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Weather Conditions Cause Flight Disruptions Across Northeast; Heat Wave Intensifies In The U.S.; American Woman Kidnapped In Mexico Headed Back Home After 8 Months; Motive Unknown In Fargo Shooting; Heat Grips Europe; How to Stay Safe Amid Dangerously High Temperatures. Update On Deadly Flooding In Bucks County, PA; Cedars- Sinai Medical Center Facing Federal Probe Into Treatment Of Pregnant Black Women; Tonight: Messi Present As Inter Miami Player. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired July 16, 2023 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:01]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rebounds and blocks, welcome back, BG, Brittney Griner.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, yes. How exciting was that. Phoenix Mercury superstar Brittney Griner making her return to the WNBA All-Star Game since being released from a Russian penal colony last year. The nine-time WNBA all-star scored her team's first six points and dunked twice in front of a sold-out stadium. Griner's team won the game but she told her fans she was just honored to be on the courts.

And I can't wait to -- because I bought tickets. I'm going to see her in a couple of weeks. Well, I'm taking the kids, too.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN'S WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Well, enjoy that. Yes.

WHITFIELD: Exciting. I know. Can't wait.

SNELL: And tell you what, she's making an impact there.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

SNELL: A big, big moment, it's a big occasion for her, no question.

WHITFIELD: She's amazing. We've got so much more straight ahead.

Patrick, good to see you.

SNELL: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: Thank you.

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

All right, this breaking news, on this weekend of weather extremes right now, more rain is pounding the northeast. These pictures just in from Massachusetts where heavy storms are sweeping the state.

And then in Pennsylvania authorities say at least four people are dead after flash flooding hit Bucks County. Several others remain missing, including two children from the same family. A 9-month-old boy and his 2-year-old sister. We're expecting an update this hour from officials in Bucks County on the search and rescue operations.

And in the West, dangerous conditions yet again as a heat wave continues to scorch the region. Let's start with Polo Sandoval live for us in New York.

Well, Polo, all this rain is creating major travel headaches. A lot of delays and a lot of cancellations.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred, we know that trend all too well. Any time we have the system sort of pass through, the result is going to be some travel trouble. And this is exactly what we've been seeing, not just here in the northeast but in other parts of the country. In fact FlightAware reporting some 25,000 delays, flight delays. That's today alone.

Nearly 2400 flight cancellations according to FlightAware. You look at sort of the greater picture here throughout the country. Dallas Fort Worth being hit particularly hard. We know they have been dealing with some weather of their own as well.

Here in New York City, JFK is really the only airport that is currently affected with a ground stop in place for at least another 15 minutes. The FAA reporting there's about a 30 percent to 60 percent chance that they may have to actually extend that.

I could tell you, though, here in Manhattan nothing beyond a drizzle. So the conditions there, that storm that was setting its sights on the northeast with the potential for it to go out to sea then that is likely going to result at least an improvement in the situation there but obviously getting those flights off the ground, creating a backlog effect.

So it's going to be some time before not only JFK, LaGuardia, Newark also reporting some travel trouble gets back online. So certainly for folks who are going to be spending today, on this Sunday, traveling, especially in and out of the northeast, important to check with your airline before you head to the airport -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Great advice. All right, it's going to be a real nightmare for a lot of travelers and many of whom are already in the airports and trying to get on the next flight out as best they can.

All right, thanks so much.

All right, let's go to Rafael Romo who is live for us at the Hoover Dam in Nevada where we've got extreme opposite taking place. It's heat. And heat is so intense there. It's about 113 degrees that it means our camera can't go live. So instead we've got Rafael Romo on the phone. Oh, my gosh. Rafael, tell me about these conditions that are just

simply brutal for you, the crew, the equipment, and everybody around you.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via phone): Yes, that's true, Fred. It is one of those rare circumstances when it is so hot that our equipment is having trouble connecting the signal to Atlanta. It is right now 112 degrees here where we are. We're right up the border between Arizona and Nevada. Right at Hoover Dam. And it's expected to get even higher than this, Fred. It's going to go up to 117 degrees according to the forecast by the National Weather Service.

What's amazing to me is that we see a lot of people visiting this place. Of course it's a Sunday and many people probably had plans prior to knowing that it was going to be this hot, but there's plenty of people here and of course everybody tries not to stay outside for too long. There's a cooling station, there's a cafe, there's an exhibit center, many places where people can find refuge from the heat.

