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Millions of California Residents Under Flood Watch Due to Ongoing Severe Storms; Massive Flooding May Cut Off Monterey Peninsula in California; Alabama and Georgia Recovering from Damage Due to Severe Storms; Russia Launches Numerous Missile Attacks across Ukraine. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired January 14, 2023 - 10:00   ET

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

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[10:00:40]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Buenos dias. Good morning. Saturday, January 14th. Welcome to your weekend. I'm Boris Sanchez.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Good to be with you, Boris. I'm Amara Walker. You're in the CNN Newsroom.

And we begin this morning out west where more than 25 million people across much of California's coastline are under flood watches this weekend.

SANCHEZ: Only two to four inches of rain are expected today, but keep in mind, recent storms, which have already killed at least 19 people, have left the ground extremely saturated in many areas, meaning that even the tiniest bit of rain could lead to floods and mudslides. Officials says that residents should be cautious venturing out in today's storm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY WARD, DIRECTOR FO THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES: We are not out of the woods yet. The threat to communities remains and waters will continue to rise even after these storms have passed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Very heavy snow is also in the forecast for the Sierras, with an additional three to six feet of fresh snow expected through Monday.

SANCHEZ: The big concern this morning is in northern California where officials are worried massive flooding could cut homes on the Monterey peninsula completely off from the rest of the state. With us now to discuss is the sheriff of Monterey County, California, Sheriff Tina Nieto. Sheriff, we're grateful that you are sharing part of what I imagine is going to be a very busy day for you today. Give us an update on how things are right now, and which areas specifically are you most concerned about? SHERIFF TINA NIETO, MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: So, good morning,

Boris and Amara. I can tell you that we have been watching the storms since December 26th. That's a long time. That's over two weeks. And we are concerned about it because it's a slow-moving event. Unlike wildfires, when rivers are cresting, we are watching the crests, right now we are watching them in the Spreckels area. We're talking about the Salinas River. This is John Steinbeck's river. And it moves slowly, but like John Steinbeck said, it can be a dangerous river. And, unfortunately, to get to the Monterey peninsula, we only have like three ways to get in, and these are all areas that could be overcome by flooding, depending on mother nature and the amount of rain that she dumps on us. And I've got to tell you, I'm listening to the rain right now, and it does concern me a little bit. But I'm optimistically hoping that she slows down.

SANCHEZ: Yes, we all are. To put things it in perspective, just in the last few weeks more people have been killed because of these storms than were killed in the entire last two wildfire seasons, so they have been just devastating. I'm wondering what your message it to resident in your area.

NIETO: We've been messaging the same thing since the beginning. People, with wildfires, as you said, people see the fires coming, they understand the danger to it. But when it comes to water for whatever reason, and maybe because we don't get enough of it in the state of California, they see the river, they think it's pretty. And rivers are dangerous. The fury of a river, you don't know, standing water, you don't know how deep it is. One foot of water can move a car. We have lost life up and down the state from people who have driven into flooded areas thinking it was safe and caught in their cars, people trapped in their homes, not heeding our evacuation orders and warnings. And then the fury of the ocean on top of that.

SANCHEZ: Sheriff, the last time the Monterey peninsula was cut off and made essentially into an island was in 1995. What kind of preparations are underway in case that happens?

NIETO: So we've been working with all our partners here in the county of Monterey, working with our federal and state partners, working with the National Guard, working with our public industries, working with our Ag industries. They've had a lot of flooding. And so we've prepositioned equipment up and down our coastline in Monterey. We're talking about 4,000 square miles. Monterey is a big county, and we have had flooding throughout the county.

So with these teams in place, if we have to do rescues, we are doing a lot of messaging out to people, we're asking them to pay attention to the county website, if they have questions to dial 211.

[10:05:02]

We're doing everything we can. Everybody is getting involved with it. And people need to pay attention. We've lost 20 lives now since this event started back in the end of December.

SANCHEZ: Yes, sheriff, would you recommend that some folks evacuate? Do you think they still have time?

NIETO: Well, here's what we're recommending. On the websites, and any county that is experiencing this flooding, it's not just here in Monterey. It's the counties south of us, it's the counties north of us. If you go to the websites, you can bring up the maps that show what areas are under warning. If you are under warning, we're asking you prepare. Prepare if you get that call to be able to evacuate out. If you are under evacuation, we're asking you please leave. We don't want to put your family in danger, We don't want to have to tell your loved ones that something tragic happened you to.

