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American Morning

Interview with Kent Woodhead

Aired July 16, 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, police in Nebraska are investigating a possible sighting of Elizabeth Smart, the 14-year-old abducted from her bedroom in Utah last month.

Captain Kent Woodhead of the Lincoln Police Department joins us now on the phone with more on this potentially hopeful development.

Good morning, Captain.

CAPT. KENT WOODHEAD, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA POLICE: Good morning.

ZAHN: Can you describe to us what happened, what was sighted?

WOODHEAD: Well, on July 11 in the morning, at 9:00 in the morning and then again at about 10 after 11, we had a blue two tone Ford Astro van with Pennsylvania license plates that was at one of our convenience stores. And we observed, or witnesses observed a young female inside that looked very distraught. She was crying. There were two white males that were driving and a passenger in the vehicle. And while they were gassing the vehicle up and witnesses saw the woman, or the young lady that was crying.

Someone in the back of the van pulled her back into the back and out of sight of the individuals. So they thought that was suspicious. They contacted the police department.

Currently, we are looking for that van. It has, as I say, Pennsylvania license plates. It has three individuals, three males inside and then the young woman. We do not know that it's connected to Salt Lake City at this point in time. In fact, we don't know if it's an abduction, if it possibly is an abuse situation or if it's an innocuous disciplinary action.

We just want to make sure and run down all leads that we can to make sure that the young lady was OK and that it isn't an abduction situation and isn't in any way connected to Salt Lake City.

ZAHN: But, Captain Woodhead, isn't it true that Salt Lake City officials are very interested in this information and this is something they're going to look seriously at, too?

WOODHEAD: I think any time you would have a situation where somebody could have been involved in an abduction or an abuse situation that all police departments, all municipal and state law enforcement agencies want to work together in a cooperative environment to try and run down all leads and make sure that everything is very, very good with those situations and make sure that it isn't something that's just innocuous and that it is something more serious.

So, yes, we're working in conjunction with all law enforcement agencies in the United States. We are looking for the van. All of our police officers here in the capital city of Nebraska are looking for that particular van and we want to just make sure that it was an innocuous situation and not an abuse or an abduction and in no way related to Salt Lake City.

ZAHN: Captain, before we let you go, a quick description again. The van has Pennsylvania license plates. Any numbers on that people have been able to glean? And a quick description of the van.

WOODHEAD: Yes, ma'am.

It's described as a 1986 two tone blue and gray Chevy Astro van with Pennsylvania license plates E as in Edward, C as in Charles, J as in John, 1368. And it was last seen westbound in the city of Lincoln.

So there were three white males in the vehicle and one younger white female.

But again, a Chevy Astro van, Pennsylvania plates ECJ1368.

ZAHN: Well, we hope getting that number out there will help in this joint investigation between your department and now, of course, the Salt Lake City police officials looking at this seriously, as well.

Captain Woodhead, thank you. I know you've been up all night on your shift. Appreciate your standing by to update our story for us this morning.

WOODHEAD: Thank you very much.

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