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Texas Authorities Search For Missing 2-Year-Old; Protecting Children From Internet Dangers

Aired June 22, 2006 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Straight to the newsroom now -- Fredricka Whitfield working a developing story for us at the top of the hour -- Fred.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, in Chicago, the Dirksen Federal Building is no longer in lockdown, not because officials have located the person that had been searching for, Larnell Rogers.

But, instead, it's believed, officials say, Larnell Rogers is no longer in the 27-story building on Dearborn Street. They had been looking for him after this man was to appear in court at a federal hearing. He was late. And, when he arrived, officials say, he learned that a warrant was out for his arrest because he was late, and, thereby, he left that courtroom area.

And, so, they conducted the search throughout the building. He was not believed to be armed or dangerous or anything like that. But because of rules in that federal building, it being the place where a federal courthouse is located, the FBI office, as well as a correctional facility, security measures were taken.

So, now the lockdown has been lifted. The search continues, however, for Larnell Rogers. And officials say he is not believed to be a threat to the public -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Are we still going to Reynolds? OK. We got -- thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Sure.

PHILLIPS: While you are working on a couple stories for us, Reynolds Wolf also with more on that tornado or severe weather -- is it tornado or just severe weather right now in Indianapolis?

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, right now, take your pick.

In Indianapolis, we actually have just severe weather at this time. Everywhere else, we have two tornado warnings effect.

Let's tackle the tornadoes, first and foremost. We have a tornado warning in effect for Allen County in west central Ohio, also Putnam County until 3:30 Central -- rather -- I'm sorry -- 3:30 Eastern time. We are going to zoom in on a couple of those locations. What we are seeing, again, a line of rotating thunderstorms. You have got I- 75 here, Bowling Green, Toledo, just to give you a point of reference.

Fort Wayne, things are clear for you now. You had the rough weather moments ago. Now the storms are moving to the east of you, closer to the I-75 Corridor. Here's Findlay, Ohio. If you are tuning in from Findlay, you have got, again, just the rain coming down. The heaviest rain is about to move through. Then you are going to get a little bit of break. Then another line comes through.

We don't have anything confirmed yet, visual confirmation of a tornado. These storms are just rotating. And these are Doppler- indicated warnings.

Now, we are going to pop up a little bit closer to south of Lake Erie, from Sandusky. Let's see. To give you another point of reference, Put-in-Bay is about right here. And as you look right along the turnpike, the Ohio Turnpike, you have to remember this entire area is under a flood warning at this time.

So, when you have a lot of this moisture that is going to continue its way towards the turnpike, that does not bode well for people in northern Ohio.

Now, on the other side of the storm system, a little bit farther back into Indiana, we have got a live shot, I believe, out of Indianapolis. We are going to take a look at that for a moment. And you see some water on the lens cap. The camera was shaking a little bit from some of the outflow from these storms, not unusual.

And this a scene that is going to continue to pop up in places like Columbus, Ohio, back over to Cincinnati, into Cleveland later on today. And, of course, it is happening as we speak in places like Toledo.

That is the very latest that we have for you, a rough time, to say the very least, in portions of the northern Ohio Valley, and the southern Great Lakes. We could see more of this take place in Missouri, perhaps into the Central Plains as well. It's going to be a busy afternoon -- back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks, Reynolds.

WOLF: You bet.

PHILLIPS: While senators squabble, the top brass in Iraq considers a modest reduction in U.S. troop strength.

Standing by with that story, CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jaime McIntyre.

Jamie, what do you know?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, I am not sure what kind of an announcement we are going to get when -- when General George Casey and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appear before the press corps at the Pentagon here a short while from now in the Pentagon briefing room.

They have been very reluctant to show their hand, although we have known for quite some time that the Pentagon has a desire to reduce the overall numbers of troops in Iraq, currently at about 127,000, down to perhaps as low as 100,000 by the end of the year.

But what we are hearing from sources is that what General Casey is talking about at the moment is not sending a brigade or two in when it comes their time for rotation. And that's how these troop reductions would be accomplished. Essentially, as troops come out, not all of them would be replaced.

Now, we are told no decisions have yet been made about which units might not go in that were previously scheduled to rotate in. And we will see if General Casey is willing to show a little leg on this at the briefing this afternoon, give us an idea of his thinking.

Again, they have been very reluctant to do that, because they want to pin the reduction of U.S. troops really to the situation on the ground. And that situation changes almost every day. So, they want to keep a close eye on it. So, we will watch and see what he says.

PHILLIPS: All right. Jamie, appreciate it. We will take that probably in about 25 minutes or so.

