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Police: Mother & Baby Among 6 People Killed In CA "Massacre"; Ana Walshe First Reported Missing By Employer, Not Husband; China's Population Shank In 2022 For First Time In 60+ Years As Economy Grew Well Below Expectations; Study Highlights Serious Risks Of COVID During Pregnancy; Arizona Suburb Suing Scottsdale For Cutting Off Its Water. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired January 17, 2023 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00]

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And besides that 6-month-old baby, there was also the baby's 17-year-old mother. Both were shot in the head.

However, officials are saying that they were familiar with this house. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE BOUDREAUX, SHERIFF, TULARE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: We also believe that this is not a random act of violence. We believe that this was a targeted family.

We believe that there are gang associations involved in this scene as well as potential narcotics investigations. As of a week ago, we as the sheriff's office, actually conducted narcotic search warrants at this residence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: Now they're saying because of the sophistication, because of the brutality of this, they do think it may be cartel related but that's not completely clear. They're looking for two suspects.

But when you look at overall how this story played out and the fact that there are surviving members of the family that they did take away from this home, they're hoping to learn more.

But no matter what, just to hear that people were killed in this way is just terrifying and scary, no doubt?

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Yes, yes, it really is.

Stephanie, appreciate it. Thank you.

There's a new twist to report in the case of a missing mother in New England. According to police logs just obtained by CNN, it was Ana Walshe's employer and not her husband who reported her missing.

CNN's Jason Carroll has been digging on this. And he joins us now from Cohasset, Massachusetts.

Another piece of evidence here that doesn't look so good, right? Brian Walshe has, at this point, still been charged with misleading statement, nothing in connection with anything that may have happened to Ana Walshe?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He has been charged, as you say, with misleading police.

But you take a look at that police log -- and we looked at it on January 4th -- and it really confirms, Erica, what prosecutors said last week.

Which is basically that what happened is her place where she worked, where she was employed in Washington, D.C., the real estate firm, the head of security was the one who called the Cohasset police and said that she was missing, not her husband.

And so that's just another question in a case where there have been so many questions about his behavior and some of the things he's been accused of doing. These, of course, will be part of the prosecution's case as they move forward.

The question now being, what's the prosecution going to do next? And there are really two options. They could, one, file a formal complaint with the district court on various charges if they have the evidence that they need.

Or, two, they could wait for the grand jury to indict. So we're still waiting to see what the prosecution's next move is going to be.

Also waiting for test results, waiting to see if we're going to hear about those.

As you know, they have put out some tests on the hacksaw that was recovered from that trash facility. Also on the bloodstains in the basement of the home. So waiting for test results.

Also waiting to hear what the prosecution's move will be next -- Erica?

HILL: We will be watching and keep us posted as soon as there are further developments.

Jason, thank you.

A growing crisis in China. Literally growing. The population in that country shrinking for the first time in more than 60 years. The impact of though, that, not going to be felt in China alone. Why the rest of the world will feel it, too.

And a new study stresses how severe the risks are if you get COVID while you're pregnant. We have those details. Stay with us.

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[13:37:53]

HILL: New today, an alarming milestone for China. For the first time in decades, it's population is shrinking. That means, in 2022, the deaths in China outnumbered births.

What else we're seeing is that China's economy is also slowing and that could cause problems for the rest of the world.

Here's Marc Stewart with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The headline is significant. China's population shrank last year, the first time this has happened in more than 60 years, a decline of about 850,000 people.

Let's break this down and look at some of the reasons why.

First, priorities are changing. We're getting married later and some young people are not having children at all.

In addition, Beijing held a controversial one-child position until 2015. But it was relaxed because of concerns about the population.

In 2021, three children were then allowed and a plan was released to strengthen maternity leave and offer tax deductions.

In addition to all of this, the cost of living in China is high. So is education.

And then there's just general economic uncertainty. That can all impact decision-making.

So what are the takeaways from this? The United Nations is predicting India will surpass China to become the most populated country this year.

And then there are the economic implications. This means an aging workforce without a pipeline into the future. That could impact productivity and, in turn, economic success.

Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, has raised these demographic challenges, saying boosting birth rates and addressing the cost of raising a child will be part of future policy.

