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Toddler Tragedy; President Bush & Tom DeLay

Aired April 26, 2005 - 14:05   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: We now begin our second hour of LIVE FROM. And we begin here in Georgia.
We know a little more today about the deaths of a young brother and sister found in a pond. CNN's Tony Harris is live from Warrenton with the latest.

I understand we're expecting a news conference with the coroner now, Tony?

TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct, Kyra. Some time within this hour. And let me sort of backtrack just a little bit, and then I'll bring you forward again.

Last hour, we were able to tell you that Warren County coroner Paul Lowe talked to us, a bunch of us, about the process so far. First of all, we can tell you that Paul Lowe was on the scene during the search on -- yesterday, when the children were pulled out of the sanitation pond by officers yesterday. And he was the first person to conduct a preliminary look at the bodies of the two children.

He told us that he found no indication of foul play during that initial check of the bodies, and no visible signs of trauma. The bodies were then transferred to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations crime lab in Augusta, a short drive from where we are here in Warrenton.

And then earlier this afternoon, Paul Lowe came out to tell us that that preliminary investigation, the preliminary findings from the actual autopsy going on in Augusta, had once again found no indication of foul play connected to the deaths. And, again, no visible signs of trauma.

As you mentioned, Kyra, just fast-forwarding now, we expect to get a more definitive conclusion on this autopsy within the hour. Again, from Warren County coroner Paul Lowe. But that's the update at the moment from here in Warrenton.

PHILLIPS: And Tony, as you've been talking to sources and working this story, any information at all on what could have happened to these children and who could be involved? Are relatives completely cleared here?

HARRIS: Yes. To sort of put the pieces together on this, there is a two-hour span of time here that has not been accounted for adequately. It's the period of time on Saturday between 4:00 in the afternoon and 6:15, when Lottie Kain called authorities to report her children missing.

At 4:00, the children had wandered off. Neighbors called Lottie to tell them that the kids had wandered off. The kids were gathered up and they were taken into the home.

And then there was a period in time, this chunk of time still unaccounted for, when Lottie tells authorities that she went to the bathroom, comes out of the bathroom, the kids are gone. The door -- the front door is open, the gate is open, and the kids are gone.

And as we've been telling you, there is a -- there is a path that leads directly down to this sanitation pond, but it's -- it is a few hundred yards away. We don't know how long the kids were missing before they were reported missing by Lottie, and that's a big question that we're trying to get an answer to. The answer to the question that you have as well, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Tony Harris, live there from Georgia, not far from here, Warrenton. Thank you very much.

Other news "Across America" now.

Fifty-five-year-old Charles Horton being called an amazing example of the will to live. Horton was skiing along when he broke his leg and spent eight days stranded in the Colorado backcountry with very little food or water. Horton used his elbows to try to drag himself to safety. He was rescued yesterday, dehydrated and frostbitten. He's in fair condition today.

The woman who claims she found a finger in Wendy's chili says she's eager to return to California to face charges. Anna Ayala waived extradition today in Nevada. She's charged with attempted grand larceny in what authorities are now call a hoax.

And cracking down on the Chicago Mob. The feds indict 14 individuals, including the city's reputed Mob boss and two retired police officers. Most of those named are accused of plotting Mob- related murders.

President Bush is winding up 60 days of road trips, promoting changes in Social Security. Polls show that his proposal to partially privatize it has lost support, actually. The president today brought his Social Security campaign to Galveston, Texas, where the county provides its employees an alternate retirement program.

Mr. Bush invited House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to join him. And the audience there shouted out a show of support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love you, Tom.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: President Bush giving the embattled House leader a ride from Galveston back to Washington on Air Force One. What's the message here? "INSIDE POLITICS" host Judy Woodruff join us here live in Atlanta.

We're lucky to have you here. A little break from Washington.

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": It's good to be here. It is, yes.

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about -- obviously, we've been talking a lot about Tom DeLay and this whole controversy about who is paying for what trip and how extravagant they are. It's led into something we'll get into in a moment. But the fact that he was with President Bush, what's the message here? Is he showing support for Tom DeLay?

WOODRUFF: He's clearly trying to show support. You may remember, Kyra, it was just not even two weeks ago that at the White House, on a day when there was bad news about Tom DeLay, the White House press corps asked spokesman Scott McClellan, "So, how close is the president to Tom DeLay?" And he was -- did this very careful dance.