We expect to hear from General Casey and Secretary Rumsfeld. As Jamie said, the two are scheduled to brief reporters at 3:30 Eastern. We will take it live.

Three separate attacks this week in Iraq. Five U.S. service members are killed, four by roadside bombs in the hair-trigger Anbar Province in Baghdad. These raise the total U.S. military deaths in Iraq to 2,510.

The war is over for eight American troops being held at Camp Pendleton, California, but it still might cost them their lives. The seven Marines and one Navy medic are charged with murdering an innocent civilian in the Iraqi town of Hamandiyah in April, then planting a weapon on him, so he would look like an insurgent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. STEWART NAVARRE, U.S. MARINE CORPS: The Marine Corps takes allegations of wrongdoing by its members very seriously and is committed to thoroughly investigating such allegations. The Marine Corps also prides itself on holding its members accountable for their actions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And about half of the 80 or so factory workers kidnapped yesterday north of Baghdad have been freed. Two have been killed. Iraqi police say the released workers are mostly women and Sunnis. The fate of the others is a mystery.

Let's get back to Fredricka Whitfield in the newsroom with another developing story in Texas -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Well, Kyra, for hours now, an intense search has been under way for a 2-year-old missing in Irving, Texas, which is just outside of Dallas.

We have a photograph now of the little boy that people are looking for, Elian Majano, 2 years old, last seen wearing a white T- shirt, flowered shorts, and flip-flops. His family says he was in Lively Park with the family when the child's brother, older brother, says he remembers seeing little Elian walking on a trail towards some woods.

Well, the search has been very intense from the air and on the ground, looking for any evidence of this little boy. So, again, 2- year-old Elian Majano is the centerpiece of this search. He is wearing a white T-shirt, flowered shorts, and flip-flops. So, anyone in that area with any information about this little boy is being asked call the local authorities there -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. We will continue to follow it. Thanks, Fred.

Communist North Korea, nobody on the outside really knows what's going on inside, especially when it comes to the military. Pyongyang and the West have known little more than tension and mutual distrust for more than 50 years, with plenty of missile tests. So, why all the fuss now?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS (voice-over): It's one of the most isolated countries in the world, led by one of the least predictable leaders in the world.

JOHN BOLTON, UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS: We don't know exactly what North Korea has in mind. Nobody can read Kim Jong Il's mind.

PHILLIPS: That's why everyone is so concerned about reports North Korea may be getting ready to test a long-range Taepodong-2 missile. North Korean leaders say they have one, and that that nuke has a firing radius of 9,300 miles.

What does that mean for you and me? It means U.S. cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, even Denver, are within its range. The Pentagon is working on a missile defense program, but, so far, only five of the 10 tests of the interceptor have been successful.

JOHN PIKE, GLOBALSECURITY.ORG: If it's only working half of the time and it's the only thing standing between you and an incoming hydrogen bomb, you'd say it's not working very well at all.

PHILLIPS: North Korea has not test-fired a long-range missile since 1998. The Bush administration warns, testing such a missile would be an act of provocation. But, so far, it's talking about a diplomatic response, not a military one.

BOLTON: The launch of a missile, particularly if it goes after Japanese territory, is clearly a threat to international peace and security, something we can't accept.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, Pyongyang -- Pyongyang, rather, has a history of rattling sabers to get attention. But one former Pentagon official says this time might be the right time to make the first move.

Ashton Carter co-wrote an op-ed piece in today's "Washington Post." He says -- quote -- "If North Korea persists in its launch preparations, the United States should immediately make clear its intention to strike and destroy the North Korean missile before it can be launched."

The U.S. airstrike would puncture the missile and probably cause it to explode.

I spoke to Ashton Carter just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ASHTON CARTER, PREVENTIVE DEFENSE PROJECT: This can be done with one or two ordinary bombs.

It's like the airstrike that we did on Zarqawi's location about two weeks ago, nothing more extensive or dramatic than that. But it would have the effect of eliminating the North Koreans' ability to collect this data and develop their fleet of missiles, and it would also put them on notice that it's time to stop.

PHILLIPS: All right, a couple questions. You mentioned Zarqawi. We saw what those 500-pound bombs did. It literally blew away two homes in its entirety in that neighborhood. There were other people affected besides Zarqawi. So, of course, you hear, all right, what if we did drop two 500-pound bombs on this launchpad and took this missile out?

Is that what you are saying would be the best option? Or are you talking about something out at sea? What -- is there a smart way, I guess, to take out that missile site, where nobody else would get hurt?

CARTER: Well, people talk way too casually about surgical strikes in general. But, if there ever was a surgical strike, this would be one.

