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Mother Charges in Child Killing in Texas
Aired May 12, 2003 - 15:35 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's go to Texas. A troubling story from that part of the world. Two young brothers are dead, a third in critical condition at a Dallas hospital. Their mother is behind bars, charged with murder and aggravated assault. Police say she called 911 and reported the crime as calmly as if she were ordering a pizza.
John Pronk of CNN affiliate WFAA has details for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN PRONK, WFAA REPORTER: Eight-year-old Joshua Laney and brother Luke, age 6, were found dead after a 911 call by their mother where she reportedly admitted killing them.
Fourteen-month-old Aaron Laney was in critical condition at Dallas Children's Hospital.
Authorities say all three were beaten by rocks. Keith Laney says he was asleep during the crime. The Laneys live in New Chapel Hill, just east of Tyler, where neighbors are stunned at the tragedy.
RICHARD MAYNE, NEIGHBOR: Trying to figure out what's going on. You know, everybody's in shock about it.
JOE SMITH, NEIGHBOR: There's no way in the world that I would have believed she'd do this without something taking over her and something snapping in her and something making her do this. It is absolutely devastating to the neighborhood.
PRONK: Deanna Laney is in Smith County Jail under suicide watch. Her bond set at $3 million.
John Pronk, Channel 8 News, Smith County.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Thanks to John and WFAA for that.
The Smith County Sheriff says there's no history of trouble with the Laney family, but he said Deanna Laney's emotions have run the gamut since her arrest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF J.B. SMITH, SMITH COUNTRY, TEXAS: She has not been given medication yet. An attorney has been appointed to her.
Her emotions are wide and varied. She goes from a fetal position of crying to walking around the cell singing gospel music. She stops and prays, then she goes into a crying hysteria. She has, all of a sudden realizes what she's done. Then she'll go into a flatline, blank stare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Sheriff says it could take weeks to unravel exactly what happened and why.
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 May 12, 2003 - 15:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's go to Texas. A troubling story from that part of the world. Two young brothers are dead, a third in critical condition at a Dallas hospital. Their mother is behind bars, charged with murder and aggravated assault. Police say she called 911 and reported the crime as calmly as if she were ordering a pizza.
John Pronk of CNN affiliate WFAA has details for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN PRONK, WFAA REPORTER: Eight-year-old Joshua Laney and brother Luke, age 6, were found dead after a 911 call by their mother where she reportedly admitted killing them.
Fourteen-month-old Aaron Laney was in critical condition at Dallas Children's Hospital.
Authorities say all three were beaten by rocks. Keith Laney says he was asleep during the crime. The Laneys live in New Chapel Hill, just east of Tyler, where neighbors are stunned at the tragedy.
RICHARD MAYNE, NEIGHBOR: Trying to figure out what's going on. You know, everybody's in shock about it.
JOE SMITH, NEIGHBOR: There's no way in the world that I would have believed she'd do this without something taking over her and something snapping in her and something making her do this. It is absolutely devastating to the neighborhood.
PRONK: Deanna Laney is in Smith County Jail under suicide watch. Her bond set at $3 million.
John Pronk, Channel 8 News, Smith County.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Thanks to John and WFAA for that.
The Smith County Sheriff says there's no history of trouble with the Laney family, but he said Deanna Laney's emotions have run the gamut since her arrest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF J.B. SMITH, SMITH COUNTRY, TEXAS: She has not been given medication yet. An attorney has been appointed to her.
Her emotions are wide and varied. She goes from a fetal position of crying to walking around the cell singing gospel music. She stops and prays, then she goes into a crying hysteria. She has, all of a sudden realizes what she's done. Then she'll go into a flatline, blank stare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Sheriff says it could take weeks to unravel exactly what happened and why.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
