Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Interview with Jimmy Wideman
Aired July 30, 2002 - 07:50 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: A homeless man named Johnny Johnson has been formally charged with the murder, kidnapping and attempted rape of 6-year-old Casey Williamson, that little girl from Missouri whose body was found Friday in an abandoned glass factory.
Well, this morning, Casey's funeral is being held in Twin Oaks, and Casey's uncle, Jimmy Wideman III, is there outside the church. He joins us now.
Welcome, Jimmy -- thank you very much for being with us.
JIMMY WIDEMAN, CASEY WILLIAMSON'S UNCLE: Thank you.
ZAHN: I know you were close to Casey. What do you want our audience to know about her today?
WIDEMAN: She was a precious little child. Her smile would light up a room. She was very determined, very loving, and she is really going to be missed.
ZAHN: It seems like the whole community has reacted to your family's story. Tell us a little bit about the support you have gotten over the last several days.
WIDEMAN: The support is unbelievable. People from all over the nation have sent their sympathy, whether it was cards or phone calls or just prayers. And my sister wanted me to tell everyone in the nation, thank you very much, and it's really helping her get through this and helping our family make it.
ZAHN: I know your sister and the rest of your family has strong faith, and they are relying on that now to get through these very dark days. But how are Casey's sisters and her little brother doing?
WIDEMAN: Well, the two youngest, Elizabeth and Ernie, which are 4 and 2, can't really comprehend the situation right now. Chelsea (ph) is 11 years old, and she just -- she had a hard time the first day, a very hard time. But Saturday, she told her mom, which is Angela, that Casey is in a far better place now. And she smiled, and she said, "That's OK."
ZAHN: Oh, that's...
WIDEMAN: That's helping just with that belief that she is OK, and I truly believe that.
ZAHN: I know the last thing you and your family really want to think about today is Johnny Johnson, the man who has been formally charged with Casey's murder. But can you describe to our audience this morning this how he came into your family's life?
WIDEMAN: There is a house across the street from my father's house, where Ernie, the father, was staying. The little girls wanted to be with their father for the night. They were staying at my father's house, but they went across the street to stay with Ernie. And Johnny Johnson was an acquaintance of an acquaintance, and it just happened that they were spending time together -- Johnny Johnson was with -- with one of his friends. And he fell asleep on the couch, and the person that lived at the house just allowed him to sleep on the couch. She didn't really know him either. But she just let him sleep on the couch thinking nothing of it, but obviously she is regretting that now.
ZAHN: She is regretting that now. And how much does -- anger does your family have towards her for letting a stranger into her home to stay there?
WIDEMAN: I don't think there is -- I don't think there is any anger at all, because quite honestly, if it was a friend of a friend, you would think it was OK, and we would probably have done the same thing. There is no anger at all.
ZAHN: And in closing, Jimmy, I guess this is the summer where parents have become so painfully aware of how vulnerable all of our children are. A final message this morning to parents who have heard about your story and really do feel great pain and compassion for your family at this very dark hour.
WIDEMAN: We are just doing the best we can, and all of the support is really helping us. My sister wanted me to tell anyone that would listen that the reason this funeral will be televised is just so everyone nationwide can have coverage -- I mean, excuse me -- can have closure also. We know everyone was involved, and she just wants everyone to have a chance to say their good-byes also. We couldn't have done it without everyone, and we thank the entire nation.
ZAHN: And we are very happy you were able to share some of that with our audience this morning, because I know you have heard from thousands of people all over the country trying to offer you comfort.
Jimmy Wideman, thank you very much for your time this morning.
WIDEMAN: Thank you.
ZAHN: And we wish your family some peace.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
