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American Morning
Police Find Man who Allegedly Abandoned Boy
Aired January 30, 2003 - 07:11 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: Authorities are questioning the man who allegedly abandoned his 3-year-old stepson in a Utah store, and police are very concerned about the boy's mother who has not been seen for about two weeks.
Rusty Dornin joins us from Salt Lake City with the very latest on that.
Good morning -- Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, you know, part of the heartbreaking part of this story is here was this little boy left in a shopping cart, and we knew nothing about him for nearly four days. Well, things came together very quickly yesterday when they identified the young boy as Jacob Corpuz from Reno, Nevada, and his stepfather, Lyle Montgomery.
Police did go to Montgomery's home in Reno and did take him in for questioning. They have not arrested him yet, but they do want to talk to him, especially in connection, because they do believe he is connected and is a person who did abandon Jacob Corpuz at that department store.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): It looks live your average Saturday shopping trip. A man leads a little boy into the Shopko in Salt Lake City. But police believe that man, who they now identify as Lyle Montgomery of Reno, Nevada, left his stepson, Jacob, sitting in a shopping cart.
Employees say the boy was taken in the cart to this aisle in the toy department and left there. For an hour, Jacob sits quietly until customers alert store employees, who then take Jacob back to the store's surveillance room. They give him some candy, while they try to page his mother and chat with him, while one employee checks the surveillance tape. When they spot the part on the tape where the little boy comes in with Montgomery, they asked Jacob, "Who is that man?" Employees say the boy said, "It's my friend, Lyle."
Police say Jacob's mother is also missing. Many questions remain unanswered. Why was the boy brought here? Was he kidnapped? What happened to his mother?
Meantime, Jacob's biological father has been located, and the boy could be released to him. That news was at least of some relief to employees here at Shopko. JEFF BRUCE, SHOPKO: We're really excited that maybe there's some information out there about his family. We're really concerned about the boy. So our ultimate goal is to hopefully find some kind of resolution to this and get him where he really needs to be, and hopefully that's with people that will take care of him.
DORNIN: Police say Jacob has been temporarily placed with a loving foster family. He appears happy and healthy, although a long way from home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Police are very concerned about Jacob's mother, however. Jeanette Corpuz could also be going by the last name of Accord (ph). Apparently, there has been some violent history. Montgomery is facing some charges for assault with a deadly weapon against Jeanette Corpuz. He was supposed to appear in court today on those charges, and apparently the woman has not been to work in the last two weeks, and was last sighted about a week ago -- Paula.
ZAHN: Rusty Dornin, thanks for the update. At least the young boy at this hour is safe and in good hands. Appreciate that report.
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 January 30, 2003 - 07:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Authorities are questioning the man who allegedly abandoned his 3-year-old stepson in a Utah store, and police are very concerned about the boy's mother who has not been seen for about two weeks.
Rusty Dornin joins us from Salt Lake City with the very latest on that.
Good morning -- Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, you know, part of the heartbreaking part of this story is here was this little boy left in a shopping cart, and we knew nothing about him for nearly four days. Well, things came together very quickly yesterday when they identified the young boy as Jacob Corpuz from Reno, Nevada, and his stepfather, Lyle Montgomery.
Police did go to Montgomery's home in Reno and did take him in for questioning. They have not arrested him yet, but they do want to talk to him, especially in connection, because they do believe he is connected and is a person who did abandon Jacob Corpuz at that department store.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): It looks live your average Saturday shopping trip. A man leads a little boy into the Shopko in Salt Lake City. But police believe that man, who they now identify as Lyle Montgomery of Reno, Nevada, left his stepson, Jacob, sitting in a shopping cart.
Employees say the boy was taken in the cart to this aisle in the toy department and left there. For an hour, Jacob sits quietly until customers alert store employees, who then take Jacob back to the store's surveillance room. They give him some candy, while they try to page his mother and chat with him, while one employee checks the surveillance tape. When they spot the part on the tape where the little boy comes in with Montgomery, they asked Jacob, "Who is that man?" Employees say the boy said, "It's my friend, Lyle."
Police say Jacob's mother is also missing. Many questions remain unanswered. Why was the boy brought here? Was he kidnapped? What happened to his mother?
Meantime, Jacob's biological father has been located, and the boy could be released to him. That news was at least of some relief to employees here at Shopko. JEFF BRUCE, SHOPKO: We're really excited that maybe there's some information out there about his family. We're really concerned about the boy. So our ultimate goal is to hopefully find some kind of resolution to this and get him where he really needs to be, and hopefully that's with people that will take care of him.
DORNIN: Police say Jacob has been temporarily placed with a loving foster family. He appears happy and healthy, although a long way from home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Police are very concerned about Jacob's mother, however. Jeanette Corpuz could also be going by the last name of Accord (ph). Apparently, there has been some violent history. Montgomery is facing some charges for assault with a deadly weapon against Jeanette Corpuz. He was supposed to appear in court today on those charges, and apparently the woman has not been to work in the last two weeks, and was last sighted about a week ago -- Paula.
ZAHN: Rusty Dornin, thanks for the update. At least the young boy at this hour is safe and in good hands. Appreciate that report.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
