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In New Jersey an Arrest and Still More Revelations

Aired January 09, 2003 - 14:07   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: Now to New Jersey for an arrest and still more revelations in a case that's turning stomachs across the nation. It's a nightmarish mix of neglect and fiendish cruelty aimed at three young brothers who nobody apparently ever loved -- Jamie.
JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the Mayor Sharpe James of Newark and the police director confirming today that Sherry Murphy was arrested overnight. She was the woman entrusted with the care of the three Williams boys here in Newark. On Saturday, they found two boys locked and starving in the basement of Murphy's home.

On Sunday, after the boys recorded their brother was missing, they went back and discovered the body of their brother, Fahim Williams, stashed in a plastic bin, again, in the basement Murphy's home.

Now despite a nationwide search, they've been searching for her since the weekend, it turns out, and we learned this for the first time today, that since Monday she's been right here in the area, in New Jersey. And how did they learn about her whereabouts? Well, Jean Claude Desourceis (ph) is a man who came to police. On Monday, at 12 noon, he found Miss Murphy at a pay phone crying. He offered assistance. She said her mother had died, and she had come up from down South, and she needed a place to stay. Mr. Desourceis (ph) said he would let her come to his home. He thought she looked familiar, he had an inkling she might be that woman on television.

But despite reports they watched together, he hadn't turned her in on Monday. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MYR. SHARPE JAMES, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: My question comes, what damage would it be to separate two boys who have bonded through all kind of terrible ordeal and they trust and love one another? When we pull them in a wagon together, they like that, when they're together, they like that. When you separate them, there's seem to be some depression.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLBY: Now, you heard the mayor talking about the condition of the boys. He said, despite years of abuse, and we learned about more of this abuse yesterday, when another gentleman was arrested, a family friend, who is now charged with sexually assaulting one of the boys.

In addition, Miss Murphy, questioned this morning by the homicide detectives, now that Fahim's death was ruled a homicide. She has been charged with three count of child endangerment. We expected her to be arraigned today, but she was taken to the hospital this morning after complaining she felt faint. In the meantime, Mr. Desourceis (ph) has asked for his reward. It wasn't until Wednesday that after watching those reports and having Miss Murphy deny it was her, that he finally figuring out on Wednesday, it was, he went to police, they went overnight, about 1:45 a.m. to his home, and in a basement apartment he has, they found Miss Murphy, brought her in, booked her, questioned her.

Right now, she remains hospitalized, and the two boys that were found starving and one of them burned in her basement apartment over the weekend, they also remain in the hospital here in New Jersey. The mayor saying that despite the abuse, they're not broken, they remain very close, and he says thank goodness they have each other -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: It's amazing what kids can survive. Let's talk about those two brothers for a moment, Jamie. Do you know their fate, who they may go live with, who may care for them?

COLBY: What arrangements they've made for them, I'm sorry?

PHILLIPS: Yes, what could happen or what the talk has been about where they will go once released from the hospital.

COLBY: It's so interesting that you ask, Kyra, because the two boys turn out to have different fathers. One of the men who claims to be the biological father of 4-year-old Tyrone contacted Mayor James and said that he'd like to come and get his son. He lives out of town in Vermont. The mayor saying he was so concerned, because when they even tried to separate the boys and put them in different hospital rooms, they clung to each other and begged to be kept together. What did they do? The hospital feeling that the boys should be together, put two beds in a room, and the mayor saying, he hopes that in the end these boys, after everything they've been through, will be able to remain together -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: It makes sense. They've only had each other for such a long period of time.

Jamie Colby, thank you.

COLBY: You're welcome.

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 January 9, 2003 - 14:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to New Jersey for an arrest and still more revelations in a case that's turning stomachs across the nation. It's a nightmarish mix of neglect and fiendish cruelty aimed at three young brothers who nobody apparently ever loved -- Jamie.
JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the Mayor Sharpe James of Newark and the police director confirming today that Sherry Murphy was arrested overnight. She was the woman entrusted with the care of the three Williams boys here in Newark. On Saturday, they found two boys locked and starving in the basement of Murphy's home.

On Sunday, after the boys recorded their brother was missing, they went back and discovered the body of their brother, Fahim Williams, stashed in a plastic bin, again, in the basement Murphy's home.

Now despite a nationwide search, they've been searching for her since the weekend, it turns out, and we learned this for the first time today, that since Monday she's been right here in the area, in New Jersey. And how did they learn about her whereabouts? Well, Jean Claude Desourceis (ph) is a man who came to police. On Monday, at 12 noon, he found Miss Murphy at a pay phone crying. He offered assistance. She said her mother had died, and she had come up from down South, and she needed a place to stay. Mr. Desourceis (ph) said he would let her come to his home. He thought she looked familiar, he had an inkling she might be that woman on television.

But despite reports they watched together, he hadn't turned her in on Monday. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MYR. SHARPE JAMES, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: My question comes, what damage would it be to separate two boys who have bonded through all kind of terrible ordeal and they trust and love one another? When we pull them in a wagon together, they like that, when they're together, they like that. When you separate them, there's seem to be some depression.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLBY: Now, you heard the mayor talking about the condition of the boys. He said, despite years of abuse, and we learned about more of this abuse yesterday, when another gentleman was arrested, a family friend, who is now charged with sexually assaulting one of the boys.

In addition, Miss Murphy, questioned this morning by the homicide detectives, now that Fahim's death was ruled a homicide. She has been charged with three count of child endangerment. We expected her to be arraigned today, but she was taken to the hospital this morning after complaining she felt faint. In the meantime, Mr. Desourceis (ph) has asked for his reward. It wasn't until Wednesday that after watching those reports and having Miss Murphy deny it was her, that he finally figuring out on Wednesday, it was, he went to police, they went overnight, about 1:45 a.m. to his home, and in a basement apartment he has, they found Miss Murphy, brought her in, booked her, questioned her.

Right now, she remains hospitalized, and the two boys that were found starving and one of them burned in her basement apartment over the weekend, they also remain in the hospital here in New Jersey. The mayor saying that despite the abuse, they're not broken, they remain very close, and he says thank goodness they have each other -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: It's amazing what kids can survive. Let's talk about those two brothers for a moment, Jamie. Do you know their fate, who they may go live with, who may care for them?

COLBY: What arrangements they've made for them, I'm sorry?

PHILLIPS: Yes, what could happen or what the talk has been about where they will go once released from the hospital.

COLBY: It's so interesting that you ask, Kyra, because the two boys turn out to have different fathers. One of the men who claims to be the biological father of 4-year-old Tyrone contacted Mayor James and said that he'd like to come and get his son. He lives out of town in Vermont. The mayor saying he was so concerned, because when they even tried to separate the boys and put them in different hospital rooms, they clung to each other and begged to be kept together. What did they do? The hospital feeling that the boys should be together, put two beds in a room, and the mayor saying, he hopes that in the end these boys, after everything they've been through, will be able to remain together -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: It makes sense. They've only had each other for such a long period of time.

Jamie Colby, thank you.

COLBY: You're welcome.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com