And not only that. The workers, public works, the first line responders, you put them in danger when they have to go in and do a rescue because you didn't heed the warnings that -- and the messaging that we are trying to get out.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it could also be very complicated if folks have to shelter in place for a few days and they are cut off from resources. Sheriff, I am wondering if you have anything that you want, perhaps state or federal officials, to hear about the situation that you are dealing with in California right now.

NIETO: Well, I would hope they would think about -- California has changed a little bit. I am native to California. I have grown up. We were used to the rain and now we are in droughts. And so one of the things is that with the ground being oversaturated there is nowhere for the water to go except into the rivers. Maybe we might think about how we collect that water, because we are still not out of drought conditions even though we are flooding.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Sheriff Tina Nieto, thank you so much for taking the time for us. Please let us know if there is any other message you want us to put out there and keep us up to date with the situation.

NIETO: Thank you, Boris and Amara. It's been a pleasure.

SANCHEZ: Thank you, Sheriff.

So California is soaked and still seeing rain, and a second system bringing even more rain is right now moving in.

WALKER: Yes, they need a break, and they are hoping for one soon. CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar tracking all of this from the CNN Weather Center. Will they get a break? Where is the system now?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, they will get a break, just not necessarily in the short term. We have a couple more systems to get through in the next few days before we finally see that long-term break. Right now, the heaviest rain is across portions of north and central California. We've got some pretty heavy bands north and right along that area near Sacramento.

One thing to note is we have all this rain incoming in the next 24 to 48 hours. So you have got more than 25 million people under flood watches. The thing is, it's not just about the new rain that's coming. Just like the sheriff mentioned, the ground is completely saturated in so many spots. And so it's a combination of the two that's really leading to the big flood concerns.

For example, if you just look at the last two to three weeks, a lot of these areas, Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara, have all had roughly six months of rain in just those two to three weeks. So again, it's a lot of rain, but also in a very short period of time, and now we are adding more rain and snow on top of it.

Here is a look going forward. You'll notice as we go through the day the bulk of the rain, which is right now is located in northern and central California, begins to spread into southern California, also into Nevada as well as Arizona. Then we get a teeny little break early Sunday before the next round arrives Sunday afternoon and evening, and this will likely continue into Monday as well, bringing additional rain and additional snow on top of it.

In addition to those things, you also have winds. Most of these areas you see here in orange under the wind advisory, you are talking wind gusts up around 50 miles per hour. But once you start getting up in the higher elevations, now you are talking wind gusts of 60, 70, even 80 miles per hour. So that's likely going to lead to some additional power outages and also the potential for some trees coming down.

Overall, most of these areas in terms of rainfall, you are talking about two to four inches. Snowfall, three to six feet in the Sierras up through Monday, which is why you have the winter storm warnings. But again, Boris and Amara, the good news here, we will finally see things dry out by the end of next week.

WALKER: Next week can't come soon enough. Allison Chinchar, thank you.

So recovery efforts are underway across the south, especially in Alabama and Georgia, after severe storms killed at least nine people Thursday night, including one child. At least 37 tornados were reported with one twister wrecking parts of Selma, Alabama, a historic American city known for its role in the Civil Rights movement.

SANCHEZ: And thousands are still without power and, get this, temperatures are dipping below freezing at night. Selma's mayor is asking residents to conserve water and to prepare for a rough few days ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[10:10:03]

MAYOR JAMES PERKINS JR., SELMA, ALABAMA: We just completed an aerial viewing assessing the damage of the city. It's tough. A lot of people are hurting. The devastation is real. We got a lot of work to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Mayor Perkins becoming emotional there. CNN's Ryan Young has more from hard-hit Selma.

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GOV. KAY IVEY, (R) ALABAMA: The roofs are just gone and trees look like toothpicks. And a lot of work to be done here.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Alabama Governor Kay Ivey visiting Selma today, witnessing the catastrophic damage left behind by violent tornados that ripped through the state Thursday afternoon. Residents left without homes and businesses.

