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No DNA Test for Bones in North Carolina
Aired October 02, 2002 - 13:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The wait continues for a positive ID on the human remains found in North Carolina. The medical examiner had hoped to be able to say for certain today whether or not the remains are those of 9-year-old Jennifer Short.
CNN's Gary Tuchman is keeping an eye on this investigation. He joins us now live from Rockingham County.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, hello to you.
Today was the day we were expecting the final DNA results, and the results are in -- and the results are inconclusive. So right now, the agonizing wait continues for the family of Jennifer Short. It was August 15 that her parents were found dead in their home in Henry County, Virginia.
Last week, bones were found here in Rockingham County, North Carolina, right behind where I'm standing. That was last week. We're about 35 miles way from where little Jennifer Short lived.
Initial DNA results said that these were the bones of a 9-year- old white female. There are no other children of that age range missing, so it was feared that the bones were of Jennifer Short. But the test results have come back inconclusive. What that means is the state lab in Roanoke, Virginia, says it needs more of a sample. A skull has been found, so have leg bones, so has teeth, so has hair. There is some of the evidence at the state lab in North Carolina.
So as we speak, a helicopter is flying from Virginia to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to pick up more of the sample. They are going to bring it back to Roanoke, Virginia. They are going to continue the testing. They hope to have a more definitive answer by Friday, but it could be even later than Friday.
So right now, test results about these bones found here in North Carolina inconclusive.
Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: So Gary, at this point, they're not opening up any other cases? You say there are no other missing kids of this age and of this gender?
TUCHMAN: They're certainly keeping the option open that there's a slight possibility this could be somebody else. But they're leaning toward the fact, because they have no open cases of children that age, that it is little Jennifer Short. But as of now, because of this test result, they're not absolutely sure.
PHILLIPS: Gary Tuchman, in Rockingham County, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 2, 2002 - 13:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The wait continues for a positive ID on the human remains found in North Carolina. The medical examiner had hoped to be able to say for certain today whether or not the remains are those of 9-year-old Jennifer Short.
CNN's Gary Tuchman is keeping an eye on this investigation. He joins us now live from Rockingham County.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, hello to you.
Today was the day we were expecting the final DNA results, and the results are in -- and the results are inconclusive. So right now, the agonizing wait continues for the family of Jennifer Short. It was August 15 that her parents were found dead in their home in Henry County, Virginia.
Last week, bones were found here in Rockingham County, North Carolina, right behind where I'm standing. That was last week. We're about 35 miles way from where little Jennifer Short lived.
Initial DNA results said that these were the bones of a 9-year- old white female. There are no other children of that age range missing, so it was feared that the bones were of Jennifer Short. But the test results have come back inconclusive. What that means is the state lab in Roanoke, Virginia, says it needs more of a sample. A skull has been found, so have leg bones, so has teeth, so has hair. There is some of the evidence at the state lab in North Carolina.
So as we speak, a helicopter is flying from Virginia to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to pick up more of the sample. They are going to bring it back to Roanoke, Virginia. They are going to continue the testing. They hope to have a more definitive answer by Friday, but it could be even later than Friday.
So right now, test results about these bones found here in North Carolina inconclusive.
Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: So Gary, at this point, they're not opening up any other cases? You say there are no other missing kids of this age and of this gender?
TUCHMAN: They're certainly keeping the option open that there's a slight possibility this could be somebody else. But they're leaning toward the fact, because they have no open cases of children that age, that it is little Jennifer Short. But as of now, because of this test result, they're not absolutely sure.
PHILLIPS: Gary Tuchman, in Rockingham County, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
