Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Jessica Cortez Home Safe

Aired August 14, 2002 - 09:01   ET

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, a happy ending to the case of Jessica Cortez, the child abducted Sunday night in California. The little 4-year-old girl is home safe. Police officials say she was not abused, and the suspected kidnapper is behind bars.
CNN's Rusty Dornin has the very latest -- good morning.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, you know, police were just getting to wrap up their search of the Echo Park Lake here, because initially they had thought perhaps she had drowned. They were not really sure if she had been kidnapped. As you said, the little girl is in great shape. Apparently, she was not sexually assaulted. The kidnapper, however, did chop off her hair, perhaps to alter her appearance. She was joyfully reunited with her family last night. Now, from what we understand, a woman brought her to a medical clinic here in Los Angeles, and the little girl was complaining of a sore throat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

INTERIM CHIEF MARTIN POMEROY, LOS ANGELES POLICE: There had been such tremendous public exposure here in Southern California that the workers, as I understand it, at the clinic immediately recognized this might be Jessica, so they delayed somewhat in their treatment, and called the police.

At one point, the woman stepped out of the room, and they asked young Jessica what her name was, and she confirmed who she was. And this was a different name than had been provided by that woman when Jessica was brought to the clinic. The clinic called us back, and let us know in fact it was Jessica, and we immediately turned the red lights and sirens on, and responded quickly thereafter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: Now, police have arrested 34-year-old Patricia Cornejo. Interestingly enough, she has four children of her own, including a 4- year-old child, but at this point, police say at this point, no motive is clear in this kidnapping. Back here at Echo Park, there was a huge, very loud celebration.

A community obviously overjoyed at the return of one of their own. Meantime, police say they are still looking for the man they initially thought might be a suspect in connection with this just because apparently he had been sighted by some witnesses actually walking with Jessica. They still want to talk to him. They are still asking him or other people who might know him to get him in for questioning.

But again, a very happy ending here in Los Angeles -- Paula.

ZAHN: I guess, Rusty, the amazing thing -- part about this story is just how alert those workers were at the clinic to even notice that her hair might have been cut, and to notice that she gave a different name than the woman gave for her when she came into the clinic. I guess the police chief called them the true heroes of this story.

DORNIN: Well, you know, also there was just such a massive media output of her picture and that sort of thing, and the story, it really captured a lot of people's hearts. And apparently we do understand too, she said, "My name is Jessica," and that -- they had recognized her, but when the little girl said that, they knew that this was probably her.

ZAHN: Boy, was she lucky they were as wide awake as they were. Rusty Dornin, thanks so much for the update, appreciate it.

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