He said, well, they're friends, but they're working friends. You know, and there are different levels friendship.

Well, today, here we are, 12 days later, and they are saying the president is with Tom DeLay today, he is extending his "thank you" for his wonderful leadership in the Congress. This is at a time when Tom DeLay has been under a lot of scrutiny in the media, the House Ethics Committee is investigating how some of his foreign trips were paid for.

But President Bush depends on this strong Republican leader to get his legislation through. And I think that's a good deal of what today is all about.

PHILLIPS: Well, you sort of wonder, too, as this investigation -- I hope I can say investigation -- sort of unfolds with regard to Tom DeLay how that's going to reflect on the president and the side I guess that he's taking, right? And now we're seeing a domino effect. I mean, I'm reading how all these members of Congress are rushing to amend their travel expenses.

WOODRUFF: Right.

PHILLIPS: They're looking back at campaign records. They're fearing that this controversy will affect them and possibly some skeletons will come out of the closet.

WOODRUFF: Well, it turns out, that's right, that the focus on DeLay's problems has now broadened. Because you've got this nonpartisan group that has done -- taken a look at all the trips that members of Congress or their staffs have taken over the last four or five years. They've looked at something like 5,000 trips at a cost of $16 million. Now, these are trips, Kyra, that were financed by outside groups. That is legal.

What's not legal is if these outside groups lobby the Congress. And that's what they're now going back and trying to make sure that if there's a name or an organization that signed on the dotted line, who is that person, what is that organization?

PHILLIPS: So let me ask you this, is there -- I would assume there's a code of ethics that politicians have to follow. Don't their -- don't staffers have to check out these organizations and see if indeed they're connected to a lobby group or if someone gave money or...

WOODRUFF: Well, absolutely. You know, but it's like so many things in life.

PHILLIPS: It's politics.

WOODRUFF: People -- people get -- well, that, too. But it's also people, I think, get into patterns and habits of doing things. And sometimes things either slip through the cracks or you obviously have lobbyists out there who want to make their influence felt.

And that's how they do it. And that's what these investigations are all about.

And, by the way, there are Democrats who are being looked at, too. The House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi. It turns out her staff, of the 40-some trips they've taken over the last few years, it now -- we're now learning -- and, again, this is...

PHILLIPS: Twelve in question, now, right.

WOODRUFF: That's right, 12 in question. And we want to give our Ed Henry the credit because he's the one who did the reporting on this. Twelve of those trips are being looked at very closely. We don't know yet if there was anything wrong, but there are questions.

PHILLIPS: Yes. You wonder how big this is going to get. Are you going to talk about it more on "INSIDE POLITICS" coming up?

WOODRUFF: We are. We're going to be looking at this coming up.

We're also going to be looking at Social Security. You mentioned the president's private account plan running into some trouble in the public opinion poll. I'll be looking at that. I'll be interviewing Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and also the ranking Democrat, Max Baucus.

PHILLIPS: Terrific. Judy Woodruff, so great to have you here.

WOODRUFF: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Thank you. WOODRUFF: It's always good to see you.

PHILLIPS: Likewise.

WOODRUFF: On the tube, but better in person.

PHILLIPS: Much better in person. We'll talk afterwards, right?

WOODRUFF: OK. Right.

PHILLIPS: OK. Good.

Well, how about your retirement years? Will you be working or kicking back and taking it easy? Just ahead on LIVE FROM, two women who find themselves still on the job long after they expected to be, just hanging out.

And also ahead, a little boy's dream turns into reality on the battlefield. The story of one Marine's life-saving heroism.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

TERI CUSANO, PITNEY BOWES: ... financial that I'm working for. The cost of living is very high. And I need to pay my utilities and what I use at home.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A nation apart, both drawing Social Security, these women share a common bond. Dreams of living a life of leisure in their golden years are gone. And they have company.

Workers 65 and older have been on the rise since the early '80s. And with an aging baby boomer population, that number is expected to grow and grow and grow.

So what's behind it at all? Are baby boomers just bad savers? John Challenger is a jobs trend expert.

JOHN CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER, GRAY & CHRISTMAS: Companies used to provide pensions, so when someone retired in their early 60s, they were basically covered with health care, and in terms of ongoing income. That's just not true anymore.

