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CNN This Morning
Pope Emeritus Benedict Dies At The Age Of 95; Journalist Barbara Walters Dead At 93; Suspect In Idaho Killings Arrest, Charged In Pennsylvania. Aired 7-8a ET
Aired December 31, 2022 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[07:01:00]
AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. It is December 31st. Yes, it's the last day of the year. Happy New Year's Eve to you, Martin.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: And Happy New Year's Eve to you as well, Amara. Thank you.
We are, of course, following breaking news this morning. Pope Emeritus Benedict has died at the age of 95. His health had deteriorated over the last several days, prompting Pope Francis to ask for prayers for the former head of the Catholic Church. Excuse me.
WALKER: And for the first time in modern history, Benedict resigned in 2013, citing advanced age which paved the way for Pope Francis to take the role as head of the Catholic Church. CNN's Delia Gallagher with more.
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DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In many respects, Benedict the 16th was the pope who got a bad rap. Nearly 24 years as Pope John Paul II's doctrinal enforcer, and a German childhood lived in the shadows of Hitler's Nazi regime, he was often unflatteringly referred to as God's Rottweiler, or the Pantzer Cardinal.
Years of negative publicity caused many of his accomplishments to go unnoticed. He was the first pope to go green, making the Vatican the first country in the world with a zero-carbon footprint, putting solar panels on its rooftops and bringing in electric vehicles, including a hybrid popemobile. He was Cardinal and Pope during the years when the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandals came to light, and he spearheaded the Vatican's efforts toward a zero-tolerance policy.
It was too little too late for some, but it was Cardinal Ratzinger who organized the Vatican's response to the scandal, including creation of a special office at the Vatican to handle cases, extending, and in some cases eliminating the statute of limitations for victims. And as pope, publicly apologizing. POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI, FORMER HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured. And I assure them, as a pastor, I do share in their suffering.
GALLAGHER: One of his first acts after being elected pope was to condemn a popular church figure, Father Marcial Maciel for sex abuse, something which had not happened sooner because of Maciel's close friendship with Pope John Paul II. The high-profile condemnation defusing concerns that Benedict wanted to cover up scandal.
However, after his retirement he suffered a reputational blow when a church commissioned report found he knew about allegations and failed to act against a pedophile priest while he was Archbishop in Munich 40 years ago, Benedict denied the allegations.
And the surprise for which he will go down in history, being the first pope in modern times to resign, showed that the man everyone's thought of as a traditionalist was unafraid of bucking the biggest tradition of them all -- that a pope doesn't step down.
BENEDICT XVI: It is me as in provision to --
GALLAGHER: True to form, he made the historic announcement in Latin, saying he lacked the strength of mind and body to continue as Pope. But this tough traditionalist was also a softy. He loved cats. Chico and (INAUDIBLE) were two. And classical music -- Mozart's Clarinet Concerto was a particular favorite.
Within the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict was a towering intellectual figure, one of the last to have attended the historical church council Vatican II in the 1960s. He authored hundreds of books and articles and was as much a hero to conservatives as a controversial figure for others. A famous speech in Regensburg in 2006, that Benedict said was misinterpreted, questioning the link between Islam and violence sparked protests against the pope from some in the Muslim world.
[07:05:00]
His resignation introduced the biggest change of them all, an era of two living popes. Although he vowed to retire to a life dedicated to prayer at a monastery inside the Vatican, the Pope Emeritus continued to exert influence during the Francis papacy, weighing in on debates over sexual abuse and celibacy by writing articles and books well into his 90s.
He had retired as Pope, but not as a major player in the Catholic Church -- an influence likely to continue even after his death. Delia Gallagher, CNN, Rome.
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WALKER: Joining us now with, from the Vatican, from Vatican Square is CNN Contributor, Barbie Nadeau. I see a lot of people are starting to gather there behind you. What are people saying? What's the atmosphere like? BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, you know, this is a not an unexpected event, but it is definitely an unprecedented event. Because usually when you have the death of the Pope, you have a new pope, you have a conclave. This is, in fact, you know, without precedent, as I said, we're expecting more and more people to gather. On Monday, he will be lying in state inside St. Peter's Basilica. The funeral will be here in St. Peter's Square on the fifth of January.