And as bad as it is here, Fred, just imagine what people are going through in Death Valley, California, known as the hottest place on earth.

[16:05:03]

Earlier I had an opportunity to talk to a ranger. And he was telling us that the real question for them is trying to find out if they're going to hit 130 degrees.

Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT LAMAR, DEATH VALLEY PARK RANGER: And if we get into a 130 or we're not calling for it but if we got to a 131, we'd be talking about an all-time temperature. So that would be pretty unusual. Where we're at right now, 125, 127, that's less unusual. That's pretty typical for a place like Death Valley.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: And believe it or not, Fred, they're open as always. They say they're open 365 days a year. Of course they've been telling people to take precautions, drink plenty of water, make sure that they know everybody is doing good. And so that's the situation there. It's just incredible to me that people are out, and again here at Hoover Dam we're seeing crowds. Believe it or not. It's just a regular day for many people.

Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: My goodness. Oh, my gosh. That's a shame that it's 113 and that becomes a regular day. Well, hang in there, Rafael Romo, and your crew, and Polo Sandoval who's in the opposite kind of condition. He's in rain and you're in the heat. All right, thanks to both of you. Appreciate it.

All right, so how long could we see these extreme temperatures and conditions out there? CNN senior meteorologist Brandon Miller has more.

BRANDON MILLER, CNN SENIOR METEOROLOGIST: Fredricka, unfortunately there is no end in sight for this heat wave and it's not really going to even abate that much. You look at the next couple of days going into the beginning of the work week, Las Vegas, you're staying hot, Palm Springs. A little bit into the Central Valley of California, may come down a couple of degrees but it's still going to remain above average, but what I'm really concerned about is Phoenix.

We've talked a lot about this record so far of the number days above 110 degrees. And that's basically happening right now. You know, Sunday will be the 17th consecutive day. And tomorrow is going to tie the record, 18 days in a row where it's been 110 degrees or more. And the longevity of these heat waves is where we really get concerned.

And I'm almost afraid to show you the seven-day forecast for Phoenix because it's only getting worse. Every day is not only above 110, it's over 115, 117, almost every single day. We're probably going to set records, daily records of heat in Phoenix today, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and probably even beyond.

Look at these low temperatures. That's really where heat waves get dangerous. Low temperatures of 94 and 95 degrees. It hasn't dropped below 90 degrees in Phoenix since last Sunday. And we're going to go another entire week without doing so. That shatters records for the length of time. And again, the body can't cool off at night, buildings can't cool off at night. You start to get infrastructure problems. This is where heat waves really turn dangerous.

I know you're used to heat in Arizona. Not this type of heat because it hasn't happened before. Las Vegas is also looking at a similar trend, breaking records for the number of days at these extreme levels of heat and low temperatures that just won't cool off -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Brandon Miller, thanks so much.

All right, coming up, a California woman returns home after missing for eight months. She was kidnapped in Mexico and held captive until her release Friday night. More details on the FBI investigation, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:12:55]

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. We're following new developments in the case of an Alabama woman who disappeared Thursday night after calling 911 to report a toddler walking along the Interstate. The woman has since been found alive. Police say 25-year-old Carly Russell returned to her home last night just before 11:00 p.m. She is now being evaluated at an area hospital as investigators try to piece together what happened to her and where she has been in between making that phone call to family and then going missing. Her car and phone were found next to the Interstate the day she

disappeared, but there was no sign of her or the child she said she saw. News of Russell's disappearance sparked a frantic 48-hour search effort across the Birmingham area. But at this point it's still unclear where she's been since Thursday. We'll keep you updated as the story develops.

A California woman who was kidnapped eight months ago in Mexico has been released alive and is on her way home according to the FBI. Officials say 30-year-old Monica De Leon Barba was kidnapped while walking her dog in Jalisco, Mexico last November. The FBI says she was released by her captors on Friday.

CNN's Mike Valerio is covering these developments for us.

So, Mike, what more do we know about the circumstances or kidnapping and her release?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, we know that at this hour Monica is back with family, which is certainly the most important element of this whole case because she was captive, Fred, for 227 days. This described by the FBI as a coordinated kidnapping with multiple people, multiple vehicles coming up to her in this idyllic town of Tepatitlan in Mexico and then just simply driving away.