WILLIS: However, Challenger points out, with later retirement comes some benefits.

CHALLENGER: There's just much less discrimination today as the retirement age of 65 is disappearing and companies more and more focus on just what can this person do for me, are they productive? If they're productive, who cares what their age is?

WILLIS: And according to Irene and Teri, working past 65 isn't all bad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a reason to get up in the morning. A reason to get out and talk to people. I have a good time at it.

CUSANO: I love working because I socialize with people every day. And it gives me great fulfillment. At the end of the day, I go home, I'm tired. And it was a great day for me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And Gerri Willis will continue her hook at retirement in America tomorrow on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."

Wednesday's topic, easy Living, how to choose a location to live outside of your retirement. There's much more on this series on our Web site also, cnn.com/am.

Straight ahead, if you've ever thought that one person could not make a big difference, well, just stick around for this one. This mangled fire truck is all that's left after one Marine sprang into action.

Speaking of springing into action, check this out. A buffalo herd decides to rush the net. We'll tell you who won the match later on LIVE FROM.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. High gas prices are bad for your bank account, but someone's pumping up a nice profit. I'll tell you who coming up on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: An Amber Alert has been issued for a 12-year-old girl in Bradenton, Florida. Police believe Margarita Aguilar-Lopez was abducted and could be in danger. Jen Anderson from affiliate Bay 9 News joins me now with the details.

Jen, what do you know?

JEN ANDERSON, BAY 9 NEWS: Kyra, this is Manatee County's third missing child report in only two weeks. A 12-year-old girl was reported missing this morning after disappearing from a Bradenton motel last night.

Margarita Aguilar-Lopez, along with her younger niece and nephew, were staying at a motel with her two older brothers, Francisco Aguilar and Rubino Aguilar. The two men are migrant workers and left the children with a co-worker while they left the motel.

When they returned, Margarita and Antonio Paulino-Perez were gone. Police say the two may have left in a red Ford Aerostar. They say the child is in danger.

Bradenton Police are working with the FDLE, along with the Mexican police, to find out anything they can on Paulino-Perez's background. All of the people involved in this case are Mexican citizens, so police here are having a hard time tracking their history. In Manatee County, Jennifer Anderson.

Now back to you.

PHILLIPS: And Jen, just real quickly, that minivan, is that what police are saying they are still looking for, and is it an all-out manhunt?

ANDERSON: Yes, actually, it is. They're looking for a red Ford Aerostar, earlier model. The thing about it is, since it wasn't reported last night, they could have gotten very far by now. So police here in Bradenton are urging people all over to keep an eye out.

PHILLIPS: Jennifer Anderson, Bay News 9, thank you so much.

So, do high gas prices have your wallet running on empty? Not everyone is complaining. Susan Lisovicz live from the New York Stock Exchange to tell us who's making the big bucks -- Susan.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: "Now in the News," a prominent Islamic cleric in Virginia is convicted of urging followers to fight U.S. troops. Authorities said after 9/11, Ali al-Timini (ph) encouraged young Muslims to join the Taliban and played paint ball to practice for holy war. He could face 30 years to life in prison.

Unscheduled stop. This United Airlines flight from New York to San Francisco was diverted to Chicago after reports of a passenger with suspicious materials. Everyone was evacuated and the bomb squad was called. It turns out the suspicious materials were medicine vials, commuter wires and an MP3 player.

Missing child alert in Florida. Police say 12-year-old Margarita Aguilar-Lopez was abducted yesterday in Bradenton. She's believed to be in danger.

The suspect is Antonio Paulino-Perez. Police say the pair may be in a mid-'90s model red Ford Aerostar, possibly with Florida tags. If you have any information, you're urged to call 941-932-9300.

Preliminary autopsy results show no signs of foul play in the deaths of two Georgia toddlers found in a pond. The Warren County coroner says that there are no visible signs of trauma on Jonah and Nicole Payne. A coroner's news conference is expected within the hour. We're going to bring that to you live.

Close, but no Zarqawi. We learned today of a very near miss for U.S. forces who have been trying to capture Iraq's most wanted, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, apparent architect of countless insurgent attacks. Sources tell CNN that U.S. troops chased down a vehicle in which Zarqawi had apparently been traveling near Ramadi back on February 20.

