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Search for Dru

Aired December 10, 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: The search for Dru Sjodin has gone from rescue to recovery, and Sjodin's family is furious with the sheriff for suggesting that the missing student is probably dead. Hope waned that the blood found in the car of kidnapping suspect Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. matched Sjodin's.
CNN's Jeff Flock is in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He has some new information on the case -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kyra.

I want to talk to a member of Dru's family at this hour to get their sense for all of that.

First, I want to show you, though, a scene that unfolded here early this morning. That was Alan Sjodin, Dru's dad, who met with the sheriff, who made the comments yesterday, the somewhat bleak comments, that I must, frankly, say have been on the minds of some investigators for a time, but no one had said out loud until yesterday. They did have a meeting and hugged, and the sheriff said he was very sorry if the comments were hurtful.

At any rate, the search will continue with the National Guard this weekend, but I want to bring in Carol Sutfin, who is Dru's aunt.

Your reaction to those comments yesterday?

CAROL SUTFIN, DRU SJODIN'S AUNT: Disappointed at first. I realize that this gentleman was only saying what's on his mind, and I know a lot of other people probably share that thought. It just doesn't happen to be what we as a family or...

FLOCK: You don't share it?

SUTFIN: No, we do not share this thought.

FLOCK: What makes you think, based on even seeing that evidence, that she is still alive, Carol?

SUTFIN: There wasn't a great deal of blood. There was a little bit of blood. There was enough that the DNA could be traced back to her. Dru's a fighter. You know, Dru is absolutely a fighter. And to us, that just means she fought, she put up a good fight, and I don't know where she is. I'm just hoping that she's tucked away somewhere warm, and we're going to go get her.

FLOCK: The evidence does seem to point to Mr. Rodriguez as having some involvement. He has had nothing to say in terms of any real cooperation with authorities. You believe that he's got a television across the way behind us in the jail lockup.

SUTFIN: I've been told.

FLOCK: Have you got a message you'd like to share with him?

SUTFIN: I do absolutely have a message.

FLOCK: What is it?

SUTFIN: My message to him is he's done unspeakable things. He's done unspeakable things not just to Dru, but to our family. And we would just ask him to please find one shred of goodness in his heart and let us know where she is. If he could draw on the memory of one kind thing that one person has done for him somewhere in his life and just realize that he can give that kindness back, and that his reward will be great. Just give us information and tell us where our Dru is. We just want her home. And I ask him please to do that.

FLOCK: Carol, I appreciate your thoughts today.

SUTFIN: Thank you.

FLOCK: I've got to ask before we get away, where you go from here? How long you search? The National Guard will be here this weekend. Will you still be out there?

SUTFIN: We will search until we find her.

FLOCK: I hear that.

SUTFIN: We need her back.

FLOCK: I hear that.

Carol, thanks for the time.

SUTFIN: You're welcome.

FLOCK: I appreciate you coming out in the cold with us.

SUTFIN: Thank you.

FLOCK: Although I think it's fair to say this family has spent two weeks out in the cold, Kyra, in conditions like this, and the conditions are only going to get worse this week. Tomorrow's forecast high about 4 degrees, but they'll be out searching anyway -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You can understand that. Boy, when it's a family member, you'll do anything.

Jeff Flock, 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 December 10, 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: The search for Dru Sjodin has gone from rescue to recovery, and Sjodin's family is furious with the sheriff for suggesting that the missing student is probably dead. Hope waned that the blood found in the car of kidnapping suspect Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. matched Sjodin's.
CNN's Jeff Flock is in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He has some new information on the case -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kyra.

I want to talk to a member of Dru's family at this hour to get their sense for all of that.

First, I want to show you, though, a scene that unfolded here early this morning. That was Alan Sjodin, Dru's dad, who met with the sheriff, who made the comments yesterday, the somewhat bleak comments, that I must, frankly, say have been on the minds of some investigators for a time, but no one had said out loud until yesterday. They did have a meeting and hugged, and the sheriff said he was very sorry if the comments were hurtful.

At any rate, the search will continue with the National Guard this weekend, but I want to bring in Carol Sutfin, who is Dru's aunt.

Your reaction to those comments yesterday?

CAROL SUTFIN, DRU SJODIN'S AUNT: Disappointed at first. I realize that this gentleman was only saying what's on his mind, and I know a lot of other people probably share that thought. It just doesn't happen to be what we as a family or...

FLOCK: You don't share it?

SUTFIN: No, we do not share this thought.

FLOCK: What makes you think, based on even seeing that evidence, that she is still alive, Carol?

SUTFIN: There wasn't a great deal of blood. There was a little bit of blood. There was enough that the DNA could be traced back to her. Dru's a fighter. You know, Dru is absolutely a fighter. And to us, that just means she fought, she put up a good fight, and I don't know where she is. I'm just hoping that she's tucked away somewhere warm, and we're going to go get her.

FLOCK: The evidence does seem to point to Mr. Rodriguez as having some involvement. He has had nothing to say in terms of any real cooperation with authorities. You believe that he's got a television across the way behind us in the jail lockup.

SUTFIN: I've been told.

FLOCK: Have you got a message you'd like to share with him?

SUTFIN: I do absolutely have a message.

FLOCK: What is it?

SUTFIN: My message to him is he's done unspeakable things. He's done unspeakable things not just to Dru, but to our family. And we would just ask him to please find one shred of goodness in his heart and let us know where she is. If he could draw on the memory of one kind thing that one person has done for him somewhere in his life and just realize that he can give that kindness back, and that his reward will be great. Just give us information and tell us where our Dru is. We just want her home. And I ask him please to do that.

FLOCK: Carol, I appreciate your thoughts today.

SUTFIN: Thank you.

FLOCK: I've got to ask before we get away, where you go from here? How long you search? The National Guard will be here this weekend. Will you still be out there?

SUTFIN: We will search until we find her.

FLOCK: I hear that.

SUTFIN: We need her back.

FLOCK: I hear that.

Carol, thanks for the time.

SUTFIN: You're welcome.

FLOCK: I appreciate you coming out in the cold with us.

SUTFIN: Thank you.

FLOCK: Although I think it's fair to say this family has spent two weeks out in the cold, Kyra, in conditions like this, and the conditions are only going to get worse this week. Tomorrow's forecast high about 4 degrees, but they'll be out searching anyway -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You can understand that. Boy, when it's a family member, you'll do anything.

Jeff Flock, 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