So what we know, the latest information to bring you the human dimension about Monica is that she is a profoundly talented photographer. She goes to Mexico last summer, she's an American citizen but born in the state of Jalisco, to share her talents, her photographic talent, and take a summer job. And then we move to Thanksgiving of last year, just a couple of days after Thanksgiving.

[16:15:05]

She is walking her dog in the middle of the street, you see right there on the screen, in this idyllic town, the middle of the day. Three vehicles will drive up to her. The FBI says at least five people will get out of the vehicles, have a confrontation with her, and they just take her away. That is the last time up until this weekend that anybody is reported seeing her.

So you can imagine her family just beside herself going through Christmas, New Year's, not knowing where their daughter, where Monica was. Up until this weekend the FBI says that she was released by her captors and coming back here to California. The man who's in charge of the FBI in San Francisco letting out a statement, writing in part, quote, "Our relief and joy at the safe return of Monica is profound. The FBI investigation is far from over but we can now work this case knowing an innocent victim is reunited with her family."

So a couple of things from this statement. You know, there was a sinister element of this case because the captors were in touch with her family trying to work out a ransom agreement. There's been no arrest and identifying the suspects is still a work in progress. So that is what the special agent in charge in San Francisco means when he says that the investigation is not over as of yet. But of course the most important thing this Sunday afternoon, she is

back with family and the FBI made it a point to say that she is also going to be reunited with her dog, the same dog she was walking in the middle of the street when she was captured in November of last year. So the best news, Fred, that we can report from here in California.

WHITFIELD: Lots of reasons to smile. So glad that Monica is making her way back home.

Mike Valerio, thank you so much.

All right, meantime, investigators are trying to unravel what led to a bizarre shooting in North Dakota, which left one police officer dead, two others hospitalized, and an innocent bystander shot.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gunshots fired, there's civilian, black hoodie. Blue jeans. Officers down.

WHITFIELD (voice-over): The community of Fargo, North Dakota, is reeling today after a gunman opened fire on police and fire fighters as they responded to a traffic accident on Friday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got AA-R. It's rapid fire. We've got two officers down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 10-4, I copy, two officers down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three officers.

CHIEF DAVID ZIBOLSKI, FARGO POLICE DEPARTMENT: For no known reason at all, a violent gunman attacked our officers, firing multiple rounds, striking three of them. Two of them critical in stable condition and one of them deceased.

WHITFIELD: Officer Jake Wallin, a military veteran, had been on the force less than three months, according to the department.

JAKE WALLIN, SLAIN POLICE OFFICER: I'm Jake Wallin. I'm from St. Michael, Albertville, Minnesota, and I've been to more countries than I have been States.

ZIBOLSKI: He was a member of our family and he's been taken from us far too soon. And it's a tragedy. Our condolences, our heart-felt sympathies go out to Jake Wallin's family and his friends. Please keep all of them in your thoughts and prayers in the days going forward.

WHITFIELD: Officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes were also shot and are in critical condition.

ZIBOLSKI: It's an unconscionable act. It's hard to fathom, it's unbelievable that something like this would happen in our community. And many of us think a lot of the stuff can't happen, and this happened. WHITFIELD: According to police, the gunman did not appear to have been

involved in the crash when he started shooting. He was shot by one of Fargo's police officers during the incident and later died of his injuries. The fallen officer honored by his department in a procession.

ZIBOLSKI: Our officers performed admirably and I'm very proud of them for their actions, quick thinking, and calmness under fire. They did a tremendous job.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The police chief also called the attack a heinous and unthinkable act of aggression against officers. When asked if he would characterize it as an ambush, he said the investigation is ongoing.

All right, coming up, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles facing a federal civil rights investigation into the treatment of pregnant black women. Judge Glenda Hatchet, whose daughter-in-law died there during child birth, joins me to discuss, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:24:17]

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. The U.S. isn't the only place experiencing blistering heat right now as Barbie Latza Nadeau explains extreme heat advisories are going out all across Europe.

BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Fred, we just got another hot day here in Rome. The temperatures even higher than they were on Saturday and expected to go higher on Monday and on Tuesday when this heat wave we're hoping will peak. Now authorities have not done anything as drastic here in Italy as they've done in Greece by closing the Acropolis. We haven't heard of any closure of any major outdoor venue, for example, here in the city of Rome, in which there are very, very many.

