be able to meet the needs. But food banks are having to go to great lengths to problem solve around the challenges we're seeing. So some of the challenges we're seeing in the supply chain and with the elevated food prices include a decline in donated food where some of the food that normally would come to us is moving to the secondary market because it's more profitable for it to be there.

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We're also just as you mentioned, seeing immense pressure on the cost of doing business. So food banks, a lot of folks don't realize have to pay to move even donated food across the country. So our transportation costs are up about 20 percent. Labor costs are up.

And then the only way we were able to get through the pandemic thus far, is through purchasing food. We purchased about 60 percent more food last year. And so what food banks are doing is they're substituting items. In some cases, they're having to diminish some portion sizes, just to make sure that they can meet all the need.

WHITFIELD: So, you know, when you say that, you know, food prices rise and so does food insecurity, are boosts and federal benefits such as food stamps and child tax credit in any way helpful?

FITZGERALD: Oh, immensely helpful. And, you know, the good news here is that hunger in America is a solvable problem. But it does require a public and private response. So what we know from recent research reported is that the stimulus checks and the child tax credit and the summer program that USDA put into place in partnership with many of our food banks, actually decreased hunger in the United States so far, and we need to keep those supports in place combined with our private sector response.

So we are we are currently asking Congress to take action for constituents all across this country impacted in every county to continue to extend the Child Tax Credit, those payments, those last payments are coming this month, and to also invest additional dollars in the emergency food assistance program.

Right now, the commodities that the Feeding America network gets through the USDA is down about 30 percent, the commodity food. And we need that food. It is the backbone of our response to continue and to be increased.

WHITFIELD: So you also need donations in other ways, in a very big way. So how has your organization Feeding America intensified or change your donation campaigns, such as you know, with television ads, you know, try to get people if they can to be even more generous this year?

FITZGERALD: Well, you know, we want to use all the dollars that folks give to us to feed people. So we tend to not buy advertising. We really depend on generous folks in the Ad Council and elsewhere to help us get the message out. And folks like you, Fredricka, so thank you for this kind of attention.

But, yes, funds help immensely right now. And people can go to feedingamerica.org to make a donation to their local food bank. Because again, the only way we've been able to get through these elevated levels of demand is through purchasing food, and through the U.S. commodity food combined with the donated food that we are able to receive.

WHITFIELD: We're glad to be able to help get the word out because clearly the need is great and getting greater every day. Katie Fitzgerald, thank you so much. And thanks for all that you're doing on behalf of so many who have been leaning on you.

FITZGERALD: Thank you so much.

WHITFIELD: All right, the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2021 have been announced and one of whom will be named the CNN Hero of the Year by you. So in the last week of voting, let us reintroduce another of our incredible top 10.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the Island of Bali, tourism, the driving economic force in the region practically came to a halt. And thousands of people were left out of work and at risk of going hungry. This top 10 CNN Hero found a way to help his community by implementing a simple plan, empower people to trade in collected plastic waste for rice.

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MADE JANUR YASA, FOUNDER OF PLASTIC EXCHANGE: I keep going with this mission because people empowered because people get excited because of the community that respond into this initiative. I see the smile in their face. I see the cleaner environments. And also I see they can provide for their family.

This initiative is so simple. And we can do this in every community. We clean the environment. We feed the people. And they're proud doing this. My goal is to really spread this movement. I want to inspire people that everything is possible. There is no small dream, if you believe and you do it with the community and you will succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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WHITFIELD: Wow. And it's clear he's getting a lot of people engage, Janur's program, Plastic Exchange has spread to more than 200 villages and collected nearly 300 tons of plastic for recycling. Go to CNNHeroes.com right now to vote for him for CNN Hero of the Year or any of your favorite top 10 heroes, and we'll be right back.

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