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Police: Surviving Roommates Could Be "Key To This Whole Thing"; Still No Suspects In Horrific Stabbing Deaths Of 4 College Students; At Least 24 Cases Of Measles Identified At Oh Day Cares Schools; Texas Woman Says State's Abortion Law Put Her Life In Danger; From Ukraine To Carnegie Hall: One Teen's Journey. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired November 18, 2022 - 10:30   ET

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


[10:30:00]

SALLY KRUTZIG, REPORTER, IDAHO STATESMAN: Yes, the interesting thing was those two roommates were in the house at the time of the killing. I spoke to the mother of one of the victims, and she did confirm that they heard something. And so, I think, you know, they are cooperating with police. And I think what they have to say, what they heard will tell police a lot about where they should be looking.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Wow.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: So just reiterating that, because that's the first time I've heard this. So you spoke with the mother of one of the victims, who spoke with one of those other roommates who survived. And they apparently heard something at some point in the night?

KRUTZIG: Yes. And, you know, the mother didn't want to say what they heard. But she did tell me, they heard something. They heard someone enter the house and heard something. We don't know. We don't know --

SCIUTTO: Wow.

KRUTZIG: -- what exactly they heard.

SCIUTTO: This is --

HILL: And it's also -- sorry, Jim, go ahead.

SCIUTTO: Mother of one of the victims or mother of one of the other roommates in the house?

KRUTZIG: The mother of one of the victims.

SCIUTTO: Understood. Sorry, Erica.

HILL: Oh, no, not at all. But it's also another thing we've been trying to get to the bottom of and I know you have as well, Sally, is who placed that 911 call that came at 11:58 a.m. Authorities are not confirming whether it was one of the roommates who placed that call, correct?

KRUTZIG: That's right. And the mother also told me that it was a friend who called, but we don't know if that friend was one of the roommates or was that, you know, someone else who came to the house around noon.

SCIUTTO: Right.

HILL: Did this mother say if she was getting enough answers?

KRUTZIG: No. And I think all of the family members are really frustrated right now at how little answers they are getting, you know, particularly around the fact that police are saying, you know, they've been -- they were saying for days that there was no threat to the community. And I think, you know, community member were like --

SCIUTTO: Yes.

KRUTZIG: -- well, how can you say there's no threat if there's also no suspect and they are frustrated.

SCIUTTO: So they've tried to walk that back now, they are encouraging people to, you know, take precautions, if they can. Is there any sense that they have any information about who the killer may be here?

KRUTZIG: They, if they do, they aren't saying. They have filthy that --

SCIUTTO: Right.

KRUTZIG: -- you know, there's no persons of interest, there's no suspects right now. Yes, so it's pretty odd that there's no one, you know, right now that they that they have, but I know that they are -- they're talking to a lot of, you know, friends and family members about who, you know, may possibly have motivated this. They didn't say they believe this is a targeted incident. And it wasn't random.

HILL: But unclear who specifically the target would be, correct?

KRUTZIG: Right.

HILL: And there's also -- do we know if the bodies were found together, Sally?

KRUTZIG: We don't. You know, that's another thing. You know, we asked police this and they said they would not confirm, you know, were they all in one room? Were they in different rooms? Were they in their beds? Police have said, you know, that's something we can't say right now.

SCIUTTO: Goodness. And listen, I mean, for you, you know, part of the community as well, this has to be tough for you to handle because I'm sure you and people you're close to are imagining ongoing threat to yourselves. There was -- and we talked about this on the air yesterday -- discussion of a previous incident earlier in the fall when someone with a knife threatened someone in the area, have police added any more detail as to whether there's a connection between that incident and this one? KRUTZIG: No, you know, and that was something that was asked as well, and police said, you know, we're not going to answer that question, either. But yes, about two months ago, an alert went out to students saying some -- a group of students were threatened with a knife. Please be, you know, aware.

HILL: Yes, it's a lot. Before we let you go, I know there was this vigil last night on campus. Can you just give us a sense of, you know, with this back and forth on there's not a threat now, there is a threat, we don't have a suspect. I mean, how are people doing in the community? How are they holding up?

SCIUTTO: Yes.

KRUTZIG: You know, I think it's been really difficult particularly for students at the University of Idaho. Many students went home early for Thanksgiving break. It wasn't set to begin yet. But right after the murder, so many went home, you know. We had one of our reporters go and, you know, knock on doors of neighbors and, you know, that area is full of students. All these students are renting these homes and there was just no one to be found because they were also scared. They understandably just rushed home early.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

HILL: It's a lot. Sally --

SCIUTTO: Sally, our best to you and the whole community there. For folks watching, there's a tip line from the Moscow Police Department. It's at the bottom of our screen right now. 208-883-7180. If you have any information, please do share it.

And Sally, thanks so much for joining us.

KRUTZIG: Thank you.

HILL: A 15-year-old Ukrainian who fled the war is set to make his Carnegie Hall debut this Sunday.