But they are warning tourists and Italians alike to just try to stay inside during the hot times of the day.

[16:25:03]

For tourists that would be to go back to their hotels, go to museums, visit a church this summer where it's a little bit cooler. But we are seeing a lot of Italians leave the cities, go to the seaside, go to the mountain range and some things like that to try to cool down, anything that they can do to stay safe because, Fred, this is not ending any time soon -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Everyone has to be really patient and very careful.

All right, extreme heat is known as the silent killer and is considered to be one of the deadliest weather events. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains why it can be so deceptive and the warning signs that you need to know about.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Stay out of the sun, drink water, wear sunscreen. We all know the basic rules for dealing with hot weather. And while following these rules are going to keep many of us safe, studies have shown that heat is in fact the deadliest of natural disasters particularly for those who are more at risk.

As heat waves get hotter and longer and more frequent due to the climate crisis, it's important to understand what exactly is happening to our bodies when temperatures soar. Sweat or the absence of it. This can be a sign of a heat related issue.

Let me show you something here. When you get hot, there's a small region in your brain called the hypothalamus, right over here, that sends a message to your sweat glands to start the cooling process. That opens your pores and releases moisture. But that alone isn't enough to cool you down. Some of the sweat then needs to evaporate off your skin, releasing heat from your body into the air.

This process becomes less effective, though, as humidity rises. Think about that feeling you get when coming out of a hot shower. You usually feel cooler as the water evaporates off your skin, unless you're in a hot or humid room, in which case it won't happen. Humidity also plays a role in why the same temperature could feel different depending on where you are in the world.

To understand these sorts of heat stress conditions, scientists use a measurement that combines air temperature and humidity, and they call it the wet-bulb temperature. As the wet -bulb temperature approaches your body temperature, it's harder for you to sweat so you'll start losing the ability to cool down as sweat will evaporate more slowly.

Now if you lose too much water or salt through excessive sweating, this can actually cause heat exhaustion. Look out for these symptoms. Also try to cool your body down by moving to a cool place if possible or taking a cool shower. If symptoms get worse, you start vomiting or confusion develops, you should seek medical attention.

Heat exhaustion is often confused with heat stroke but this is a much more serious condition. That's likely going to occur when your core body temperature rises above 104 degrees, and you're going to need emergency medical care. A person might profusely sweat as you'd expect or instead they could have hot, dry skin. They may also feel confused and have a rapid strong pulse.

That's because heat can also affect our heart, which needs to work harder to pump blood to the surface of the skin, helping with the cooling process. And when you sweat and lose fluids, the amount of blood circulating through your body that also decreases. To compensate your heart will beat faster, increasing your heart rate and your blood pressure.

That's why people with preexisting heart conditions, for example, need to be particularly careful during hot summer days. And everyone got to watch their water intake. Because obviously the more you sweat, the more easily you can get dehydrated sometimes without even realizing it. The key tip, drink before you're thirsty and if you must be outside, drink fluids even before heading out.

If you're working or exercising in the heat, you should know that you could be more at risk so it's advised to drink at least one cup of water every 20 minutes.

It's true that in time our bodies have the ability to acclimate by being repeatedly exposed to hot environments and many healthy adults would be able to avoid some of these dangers that heat can pose. But knowing the signs and the science can help keep ourselves and each other safe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:33:11]

WHITFIELD: All right, happening right now officials in Bucks County Pennsylvania are giving an update on the search and rescue operations after that flash flooding that we told you about in that area. Take a listen.

CHIEF TIM BREWER, UPPER MAKEFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA FIRE: We do have some updates for you. At our second briefing, we inform you that the search teams were able to locate an additional adult female. Shortly after that briefing, we initiate we have found the second adult female approximately 100 yards from where we found the first one. Regretfully they are deceased.

We continue to look for the two children. We are not going to give up regardless, the weather is a factor but at this point we're going to continue the operations and I've already set things in motion for tomorrow as well.

And we'd like to thank the Coroner's office on ensuring proper notification has been made before we release any names to the public or to press. Our hearts do go out to the families affected by this tragedy. So far we've had seven missing people, five have been recovered. With the five deaths due to the floodwaters, the mass casualty incident like these, which we have never seen before, unbelievable devastating to all the families involved. We are all grieving.