A ballistic missile on its launch site cannot run and hide, like Zarqawi could have done, if he had known those aircraft were coming. A big ballistic missile is a multi-story, thin, aluminum-skinned bladder filled with high-energy fuel. So, it's a very, very vulnerable target, and there's no question that we could eliminate it. We suggest that we warn North Korea in advance of our intention to do this -- this for two reasons. The first and most important one is that we hope that that will cause them to make a decision they need to make, which is to knock it off and not cross this line. But, also, they can evacuate personnel from the area. Nobody has any intention or desire to hurt people. We just need to make sure that they don't use this test to develop a missile force, which is designed to carry nuclear weapons to our territory, as your lead-in suggested.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, Vice President Cheney has read Carter's piece as well. He tells CNN he appreciates the advice, but believes destroying a missile inside North Korea could -- quote -- "worsen the situation."

Hot and dry, but not as windy, and that might be the break that firefighters in Arizona need -- live pictures right now of the firefighting efforts in Sedona. Right there, that wildfire has grown to 3,300 acres. It has reached, but hasn't jumped, Highway 89-A, we are told. Homes, businesses are on the other side.

Investigators are offering a $5,000 reward now for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the transients that they believe started this fire -- efforts going on from the air and on the ground to get that blaze under control. You can see the famous red rock formations -- what a beautiful place. It's a shame to see the flames.

Well, will curiosity kill the chat? Thanks to all the recent news about Internet predators, some parents might like to reboot the family computer right through the window -- coming up on LIVE FROM, a more sensible approach to cyber-safety.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Live pictures once again now out of Sedona, Arizona.

As it comes in tighter, you might be able to see the pockets of flames there -- firefighters continuing to struggle to stop this wildfire from jumping on a highway in the scenic Oak Creek Canyon area, and reaching an area of evacuated homes and resorts.

We are told that 700 firefighters now on the lines today, backed by at least a dozen aircraft and nearly three dozen fire trucks. But, by nightfall, about a 2,585-acre blaze, we are being told. That's how big it is. It was only 7 percent contained in this very steep and rugged terrain.

We are going continue to follow these live pictures and the -- the battle to get those fires out, a fire that authorities believe was started by transients. And they are now offering an award for any information leading them to those individuals.

So, hyper about cyberspace? If you are a parent, the answer is probably yes. It's a rare day when there's not a news story about someone's child getting into Internet trouble. You can ditch the computer, or you can learn how to keep your kid safe.

Ken Colburn is the founder and president of Data Doctors, an Internet safety group. He joins me from Phoenix with some practical advice.

I'm assuming that your company is getting more and more popular.

KEN COLBURN, FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, DATA DOCTORS: Well, this need has been there for a long time.

What's great is that we are seeing that parents are starting to -- starting to really understand that they need to really kind of take notice and kind of learn about this technology they kind of -- kind of left to the kids.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, you talk about you can either block or track. Will you tell me the difference between the two and why you actually, when it comes to you and your kids, you decide to track?

COLBURN: Well, I think the age of the kids is -- is the basic thing.

If you have really young children in your -- in your home, then you can't expect them to really know what to do when something comes up. So, in those cases, blocking probably makes the most sense. As children get older, their -- their searching and requirements for the Internet become more sophisticated, and blocking software sometimes can be a deterrent for them to be able to do homework and things of that nature.

So, if you have a good relationship with your kids, and you set the ground rules, then the tracking program just mom and dad to understand, OK, they are following the rules.

PHILLIPS: All right.

Well, let's talk about a Web site that you can use. We asked you for a good suggestion, so we can do a little show-and-tell here, if you want to track your kids. You said k9webprotection.com is really easy to install and carry through.

So, we have got it up here. You, as the parent, can go on and register. You get an e-mail within seconds. You get the software link. You download it. You pick a password.

And, then, what happens from there?

COLBURN: Well, what happens is, it starts to incorporate all of the rules that the folks over at Blue Coat, the parent of this software program, which is absolutely free, for anyone that wants to try it.

The rules that they have created for keeping people safe when they are -- when they are surfing are automatically incorporated into anybody that uses that computer. So, it's a -- it's a -- it's a good tool for nontechnical parents to -- to at least start the process of starting to manage what happens when their children are surfing the Internet.

PHILLIPS: Now, can you get in there and block certain categories? For example, anything to do with pornography, I want it blocked. Anything to do with pornography drugs and alcohol, I want it blocked. I mean, can you get that detailed?

COLBURN: Absolutely. In fact, by default, it is going to block anything and everything that it feels like could cause a problem.