You know, usually what happens when a pope dies, and this has been going on obviously, for centuries in a city like Rome, is they ring the bells and the people of Rome come to the square to mourn the death of the Pope and to celebrate the life and legacy of the Pope. And so, what we're seeing here are Romans right now, we're seeing the regular tourists who happen to be here over the holiday season, but we're seeing a lot of everyday Roman citizens who heard the news, and this is the place where they'll come.
The mood is not as somber, I suppose, it would be if the sitting Pope had died because this was largely expected. He resigned 10 years ago because of ill health. So, most of the people we're seeing here, are there a lot of curious people, a lot of people that just want to be part of the action. It's a beautiful day in Rome. And they're here to celebrate, you know, this is this, the Catholic Church, the Vatican is a huge, huge part of the Italian capital of Rome, of Italian life.
And at times like this, you really see how Catholic the Italians really are. And they're here in full numbers, we're expecting to see a lot of people, pilgrims coming in who have really followed the life and legacy of Pope Benedict when he was Pope coming in through the through the days. When he lies in state, there will be a steady stream of people that, that pay their respects to him. And then the funeral, of course, will be a somber, that is what he wanted. He was a simple man, and that's what he wanted.
SAVIDGE: Barbie Nadeau, thank you very much for the insights there at Vatican Square. With us now is Father Thomas Reese, Senior -- or rather a Senior Analyst at the Religion News Service; and we've also got CNN Vatican Correspondent, Delia Gallagher, joining the conversation. Thank you both for being with us. Father Reese, let me ask you this, your just initial reaction to the news of Pope Benedict's passing?
FR. THOMAS REESE, SENIOR ANALYST, RELIGION NEWS SERVICE: Well, of course, it's not a surprise. Pope Francis announced earlier in the week that the Pope, that Benedict was very sick and declining. And so, we knew that this was going to happen, but it's still a time to mourn his passing but also to celebrate his ministry of service to the church.
WALKER: And Delia, just want to get your perspective in terms of what Pope Benedict's legacy is to you.
GALLAGHER: Well, personally, I had known and followed Pope Benedict and Cardinal Ratzinger. I was actually taught theology by former student of his, so I have been fairly deeply involved with Cardinal Ratzinger's theology first. And then, when I came to the Vatican, I, of course, met him personally.
And one of the things that sticks out about Pope Benedict and when people ask me about him, is the dichotomy between his public reputation and personally meeting him. He -- it's very, kind of, alarming to sort of meet him in person when you realize he's such a sort of kind, and humble, and person of, of great intellectual and cultural breadth, so that he had the capacity to focus in on you and say something about whatever you were talking about, which, which you hadn't thought of before, in a fresh and new way.
I think there's very few people who are original thinkers in such a way that Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict, was. I think that in terms of his passing, it is the end of an era for the Catholic Church. He was the last pope and cardinal to participate in the Second Vatican Council, which was a major event in the life of the church, and I think that he has, he is respected by both progressives and conservatives for his intellectual breath. It's what he wanted to do -- a professor, a theologian.
[07:10:06]
In fact, it he tried to resign several times under John Paul II, he eventually did resign as pope. This is a man who didn't want to be pope. He said a few days after he was elected when he heard his name being called in the Sistine Chapel, he felt like he was being led to the guillotine. This is a man who felt he was called to be a theologian and write his books, and I think that that is the legacy that he leaves to the Catholic Church.
SAVIDGE: Father Reese, there are many ways that we will, of course, remember for Pope Benedict, but perhaps for most people, it will be the fact that he stepped down, something that hadn't been done in hundreds of years. And I'm wondering just how controversial was that at the time?
REESE: Well, it was a big surprise at the time. No pope had done this and 600 years. And the result is that now future popes are going to find it much easier to resign if their health deteriorates to the point where they can no longer function in the job. This is important because modern medicine can keep the body alive long after a person is capable of doing such a stressful job as being pope. So, it's important. And the fact that he, who many consider a very conservative pope, was willing to do this, allows future popes to do it with, with no challenge at all.
WALKER: And Delia, you know, obviously we've been hearing comparisons between Pope Benedict and his successor, Pope Francis, you know, I guess, tell us a little bit more about their differences and how different they are from each other, and especially in terms of their leadership in the Catholic Church.
GALLAGHER: Well, in terms of their leadership, of course, they're completely different personalities. I mean, Pope Benedict, as I said, was not one who wanted the job of pope, because he understood that he did not have -- he was an introvert. He didn't have the ability to meet a lot of people all day, to be in front of the cameras, to make those gestures of John Paul II or Pope Francis, they're sort of naturals on the world stage.