However, our commitment to finding the two children will still be unwavering as we do all we can to bring them home to our loved ones. With that being said we've been in contact with the family of the two children who have -- and they have asked us to share their story.

The family is from Charleston, South Carolina. And they were in the area of visiting family and friends. They were on their way to a barbecue when the vehicle got stuck in the flash flood event along Route 532. As they tried to escape the fierce floodwaters, dad took his four-year-old son while the mother and the grandmother grabbed the two additional children ages nine months and two years.

[16:35:12]

Miraculously, dad and his son were able to get safely. However, the grandmother, the mother and the two children were swept away by the floodwaters. And we have recovered the mother and she is one of the deceased. Right, she was found deceased also. The two children that we are looking for to bring home, we are continuing all efforts to find them.

We cannot even begin and imagine what the family is going through with two beautiful children gone. They are aware of the outpouring support and concern from the community and from loved ones and had that has shown them. And despite this devastating grief that they are going through, they hear your prayers as well as your well wishes. And they wanted us to let you know that they were overwhelmed by the support. And by the kindness and the love. They truly appreciate and are very thankful.

Out of respect for their privacy, we will not be releasing the names at this time. Search efforts will continue throughout the evening. And we will advise you with any updates. We would like to thank all the agencies who have been assisting us throughout this terrible tragedy and be steadfast on the commitment on finding and bringing these two children home. A full list of agencies will be provided in the near future of all active agencies that were involved. We ask once again for all those affected by this strategy for your thoughts and prayers and please hug your loved ones a little bit sooner.

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO, (D) PENNSYLVANIA: Thank you. Good afternoon. It's just a devastating blow to this Bucks County Community that brings us all here today. But I think it's important to note that we are all here today. This is a moment that calls on all of us to come together to lift up Upper Makefield in the Bucks County Community. And that is exactly what we are doing.

On behalf of more than 13 million Pennsylvanians, I want Bucks County to know that we are here with you. We are praying with you. And we will continue to do everything in our power to lift you up. I'm joined by two important members of my administration who have taken a lead on this work together with our local officials. That is our PEMA Director Randy Padfield who's with us, along with our PennDOT Secretary, Secretary Mike Carroll.

We're blessed to have terrific leadership here in the Bucks County Community. Commissioner Harvie and Commissioner Marseglia doing a terrific job coordinating our county efforts. We're also grateful for our state officials, Senator Santarsiero, and Representative Warren for their strong leadership. I want to thank Senator Fetterman for being with us. And I know Senator Casey will be here very shortly.

I want to most importantly, thank our first responders who worked yesterday through really difficult conditions, and through the night to rescue those who were caught up in our floodwaters to set up detours and to make sure that others were kept safe in a really challenging situation. My wife, Lori, is from this area. She grew up here. We've spent a lot

of time in our lives here in Bucks County. She joins me in expressing our personal profound sadness about what has happened in this community. And she joins me in prayer and extending our thoughts to those who are suffering today. Those who loved ones lost their lives and those who are dealing with the challenges as a result of this flooding.

I want you to know that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania stands firmly with Bucks County. Since yesterday, we have fulfilled every request that has come in from local officials who are leading here on the ground from our first responders, from our law enforcement partners and others. PEMA staff have been on hand coordinating with Bucks County. PEMA authorized the deployment of 23 search and rescue personnel from Pennsylvania Task Force 1.

As conditions allow and the weather clears PennDOT under the leadership of Secretary Carroll, will be taking a look at 532 to determine what steps are necessary in order to make sure that that road is operable.

In addition to that DCNR and park rangers are here on the ground already in Bucks County prepared to address the needs of Delaware Canal State Park. In short, all hands are on deck from the Commonwealth to work together with our local partners. We have your backs and we will be here as long as it takes to make sure Bucks County gets back up on its feet. I want to say to all of you here in Bucks County and across southeastern Pennsylvania we are concerned about some additional bad weather this evening. And so, I want to make sure everyone remains alert to any sort of messages on their phones or any messages coming from their local government to avoid certain areas should weather have an impact on those areas.

[16:40:20]

I want to reiterate how important it is not to drive through any sort of meaningful amount of standing water. We want people to be safe here in Bucks County and across southeastern Pennsylvania. And so as the rain clears, hopefully over these next few hours, we want everybody to just be vigilant and be careful as we go forward.