I mean, you can go into the setup screens and actually say, well, I'm OK with this particular -- let's say guns or ammunition, that kind of thing, you are OK with those kinds of Web sites coming up. So, you can modify those things. And, also, as you -- as you kind of surf through, if you find a site that you do want to allow the kids to use in the future, you can put an administrative password in to let it kind of come -- you know, to -- to -- to allow it to be seen in the future.

But I do want to caution parents, using just technology as the -- as the way to -- to manage this is -- you know, there's a real easy way to bypass these filters. And that is to go to the friend's house. Or, if they're really motivated, they can figure out to disable the software. So, we really caution parents on using this as the only way of really managing this in their homes.

PHILLIPS: Well, what's another way of managing? Because the stories that we are talking about now, it's the big My Space controversy, and that kids are just putting things on the Web site that, it just attracts trouble and predators, and a chance to have these -- not so much Web sites that they're logging on to, but it's the communication between bad people and good people...

COLBURN: Right. And...

PHILLIPS: ... our kids and predators or someone else.

COLBURN: And the mistake parents is that they feel like they have locked it down in their homes. And they can just go to their friend's house and continue to use their My Space to tell people about -- about themselves.

The key here is, parents need to get involved. They need to talk to their parents -- their kids on a -- on a level that the kids can communicate with. And -- and -- and we are seeing a much better kind of percentage of parents taking the initiative.

But it does take time and effort. And that is really what scares a lot of parents away. So, we are really big about telling people that technology is like 20 percent of the equation. The other 80 percent is really communicating.

Set up a My Space page. I mean, a lot of parents have never even seen My Space. And the first time they go, they realize, boy, there's -- there's a lot going on here I'm not sure I want my child to see. And that's the kind of involvement that it's going to take for parents to be successful. PHILLIPS: Ken Colburn, thanks for your time.

COLBURN: You bet.

PHILLIPS: Let's get straight to Fredricka Whitfield with an update on that missing boy in Texas -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Well, they are still searching for that 2-year-old, Elian Majano. They have been doing this search in Irving, Texas, just outside Dallas, for hours now.

On the phone with us -- and here's one of the newest pictures of the little boy that they're looking for, a 2-year-old, on the phone with us, David Toll, who is the public information officer in charge out of Irving, Texas, Police Department.

David...

DAVID TOLL, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, IRVING POLICE DEPARTMENT: Yes.

WHITFIELD: ... what is happening with your search?

TOLL: Well, it's -- obviously, it's ongoing. We have been steady at this since approximately 7:00 last night.

We have searched until about 3:30 this morning with numerous -- upwards of 100 volunteers, police officers from various agencies, canines, helicopters with infrared. We stopped about 3:30 this morning and resumed about 8:00.

Again, we have got bloodhounds now -- now from a different agency, another county, and continuing the search, unfortunately, to no avail.

WHITFIELD: So, is it still the case that family members had said that they were all together at Lively Park there off O'Connor Road when one of the children in the group saw this 2-year-old going off on a trail that leads to some woods, all this taking place near a nearby middle school as well?

TOLL: That's basically correct.

The family -- the -- the group pulled up in a car at a parking lot. The boys got out and ran ahead to play. There's a discrepancy on how much time elapsed before the older boy came back, the 4-year- old boy came back alone. The mother asked him: Where is your brother? Where have you all been?

He pointed over there. They started looking, looked for about 20 minutes, then called the police. So, it -- like I said, that's -- that's it in a nutshell.

But, again, we have -- we have had no indications of foul play. But the farther this goes along, and we are -- we are not seeing any indications that the boy left on his own, we are -- we are unfortunately looking like, possibly, somebody has taken this boy.

WHITFIELD: Really? So, you -- you have put out an alert to the community to look for this little boy, last seen wearing a white shirt, flowered shorts, and flip-flops. Is that still the description?

TOLL: That's correct.

The -- the sandals or flip-flops have a Spider-Man on them. We have not put out an Amber Alert. It doesn't meet the criteria for that. It's very restrictive -- or strict on that. Actually, we are -- we are leaning towards that now, because of the exclusion that we have gotten, taking other things off the list.

The logical -- the logical thoughts now is that the boy could not have gotten out of here by himself. But we haven't quite gotten to that point, so I don't want to jump the gun.

WHITFIELD: All right, David Toll with Irving police.

We want to show that picture one more time for anyone out there in the Irving, Texas, area. Elian Majano, that's the little bit boy, 2 years old, last seen wearing a white T-shirt, flowered shorts, and flip-flops with a Spider-Man image on them.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of this little boy, call the authorities -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Fred, thanks.