Marc Stewart, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: Here in the U.S., dire warnings about the risks of getting COVID while pregnant. A new study shows the virus increases the odds of serious illness and death for both mothers and babies.

CNN medical correspondent, Dr. Tara Narula, joining us now.

I mean, this is -- I would say very troubling on the one hand, and on the other, not entirely surprising.

[13:39:59]

DR. TARA NARULA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. Yes, and this was a really large study. This was essentially 12 studies they reviewed together from 12 countries, around 13,000 pregnant women, 11,000 without COVID, 2,000 who tested COVID positive during the pregnancy.

And they did find there was an increase in not only maternal morbidity fatality but also effects on the baby.

So they did see that, for women who tested positive for COVID, there was a four times increased risk of having to go to the ICU, a 15-times more higher likelihood of needed to be ventilated, and a seven-times increase likelihood of death.

In addition, they saw more hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, things like pre-eclampsia and clotting disorders during pregnancy.

And for the baby, increases in preterm delivery, low birth weight and the need for the baby to go to the neonatal ICU.

None of this paints a pretty picture for getting COVID during pregnancy and highlights the need for vaccination.

HILL: Which is what I was going to ask you next is that it does. It underscores how important that vaccine can be, because we know that the vaccines, most cases, mean less severe illness, less death.

NARULA: Correct. And so for anyone who is still weighing the risk and benefits, this is really a lot of data to support, again, the value of getting vaccinated at any point during the pregnancy.

Actually the CDC, the ACOG, American College of Ob/Gyns, the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine are all groups that really are pushing for women to get vaccinated, if they're pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, to treat women for COVID if they develop it during pregnancy.

And also important to note, pregnant women pass on antibodies to the baby, babies who cannot get vaccinated until six months. So providing protection as well during that early period of life.

And there's about zero countries, a little more than 80 now that don't push recommendations or have that for a vaccination for pregnant women.

So this is really eye-opening and important to get that out.

And in this country, about 72 percent of women who are pregnant have gotten that first series of vaccination, only 19 percent who got the updated booster.

HILL: Which is interesting because we know what a pregnancy can do to your own immune system in some cases when you are carrying a child, right? Dr. Narula, it's so important. Thank you. Appreciate it.

NARULA: Thank you.

HILL: Jeremy Renner is home from the hospital. How about a little good news for you on your Tuesday? This is two weeks since the snowplow accident.

In a reply tweet to his show, "The Mayor of Kingstown," Renner wrote, "Outside my brain fog and recovery, I was excited to watch episode 201 with my family at home."

Renner posted updates on his condition during his hospital stay.

Police say the actor suffered blunt chest trauma and bone injuries when the snowplow started to roll when he was away from the driver's seat.

So, can you imagine -- try to wrap your head around there. Your water is cut off to your home. What would you do?

Drought conditions are so bad in Arizona it's exactly what's happening in one suburb by is now suing the city of Scottsdale to turn the taps back on. But will it work?

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[13:47:43]

HILL: A fierce and legal fight over water is playing out in one Arizona community wracked by drought. Some residents in Rio Verde are now facing water bills are higher than their monthly mortgage payments and that was before the city cut them off.

Here's some of what they told CNN's Lucy Kafanov recently. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What keeps you up at night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Water, water, water.

KAFANOV (voice-over): Neighborhood wells have begun to dry up. Others harvesting rainwater as an extra buffer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the stockpile about to go in the House used to flush our toilets.

KAFANOV: Many homeowners rely on private water deliveries from nearby Scottsdale, which no longer has enough to spare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: So that was, remember, back in October. Those vital water deliveries ended this month and now some are suing. Lucy Kafanov joining us, as well as Sarah Porter, who is the director

of the Kyle Center for Water Policy at Arizona State's Morrison Institute.

Lucy, you've been following this for months here. This community, as I understand it, there's no fixed water access. We see the preparations that they're making there with you back in October.

Did they know this day would come in terms of eventually getting cut off or were they caught off guard here?

KAFANOV: Nobody was caught off guard, Erica. We were there a few months before the January 1st cutoff and this was all anyone could talk about. That deadline was looming for over a year.