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 April 26, 2005 - 14:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We now begin our second hour of LIVE FROM. And we begin here in Georgia.
We know a little more today about the deaths of a young brother and sister found in a pond. CNN's Tony Harris is live from Warrenton with the latest.

I understand we're expecting a news conference with the coroner now, Tony?

TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct, Kyra. Some time within this hour. And let me sort of backtrack just a little bit, and then I'll bring you forward again.

Last hour, we were able to tell you that Warren County coroner Paul Lowe talked to us, a bunch of us, about the process so far. First of all, we can tell you that Paul Lowe was on the scene during the search on -- yesterday, when the children were pulled out of the sanitation pond by officers yesterday. And he was the first person to conduct a preliminary look at the bodies of the two children.

He told us that he found no indication of foul play during that initial check of the bodies, and no visible signs of trauma. The bodies were then transferred to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations crime lab in Augusta, a short drive from where we are here in Warrenton.

And then earlier this afternoon, Paul Lowe came out to tell us that that preliminary investigation, the preliminary findings from the actual autopsy going on in Augusta, had once again found no indication of foul play connected to the deaths. And, again, no visible signs of trauma.

As you mentioned, Kyra, just fast-forwarding now, we expect to get a more definitive conclusion on this autopsy within the hour. Again, from Warren County coroner Paul Lowe. But that's the update at the moment from here in Warrenton.

PHILLIPS: And Tony, as you've been talking to sources and working this story, any information at all on what could have happened to these children and who could be involved? Are relatives completely cleared here?

HARRIS: Yes. To sort of put the pieces together on this, there is a two-hour span of time here that has not been accounted for adequately. It's the period of time on Saturday between 4:00 in the afternoon and 6:15, when Lottie Kain called authorities to report her children missing.

At 4:00, the children had wandered off. Neighbors called Lottie to tell them that the kids had wandered off. The kids were gathered up and they were taken into the home.

And then there was a period in time, this chunk of time still unaccounted for, when Lottie tells authorities that she went to the bathroom, comes out of the bathroom, the kids are gone. The door -- the front door is open, the gate is open, and the kids are gone.

And as we've been telling you, there is a -- there is a path that leads directly down to this sanitation pond, but it's -- it is a few hundred yards away. We don't know how long the kids were missing before they were reported missing by Lottie, and that's a big question that we're trying to get an answer to. The answer to the question that you have as well, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Tony Harris, live there from Georgia, not far from here, Warrenton. Thank you very much.

Other news "Across America" now.

Fifty-five-year-old Charles Horton being called an amazing example of the will to live. Horton was skiing along when he broke his leg and spent eight days stranded in the Colorado backcountry with very little food or water. Horton used his elbows to try to drag himself to safety. He was rescued yesterday, dehydrated and frostbitten. He's in fair condition today.

The woman who claims she found a finger in Wendy's chili says she's eager to return to California to face charges. Anna Ayala waived extradition today in Nevada. She's charged with attempted grand larceny in what authorities are now call a hoax.

And cracking down on the Chicago Mob. The feds indict 14 individuals, including the city's reputed Mob boss and two retired police officers. Most of those named are accused of plotting Mob- related murders.

President Bush is winding up 60 days of road trips, promoting changes in Social Security. Polls show that his proposal to partially privatize it has lost support, actually. The president today brought his Social Security campaign to Galveston, Texas, where the county provides its employees an alternate retirement program.

Mr. Bush invited House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to join him. And the audience there shouted out a show of support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love you, Tom.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: President Bush giving the embattled House leader a ride from Galveston back to Washington on Air Force One. What's the message here? "INSIDE POLITICS" host Judy Woodruff join us here live in Atlanta.

We're lucky to have you here. A little break from Washington.

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": It's good to be here. It is, yes.

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about -- obviously, we've been talking a lot about Tom DeLay and this whole controversy about who is paying for what trip and how extravagant they are. It's led into something we'll get into in a moment. But the fact that he was with President Bush, what's the message here? Is he showing support for Tom DeLay?

WOODRUFF: He's clearly trying to show support. You may remember, Kyra, it was just not even two weeks ago that at the White House, on a day when there was bad news about Tom DeLay, the White House press corps asked spokesman Scott McClellan, "So, how close is the president to Tom DeLay?" And he was -- did this very careful dance.

