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American Morning
Lake Tragedy: Three Children Died After Being Trapped in Car
Aired September 04, 2003 - 07:09 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: Now to the state of Illinois. Authorities are investigating the deaths of three young children, who died after the car they were in rolled down a boat ramp and into a lake. The mother, who was present but not inside the car, reported that incident to police, and now there is a reconstruction effort to try and figure out what happened there.
Jeff Flock is live in Clinton, Illinois watching this story for us.
Jeff -- good morning.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning to you.
Indeed, lots more questions than answers this morning in connection with this case, but now some of the answers perhaps are beginning to emerge.
Here is what we know, though. Indeed, three children are dead this morning -- ages 1, 3 and 6. They were pulled from a car in Lake Clinton. That's not too awful far from where we stand here in downtown Clinton this morning. That took place Tuesday night.
Indeed, the mother, a 28-year-old woman, Amanda Ham (ph), also of Clinton, apparently called 911 from a phone at the boat ramp to report that the children were trapped in the car. Emergency workers coming on the scene and pulling them out -- all dead, though.
The DeWitt County, Illinois, sheriff, Roger Massey, was telling me last night this is being investigated as -- quote -- "a very serious incident." He would release few details beyond that at this point other than to say that they want to reconstruct the scene and be very methodical about this.
But we have learned this morning that a 28-year-old man named Maurice LaGoin (ph) -- he is believed to be the boyfriend of the mother -- was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of drugs. No other charges beyond that, and he has apparently bonded out and been released.
Sheriff Massey (ph) would not tell us what efforts were made on the part of either the mother or this other man to rescue the children. Again, he says it is a very serious incident, and they expect that perhaps they will have more to say on this later this afternoon.
They met until about midnight last night, will reconvene again this morning, and maybe by afternoon, Bill, we'll have some more answers in this as to just what happened to those three children.
Back to you.
HEMMER: I don't want to put you on the spot. Any record for this woman and history?
FLOCK: No. And, in fact, it is believed that her mother works for the local county prosecutor, so that may be also delaying the investigation in that they want to be very careful, if there is any connection there, perhaps to appoint a special prosecutor to make sure that nothing looks fishy in that way.
But I talked to one person who knows this woman who said she was a good mother, did a good job with her kids, so I guess we'll see.
HEMMER: Jeff Flock in Illinois, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
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Aired September 4, 2003 - 07:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the state of Illinois. Authorities are investigating the deaths of three young children, who died after the car they were in rolled down a boat ramp and into a lake. The mother, who was present but not inside the car, reported that incident to police, and now there is a reconstruction effort to try and figure out what happened there.
Jeff Flock is live in Clinton, Illinois watching this story for us.
Jeff -- good morning.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning to you.
Indeed, lots more questions than answers this morning in connection with this case, but now some of the answers perhaps are beginning to emerge.
Here is what we know, though. Indeed, three children are dead this morning -- ages 1, 3 and 6. They were pulled from a car in Lake Clinton. That's not too awful far from where we stand here in downtown Clinton this morning. That took place Tuesday night.
Indeed, the mother, a 28-year-old woman, Amanda Ham (ph), also of Clinton, apparently called 911 from a phone at the boat ramp to report that the children were trapped in the car. Emergency workers coming on the scene and pulling them out -- all dead, though.
The DeWitt County, Illinois, sheriff, Roger Massey, was telling me last night this is being investigated as -- quote -- "a very serious incident." He would release few details beyond that at this point other than to say that they want to reconstruct the scene and be very methodical about this.
But we have learned this morning that a 28-year-old man named Maurice LaGoin (ph) -- he is believed to be the boyfriend of the mother -- was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of drugs. No other charges beyond that, and he has apparently bonded out and been released.
Sheriff Massey (ph) would not tell us what efforts were made on the part of either the mother or this other man to rescue the children. Again, he says it is a very serious incident, and they expect that perhaps they will have more to say on this later this afternoon.
They met until about midnight last night, will reconvene again this morning, and maybe by afternoon, Bill, we'll have some more answers in this as to just what happened to those three children.
Back to you.
HEMMER: I don't want to put you on the spot. Any record for this woman and history?
FLOCK: No. And, in fact, it is believed that her mother works for the local county prosecutor, so that may be also delaying the investigation in that they want to be very careful, if there is any connection there, perhaps to appoint a special prosecutor to make sure that nothing looks fishy in that way.
But I talked to one person who knows this woman who said she was a good mother, did a good job with her kids, so I guess we'll see.
HEMMER: Jeff Flock in Illinois, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
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