Pope Benedict didn't have that. I wanted to mention also in terms of his resignation that, Pope Francis just two weeks ago said in an interview that he has already written a letter of resignation in the case that he should become incapacitated. I think the resignation of Pope Benedict had two aspects.
One, it showed his great interior strength. When he spoke about his resignation afterwards, he said he spoke about -- he was very serene about it, because he spoke about it with God. He had a very deep spirituality, and he was very sure of himself. In that way, it was a very courageous move. I mean, absolutely floored everybody.
But Pope Francis just two weeks ago said, you know, I've written a letter of resignation, in the case that I become incapacitated, and nobody blinked an eye. And that's because Pope Benedict had the courage to do that first. Amara.
SAVIDGE: And real quick, Father, I was just thinking on the fact that Pope Benedict had to follow in the footsteps of the incredibly popular Pope John Paul II, and I'm wondering, just how difficult would that had been for him?
REESE: Well, I think it was difficult. Although, they were very similar in terms of their theology and their policies with regards to the church, they were very different personalities. You know, Benedict, really, at heart was a German professor. He was, he saw his role as a teacher. And this is what he always wanted to do. And this is where his stress was. He wasn't the greatest manager. He did not surround himself with really excellent people. But he was someone who clearly articulated the tradition of the church, whether that was convincing for everyone or not, as is the question.
WALKER: Fascinating insights from both of you Father Thomas Reese and Delia Gallagher, we appreciate the conversation. Thank you. And happy new year.
[07:14:25]
While the other big story we are following the death of iconic journalist Barbara Walters. A look back at her incredible career and legacy, coming up.
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SAVIDGE: This morning, we are also mourning the loss of American icon, Barbara Walters, the pioneering television journalist known for her powerful interviews and national broadcast career spanning more than 50 years, has passed away at the age of 93. Walters was notoriously competitive in her pursuit of the big-name interviews, including presidents, world leaders in almost every imaginable celebrity and she never shied away from asking those tough questions.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody you don't want to interview? BARBARA WALTERS, FORMER ABC ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: That I don't
want to interview? You know, you and I have people have said, well, would you interview bin Laden? Why would you give him the air space?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got it.
WALTERS: In a moment, wouldn't you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In a second.
WALTERS: I mean, you have to kind of take your mind putting on the ABC News at. You have to try as much as possible to be objective. Now, this is fading in news. I was brought up in the school of you don't give your opinions, you do the interview. And if you do the right kind of an interview, you will get the person to --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the audience should not --
WALTERS: And let the audience judge and the audience will know how you, the audience will know how you feel. But there's almost -- I mean, I'm sure I'm going to go home tonight and say, oh, why didn't I say that aloud? And I'll call you at 3:00 in the morning. But no, there's almost no interview that I wouldn't do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: Yes, and former colleagues are already paying tribute to Walters. Oprah Winfrey posting this on Instagram: "Without Barbara Walters, there wouldn't have been me nor any other woman you see on evening, morning and daily news. She was indeed a trailblazer. I did my very first television audition with her, with her in mind the whole time. Grateful that she was such a powerful and gracious role model. Grateful to have known her. Grateful to have followed in her light."
SAVIDGE: In her final years, she was the sharp and witty creator and co-host of the talk show "The View" before retiring in 2014. And along the way, she inspired generations of young women to pursue journalism. She spoke about that in her retirement.
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WALTERS: No offense to you guys out there, but if I have a legacy, and I've said this before, and I mean it so sincerely, I hope that I played a small role in paving the way for so many of you, fabulous women who are here tonight. I can't tell you how much pleasure it gives me when some smiling young woman comes up to me and tells me of her achievements. That's my legacy.
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[07:20:10]
WALKER: Yes, it is.
SAVIDGE: She survived by her daughter, Jackie, whom she adopted in 1968. And she is an inspiration to all journalists -- not just women. WALKER: Absolutely, she, she was for me as well.
A suspect has been arrested in Pennsylvania in connection with the November murders of four University of Idaho students.
SAVIDGE: 28-year-old, Bryan Kohberger is now facing four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of the poor students who were stabbed in, stabbed to death in their beds in the middle of the night.
