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Nancy Grace
Baby Dies After CPS Leaves Him in Abusive Home; Girl`s Body Found in Family Fridge; Man Poses as Twilight Star to Lure Girl for Sex?; Family of Four Disappeared into Thin Air; Strip Club Scam
Aired June 12, 2014 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, live to Florida. After 11 calls to police about horrific violence in the home, child protective services
leaves baby Justin there in the home, and tonight baby Justin dead. Yet on a high-profile celebrity case, like Will Smith`s daughter taking a picture
with a family friend, CPS intervenes. For what, to get a free tour inside Will Smith`s multi-million-dollar mansion? Ridiculous! This while
children are dying and they do nothing!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you beat those kids?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two-year-old Justin Polk`s lifeless body was found in a motel room. The autopsy revealed he died of blunt force trauma and
possible strangulation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These documents (ph) say they had several signs of abuse and trauma. Did you do this to those kids?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: To Texas. A 5-year-old little girl heads to the fridge for string cheese. Instead, she finds the body of her 9-year-old sister stored in the
fridge with the milk, cheese and produce, who had apparently been refrigerated for months on end. Tonight, why are there still no charges
against Mommy?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nine-year-old Ayahna Comb was found by a neighbor in her mother`s empty apartment. She was wrapped in blankets. She may have
been dead for days.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And live tonight, Iowa. A California actor poses as a "Twilight" saga star, using his fake star status to lure a little girl into his car
for sex?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chastity Leon (ph) says she met this man, 33-year-old David Lavera (ph) (INAUDIBLE) claimed to be an actor from the "Twilight"
movie series.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) people really believed that this man was from "Twilight."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The suspect came to their home to pick up the teen and even pose for photos with the teen`s sister.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That was from the movie "Twilight: Breaking Dawn" from Summit Entertainment.
And then to rural Kinay (ph). A happy family of four, including children ages 3 and 5, vanished into thin air. Left behind, both family cars, all
the family camping gear, even the carseats for the two little children. At this hour, the search by land and air expands to dense woodlands near the
family home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brandon Gibbetten (ph), Rebecca Orfeck Adams (ph) and her two daughters, 5-year-old Michelle (ph) and 3-year-old Jericha Hundley
(ph), went missing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have no idea what`s going on. There`s so many loose ends right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And after we report a well-respected cardiologist refuses to pay his $135,000 strip club bill, claiming he was drugged four times, and that
evidence revealed he signed all his own American Express bills at the strip club, breaking news tonight. We reveal an elaborate scheme where high-
priced strippers drug men, then run up bills on the credit cards. I`m talking tens of thousands of dollars at strip clubs. Hey, maybe the doctor
was right!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some strippers have been arrested, accused of using date rape drugs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Goofy (ph) and clearly under the influence...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Initially, they`re in a stupor. And then later, they conk out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The victim`s signature is forged and credit cards charged anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000. One of the victims even charged
more than $100,000 over the course of the evening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us tonight.
Bombshell tonight, live to Florida. After 11 calls to police about horrific violence in the home, child protective services leaves baby Justin
in the home, and tonight baby Justin is dead. Yet on high-profile celebrity cases, like Will Smith`s daughter taking an innocent picture with
a family friend, CPS intervenes. For what, to get a free tour inside Will Smith`s multi-million-dollar mansion? Ridiculous! This while children are
dying, and they do nothing, spending their time fabricating claims against Hollywood stars like Will Smith?
Straight out to Pat Lalama, investigative reporter with Investigation Discovery. What happened in baby Justin`s case? There were 11 calls about
abuse, domestic violence, horrific violence in the home. Yet the children were left in the home.
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY: Hey, Nancy, let`s talk about a two- year period of three visits. And even though the investigators said, yes, it was dirty, and yes the conditions were disgusting...
(CROSSTALK)
LALAMA: ... filthy and disgusting, but no imminent danger to the children and felt that the real problem in the household was with the mother and
whichever boyfriend she happened to have in the house at the time.
GRACE: Well, here`s my question. Here`s my question. Unleash the lawyers, Jeff Gold, defense attorney, also joining us, Raymond Giudice,
defense attorney out of Atlanta.
Ray, if the mother is not protecting the children and there`s all this domestic abuse going on, why in the world do they think the children should
not be removed from the home? I don`t understand that.
RAY GIUDICE, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I mean, you raise a great point. And a lot of the problems is where do these children go to? Most states are
overwhelmed in the foster children system. There may not be a crime, as Pat just pointed out, filth, dirt, a dirty house, a (INAUDIBLE) house...
GRACE: Violence?
GIUDICE: ... that`s not a crime. If there`s an act of violence, someone should have went down to the magistrate judge, raised their little right
hand and say, This is what happened. I want a warrant.
GRACE: You know what, Ray?
GIUDICE: That never happened.