He said, well, they're friends, but they're working friends. You know, and there are different levels friendship.

Well, today, here we are, 12 days later, and they are saying the president is with Tom DeLay today, he is extending his "thank you" for his wonderful leadership in the Congress. This is at a time when Tom DeLay has been under a lot of scrutiny in the media, the House Ethics Committee is investigating how some of his foreign trips were paid for.

But President Bush depends on this strong Republican leader to get his legislation through. And I think that's a good deal of what today is all about.

PHILLIPS: Well, you sort of wonder, too, as this investigation -- I hope I can say investigation -- sort of unfolds with regard to Tom DeLay how that's going to reflect on the president and the side I guess that he's taking, right? And now we're seeing a domino effect. I mean, I'm reading how all these members of Congress are rushing to amend their travel expenses.

WOODRUFF: Right.

PHILLIPS: They're looking back at campaign records. They're fearing that this controversy will affect them and possibly some skeletons will come out of the closet.

WOODRUFF: Well, it turns out, that's right, that the focus on DeLay's problems has now broadened. Because you've got this nonpartisan group that has done -- taken a look at all the trips that members of Congress or their staffs have taken over the last four or five years. They've looked at something like 5,000 trips at a cost of $16 million. Now, these are trips, Kyra, that were financed by outside groups. That is legal.

What's not legal is if these outside groups lobby the Congress. And that's what they're now going back and trying to make sure that if there's a name or an organization that signed on the dotted line, who is that person, what is that organization?

PHILLIPS: So let me ask you this, is there -- I would assume there's a code of ethics that politicians have to follow. Don't their -- don't staffers have to check out these organizations and see if indeed they're connected to a lobby group or if someone gave money or...

WOODRUFF: Well, absolutely. You know, but it's like so many things in life.

PHILLIPS: It's politics.

WOODRUFF: People -- people get -- well, that, too. But it's also people, I think, get into patterns and habits of doing things. And sometimes things either slip through the cracks or you obviously have lobbyists out there who want to make their influence felt.

And that's how they do it. And that's what these investigations are all about.

And, by the way, there are Democrats who are being looked at, too. The House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi. It turns out her staff, of the 40-some trips they've taken over the last few years, it now -- we're now learning -- and, again, this is...

PHILLIPS: Twelve in question, now, right.

WOODRUFF: That's right, 12 in question. And we want to give our Ed Henry the credit because he's the one who did the reporting on this. Twelve of those trips are being looked at very closely. We don't know yet if there was anything wrong, but there are questions.

PHILLIPS: Yes. You wonder how big this is going to get. Are you going to talk about it more on "INSIDE POLITICS" coming up?

WOODRUFF: We are. We're going to be looking at this coming up.

We're also going to be looking at Social Security. You mentioned the president's private account plan running into some trouble in the public opinion poll. I'll be looking at that. I'll be interviewing Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and also the ranking Democrat, Max Baucus.

PHILLIPS: Terrific. Judy Woodruff, so great to have you here.

WOODRUFF: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Thank you. WOODRUFF: It's always good to see you.

PHILLIPS: Likewise.

WOODRUFF: On the tube, but better in person.

PHILLIPS: Much better in person. We'll talk afterwards, right?

WOODRUFF: OK. Right.

PHILLIPS: OK. Good.

Well, how about your retirement years? Will you be working or kicking back and taking it easy? Just ahead on LIVE FROM, two women who find themselves still on the job long after they expected to be, just hanging out.

And also ahead, a little boy's dream turns into reality on the battlefield. The story of one Marine's life-saving heroism.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

TERI CUSANO, PITNEY BOWES: ... financial that I'm working for. The cost of living is very high. And I need to pay my utilities and what I use at home.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A nation apart, both drawing Social Security, these women share a common bond. Dreams of living a life of leisure in their golden years are gone. And they have company.

Workers 65 and older have been on the rise since the early '80s. And with an aging baby boomer population, that number is expected to grow and grow and grow.

So what's behind it at all? Are baby boomers just bad savers? John Challenger is a jobs trend expert.

JOHN CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER, GRAY & CHRISTMAS: Companies used to provide pensions, so when someone retired in their early 60s, they were basically covered with health care, and in terms of ongoing income. That's just not true anymore.