I want to thank everyone who is here, law enforcement, first responders, our local officials, our state partners, our federal partners, we are here. We will continue to help. And we will make sure Bucks County gets back up on its feet. And I invite all of you across Pennsylvania to join Lori and I in expressing our thoughts and prayers for those who have been directly impacted by this tragedy.

With that, Chief, I'll turn it back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, a heartbreaking update there, out of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, rescues and ongoing searches following the flash flooding that has transpired there. Sadly, they have recovered the body of one woman. They continue to search for two small children, all of the same family out of Charleston, South Carolina, who were there in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, visiting family members, on the way to a family barbecue. We'll continue to update you as we get more information.

All right, meantime, another very sad story and set of stories, a routine C-Section gone horribly wrong for one black mother. That's the basis for a lawsuit that sparked a federal civil rights investigation into one of the most well-known hospitals in the U.S. Cedars-Sinai, Medical Center in Los Angeles. CNN's Stephanie Elam takes a closer look at the allegations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. AMANDA WILLIAMS, CA MATERNAL QUALITY CARE COLLABORATIVE: Patients aren't being listened to.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For black mothers in labor and delivery, it can be a matter of life and death.

WILLIAMS: Unfortunately, those voices that matter most are not those of brown and black women.

ELAM: Now the Department of Health and Human Services is launching an investigation into how black mothers are treated while giving birth. At the center of the probe is Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, following a civil rights lawsuit filed against the hospital in 2022.

WILLIAMS: For our black birthing patients, we have the impact of systemic racism.

ELAM: The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation. And for black women, the death rate is even higher as they face a greater risk of potentially deadly complications from issues like hemorrhages, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease while giving birth.

WILLIAMS: America is in a maternal health crisis for all birthing people. We have 31 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. But for black women, that number is 69.

ELAM: That's for 2021. The most recent data Williams says who compare that to Sweden where there were only five deaths. Charles Johnson's wife Kira died 12 hours after giving birth to her second son by cesarean section at Cedars in 2016.

CHARLES JOHNSON, WIFE DIED AFTER CESARIAN SECTION: Held her hands and said, please look, my wife isn't doing well.

ELAM: Johnson told CNN his pleas for help were repeatedly ignored by the hospital staff four hours.

JOHNSON: This woman looked me directly in my eyes and she says sorry, your wife just isn't a priority right now.

ELAM: After his wife died, Johnson filed lawsuits against Cedars- Sinai. They have since been resolved. The hospital has publicly denied wrongdoing. Cedars-Sinai issued a statement saying in part, they have long been concerned with national disparities and black maternal health and are working on protocols aimed at improving black maternal and infant health, among other initiatives.

CDC data shows that black women are two and a half times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Even highly educated economically advantaged black women like Kira, a successful entrepreneur who spoke five languages.

JOHNSON: There were three and a half liters of blood in her abdomen from where she had been allowed to bleed internally for almost 10 hours. And her heart stopped immediately.

ELAM: A spokesperson from HHS asked about the investigation into Cedars-Sinai's treatment of black women in childbirth would not comment specifically on "this ongoing investigation," but told CNN, "maternal health is a priority." And one in which the HHS Office of Civil Rights is working on around the country to ensure equity and equality and health care.

Health Advocates say black women need providers who take their concerns seriously and help ensure they survive to raise their children.

WILLIAMS: If you have the opportunity to get care in a culturally come coordinate setting it makes a huge difference.

[16:45:02]

ELAM: What is something that you would advise one of your patients to do?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you don't feel like you're being heard, advocate for yourself.

ELAM: And both Dr. Williams and Dr. and Dr. Swiner (ph) emphasize the importance of patients going to the hospital with someone they trust, who can advocate for them, because they're saying in the -- in that situation if it's just too difficult for them, they need to have somebody there who can speak up on their behalf, and hopefully, keep these black women alive to be with their children. Stephanie Elam, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: My goodness. Thank you, Stephanie, for that. This is very personal for my next guest. Glenda Hatchett is the host of the television show, The Verdict with Judge Hatchett. And it is her daughter-in-law in that piece who died after that C-section at Cedars- Sinai Hospital.

Her son Charles, who sued the hospital for wrongful death. That case eventually settled, right, Judge Hatchett?