CORETTA SMITH, SELMA, ALABAMA, RESIDENT: It's a lot to take. I have been trying to salvage what I can all day. And it's just hard. It's hard.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God, look. Oh, my God, this is beside us.

YOUNG: At least nine deaths have been reported following the severe storms that spawned more than 45 reported tornados across the southeast. Seven of the deaths in Autauga County, Alabama.

RICKY ADAMS, DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS, ALABAMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: It was a very intense storm. It may have even been on the ground more than 50 miles.

YOUNG: Alabama residents describing the sound of the storm as something like no other.

ALDRICK LANG, MOUNT VERNON, ALABAMA RESIDENT: Just out of nowhere I heard a sound I never heard before. It sounded like a freight train come through here. And the wind picked up so strong, I had to jump out, and I ran because everything was shaking like never before.

TREY TAYLOR, ALABAMA RESIDENT: It's a sad day for Selma. We've got a lot of healing to do here.

YOUNG: Many roads are blocked with fallen trees and debris, making it unsafe and difficult for some residents to get back to assess damage at their homes.

ADENA PUGH, MOUNT VERNON, ALABAMA RESIDENT: I have not been able to get back there to see what it looks like. The road that leads to my house is blocked and I couldn't even go around the other way.

YOUNG: In Georgia, a five-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on the vehicle he was traveling in.

GOV. BRIAN KEMP, (R) GEORGIA: Unfortunately, it's been a tragic night and morning in our state.

YOUNG: Tens of thousands of customers in Alabama and Georgia are still without power, and officials are warning residents that just because the storm has passed, the threat of damage from the storm has not.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

YOUNG (on camera): Boris and Amara, this is one of the scenes of where all the destruction is when it comes to this tornado. People said they were inside this store when they heard the tornado sirens. The roof started to shake and the windows went out very quickly. They all got down on the ground to try to ride out the storm. But as you can see over here, there were cars that were caught below the roof that fell on top of them. They only got out with seconds to spare because of the powerful winds from this tornado. People tell us they are going to be trying to get through this for the next few days.

WALKER: Yes, it's going to take some time. Ryan, thank you for your report.

An Alabama family says it is a miracle that they are alive today and to talk about their harrowing experience after a tornado ripped through their home, during Thursday night's severe weather across the southeast. I want to show you what's left of the house Randall McCloud called this home. They were trapped under all of this debris for three hours until first responders could get to them. But you have to hear how he describes what happened as the tornado was touching down. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RANDALL MCCLOUD, SURVIVED ALABAMA TORNADO: We heard the storm coming. And I had a cousin, he got my mother into the hallway, and I was going to the front door to see exactly which way it was coming from. And I opened the front door and the porch disappeared, and the trees started falling. So I tried to make to the hallway, get into there where they were at. And as I was stepping into the living room to get to the hallway, the whole floor system, living room and everything, just disappeared out from under my feet in just a flash. And I fell through the floor system and was able to crawl back out of the -- out off the ground up into the house and get into the hallway. And basically, all with we had left standing was the hallway that they were in and the small portion of the kitchen where I was standing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Harrowing experience. Randall McCloud there also said he was with his elderly mother and she, obviously, survived as well. So very lucky, but very sad as well.

Well, still ahead, the White House tries to go on with business as usual as questions mount over President Biden's handling of classified documents. What we're learning about the special counsel investigation and why Republicans say they are looking into the DOJ's response.

[10:15:05]

SANCHEZ: Plus, air raid sirens blaring across Ukraine this morning as Russia launches another wave of attacks. We'll take you live to Kyiv for the very latest.

WALKER: And police release new details in the case of a missing Massachusetts woman. What we are learning about her disappearance.

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WALKER: Air raid sirens blaring this morning in Kyiv just hours after Russia launched a missile attack on the capital city. SANCHEZ: Kyiv's mayor said the city was under attack as powerful

explosions rattled the area. There have been several strikes in multiple Ukrainian cities this morning, with reports of Russian missiles flying over several regions of that country. Our correspondent Scott McLean has been in Kyiv all morning. And Scott, you were at a demonstration in the middle of Kyiv, and you had to head to an underground shelter when those sirens started sounding. What's going on now?