GRACE: I really do appreciate that, and theoretically, you`re absolutely right. But every day, Sue Moss, joining us from our Manhattan studios --
every day, women are beaten black and blue, broken arms, broken legs, and they`re afraid to go to police. What makes anybody think this mother is
going to protect these children from her next boyfriend? Now the baby`s dead, Sue Moss!
SUSAN MOSS, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: A 2-year-old isn`t beaten...
GRACE: Awful.
MOSS: ... or strangled by themselves or a little elf! It`s the adults who that 2-year-old lived with! And in this case, it was Mom and the
boyfriend! This child didn`t have just a few injuries here and there, they had systemic injuries...
GRACE: Awful. Awful.
MOSS: ... over a long period of time! This mother and her significant others have been using this kid as a biting (ph) pad (ph) and as a punching
bag for quite some time!
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: But what`s so ironic, Sue Moss, is that while they`re leaving children in the home to die, take a look at how they waste their time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hollywood super-couple Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith are under investigation by the Los Angeles Department of Children and
Family Services, according to reports, after a photo of Willow (ph) Smith, the 13-year-old daughter, in a bed with a topless 20-year-old actor Moises
Arias (ph) was posted on social media.
GRACE: Will Smith is being investigated by CPS while other children are dropping dead?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please let me go home right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Pelletiers are left fighting DCF in court, hoping to regain custody of their daughter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) she fell to the ground and cried in the courthouse hallway after learning her daughter, Justina (ph), would be
moved to foster care.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boston Children`s accused them of over-medicalizing their daughter. But the family showed us proof that every procedure and
prescription was sanctioned by doctors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All I want is to be with my family and friends back home.
GRACE: And CPS is wasting my time and money investigating it while children are dying? This is bass-ackwards!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And I still stand by that statement. I just showed you the Pelletier case and the Will Smith, the movie star Will Smith case, where
CPS takes it upon themselves to investigate parents who are taking perfect care of their children, one to get celebrity by investigating Will Smith,
and the other with the Pelletier case -- that little girl was being treated for a medical illness, but the CPS workers thought it was all in the little
girl`s head? So they take her away from her mother and father? They have just agreed that they were wrong and given the girl back -- this while
children are dying, the latest being baby Justin.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Citizens take child protective services office is taken by storm after CPS sends a 2-year-old little girl back to Mommy after Mommy`s
already broken her leg at least once. I`ve got evidence of another broken leg. Tonight, 2-year-old Dezirae is dead. Relatives begged CPS, Don`t
send her back home, don`t send her to her mother. We`ll never see her alive again!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Five-year-old Jeremiah Oliver (ph) went missing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s only 5 years old. I mean, he didn`t get to enjoy his life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The little boy`s body was wrapped in a blanket, concealed in a dufflebag.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three workers at the Department of Children and Families have been fired for negligence. Jeremiah`s mother and her
boyfriend are in jail.
GRACE: Child protective services goes to the home, and they say everything is A-plus. The baby`s body -- look at this child, she`s 3, look at her --
stored in the freezer. May they rot in hell!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Back to Pat Lalama, investigative reporter, Investigation Discovery. So just tell me, is it true that there are no homicide charges
yet? Not only does CPS not intervene, they leave the child to die in a home where there`s 11 calls about violence to police. And Ray may be
right...
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: Maybe there`s nowhere to take the baby. Maybe they didn`t have a foster family. But they didn`t even try to get the baby out of the home.
They walked away, Pat!
LALAMA: The mother had a history of going to a shelter once for protection. But here`s the thing that gets me, Nancy. They say no signs?
The 1-year-old, the injuries old and new on the 1-year-old, the one who`s not dead, the one who`s now in protective care -- that child`s injuries
were so severe, fractures old and new, bruises on the lungs and on the chest -- you`re telling me that just happened yesterday? How could they
not know...
GRACE: Good question. Hold one...
(CROSSTALK)
LALAMA: ... and she`s pregnant! And she`s pregnant, Nancy! She`s pregnant now! According to...
GRACE: To Dr. Cathleen London, joining us out of New York. Dr. London, is there a way for them to tell whether the injuries on this child -- and they
need to look at the other children, too -- are recent or from previous beatings?
DR. CATHLEEN LONDON, PHYSICIAN: Yes, we absolutely can tell. When you do X-rays, you can see there`s evidence of healing fractures, all different
ages. That doesn`t happen spontaneously to a child. I`m sorry. Not -- no way. So it doesn`t happen by falling off the couch or anything like that.
When you see injuries at all different stages, that`s a huge red flag. As a physician, if I see bruises all over a child at different stages of
healing, I`m going to report that. I am obligated legally.