JUDGE GLENDA HATCHETT, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW DIED DURING CHILDBIRTH AT CEDARS-SINAI: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, but not settling enough because --

HATCHETT: No, no.

WHITFIELD: No, just listening to your son. You know, he was there. He was the advocate. He was for your daughter-in-law?

HATCHETT: Yes.

WHITFIELD: He asked the questions. And he made the observations.

HATCHETT: He did.

WHITFIELD: Yet, he and you as a family felt that you had the information to also share that there was negligent care happening here.

HATCHETT: No question.

WHITFIELD: Kira wasn't getting the assistance that she wanted. But did you know that right away, you know, within hours, she would die after that C-section. But, you know, did you do see right in front of your face is what was happening?

HATCHETT: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: But was it -- what was it piecing together later, reflecting?

HATCHETT: No, no, it was happening right then, Fred. I was there, Charles was there, her mother, we were all there. And what happen is that Charles thaw the blood in the catheter first and started asking questions. Kira's aunt, who's like a second mother is a nurse. And so she was there. I left the hospital after a point because I had the 19- month-old and we will get back to the condo. But what I was told before I left is that the doctor may have nicked her bladder and they will go in and repair it. And at most it would take to 10 minutes, right?

And so since we've been there for so long, with this little one, I left and I carried so much guilt for years after that, because I was like if I had known, if I had been able to rely on what they told me, but all of what they told me was not true, she was internally bleeding. And when Charles has said when they went in, Fred, there were three and a half liters of blood. She was excited to on a good day. I mean, and she was in great health.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, looking at those picture, she's vibrant, she's fit, amazing.

HATCHETT: And she's beautiful inside and out, marathon runner. She skydive. She was -- had a pilot's license. I mean, she was a rock a woman. And never ever did I think that we walk into that hospital and never walk out without her. And I consider myself to be knowledgeable. But I did not know, seven years ago that this was not just you need to Kira. I knew that something was wrong. They didn't respond to her. There was a basis for a lawsuit. You know, I'm a mom, I'm a grandma and also a lawyer. So I had all of these things kind of coming together. But what I will tell you is that this is outrageous. And the numbers that we're seeing, don't paint the full picture. Because every hospital is not required to report all of these statistics. I could not be happier now, that's not quite the right word that the federal government has stepped in. But the real question is, is why is it taken seven years?

WHITFIELD: Well, is it your family's experience that is helped to be the impetus --

HATCHETT: No question.

WHITFIELD: -- of getting into some federal investigation or getting this kind of attention? Because for a very long time, just as you, you know, alluded to, there have been many testimonies and people who have said, you know, there's disparity in care.

HATCHETT: Right.

WHITFIELD: Particularly as you talk to -- talk about black maternal health care.

HATCHETT: Right.

WHITFIELD: But now, following this settlement, and your son's pursuit of justice with Cedars-Sinai Hospital, and now this federal probe, what is different here? What do you --

HATCHETT: I think it's --

WHITFIELD: -- and how do you think your family's experience helped push this along?

HATCHETT: Well, I think -- I think first of all, and I'll be to tell you, CNN was one of the first people that had me on the air right after she died, to tell the story. And to get the story out there. I think the fact that we've had -- the ability to have this kind of platform for the last seven years has made a big difference. We spend a lot of time in Washington. Charles has been all over the country lobbying. But this is the difference now, the federal government coming in is unprecedented. We have never seen the Civil Rights Division of HHS launched this kind of investigation. What does that mean? That means that they can then hold up federal funds thing to that hospital.

[16:50:01]

And the reality is that sometimes it takes money to get people's attention. I'm insulted, frankly, that Cedars put out this statement, we are concerned, we're concerned, well, what have you done? Well, we've given $2.2 million to different organizations, that is miniscule. It's not enough, and it hasn't been systemic change. But now that HHS is open this investigation, it will not just mean that Cedars-Sinai will have to be held accountable. But hospitals all over this country.

WHITFIELD: And what does it mean to you that Cedars-Sinai through our reporting with Stephanie Elam there, that the hospital says it has been resolved, but there is no admission that they did anything wrong?

HATCHETT: And that was part and all of that is sealed. But the truth is that she went unhealthy. They botched it. She was butchered, the autopsy is very clear about that. And that she was allowed to hemorrhage, not for an hour or two hours, but for 10 hours before they got her back to the O.R. She never left the recovery area. So they knew that something was wrong. But instead of getting for that.