Well, no deadlines, no drawdowns, no deviation from the president's policy, the final word for now in the U.S. Senate on U.S. forces in Iraq. A pair of Democratic proposals aimed at changing what supporters call a failed, stay-the-course strategy were soundly voted down today.

Speaking for the Republican majority, Senate Leader Bill Frist declared -- quote -- "Surrender is not a solution."

We expect to hear from General Casey and Secretary Rumsfeld in just a few minutes. The two are scheduled to brief reporters about 3:30 Eastern. We will bring it to you live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And we expect to here from General Casey and Secretary Rumsfeld at about probably the half-hour, 3:30 Eastern time. We will bring it to you live when it happens.

As you know, senators are on the Hill squabbling about whether troops should stay the course in Iraq or come home. The top brass in Iraq considers a modest reduction in U.S. troop strength now. So, we are standing by the hear more on that, as soon as they step up to the podium.

He's faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive. But will Superman be able leap to the top of the box office in a single bound?

Sibila Vargas has that and more in today's entertainment report.

Hey, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, the critics are certainly liking this film and liking the odds.

Well, there hasn't been a Superman movie since 1987. But now, after a long absence from the silver screen, the Man of Steel is back.

"Superman Returns" premiered for a star-studded audience in Los Angeles last night. The new Superman, Brandon Routh, was there, as was Kate Bosworth, who plays Lois Lane. And Lex Luthor, himself, Kevin Spacey, was also there.

A special die-hard fan also flew in for the bash. Shaquille O'Neal, fresh off his win at the NBA finals, says he just had to be there for his hero.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, NBA PLAYER: As a youngster, I just thought he was so powerful and he was different. And everybody loved him. And everybody depended on him, sort of like me. And that's why I call myself Superman. I'm also the son of Jor-El. Had my cape on last night. But, tonight, it's belongs to Brandon Routh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VARGAS: I would have liked to have seen him in his cape.

(LAUGHTER)

VARGAS: "Superman Returns" opens next Wednesday.

Well, it seems like everyone in Hollywood is having babies these days. Haven't you noticed? But Reese Witherspoon says she's not. And she's suing a tabloid that has claimed she's pregnant. The Oscar- winning actress has filed suit against "Star" magazine, which, in a recent cover story, said she was pregnant with her third child.

According to the lawsuit, not only is news of the pregnancy false, but so are the article's claims that she kept the news from producers of the upcoming films. "Star"'s magazine lawyers call it -- quote -- "a frivolous lawsuit with no legal merit."

Well, "American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee has revealed that she has battled bulimia in the past. In an interview with "Teen People" magazine, the 22-year-old singer said she developed the eating disorder during her junior year in high school.

Murphy credits -- or McPhee credits "American Idol" with her ultimate recovery. She says it was her desire to succeed on the popular TV show that finally led to her treatment facility last October.

We certainly hope that her story will inspire other girls to seek treatment for this horrible disease -- back to you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. What's coming up tonight, Sibila?

VARGAS: Well, on "Showbiz Tonight," we will have more on McPhee's bulimia confessions and how stars like her are helping others by revealing their eating disorders.

That's the inside story on TV's most provocative entertainment news show, tonight at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, "Showbiz Tonight," on CNN Headline Prime.

See you there, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Sibila, thanks so much.

Well, the V.A.'s newest weapon against identity theft, a free year of credit monitoring to qualified veterans concerned about the personal data in a stolen V.A. laptop -- still no word on the 26 million sets of names, Social Security numbers, and other private info that has been missing in action for almost two months.

Well, Uncle Sam wants you. I said, Uncle Sam wants you. I'm speaking up, so all of you post-40-year-olds can hear me. For the second time since January, the U.S. Army has raised again its maximum enlistment age. First, it went from 35 to 40. Now you can be as old -- or young -- as 42 and sign up for duty.

The Army Reserve predicts it will still fall short of its recruiting goals for a second straight year.

No deadlines, no drawdowns, no deviation from the president's policy, the final word for now in the U.S. Senate on U.S. forces in Iraq. A pair of Democratic proposals aimed at changing what supporters call a failed, stay-the-course strategy were soundly voted down today.

Speaking for the Republican majority, Senate Leader Bill Frist declared -- quote -- "Surrender is not a solution."

And once, again, a live picture from the Pentagon. We are waiting for General Casey and Secretary Rumsfeld to step up to the podium. As you know, senators have been going back and forth about troop reduction.

Senator John Kerry has wanted to set a date for troops to come back within 12 months. It's caused quite a rift among Democrats, a constant back and forth of should they stay? Should they go? All of them? Some of them?

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