WALKER: Now, sources say, the suspect was identified with the help of genetic genealogy after unknown DNA was found at the crime scene. But law enforcements are still investigating what, if any, connection the suspects had to the victims. CNN's Camila Bernal has the latest.
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CAMILA BERNAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A call to the public, authorities in need of any information regarding Bryan Kohberger.
CHIEF JAMES FRY, MOSCOW POLICE DEPARTMENT: We still ask is this for people to continually send us things in the tip line.
BERNAL: His DNA and white Hyundai Elantra, linking him to the case, according to two law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation. But more evidence is needed for a successful prosecution.
FRY: We are still looking for more information. We're still trying to build that picture just like we've stated all along. We're putting all the pieces together and that will help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bryan Kohberger.
BERNAL: The 28-year-old graduated in May from DeSales University in Pennsylvania, with a masters in criminal justice.
JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: It's someone who has been delving into the innermost sanctum of criminal thinking who is now accused of a particularly horrific crime.
BERNAL: In Reddit post removed after the arrest was made public. A student investigator named Bryan Kohberger thought participation in a research project associated with the DeSales University study. It was to understand how emotions and psychological traits influence decision making when committing a crime.
The post set the study sought to understand the story behind your most recent criminal offense, with an emphasis on your thoughts and feelings throughout your experience. Most recently, he was a graduate student at Washington State University's Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology.
CASEY JORDAN, CRIMINOLOGIST: I am not at all surprised, although really disheartened to find out that this suspect is a Ph.D. student in criminology at Washington State University. From the outset, we had to understand that this was an organized killer. BERNAL: He was studying and living in Pullman, Washington, just a few miles from the crime scene. Police searched his university residence Friday morning.
JORDAN: This is a smart guy who's obsessed with crime.
BERNAL: He was arrested early Friday morning, giving law enforcement a clear focus for their investigation.
COL. KEDRICK WILLS, IDAHO STATE POLICE: This is not an ending, but rather a new beginning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERNAL: And the Chancellor of Washington State University saying that the entire region has been shaken by this crime, adding that she hopes this arrest is the beginning of essentially a healing process. In terms of the investigation, the university confirming that the university police helped execute search warrants this was in terms of his apartment and his office.
Both of them were on campus, the University saying that they will continue to help with law enforcement in this case, and finally, confirming that the suspect did finish his first semester as a Ph.D. student at the university just this month. Camila Bernal, CNN, Los Angeles.
SAVIDGE: Thank you very much, Camila.
Let's turn to some brighter news. Some folks already bringing in the new year. Let's show you what New Zealand's looked like last hour while the rest of the world is waiting for the clock to strike midnight, in Time Square we'll take a live look via EarthCam there.
[07:24:13]
And we'll also have a look at what will separate this year's celebrations from years past after this.
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WALKER: Times Square and Manhattan, synonymous, of course, with New Year's Eve. Celebrations returned to full capacity for the first time since 2020, free of any COVID restrictions this year. But the NYPD will be out in full force tonight.
And it wouldn't be the same without the famous ball drop a tradition since 1907. The city busy prepping for the huge crowds. Here's CNN Gloria Pazmino with all the details.
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin and Amara, the stage is set. The barricades are set up. All of this waiting for thousands of people to begin arriving here this morning to await the start of the new year, 2023.
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PAZMINO (voice-over): There will be thousands of people here today. And let me just walk you through a little bit of the elements that make this night so special. Of course, you have the big crystal ball that will come down when that clock strikes midnight -- 11,000 pounds of Waterford Crystal makeup, that crystal ball.
And then of course you will have the confetti, a ton of confetti, will fall upon the revelers when the clock strikes midnight. And we also should mention the security aspect of this event because it is a massive operation. NYPD takes over every year. And they have told us that there is no credible threat to the event at this time. But, of course, the NYPD and all other law enforcement agencies will be out here in force all a day making sure that this event goes off smoothly and that it's safe for everyone that's here.
I also just want to give people some tips if they are planning on joining the celebration here today. It will be rainy. It will be cold. You cannot bring an umbrella. You cannot bring a backpack. You cannot bring a blanket or a chair. So, just be very careful of what you bring with you -- as little as possible, because every single person has to go through a screening point and that is part of the safety plan that the NYPD puts into place.
