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American Morning

Interview with Tom, Heidi Smart

Aired June 12, 2002 - 08:01   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: "Up Front" this morning, Salt Lake City police say they are closing in on a suspect in the kidnapping of 14- year-old Elizabeth Smart last week. A short while ago Bill spoke with Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF RICK DINSE, SALT LAKE CITY POLICE: I can't set a time limit on this. It may be soon. It might be later. It may be for quite a while, but we believe we have enough information about the suspect, the characteristics of the suspect, based on the crime scene, based on all of the investigative leads we've had up till now, including a behavioral science picture of him. So we have narrowed our focus in order to meet those things that we believe will bring us to him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: And joining us now from Salt Lake City are Tom and Heidi Smart, Elizabeth's uncle and aunt -- welcome to AMERICAN MORNING. Glad to have you with us this morning.

So, Heidi, what do you make of this more narrow search now? Is that a positive development, as far as you're concerned?

HEIDI SMART, AUNT OF ELIZABETH SMART: It gives us a lot of hope. We've had a lot of hope along the way, but it's nice to get more information.

ZAHN: Heidi, unfortunately we're having some technical problems in the studio. I'm trying to get the signal. OK, I guess the audience is hearing you, but I'm not, so I wasn't able to hear that response. Tom, we are also learning that the number of people who have volunteered is dropping off a little. How concerned are you? I guess the numbers were that originally you had some 1,200 people at the beginning days of the search, and now that has dropped to closer to 700.

TOM SMART, UNCLE OF ELIZABETH SMART: I think that that's important, because the first day we had, I think, close to 1,300. I think up until this search the most that any -- what was considered an excellent search with the Laura Recovery people was 400.

So when people are saying it is dropping off to 700, that's pretty amazing -- that's overwhelmingly amazing, actually, to still have that many people, and you know, it sounds like, obviously, there's some really strong leads and things are closing up here.

And even though that we don't have a time line on the whole thing, but what the chief of police says, I think I could paraphrase it by saying, everybody is hoping for a miracle, and we pray that what they're doing is -- and we know what they're doing. We pray for Elizabeth and to come home to us soon.

ZAHN: And, Heidi, is it your belief, based on what the police have told your family, that perhaps someone in the Smarts' neighborhood might be responsible for Elizabeth's disappearance?

H. SMART: I'm not sure about the neighborhood. We have been told, I think most of the public here has been told, that it's someone that they may have known -- so that could include any social setting that they're involved in, but the neighborhood would be one of those social settings. So...

T. SMART: Sorry.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: Of course, the possibility was raised in a news conference yesterday that Elizabeth may have walked out of that house. Is that even a remote scenario, as far as you're concerned?

H. SMART: From the family standpoint, that would be as far out of the picture that I could possibly think. I mean, that would be the furthest thing -- that would have been the last thing we ever would have ever, ever thought of. If you knew this little girl, you would feel the same way. That doesn't seem to be even a remote option.

ZAHN: And I know that a number of polygraph tests have been done on Elizabeth's father underwent one a couple days ago. Has he shared with you what police asked him?

H. SMART: No.

T. SMART: We don't interfere...

ZAHN: Carry on, Tom. Sorry.

TOM SMART: We don't want to interfere with the investigation. The entire family -- we'll do anything to bring Elizabeth home, but as far as sharing polygraph tests and who does what, that isn't really shared with us.

ZAHN: Yes. Do you know who else has been given polygraph tests?

T. SMART: I don't. I know that all of us are willing to.

ZAHN: And what has that been like for the family to endure? Obviously, that's a pretty standard procedure for police in any abduction case, but nevertheless, when the specter of someone's potential involvement in abduction is raised, it's got to be pretty troubling.

T. SMART: We don't want to pretend like we haven't been through hell as a family. We have. Take our family through hell, just bring Elizabeth back.

ZAHN: And are you pretty confident she's alive? Her parents have made that abundantly clear, as they make plea after plea on television.

T. SMART: Our prayers -- I felt from the second day and I think the family has felt this, that we have a lot of hope. Why we have hope at this point, and basically I think people may have been puzzled why do we have hope, but I think what the chief of police said yesterday and neither of us heard the whole press conference...

H. SMART: We didn't.

T. SMART: ... to us confirms what we felt all along that this is -- this -- this may -- this person that -- that there is hope, and I didn't have hope the first day, but we believe in miracles, and I think the police and us and everybody is praying for a miracle in this country. We ask everybody to pray.

H. SMART: We just want this person, if he's watching, to please soften your heart and let this sweet, darling little girl go home. She -- we love her, and want her as much as you do. Please let her go home.

T. SMART: We love you, Elizabeth.

ZAHN: How is Mary Catherine doing? She, of course, was at her sister's side during the abduction. I know the police have questioned her again. How is she holding up?

H. SMART: You know, we -- I personally saw her towards the very beginning, but the family's been very careful with Mary Catherine for her -- just to make sure that she feels safe and that she -- she's actually in very good hands. She's with the mother's family, and they're taking good care of her, and actually she is away from all of this frenzy right now.

ZAHN: Well, our hearts go out to you, and we do hope you get some good news soon.

Tom and Heidi, thank you very much for joining us this morning. I apologize for that little technical glitch at the top when I couldn't hear you. Take care and good luck.

T. SMART: That's OK.

H. SMART: Thank you.

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