WILLIS: However, Challenger points out, with later retirement comes some benefits.

CHALLENGER: There's just much less discrimination today as the retirement age of 65 is disappearing and companies more and more focus on just what can this person do for me, are they productive? If they're productive, who cares what their age is?

WILLIS: And according to Irene and Teri, working past 65 isn't all bad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a reason to get up in the morning. A reason to get out and talk to people. I have a good time at it.

CUSANO: I love working because I socialize with people every day. And it gives me great fulfillment. At the end of the day, I go home, I'm tired. And it was a great day for me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And Gerri Willis will continue her hook at retirement in America tomorrow on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."

Wednesday's topic, easy Living, how to choose a location to live outside of your retirement. There's much more on this series on our Web site also, cnn.com/am.

Straight ahead, if you've ever thought that one person could not make a big difference, well, just stick around for this one. This mangled fire truck is all that's left after one Marine sprang into action.

Speaking of springing into action, check this out. A buffalo herd decides to rush the net. We'll tell you who won the match later on LIVE FROM.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. High gas prices are bad for your bank account, but someone's pumping up a nice profit. I'll tell you who coming up on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: An Amber Alert has been issued for a 12-year-old girl in Bradenton, Florida. Police believe Margarita Aguilar-Lopez was abducted and could be in danger. Jen Anderson from affiliate Bay 9 News joins me now with the details.

Jen, what do you know?

JEN ANDERSON, BAY 9 NEWS: Kyra, this is Manatee County's third missing child report in only two weeks. A 12-year-old girl was reported missing this morning after disappearing from a Bradenton motel last night.

Margarita Aguilar-Lopez, along with her younger niece and nephew, were staying at a motel with her two older brothers, Francisco Aguilar and Rubino Aguilar. The two men are migrant workers and left the children with a co-worker while they left the motel.

When they returned, Margarita and Antonio Paulino-Perez were gone. Police say the two may have left in a red Ford Aerostar. They say the child is in danger.

Bradenton Police are working with the FDLE, along with the Mexican police, to find out anything they can on Paulino-Perez's background. All of the people involved in this case are Mexican citizens, so police here are having a hard time tracking their history. In Manatee County, Jennifer Anderson.

Now back to you.

PHILLIPS: And Jen, just real quickly, that minivan, is that what police are saying they are still looking for, and is it an all-out manhunt?

ANDERSON: Yes, actually, it is. They're looking for a red Ford Aerostar, earlier model. The thing about it is, since it wasn't reported last night, they could have gotten very far by now. So police here in Bradenton are urging people all over to keep an eye out.

PHILLIPS: Jennifer Anderson, Bay News 9, thank you so much.

So, do high gas prices have your wallet running on empty? Not everyone is complaining. Susan Lisovicz live from the New York Stock Exchange to tell us who's making the big bucks -- Susan.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: "Now in the News," a prominent Islamic cleric in Virginia is convicted of urging followers to fight U.S. troops. Authorities said after 9/11, Ali al-Timini (ph) encouraged young Muslims to join the Taliban and played paint ball to practice for holy war. He could face 30 years to life in prison.

Unscheduled stop. This United Airlines flight from New York to San Francisco was diverted to Chicago after reports of a passenger with suspicious materials. Everyone was evacuated and the bomb squad was called. It turns out the suspicious materials were medicine vials, commuter wires and an MP3 player.

Missing child alert in Florida. Police say 12-year-old Margarita Aguilar-Lopez was abducted yesterday in Bradenton. She's believed to be in danger.

The suspect is Antonio Paulino-Perez. Police say the pair may be in a mid-'90s model red Ford Aerostar, possibly with Florida tags. If you have any information, you're urged to call 941-932-9300.

Preliminary autopsy results show no signs of foul play in the deaths of two Georgia toddlers found in a pond. The Warren County coroner says that there are no visible signs of trauma on Jonah and Nicole Payne. A coroner's news conference is expected within the hour. We're going to bring that to you live.

Close, but no Zarqawi. We learned today of a very near miss for U.S. forces who have been trying to capture Iraq's most wanted, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, apparent architect of countless insurgent attacks. Sources tell CNN that U.S. troops chased down a vehicle in which Zarqawi had apparently been traveling near Ramadi back on February 20.

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