GRACE: You know, very quickly, I want to go to Jeff Gold, defense attorney. Jeff, I think child protective services needs to be prosecuted
criminally, because they are the ones whose duty is to protect the children. They`re dead. This baby yet again has been left to die. I
think they should go to jail. I don`t mean just lose their job, I mean go to jail!
JEFF GOLD, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, look, you know, Nancy, we`ve seen these cases over and over again. It`s very hard to disagree with you that it`s
the state`s job. That`s why they`re there, and they ought to be held accountable. And I really don`t think it`s so far of a stretch to think
that their negligence requires -- it`s criminal negligence.
GRACE: To Raymond Giudice. I think CPS needs to go to jail!
GIUDICE: Look, that would be an interesting case, and maybe the grand -- special grand jury needs to be put together by that county`s district
attorney. And let me jump on Jeff`s point. Not only should there be criminal prosecution, but let`s strip away some of this sovereign immunity
that allows these folks not to be sued and the state not to be sued for not only hiring negligently, supervising negligently. When you hit somebody in
the pocketbook, in the wallet, things get better, and they happen right away.
GRACE: You know what`s interesting, Dr. Bethany Marshall, is that they would leave the child in the home, a violent home, thinking the mom would
take care of the children? She never took care of them when the father was beating everyone. Why should she take care of them when the live-in
boyfriend`s beating them?
BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: It`s a very good point. And also, you know, to speak to Pat`s point that the CPS report described it as
disgusting and filthy -- neglect is a form of abuse. So even by that fact alone, the children were being abused.
GRACE: Yet while these children are dying, CPS takes it upon themselves to get into Will Smith and Jada Pinkett`s mansion for a tour over nothing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Willow Smith, the 13-year-old daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, made headlines after a photo of her in a bed with
topless 20-year-old actor Moises Arias was posted on social media. Willow`s mother defended the picture, saying there was nothing sexual about
it. But now there are reports that the famous parents are under investigation by child services.
Willow Smith`s movie star parents have said they give their children as much control over their lives as possible, and say punishment has a little
too much of a negative quality.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nine-year-old`s Ayahna Comb`s body was found wrapped in a blanket and shoved in a refrigerator drawer. Her mother, Amber Keyes
(INAUDIBLE) the child died in January, claiming she tried to perform CPR after Ayahna stopped breathing, but panicked when she couldn`t save her, so
she put her daughter`s body in the fridge.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: To Texas, a 5-year-old little girl heads to the fridge for string cheese. Well, instead, she finds the body of her 9-year-old sister stored
in the fridge with the milk, cheese and produce, who had apparently been refrigerated for months on end. Tonight, why are there still no charges
against Mommy?
Straight out to Adela Uchida, reporter there in Houston. Adela, what happened?
ADELA UCHIDA, NEWS 92 FM (via telephone): Well, this all started for the public, I guess, to know about it on Monday night. A neighbor discovered
the 9-year-old`s body. I`m told that the neighbor became suspicious after not seeing that 9-year-old for months. Apparently, she used to be taken
out in a special stroller, and no one had seen her. The door was unlocked. The neighbor wouldn`t talk to me on Tuesday when I went out there, so I`m
not quite sure why the neighbor opened the refrigerator, but that`s how it stands. Of course, then the neighbor calls the police, and the
investigation gets under way.
GRACE: This is not the first time a child has been murdered or attempted murder with an appliance. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A father puts his 1-year-old in a washer at a laundromat and closes the door. For more than a minute, you see the child
flipping around inside the machine as it starts filling with water.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keneth Porro (ph) suffocated his girlfriend`s son and put him in the oven.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They discovered the baby had been placed inside. Malden (ph) later confessed, saying stress had led him to burn his own
child.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lindsay Findler (ph) allegedly claims on the 911 call a relative killed her 10-day-old baby girl. But police claim she put the
baby in a washing machine on full wash cycle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police say the child was placed directly on the oven grate, leaving marks on the baby`s clothes. The child`s uncle heard
crying, but couldn`t find the child. He followed the sound of the little girl`s cries right to the oven.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Authorities say Tiffany Hall (ph) drowned kids she was baby-sitting in the tub, then put the bodies in a washing machine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They told me that it looked like somebody had cooked her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just looked at my baby, and you know, I recognized all the burn marks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know why anybody would do that to her!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And tonight, we find out a 9-year-old little girl has been stored in the refrigerator for months on end. The mother`s story does not add up.
Adela Uchida joining us from Houston. Adela, doesn`t the mother say that the child stopped breathing as she tried to perform CPR? And when she
didn`t, she just put the girl in the fridge? Is that her explanation?
UCHIDA: That is exactly her explanation, Nancy. This all came out in court yesterday for an emergency hearing to determine temporary custody of
the younger child, the 5-year-old girl that went in -- the one that went into the refrigerator and found the 9-year-old at some point, the mom
telling the CPS case worker that Ayahna -- is her name -- died of breathing problems around 3:00 AM on January 29th, and then she apparently puts the
9-year-old in her bed, covers her up until the 5-year-old goes to school, and then wrapped her in the blanket and stuffed her in the drawer...