[10:20:05]

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so it was not long after we left that demonstration that the sirens went off, so this was about three hours ago or so. And oftentimes, people in this city don't pay too much attention to the air raid sirens because they are a common occurrence. And especially over the last two weeks or so, there has not been any incoming. But this one was different. The authorities quickly warned people that there was incoming fire reported from the southern part of the country, and then quickly we started getting word of things actually landing in various areas.

So here in Kyiv, people went just inside of this metro station here to take shelter. There were hundreds of people down there with us taking shelter, deep, deep under the ground. Ordinary people, many with their children, elderly people as well. This has been a common occurrence for people. They have gotten pretty comfortable with living underground for hours on end. And that is what we saw today.

We have gotten reports of critical infrastructure has been damaged in the Lviv region in the far west part of the country, also in the central city of Dnipro. A residential apartment building was, from the picture we are seeing so far, very badly damaged. Officials say that 10 people were injured, two of them were children, and 15 actually had to be rescued from some of the debris, some of the rubble of that building.

We have also gotten word from the Kherson region in the northeastern part of Ukraine where officials say that there were two strikes on critical infrastructure as well, and so potentially there may be power cuts, emergency power cuts there as well. And that is the big concern when the Russians have gone after this kind of energy infrastructure is the ability for the system to actually function given the power needs for a country that is in the middle of winter where it is quite cold.

One other thing to quickly mention, Boris and Amara, is that there was some strikes that actually hit the Kyiv region earlier today. Those explosions woke me up. They were very clearly heard from the city center, and the sirens, the air raid alerts only went off after those actually came down. So this air raid alert system, it is extremely useful, but it is certainly not foolproof.

SANCHEZ: Fortunately, according to the mayor of Kyiv, no casualties to report in those attacks thus far. Scott McLean reporting from Kyiv, thank you so much. From eastern Europe to the Middle East now, because Iran has executed

a dual British-Iranian citizen, Alireza Akbari, after the country convicted him of being a spy for MI6. Tehran hanged the 61-year-old according to state media. Akbari was a former deputy defense minister in Iran who moved to the U.K. more than a decade ago.

WALKER: Now Britain is condemning the execution of one of its own. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says in a tweet, quote, "This was a callous and cowardly act carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people. My thoughts are with Alireza's family -- friends and family."

The White House is doing damage control after classified documents were uncovered from then Vice President Biden at two private locations. The next steps after the break.

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WALKER: Friday the 13th actually turned out to be a very lucky day for somebody, not you or me, Boris, but someone in Maine. A single ticket there won the Mega Millions jackpot worth $1.35 billion, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it wasn't us this time. But maybe soon, right? Fingers crossed.

(LAUGHTER)

WALKER: Please.

SANCHEZ: This was the second largest jackpot in the lottery's history, and the first time ever that someone from Maine has won the Mega Millions. The big winner has not yet come forward. I would be surprised if they do because they would have people hounding them all the time, loved ones, right? When they do come forward, though, they could take home a potential lump sum of cash, a payout of $724.6 million. And if that's you, first off, give Amara and I a call. We've got some really great investment opportunities, some great ideas. But also, you should stick around, because later this hour we have a wealth specialist to talk through what the best options are if you wind up a newly minted billionaire.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it's great to dream, right? Invest, yes, buy us some nice things. That's how you can invest your money if you are the lottery winner.

(LAUGHTER)

SANCHEZ: There is good news for the economy. There are new signs that inflation is finally slowing down, but a lot of consumers aren't exactly feeling that just yet because the cost of basics like food and housing still remain high.

WALKER: And you know fears of a recession are still looming. With that on their minds, regulators have more work ahead of them to get inflation back to a healthy level. CNN's chief business correspondent Christine Romans with more. (BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: A turning point in the national fight against rising prices. The consumer price index easing for six months in a row now, up 6.5 percent last month from a year earlier, down from 7.1 percent in November, and down from the 9.1 percent peak in the summer. Even more encourages, prices fell from November to December, the first time that has happened since the inflation crisis began in May of 2020.

A big relief, gasoline prices are falling. So are prices for used cars and televisions. But rent, mortgages, and grocery bills stayed high. Egg prices are up almost 60 percent from a year ago thanks to higher feed and fertilizer costs and a bird flu outbreak that has wiped out millions of chickens.

