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American Morning
Interview with Anthony Hazen, Maggie Jones
Aired September 20, 2002 - 07:30 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: And again we want to go back to Indiana right now. Getting new information about the case there in northern Indiana just east of South Bend where a little girl apparently beaten inside of a parking lot. Police there are asking for the public's help as they search for a woman caught on videotape believed to be the mother apparently beating the little girl. The woman identified by police as 25-year-old Madelyne Gorman Toogood. A parking lot surveillance camera recorded this as she was putting the girl, again, believed to be her daughter, inside an SUV.
The incident took place a week ago, in fact, a week ago today. And police are concerned that the missing girl may need medical attention.
Anthony Hazen is the police chief in Mishawaka, Indiana. Maggie Jones is a deputy attorney there. They both join us live this morning.
Chief, I understand there are developments. The sister, I believe, who was with this woman at the time is now under arrest. Can you tell us more about that, sir?
ANTHONY HAZEN, POLICE CHIEF: Yes, we did pick the sister up who was with the suspect during the beating. Actually, Mrs. Jones or Miss Jones received charges against for failing to report child abuse.
HEMMER: Ms. Jones, is she cooperating?
MAGGIE JONES, DEPUTY ATTORNEY: Not at all. Yesterday I spoke to my boss, the prosecutor, Chris Toth (ph), and he agreed with me that we should be filing felony assisting a criminal charges.
HEMMER: Have you asked her about her sister, then, and do you know her whereabouts?
JONES: Detective Groh (ph) from the Mishawaka Police Department interviewed the sister extensively and he has asked her repeatedly.
HEMMER: And the response has been what, then, Ms. Jones?
JONES: Not helpful. She claims to not know where her sister is.
HEMMER: Are you convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the two women on that tape is the sister and the other one is the mother of this child? And the second question, knowing that on that videotape we did not actually see the woman strike the child, is there any doubt that this was child abuse? JONES: First of all, to see the actual video from the department store on a smaller TV close up, you can see the woman grab one of the girl's ponytails and forcefully shake her. That right there, not even counting all the blows that we saw the woman make, that right there constitutes battery.
So, yes, I personally am convinced. Secondly, as far as the identity of the women, it's my understanding that they are sisters and Detective Groh has assured me that the woman in the video is, in fact, the woman who is currently being held in the St. Joseph County Jail.
HEMMER: Chief, can you tell us about your investigation right now? Where is it taking you or leading you or possibly the whereabouts of this 25-year-old woman?
HAZEN: We spent all day yesterday, the detectives and several other departments, area departments, checking campgrounds, apartment complexes for the suspect and, more importantly, the child. We're very worried about the child. Some of the blows to the head could have caused some severe trauma. And we want to prevent any further attack, also.
HEMMER: Yes. And could you tell us, how did you get this videotape? The department store, known as Kohl's, apparently had some sort of camera trained on its parking lot. What have they told you about what tipped them off?
HAZEN: The suspect and the female that was arrested went into the store and tried to receive either merchandise or cash for some merchandise they had. Kohl's refused to exchange that. The suspect became angry, left the store and I believe they followed her out through the camera system and witnessed this happening.
HEMMER: Yes, is that standard for that store to do something like that if, indeed, they have a customer they believe might be unruly on the inside first and then go outside?
HAZEN: I really don't know what their policy is. I know we've been contacted by other area department stores that have witnessed what they thought could have been a crime out in the parking lot.
HEMMER: Thanks to both of you for joining us this morning.
Maggie Jones and Chief Anthony Hazen, again, in the town of Mishawaka, which is just east of South Bend, the northern part of Indiana.
Thanks again and we'll continue to track it on progress there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 20, 2002 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: And again we want to go back to Indiana right now. Getting new information about the case there in northern Indiana just east of South Bend where a little girl apparently beaten inside of a parking lot. Police there are asking for the public's help as they search for a woman caught on videotape believed to be the mother apparently beating the little girl. The woman identified by police as 25-year-old Madelyne Gorman Toogood. A parking lot surveillance camera recorded this as she was putting the girl, again, believed to be her daughter, inside an SUV.
The incident took place a week ago, in fact, a week ago today. And police are concerned that the missing girl may need medical attention.
Anthony Hazen is the police chief in Mishawaka, Indiana. Maggie Jones is a deputy attorney there. They both join us live this morning.
Chief, I understand there are developments. The sister, I believe, who was with this woman at the time is now under arrest. Can you tell us more about that, sir?
ANTHONY HAZEN, POLICE CHIEF: Yes, we did pick the sister up who was with the suspect during the beating. Actually, Mrs. Jones or Miss Jones received charges against for failing to report child abuse.
HEMMER: Ms. Jones, is she cooperating?
MAGGIE JONES, DEPUTY ATTORNEY: Not at all. Yesterday I spoke to my boss, the prosecutor, Chris Toth (ph), and he agreed with me that we should be filing felony assisting a criminal charges.
HEMMER: Have you asked her about her sister, then, and do you know her whereabouts?
JONES: Detective Groh (ph) from the Mishawaka Police Department interviewed the sister extensively and he has asked her repeatedly.
HEMMER: And the response has been what, then, Ms. Jones?
JONES: Not helpful. She claims to not know where her sister is.
HEMMER: Are you convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the two women on that tape is the sister and the other one is the mother of this child? And the second question, knowing that on that videotape we did not actually see the woman strike the child, is there any doubt that this was child abuse? JONES: First of all, to see the actual video from the department store on a smaller TV close up, you can see the woman grab one of the girl's ponytails and forcefully shake her. That right there, not even counting all the blows that we saw the woman make, that right there constitutes battery.
So, yes, I personally am convinced. Secondly, as far as the identity of the women, it's my understanding that they are sisters and Detective Groh has assured me that the woman in the video is, in fact, the woman who is currently being held in the St. Joseph County Jail.
HEMMER: Chief, can you tell us about your investigation right now? Where is it taking you or leading you or possibly the whereabouts of this 25-year-old woman?
HAZEN: We spent all day yesterday, the detectives and several other departments, area departments, checking campgrounds, apartment complexes for the suspect and, more importantly, the child. We're very worried about the child. Some of the blows to the head could have caused some severe trauma. And we want to prevent any further attack, also.
HEMMER: Yes. And could you tell us, how did you get this videotape? The department store, known as Kohl's, apparently had some sort of camera trained on its parking lot. What have they told you about what tipped them off?
HAZEN: The suspect and the female that was arrested went into the store and tried to receive either merchandise or cash for some merchandise they had. Kohl's refused to exchange that. The suspect became angry, left the store and I believe they followed her out through the camera system and witnessed this happening.
HEMMER: Yes, is that standard for that store to do something like that if, indeed, they have a customer they believe might be unruly on the inside first and then go outside?
HAZEN: I really don't know what their policy is. I know we've been contacted by other area department stores that have witnessed what they thought could have been a crime out in the parking lot.
HEMMER: Thanks to both of you for joining us this morning.
Maggie Jones and Chief Anthony Hazen, again, in the town of Mishawaka, which is just east of South Bend, the northern part of Indiana.
Thanks again and we'll continue to track it on progress there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