The two communities may share the same zip code but Rio Verde are not Scottsdale residents.

Rio Verde is an unincorporated community on the outskirts of Scottsdale. So that means residents don't pay city taxes or get city services like water.

Many used to see it as a plus, less government interference. But that was until the wells began to dry up.

A lot of the homeowners have been relying on hauled water, which, until January 1, was purchased from Scottsdale.

When drought conditions forced the federal government to declare a shortage in the Colorado River, reducing how much water Arizona and other states could use, Scottsdale decided to cut off water deliveries to outside communities to meet its own residents' needs.

So Rio Verde residents did have more than a year to come up with a solution but neighbors and politicians could not agree on one.

HILL: Now there's this lawsuit. I mean, is there any sense that the lawsuit, Lucy, will change anything?

[13:50:00]

KAFANOV: Yes, I mean, look, the courts will ultimately decide. But not all Rio Verde foothill residents support this lawsuit, I should add.

The ones that do say they're being left high and dry. But the city, which does get the water from the dwindling Colorado River says, no, we're in the midst of a record-breaking drought. There's not enough supply to go around.

The mayor saying there's no, quote, "Santa Claus. The mega drought tells us all water is not a compassion game."

Look, this isn't Scottsdale versus Rio Verde foothills. It's human beings facing the reality of climate change.

HILL: There are -- Sarah, when we look at climate change, which is, obviously, a major factor here and specifically when we look at the impact it's having on the Colorado River.

There are also questions, not just in this community, but I think around the country we're seeing different examples, there are questions about housing sprawl, about infrastructure, when housing developments are approved.

I mean, how much is all of this coming into play in some of these decisions to allow different areas to go forward with development?

SARAH PORTER, DIRECTOR, KYLE CENTER FOR WATER POLICY, ARIZONA STATE'S MORRISON INSTITUTE: Well, fortunately, places like Las Vegas and other places that rely on the Colorado River water, have rules that require long-term water supplies before new housing development cans be built.

The problems that we're seeing with Rio Verde is that this is a community that slipped in through a loophole in the rules.

There's no question that we're seeing bigger and bigger challenges with the Colorado River water supply, and that is going to have an impact. It means new subdivisions, requiring developers to go out and find other water supplies.

HILL: And in terms of that water supply, I was struck by the number from the state of Arizona that 72 percent of the state's water is for agriculture.

So, Lucy, farms getting caught in this as well. How much is that discussion part of a plan moving forward?

KAFANOV: Look, the farms are also very much affected. And despite this being a desert area, Arizona is actually one of the breadbaskets of the nation in terms of certain crops.

And a lot of the farmers have not been able to plant crops because of the dwindling supplies in the Colorado River.

In terms of the, you know, development in Arizona and the impact, I mean, the Rio Verde foothills are part of Maricopa County, which last year, was the fastest growing in the nation.

When we were there, we saw construction sites everywhere surrounded by these giant golf courses, you know, new developments popping up all over the place, very lax regulation that are creating a building boom in one of the most parched places on earth.

HILL: To your point, you're talking about how quickly this is growing and the golf courses and we're talking about the sprawl here, and these loose regulations.

Lucy, I mean, do you have a sense, based on your reporting, there's any sort of effort to reign this in, or is this about let's bring in the money for development and we'll deal with the water issue later?

KAFANOV: It doesn't -- I have to be careful with my words here. People are aware of this problem.

HILL: Yes.

KAFANOV: But right now, that development is continuing.

And, of course, you know, whether the Rio Verde-Scottsdale issue gets resolved or development tames down a little bit, the reality is the Colorado River is affecting multiple states.

This is a multistate issue. Climate change is something that's impacting us all. You know, little Band-Aid solutions aren't going to move us beyond this drought.

Like multiple states have to work together to overcome this. And we cannot continue living the way we have been and expect the water supply to continue.

HILL: Yes, absolutely. The warning signs have been there for decades, if you're looking at the Colorado. And here we are.

Lucy Kafanov, Sarah Porter, good to have you with us.

Sarah, sorry about the audio issues, but we appreciate you joining us as well.

And thanks to all of you for joining me this hour.

[13:54:08]

Stay tuned, much more news head with Alyson Camerota.

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