Wall Street took the inflation news as evidence the Fed's medicine is working and may be able to ease up on the aggressive rate hikes.

[10:30:01]

But there still is work to be done -- 6.5 percent inflation is still well above the Fed's target of two percent, so the Fed is not done raising rates just yet.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

SANCHEZ: Under pressure. President Biden is facing growing questions about his handling of classified documents.

WALKER: The Justice Department has appointed a special counsel to take over the investigation after documents were found in two of the president's private offices. Robert Hur was nominated to the federal bench by then-president Donald Trump. He is currently in private practice in D.C. and has been appointed the special counsel.

SANCHEZ: Right, and separately, Republicans are vowing to investigate the Department of Justice's handling of the case. They also are questioning whether former President Trump is being held to a different standard, a claim that some Democrats deny.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY, (R-CA) HOUSE SPEAKER: Well, what's so surprising to me is that this came out before the election. Why does his Department of Justice treat people differently? Why did they treat President Trump totally differently, the DOJ? What did they raid?

REP. JAMIE RASKIN, (D-MD) JANUARY 6TH SELECT COMMITTEE: Obviously, it would have been better had it not happened in the first place. But they've certainly dealt with it the right way.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WALKER: Let's bring in CNN White House reporter Arlette Saenz. Hi there, Arlette. You just received new information about what was found?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Amara. CNN has new reporting on what documents were found at President Biden's residence in Wilmington, Deleware. Our colleagues Paula Reid, Evan Perez, and Phil Mattingly reporting that they have learned that fewer than 10 of those documents had classified markings on them, and none found of the documents that were found at the president's residence had "top secret" put on those documents. That's the highest level of classification.

So far, this is bringing the total number of documents that have been found, that are known to have been found, to approximately 20. Now, the president's lawyers have previously said that they found some additional documents in his garage as well as an adjacent room. The attorney general had outlined that they had found those -- or that they were notified of those documents discovered at the residence December 20th with another item being found just earlier this week.

In addition to the documents at the residence, CNN has previously reported that there were 10 documents with the markings of classified found at the office down here in Washington, D.C., that Biden used after he had left the vice presidency. Included in those 10 classified documents were intelligence memos and briefing memos relighting to Ukraine, Iran, and the United Kingdom. There was also a memo that then Vice President Biden had written to President Obama as well as briefing memos preparing the former vice president at the time for phone calls with the prime minister of the United Kingdom as well as the president of the European Council.

This was all discovered back on November 2nd when the president's private lawyers were searching that Penn Biden Center office, and certainly there are so many more questions about how exactly these documents got to those places. But now we have that new reporting that there is about approximately 20 classified documents that were found between the office as well as the president's residence up in Delaware.

WALKER: Yes, a much smaller batch of classified documents found in Biden's offices versus what we're talking about that was seized at Mar-a-Lago. Arlette Saenz, thank you very much.

Let's dig a little deeper now into this document controversy. Joining us now is former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti, and CNN political analyst Laura Barron Lopez, White House correspondent for PBS. Welcome to you both, and good morning.

Renato, I'm going to start with you. There are two special counsels at the same time investigating a former and now a sitting president over the same issue, the handling of classified documents. But we should clarify, these are two very different investigations, right?

RENATO MARIOTTI, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: No question. I actually think that these two matters have at best a passing similarity. As a practical matter, the two investigations in many ways are very different. They are investigating different statutes and different behavior. In former President Trump's case, he willfully retained classified documents. He received letters from the government asking for their documents back. He refused to give them back. He was -- he received a grand jury subpoena, refused to comply with that. There was a personal visit from the Justice Department. They still didn't get the documents back.

It wasn't until there was alleged evidence of obstruction of justice that the Justice Department ultimately executed a search warrant at his residence to retrieve the documents without his permission. That's very different, obviously, than the case of President Biden, which really, to me a better analogy is the Hillary email case of 2016 where you have essentially what appears to be inadvertent mishandling of classified documents, a much different case and unlikely to generate charges.

[10:35:14]

WALKER: And just to follow up on that that, Renato, then, would you say much less legal exposure for Biden versus Trump?

MARIOTTI: No question. I would be very, very, very surprised if there are charges that result from the Biden email case. In fact, I think the analogy to Hillary is very good because I think in both cases the investigation itself is done in part for appearance purposes, to ensure the public that this is being taken seriously rather than as something that will result in criminal charges.