WHITFIELD: And your son was telling that something's wrong?

HATCHETT: Yes, something's wrong here. And they were giving her transfusions, as opposed to -- there was an MRI ordered stacked at 6:30. It never happened, Fred. Had they done that, they would have seen that she was bleeding internally. And so life would have been saved. It was negligence all the way. The other piece is that this was her second C-section. The cut time should have been anywhere from 12 to 15 minutes to go back into the original scar. How long did it take?

WHITFIELD: What's the answer?

HATCHETT: The answer was less than four minutes. He butchered her.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

HATCHETT: They butchered her and to have little boys say, well, why can't my mommy come home from heaven?

WHITFIELD: Those are two little boys, Langston and the Charles V.

HATCHETT: Langston and Charles V. and they are --

WHITFIELD: Who are now eight and seven?

HATCHETT: Yes. So seven -- yes, seven -- Langston's turn seven because Kira has been gone now for seven years in April. And it's taken us this long to get in there. But we don't want any other families friend, to experience the horrific pain that our family has gone through. Because there's no amount of money, no amount of settlement to get Kira back. We think that this is going to save other lives.

WHITFIELD: How's Charles doing?

HATCHETT: He's doing great. He is strong. He is an advocate. He is in Washington. He's been in state capitals, all over this country. He made his point at her funeral to say we have to take change our pain, turned her pain into purpose. And that's what he's done.

WHITFIELD: We're doing that. Judge Glenda Hatchett, it's so good to see you. I mean, of course not under these circumstances. I know when you told me about it back in 2016, that this had happened. But the details, of course, you know, were revealed at the time, but my heart goes out to all of you. You have advocate for so many.

HATCHETT: You've been so wonderful. You've been so wonderful. And thank you for allowing me to come today because I want people to understand what this really means that this really is a turning point. This is and so to the Biden administration, I have to say kudos to HHS. It took a long time, but we are at this point now. And this is going to be a major point that we can look back and we're going to see the tide turn.

WHITFIELD: We're wishing the best for you, the entire family and of course, the health and welfare of all mothers, birthing mothers and their children. Thank you so much.

HATCHETT: Thank you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Good to see you.

HATCHETT: I appreciate you.

WHITFIELD: Thank you. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:58:10]

WHITFIELD: All right, it's a big day in sports. It's a big night in sports. Tonight, FIFA World Cup Champion Lionel Messi will be officially presented as an Inter Miami player. The 36-year-old is under contract with the club through 2025 major league soccer season. His first match with the team will be later on this week.

Joining us right now is CNN in Espanol Sports Anchor Elizabeth Perez in Miami. Oh my gosh, I bet you, people are over the top excited, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH PEREZ, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Hello, Fredricka, yes, it's planned to be a big and unprecedented party. As you can imagine the atmosphere and the expectations are incredibly high in the hours prior to this epic presentation of Lionel Messi with Inter Miami and the MLS.

We are experiencing very high temperatures. We're inside the stadium right now. The stadium in Fort Lauderdale the drive pink. Behind me there is the stage where he's going to be presented. So at 8 p.m. Messi will be revealed as a new designated player of a vacant franchise and it's expected to be a huge show, it will be broadcasted in Apple TV and of course afterwards we'll have all the details in CNN in Espanol. So you have to tune in.

The doors are going to open for the lucky fans that get tickets for this event in around one hour. The show is going to start at 6:30. They say Colombian singer Camilo and Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Ozuna are among the celebrities that will perform in this historic presentation.

So Fred, the arrival of Messi, you know, that it means so much to the city of Miami. He is considered by many the greatest footballer of all-time. He's a seven-time Ballon d'Or, four-time Champions League winner and most recently, he won the World Cup with Argentina seven months ago in Qatar. So he's one of the planet's most recognizable humans that happens to play the most popular sport in the world that is soccer.

[17:00:05]

WHITFIELD: Oh he's a fav. He's a fav everywhere and in my household too. And I love the hot pink. But of course Miami, you got to go for the hot pink. Elizabeth Perez, good to see you. Thanks so much.

All right, thank you so much for hanging with us all weekend long. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The CNN Newsroom continues with Jim Acosta right now.