[07:30:01]
So, think about it long and hard if you decide to come here. It will be an unforgettable experience when midnight strikes and 2023 rolls in. It will be just packed with people, the energy is like nothing you've seen before, and it is really a special way of bringing in a new year.
Martin, Amara?
SAVIDGE: Yes. I will bet that the energy will be through the roof.
WALKER: Yes.
SAVIDGE: And don't forget, of course, Anderson and Andy are back for another global celebration. You can join them from New Year's Eve live right there at Times Square. It will start at8:00 Eastern Time right here on CNN.
WALKER: Two things you won't find in Times Square tonight: public toilets or COVID restrictions. New York City currently doesn't have any COVID rules for outdoor events. So, if you can go, should you?
Dr. Taison Bell is assistant professor of medicine at the University of Virginia and a critical care physician. Good morning to you, Dr. Taison, and Happy New Year's Eve.
So, if one of your patients asks you, if they should go to a big New Year's Eve celebration like that tonight, what would you tell them?
DR. TAISON BELL, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE IN THE DIVISIONS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND INTERNATIONAL HEALTH AND PULMONARY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE: Well, I would say at this point, if someone who's relatively low risk, and they're up to date on their vaccines, I say go out and have fun.
But I will say that if you are in at higher risk category, you live with someone who's higher risk, or maybe you just don't want to get sick, perhaps, you do something different, like a smallest celebration. Maybe you wear high-quality mask. Things that we know to keep yourself safe, so that you don't bring in the New Year with a cold.
WALKER: Let's talk now about the U.S. requiring testing for travelers who are coming from China. Obviously, there is been a lot of concern about the post-holiday surge.
Also, about potentially new variants, emerging again, and just how bad things really are in China, as we're seeing this huge surge there.
Although the government doesn't seem to be quite forthcoming about what's really happening when it comes to COVID infections there.
Do you think this new measure, I think you've been saying it's too little too late?
BELL: Yes, exactly. You know, Amara, from a public health perspective, this doesn't make a lot of sense to me. First of all, this policy doesn't go into effect for another five days, we've just completed the busiest travel season of the year.
So, whatever is circulating over there is most likely already here. So, it's just not going to make a large impact at this point.
Now, one thing I will say is that I do think that COVID there is going to look like different than COVID here, because it's a relatively under-vaccinated population. There is very little natural immunity because they've had zero-COVID policies in for so long, and we've been dealing with this for years now at this point.
And so, it's relatively open season for the virus there because it has many targets, but it's not so much here. So, do I expect to see some increase infections? Sure. A new variant, maybe.
But I think that we're dealing with enough here already. And I don't see this causing the same level of destruction and pain and suffering that we're seeing in China.
WALKER: OK. That's good news, though, because, you know, when you hear about potentially new variant, of course, for some people, alarm bells are going off.
Talk to us about how things got so bad in China. I mean, you know, the government was so strict about the zero-COVID policy, and, of course, those protests that really rocked the country forced the Communist Party to lift those rules.
We know that their vaccination rates are not as high as they want it to be, and they don't have mRNA vaccines is a kind of a mix of all of that why we're seeing such a big surge there? BELL: Well, it was basically perfect fuel for the fire. And what's interesting is that there have been other countries like New Zealand and Australia that have also had zero-COVID policies and navigated out of those.
But the difference is they waited until their vaccination rates were high, and then they let loose gradually on their restrictions.
In contrast, China, as you pointed out, under vaccinated, low natural immunity, and then, they just kind of let loose of everything at the same time.
So, if you do that, and you "let it rip", then, that's exactly what's going to happen, and unfortunately, that's what we're seeing.
And I think what's really sad about it is, you know, we know that zero-COVID was not going to work, it was doomed to fail from the beginning, but the way that is playing out was entirely avoidable.
WALKER: Yes, it seems like it was just kind of haphazard at the end after such, you know, strong restrictions for so much -- for so much time.
All right. Dr. Taison Bell, appreciate you joining us. Thank you.
BELL: Thank you and Happy New Year.
WALKER: You too.
SAVIDGE: Up next, the parents of one teen share how fentanyl-laced pills took their son's life and how they hope that their story is a warning to other parents.
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[07:37:50]
WALKER: The fentanyl crisis is growing at alarming rates and impacting people at very young ages.
WALKER (voice over): The latest data from the CDC shows that there were more than 107,000 estimated drug overdose deaths in 2021. And of those, it reports more than 71,000 involve synthetic opioids, mostly fentanyl. That is a 23 percent jump from the previous year.