[10:35:02]

It's a bittersweet accomplishment because his family is still in Ukraine. He's going to join us next to talk about his journey.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: New developments in a measles outbreak that is sickened at least 24 children and potentially more. This is in Columbus, Ohio. Nine of the children were hospitalized. The CDC telling CNN, it is actually deploying a small team to that area to assist in the investigation of that outbreak.

[10:40:07]

CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard joins us now with more. Jacqueline, I know you've spoken with health officials in Columbus and the CDC. When this happens, oftentimes vaccination is an issue. What are we learning in this case?

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: That's right, Jim. And in this case, all of the children who have been confirmed of measles in this outbreak are unvaccinated. And public health officials I've talked to say this is just one example of what can happen when children are not up to date on their childhood immunizations and a highly contagious virus like measles enters the community and has an opportunity to spread.

Now I did speak with officials in Columbus just this morning. Here are the latest numbers. They said that while there are many children under investigation, they have confirmed 19 cases. Although as you referred to, Erica, many more are suspected and are under investigation. All of the children are unvaccinated.

And we should have a chart here explaining that these cases have been in 10 daycare centers and two schools. So that's part of the investigation. And these are young kids, Jim and Erica, they're under the age of four except for one who is six years old. Now again, the CDC has confirmed it's going to send a team to Columbus to help with this investigation.

And as I said, measles is highly contagious, so much so that if one person is infected, 90 percent of those who come in contact with that person will become infected themselves if they are not vaccinated. And that's why public health officials say make sure your kids are up to date on their immunizations, including the MMR, the measles mumps, and rubella vaccine. Jim and Erica?

SCIUTTO: It's safe, been around for decades.

HOWARD: Exactly.

SCIUTTO: Jacqueline Howard, thanks so much.

HILL: Well undercurrent Texas law, a mother may seek an abortion if she has a life-threatening physical condition that would risk her life during a pregnancy. Lawmakers though have not defined exactly which conditions, which situations may fall under that. And a doctor in violation of the law could actually lose their medical license and possibly receive a life sentence in prison.

SCIUTTO: Just one of the many consequences posts the Supreme Court's Roe decision, one woman in that state told CNN how the law not only put her life in danger, but because of it, she will never be able to carry a child. CNN's Elizabeth Cohen has her story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amanda and Josh Zurawski met in preschool, dated in high school, and three years ago, they married in Texas, and were thrilled to start a family. Then in August, when Amanda was 18 weeks, just four months pregnant, her water broke, losing the amniotic fluid her baby needed to survive. Her doctor told her -- AMANDA ZURAWSKI, TREATMENT DELAYED BECAUSE OF TEXAS LAW: You're 100

percent for sure going to lose your baby. We just kept asking isn't there anything we can do? Isn't there anything we can do? And the answer was no.

COHEN (voice-over): And then, as she would later write on Instagram, the nightmare got worse. Her doctor said because of anti-abortion laws in Texas, they couldn't terminate the pregnancy, even though Amanda was at a high risk for developing a life-threatening infection.

Texas law allows for abortion if the mother has a life-threatening physical condition that places her at risk of death or substantial impairment. But Texas lawmakers haven't spelled out what that means. They haven't said exactly when an abortion can be provided. A few days later, Amanda did develop an infection.

A. ZURAWSKI: I was shaking, my teeth were chattering. I was trying to tell Josh that I didn't feel good.

JOSH ZURAWSKI, AMANDA'S HUSBAND: Very quickly, she went downhill very, very fast. She was in a state I've never seen her in.

COHEN (voice-over): The bacterial infection spreading through her body could have been prevented if she'd been provided an abortion.

J. ZURAWSKI: These barbaric laws prevented her from getting any amount of health care when she needed it.

COHEN (voice-over): Finally, when her temperature hit 103 degrees, her doctors terminated the pregnancy. But Amanda was still sick. Her blood pressure crashed and she needed a blood transfusion.

A. ZURAWSKI: There's a lot of commotion and I said what's going on? And they said we're moving you to the ICU. And I said why? And they said you're developing symptoms of sepsis.

J. ZURAWSKI: That was when I was really scared I was going to lose her.

COHEN (voice-over): They named their daughter Willow (ph), her ashes in this necklace. And now, Amanda may not be able to have another child because her uterus is so scarred from the infection and infection that didn't have to happen.

J. ZURAWSKI: Amanda almost died. That's not pro-life. Amanda will have challenges in the future. Having more kids, that's not pro-life.

A. ZURAWSKI: Nothing about it feels pro-life.

COHEN (voice-over): Now Amanda and Josh left heartbroken in the aftermath of Texas's anti-abortion laws.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[10:45:05]

SCIUTTO: Poor family. Well CNN reached out to Texas legislators who sponsored the anti-abortion laws to gather their thoughts on a man that Josh's story, none of them responded. The Zurawskis continued to speak out against this legislation and share their story in an ad to support the Democrat Beto O'Rourke's Texas gubernatorial run.