WALKER: Got it. So, from legal we love to talk politics, and of course the political exposure is huge, right? And, obviously, this is creating an opening for Republicans for quite a controversial showdown. How would you describe, Laura, President Biden's, I guess, handling of -- especially the drip, drip of disclosures. First it was Monday, the first batch that we heard about classified documents, and then days later it was a second batch, albeit a much smaller number of documents, 20 or so versus more than 300 that were seized in Mar-a- Lago.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: President Biden addressed this actually one of the first days that it was revealed that there was that first batch of documents. He said that he was surprised that he had those documents at the Washington office, and that he was told not to ask what was in them by his lawyers and wasn't aware of what was potentially in them.

So we know that he is getting a lot of advice from his legal counsel right now, his Special Counsel Richard Sauber who was brought over from the Veterans Affairs Department in the lead up to this new Congress because, you mentioned, Amara, that Republicans maybe have in new opening. I would argue they didn't need an opening because they were going to investigate President Biden regardless, whether it was about classified documents or about his son Hunter Biden or about other dealings with his administration.

So much of the investigations in these select committees that they are launching are all around President Biden. And also, actually, one of their new select committees to go after what they call the weaponization of federal government is about the FBI, and it's about the FBI in response to the fact that the FBI went in and seized these classified documents from Mar-a-Lago. And all along House Republicans had defended President Trump, have not gone after him for the handling of classified documents, even though it's very clear that the cases are different and that the former president resisted for more than a year returning these classified documents.

WALKER: Right. But even if these investigations are different, Renato, with these two special counsel investigations going on simultaneously, you can't, I guess, unmarry the politics from the legal, right? Especially if it comes to the outcome that doesn't pursue anything against Biden criminally but, let's say there are charges that come out against Trump, no matter what the facts are. How do you think that'll play?

MARIOTTI: Well, it's a great question. Obviously, I don't know exactly what Special Counsel Jack Smith who is investigating Trump is thinking. But I will say that that sort of consideration is not the sort of thing that prosecutors usually take into account. When I was a federal prosecutor, I wasn't considering when I was investigating and making charging decisions in a case what somebody on the next floor or a different office was doing. I wasn't going to pull punches on a bank robber or a child molester because some other bank robber might be charged or not charged.

I really think Jack Smith's purview is to make the right decision based on the facts and the law. That may have political ramifications and there may be a lot of political experts who could debate that. But from purely a legal perspective, these cases have nothing to do with each other, and I would expect Jack Smith to make a decision based on the facts before him.

WALKER: Out of time. Renato Mariotti and Laura Barron-Lopez, thank you both.

MARIOTTI: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: As the search continues for a missing Massachusetts mom, up next, we're going to hear from a former colleague of Ana Walshe on the community effort to find her.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:43:34]

SANCHEZ: The husband of a missing Massachusetts mother was accused of threatening to kill her even before they were married. That's according to a recently unearthed police report from 2014.

WALKER: But a police spokesperson says the case was closed because Ana Walshe, then Ana Knipp, refused to cooperate with the prosecution. This is just the latest disturbing details we're learning about the couple's relationship. CNN's Gloria Pazmino joins us now. Gloria, you spoke to a colleague of Ana Walshe. What did she tell you? GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Amara and Boris. We

have been trying to learn more about who Ana Walshe was and how her community is reacting to the fact that she has been missing for almost two weeks now. This is a community that is not only deeply disturbed by what they are learning about this case but also really worried about Ana and her children.

I want to start first with what we know about some of the disturbing facts of the case. We know that she was last seen on New Year's Day around four in the morning. Her husband, Brian Walshe, was seen on surveillance video at Home Depot where he spent several hundred dollars buying cleaning supplies. That's according to law enforcement sources. A missing person's report was filed, and there was a search that was conducted. Eventually Brian Walshe, the husband, a few days later was arrested and charged with misleading a police investigation.