SAVIDGE: This next story is truly powerful. CNN's Josh Campbell spoke with the parents of one teen who died after taking a fentanyl laced pill. They are trying to sound the alarm for other families.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS DIDIER, SON DIED OF FENTANYL POISONING: I found Zach asleep at his desk his head was laying down on his arm. I could feel before I even touched him that something was horribly wrong.
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST (voice over): Every parent's worst nightmare. 17-year-old Zach Didier found unresponsive in his room two days after Christmas of 2020. Medics arrived and began resuscitation efforts, but it was too late.
DIDIER: And I started resuming CPR. And they just stood there, and I got mad at them. And said guys, helped me save my boy.
When they didn't, I started trying to talk to Zach and begged him. Don't go, come back. Please come back. Do not go.
LAURA DIDIER, SON DIED OF FENTANYL POISONING: I walked up and Chris just said our baby is gone.
CAMPBELL: We sat down with Chris and Laura Didier inside Zach's old high school theatre classroom, surrounded by memories of their son.
L. DIDIER: He loves school. He loved sports. He starred in the musical. Zach was such a stellar young man, and he always wanted to help other people.
CAMPBELL: Zach sudden death initially a mystery to investigators. Thought the Placer County coroner near Sacramento had two theories on the day of his death, either an undetected medical issue fentanyl.
C. DIDIER: And that further spiraled us into --
(CROSSTALK)
L. DIDIER: Into confusion.
C. DIDIER: Yes. Debilitating confusions, like, why would you say that word?
[07:40:00]
We had no red flags of Zach having struggles with any kind of drug use or addiction or depression.
DR. SCOTT HADLAND, CHIEF, DIVISION OF ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT MEDICINE, MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nine out of every 10 overdose deaths in teenagers involves opioids. And most commonly, involves fentanyl.
CAMPBELL: Dr. Scott Handland is head of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Boston's MassGeneral for Children Hospital.
HADLAND: Fentanyl is so potent that teens, particularly, teens who have never used an opioid before and have no tolerance to them can die really quickly. We're talking within seconds to minutes.
CAMPBELL: New CDC data indicate the most common place for teens to overdose is at home. And experts say there are various reasons they turn to pills.
HADLAND: About two out of every five teens who overdose has a history of struggling with depression, anxiety, or other mental health problems. And in many cases, these problems have gone on address. CAMPBELL: In Los Angeles County alone, health officials recently announced accidental fentanyl overdoses skyrocketed over 1200 percent from 2016 through 2021.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The problem is very serious not just in the city of L.A. but nationwide.
CAMPBELL: To understand where many teens are obtaining fentanyl, we spoke with an LAPD narcotics detective. We agreed not to name him as his work involves undercover operations.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The more personal sites would be Facebook, Marketplace, Instagram, and Snapchat. If you're buying it on a social media account, or you're buying it from somebody on the street or a friend, then, most likely it's going to be counterfeit.
CAMPBELL: When you look at these photos, the fake pill looks just like the real pill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They sure do. The dealer's main objective is to get you hooked. And if you don't die from it, then, you're a customer for as long as you live.
CAMPBELL: In Zach Didier's case, his parents said he met a drug dealer on Snapchat, who sold them a deadly fentanyl pill that Zach thought was a pain reliever Percocet.
MORGAN GIRE, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, PLACER COUNTY: Zach's case was really the first for our county dealing with whether or not to hold someone who provides drugs to someone else who ultimately dies, whether or not to hold them responsible for their death. And if so, how much?
The message to dealers are we are fed out. We are tired of seeing young people dying in our communities.
CAMPBELL: Zach's dealer was sentenced to 17 years in prison. But Placer County's district attorney who has advocated for aggressive charges against dealers says prosecution alone won't solve the fentanyl crisis.
GIRE: The solution will be education and awareness. I'm talking to parents, talking to teachers.
C. DIDIER: I had a lot of struggle and challenges --
CAMPBELL: Warning families about the dangers of fentanyl has become a life mission for Zach's parents, who now spent countless hours going into schools, telling their shattering story.
L. DIDIER: It's hard as it is to talk about it. And is hard as it is to share the story. I feel him with me when I do it. I feel him helping me find the words even.