HILL: Up next here, we are joined in the studio by a 15-year-old from Ukraine with a pretty remarkable story to share. Forced to leave his country because of the war. He had just a backpack and the instrument he loves to play. Now he's about to make his debut at Carnegie Hall. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:28]

(CHEERS)

SCIUTTO: Those cheers broke out in an apartment complex in Odesa, Ukraine. Why? Because power was restored. Ukraine's Prime Minister says the recent Russian barrage of missiles took out about half the nation's energy system, it left millions without power. Its temperatures have been falling there.

HILL: Well the war as we know has forever changed the lives of millions of Ukrainians. You're about to meet a 15-year-old who was one of them. He left the city of Dnipro in February with just his backpack and his bassoon. Dmytro Tishyn, who goes by Dima, waited in the packed crowds of evacuees. Eventually, he would take a 24-hour train ride to Poland. Then it was on to Berlin. And after months to the United States.

This weekend, he will make his New York City debut at Carnegie Hall. Dima is here with me now along with Shauna Quill, who's the Executive Director of the New York Youth Symphony. It's great to have you both in the studio. Dima, this is a really big weekend for you.

DMYTRO TISHYN, UKRAINIAN STUDENT WHO FLED WAR: It is.

HILL: How do you feel about playing on that famous stage?

TISHYN: I'm really excited because New York Youth Symphony is definitely the best orchestra I've ever played in. And it's just going to be great.

HILL: Yes. You will also be -- this is not your dad's bassoon.

TISHYN: Bassoon.

HILL: But that's getting a little work, I understand it, but you will be playing his instrument on Sunday.

TISHYN: I hope so, yes.

HILL: Yes. That must mean a lot that you have that instrument with you? Yes. Your family is in Ukraine. You have an older brother who couldn't leave because of his age. I know your mom was here with you for a little bit, but she's back in Ukraine.

TISHYN: Yes.

HILL: You talk to them a lot?

TISHYN: I tried to call them or text at least every day, but the time difference is pretty big. So it's sometimes it's hard to do.

HILL: Yes. But they wanted you to be here because it's safer? Yes?

TISHYN: Yes.

HILL: Are you glad that you're here?

TISHYN: I'm happy to be here.

HILL: Yes. How is your family doing in Ukraine?

TISHYN: Well, it's definitely not safe there because there are rockets and drones flying around Dnipro, like every day. And yesterday, my mom found the rocket fragments on my grandma's garden. So it's, yes, but they're trying to stay positive.

HILL: Yes.

TISHYN: I think, yes.

HILL: It sounds like you are too. They must be very proud of you.

TISHYN: Maybe.

HILL: Yes, maybe. Shauna, I'm guessing they might be.

SHAUNA QUILL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NEW YORK YOUTH SYMPHONY: Yes. Yes, absolutely. How could they not be. And, you know, Dima's here with a lovely family, who, their children were in New York Youth Symphony a few years ago. So now I just -- I'm thrilled that he's part of this new family of New York Youth Symphony.

HILL: He said this is the best orchestra he's ever played with. What has it been like for the other kids who are part of the orchestra also to have Dima join them?

QUILL: Right.

HILL: I mean, that adds a whole new level of conversation and experience for them.

QUILL: It does. I think at first, you know, we go away on a kickoff retreat to Long Island, and they were a little tentative, you know, and his English even has gotten better since he began. And now, of course, he's in school. So, but I think they were curious. But I think, you know, the conversations have been wonderful. And they're very welcoming. We actually have a lot of international students, because sometimes people come here for college and play with us.

HILL: Yes.

QUILL: So, it's a -- but when they're together, it's one ensemble.

HILL: And we talked about this a lot, but music is such an incredible universal language --

QUILL: Exactly.

HILL: -- and it can bring people together in such a beautiful way. And you must be seeing that on a daily basis.

QUILL: Yes, I'm so inspired by them. They really do come together as one ensemble and the sound they create together, the music they make together, it's magical. So when they go to Carnegie Hall and play, it's just like you can't imagine.

HILL: Yes.

QUILL: You know, and you just close your eyes. They're amazing.

HILL: You're a mom. So I imagine you're feeling some of these moments, as you look at Dima and you know what it's like for your child to have that moment --

QUILL: Yes.

HILL: -- and how difficult to not be there. But I know you're going to make some of this available --

QUILL: Yes.

HILL: -- with Dima's family.

QUILL: Yes, we're making videos so that we can send. We couldn't do the live stream --

HILL: Right.

QUILL: -- but we're making sure that they're part of the moment.

HILL: Right. And I know you've agreed to play a little something for us, which is why you're ready to go so that we can have you hook up there. And what are you going to play?

[10:55:02]

TISHYN: I'm going to play just a little bit of Sonata Marcello.

HILL: OK. And this is one of your favorite pieces?

TISHYN: It's probably not, but --

HILL: But you're going to play it really well that I know. Yes.

TISHYN: Yes.

HILL: It's going to be -- go ahead. Yes, if you want to start suiting up, it's going to be quite a big weekend.

QUILL: Yes.

HILL: So we're excited that -- I'm excited for all of you and that you're able to share this with us and excited that your parents back home will get to see some of it too. And I will have you play us out.

Dima and Shauna, thank you.

QUILL: Thank you.

(MUSIC)

TISHYN: Thank you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)