[10:45:01]

Law enforcement sources have also told us they have found evidence of blood-stained materials and a hacksaw in the area near the home. Now, as I said, we were trying to learn more about Ana and what she was like, about her community. I want to play some of the sound that we just got from a former colleague of hers who spoke about what she was like at the workplace, a woman who was ambitious, full of life, always talking about her children, who had big dreams and aspirations for her future.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELA BARDHI, FORMER COLLEAGUE OF ANA WALSHE: Everyone is shattered. Everybody is looking at this. And I think everyone across the world looking at this case feels a connection to Ana and feels this sense of empathy. And I feel that collectively, the world knows something awful has happened. Seeing everybody come together in the midst of all of this has really been beautiful in such a dark time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: A lot of that community also concerned with the future of Ana's three children and what will happen to them in the next few couple of weeks going forward. They are currently in the custody of the state, and we are awaiting to learn more from investigators to see what other evidence is found in this case and whether or not any other charges will be brought against the husband.

WALKER: That's another heartbreaking part, right, these three children. And hopefully, they can at least be kept together in state custody for now. Gloria Pazmino, thank you very much.

Back after this.

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[10:50:58]

WALKER: Someone is waking up much richer this morning, and it's not most of us. Officials say a single winning ticket was sold at a gas station in Lebanon, Maine. So the winning numbers that secured the jackpot was worth more than $1.35 billion, or a lump sum payment of $724.6 million.

SANCHEZ: So in the off chance you might suddenly become a millionaire or even a billionaire, Daniel Scott Johnson is here with us to explain your best options. He is a sudden wealth specialist and a founder of Windfall Advisors. Daniel, let's start with the most important piece of advice you have for the winners of lottery jackpots.

DANIEL SCOTT JOHNSON, SUDDEN WEALTH SPECIALIST: Hey, guys. Yes, thanks for having me on this morning. I would say, number one, this individual is certainly going to be experiencing a great deal of shock. And my advice is to first sign the back of the ticket, because I believe Maine does not have -- they do not, if you lose your ticket or if it's damaged, there is no warranties, I believe, on that. And then to keep it in safekeeping.

And then, two, I say for instant winners, do not tell anybody. Stay discrete. Do not -- definitely don't go to the claim ticket right away because, especially at this level of fortune, this individual is going to be targeted by cybersecurity, identity theft. All sorts of fraudsters are going to come at this individual. So I think it's crucial to just take a moment, take a couple of weeks, don't change your life. If you are still working, continue to go to work. Don't change anything in your life.

Protecting your identity is going to be absolutely key. So my second piece of advice, critical, is, especially at this dollar amount, is to seek professional expert advice, myself at Windfall Advisors as well as an estate planning attorney to figure out claiming your ticket as far as to keep your identity discreet, you can set up an LLC or a trust to go claim that ticket. And there is no need to rush because Maine has a one-year period to claim that, to claim that period.

WALKER: I think it's going to be hard to convince a lottery winner to not quit their job. I'm just saying. But that's very good advice. Just really quickly, we have like 15 seconds left. What's the worst thing someone can do with the money that they weren't expecting to get?

JOHNSON: Make the decision on a lump sum versus annuity payout, because a lot depends on their personality and their behavioral traits and habits. So somebody might need the guardrails of an annuity to protect themselves, their well-being for the rest of their lives. And that's what we are mostly concerned about is windfall recipients, ensuring the longevity and well-being the rest of their lives.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it might be the disciplined thing to do. Perhaps not the most fun. Anyway, Daniel Scott Johnson, thank you so much for the time. We appreciate it.

WALKER: Lump sum.

JOHNSON: Yes, thanks for having me.

WALKER: I'm all about the lump sum. Thanks for watching everyone. There is much more ahead in the next

hour of CNN Newsroom. Fredricka Whitfield is up.

SANCHEZ: Yes, but before we go, catch the CNN film "Navalny" airing tonight at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN. Here's a preview.

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[14:55:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It's Alexei Navalny calling, and I was hoping you could tell me why you wanted to kill me?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Remarkably, Vladimir Putin faces a legitimate opponent, Alexei Navalny.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't want Putin being president. If I want to be a leader of a country, I have to organize people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Kremlin hates Navalny so much that they refuse to say his name.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Passengers heard Navalny cry out in agony.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, poisoned? Seriously?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are creating the coalition to fight this regime.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you are killed, what message do you leave behind to the Russian people?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's very simple. Never give up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Navalny," tonight at 9:00 on CNN.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

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