CAMPBELL: What is it that goes through your mind before you step out onto the stage? C. DIDIER: I hope we reach them. When I see their faces, I just scan the room and they're listening and absorbing it and I just think, God, please, let us reach them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CAMPBELL: Now, for parents out there who might be asking the question, how do I talk to my kid about fentanyl? Teen health professionals say that you want to approach the conversation in the spirit of curiosity.
Ask questions like have you heard of fentanyl? Are you aware of the potentially deadly side effects? Is anyone trying to sell you pills online?
That will help open up a dialogue. Health professionals also stress that in order to increase the likelihood of making a breakthrough with your teen, parents should do more listening than lecturing?
Josh Campbell, CNN, Los Angeles.
SAVIDGE: That is such a painful story and made more so by the fact that it is repeated over and over and over again in this country.
Joining us now in person is Dr. Scott Hadland. He is a pediatrician, and the chief of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Mass General Hospital for Children, and Harvard Medical School. Thanks for being with us.
You recently wrote an op-ed to CNN about how to help save your children from fentanyl. And I'm just so struck by, you know, this role that those parents have taken on. What is the first thing that parents need to know about this drug and what do they need to do to help their kids?
HADLAND: Parents really need to know that in this era in 2022, fentanyl is really everywhere. And, in fact, as we just heard, many times when teens think that they're buying a pill that looks like oxycodone or Xanax medications that people sometimes take to help themselves deal with pain or relax.
That those pills, unless they've been prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a pharmacy are most likely counterfeit and contain fentanyl in an amount that can kill a child.
And so, it's really important that parents talk to their teens about this because as a practicing pediatrician who works with families and talks about this issue every day, it's very clear to me that many teens and families are still unaware that this is going on, even despite the fact that in the year 2021, fentanyl killed the equivalent to a high school classroom every week across the United States.
[07:45:03]
SAVIDGE: Just a staggering number.
In this particular case, in that story, that Josh just told this young man took one pill. It's hard to understand then. What would be a warning sign to a parent? How am I going to know what are the, you know, am I looking for depression? Am I looking for anxiety? What are the -- what's the tripwire?
HADLAND: Yes, I mean, it's a -- it's a fantastic question. Because, again, you really want to try to pick up on these signs early because there are often ways in which we can intervene. I think, unfortunately, sometimes these overdoses happen and parents see no warning signs whatsoever, as we just heard in this last story.
But other times there are important warning signs that parents should respond to.
So, again, parents should talk to their teens open dialogue with them, ask them questions, approached from a place of curiosity.
And warning signs that parents really want to be on the lookout for as they start to have this conversation are, first of all, you know, are teens aware that fentanyl is out there? Have they been approached and asked if they want to buy fentanyl online through sites like TikTok or Snapchat?
But then, you know, some teens will have warning signs that include things like pre-existing mental health problems that have gone unaddressed. Depression, anxiety are some of the more common things that we see. And in fact, that's probably present in about 40 percent of teens who have an overdose.
About one-third of teens have actually used opioids before. And so, this isn't the first time that they've used opioids before they overdose.
And there are some teams that actually have an underlying opioid addiction. You know, I want to highlight that actually, you know, rates of experimentation with drugs across the United States are actually at almost an all-time low since we've started measuring these things.
SAVIDGE: Yes.
And so, you know, the cases in which a young person is really just picking up a pill and trying it for the first time are increasingly less common, and more commonly, we know some of these warning signs exist.
And so that's why it's really important for parents to be on the lookout. And if they see one of these warning signs, talk to a medical professional, like be a pediatrician who can help get you connected to services.
SAVIDGE: We've only got about 30 seconds. What is it about that -- no, what makes it so deadly? And why is it so common?
HADLAND: It's highly potent, it's at least 50 times more potent than heroin. And so, for teenagers who, you know, most commonly have never used opioids before in any way, they have no tolerance to these to fentanyl. And so, when they take it, they're at very high risk of overdose.
One thing that's important to get out to our audience is that there is an overdose reversal agent called Narcan and Narcan is an easy to administer spray that goes up the nose and can be used to immediately reverse an opioid overdose.
And if parents witness an overdose, they should try to give this if they've got it on hand. You can try to get it from your doctor who can prescribe it to your family, and then, call 911.
(CROSSTALK)
SAVIDGE: So, that works with fentanyl then.
HADLAND: That's right.
SAVIDGE: All right. Dr. Scott Hadland, thank you. That could be life- saving advice for you. Appreciate it greatly.
HADLAND: Thank you.
WALKER: All right. Up next, North Korean leader of fueling speculation about his succession after his daughter emerges in the public eye for the first time.
But could a woman lead the country one day? We will discuss.
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[07:51:34]
WALKER: This week marks 11 years since Kim Jong-un was officially appointed supreme commander of the North Korean military. And as his reign builds into its second decade, there are questions -- growing questions about what comes next.
Kim Jong-un recently fueled speculation about his succession plans when the North Korean government released this photo of him with his daughter at the site of a missile test.
Something North Korea did in record numbers in 2022 -- in 2022 in terms of these launches. But the appearance has some speculating, could a woman someday rule North Korea?
Joining me now to discuss this, author Lindsey Miller. Last year, she released a book, North Korea: Like Nowhere Else: Two Years of Living in the World's Most Secretive State.
A pleasure to you -- to have you on, Lindsey. You lived in North Korea from 2017 to 2019. Your husband being a British diplomat.
Looking at those photos, it is fascinating that you have Kim Jong-un parading his daughter out there.
I believe she's believed to be his second child. But you know, knowing the speculation about Kim Jong-un's health as well, and of course, this photo op, and the way that the state media has referred to her as, you know, his beloved, most beloved precious child, what do you make of all that?
Do you believe that he is priming her to be his successor?
LINDSEY MILLER, AUTHOR, NORTH KOREA LIKE NOWHERE ELSE: Hi, Amara. Thank you so much for having me on the program.
It's a really good question. With North Korea, there is so much rumor and speculation and that's what makes short term no matter of long- term things impossible to predict.
In terms of a female leader, there is a temptation to think that because North Korea is a patriarchal society, that there would be no room for a female Supreme Leader.
However, there is nothing in the Constitution in North Korea or the existing orthodoxy that actually says that I think we're more likely going to be looking at a situation whereby if Kim Jong-un's health continues to deteriorate, that he could die before whoever in his bloodline is able to take over.
In that case, the regime, while planning for that, could very well suggest Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's sister as a temporary takeover for that leadership. And that would be a significant change.
WALKER: But tell me about how society seems to be changing there a bit. I mean, in those two years that you lived in Pyongyang, and the conversations that you've had with these elite Pyongyang women and the role that they play in society. I mean, they're the breadwinners, right?
MILLER: Absolutely. And that's a big part of the reason why I wrote the book was because being able to feel what that's like there and have conversations with people was really interesting.
Beyond what we, as outsiders may assume is happening in North Korea, which is that there isn't much change happening.
That's in fact, not the case. Change in terms of women's positions has been already happening, despite our conversations about potential female successor. And that has been driven by North Korean women themselves, not because of what's happening at the top.
And that has been driven by their own creativity, driven by necessity from the North Korean famine in the 1990s, where ordinary women have become more economically independent.
[07:55:01]
They are often the breadwinners. They are the ones driving the private markets and trading and setting up smuggling rings bringing in goods from China.
And I saw those women when I was in North Korea, I would do my shopping at the market every week. And it was all women who were selling those products who were running the place.
In my conversations with Pyongyang female millennials, many of my friends openly dismissed marriage and motherhood in favor of careers, and some even in favor of travel.
And we might not automatically think that when we think of North Korean women. But those changes are there. Obviously, there are challenges to those changes happening such as the current COVID lock bans.
But those long-term changes are there. No matter what gradual changes we've already seen, we have to remember that compared to almost any other country on Earth, despite those changes, North Korean women suffered terribly and are subject to widespread and pervasive human rights abuses.
WALKER: Right. Right, right. Target of abuse for sure.
Lindsey Miller, that's a fascinating conversation. Definitely will pick up your book. Thank you so much.
MILLER: Thank you.
SAVIDGE: And still to come in our next hour the world mourning the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict. The Vatican making the announcement this morning. We'll remember his life and legacy next.
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WALKER: Coming up on the top of the hour here on CNN this morning. You're looking live at Sydney, Australia where they are preparing to ring in the New Year with fireworks over Sydney Harbor some 30 seconds left.
Sydney just moments away. New Zealand ring in the New Year a short time ago with fireworks over Auckland Harbour Bridge.
[08:00:03]
Should we do the countdown with them? Let's watch.