GRACE: And left her...
UCHIDA: ... of the refrigerator.
GRACE: ... in the crisper of the refrigerator.
UCHIDA: That`s right. She waited (INAUDIBLE)
GRACE: Unleash the lawyers, Sue Moss, Jeff Gold, Raymond Giudice. First to Sue Moss, family law attorney in New York. Susan, even if, which I
don`t believe, that the child died accidentally or from normal -- a normal death, a natural death, I don`t believe that -- why would you put your
child in the fridge and leave her there? Why not call 911 and try to save her life, Sue?
MOSS: That`s cold! But what, did she run out of Tupperware? I mean, this is the deal. They`ve already taken away a first child from this woman!
When a first child is taken away from a woman, CPS must monitor any additional children being with that parent! Zebras don`t change their
stripes, and abusers don`t become, you know, something other than what they are, which are people who hurt children!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was Ayahna`s 5-year-old sibling who opened the fridge and discovered her sister`s body. She then told a neighbor, who
called police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was located on the ground in the kitchen. We have it wrapped in blankets. We pronounced her deceased on scene.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: To the lawyers, Sue Moss, Jeff Gold, Raymond Giudice. To you, Giudice. There`s really no innocent explanation for this. The mother
would normally call 911 if a child quits breathing. You don`t just stash the child`s body in the fridge for the little sister to find.
GIUDICE: You and Sue got all kinds of reasons why you don`t want to wait for the medical examiner`s report to come back, to show the scientific,
medical, legal cause of this child`s death. What`s it going to be, another two weeks, another 30 days? You`ll have an answer. There`ll be a real
answer that the district attorney can then go either get a charge of homicide, get a charge or deprivation, or clear this lady before we call
her a murderer on national television.
GRACE: Jeff Gold?
GOLD: Look, she clearly improperly disposed of this body, even if her story is right. But yes, I mean, we have to wait and see what the autopsy
says, wait until the state builds its case.
GRACE: OK, so...
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: ... an echo to wait and see. All right, gentlemen, you can wait and see.
Lawrence Carter-Long, public affairs specialist with the National Council on Disability -- Lawrence, thank you for being with us, friend. This child
had cerebral palsy.
LAWRENCE CARTER-LONG, NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY: That`s right, and I`ve got cerebral palsy myself. But here`s the question that I have for
you, Nancy, is how does a child who`s 9 years old, who has specialized needs and services, needs those supports and services, basically fall off
the face of the earth? If you look at the reports, she hadn`t been to school or seen a doctor in over two years. She hadn`t been seen by members
of her family since late last year. Her father hadn`t seen her for months. Medical examiners say that she weighed 14 pounds...
GRACE: Oh!
CARTER-LONG: ... at the time of her death. Whatever happened didn`t just happen overnight!
GRACE: Fourteen pounds! Fourteen pounds! For those of you that don`t recognize Lawrence Carter-Long, he was literally the poster boy to bring
awareness to cerebral palsy.
Back to the lawyers, Sue Moss, Jeff Gold, Raymond Giudice. Ray Giudice, I`m going to go back to you in particular because you`re saying, Wait and
see, wait and see. You have daughters in your family. A 9-year-old girl that weighs 14 pounds? Now, what do you want me to wait and see, Ray?
What is it?
GIUDICE: Look, there`s a good argument that both Sue and Mr. Long have just made about a deprivation case. That`s not a murder case. Get the
medical examiner`s report. If you were prosecuting this case, Nancy, the first thing you`d hold up to that jury in your trial is the medical
examiner`s report.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: And now to Iowa, a California actor poses as a ""Twilight"" saga star using his fake star status to lure a little girl into his car. For
sex?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chastity says the man who`s leaping over kids and doing flips in the air much like the teenage werewolves in the ""Twilight""
movie.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The suspect told her daughter that he starred in the movie ""Twilight"" and started communicating with her through social media.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Says they agreed to meet through Facebook and she willingly got into his car.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That really disgusted us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: To Gary Barrett, anchor with WHO. Gary, which one of the "Twilight" stars is David LaVera claiming to be?
GARY BARRETT, ANCHOR, WHO NEWS RADIO: Well, he claimed that he was Kiowa Gordon, one of the werewolves in the "Twilight" saga, and thought he could
pose as Kiowa and bring all of the girls to like him.
GRACE: Emphasis, Gary Barrett, on girls. Little girls.
Take a look regarding "Twilight" saga.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Twilight" star Bronson Pelletier arrested for allegedly urinating in public at LAX airport. The actor plays Jerry, one
of Jacob Black`s wolf pack in the movies "Twilight." The real Kiowa Gordon was reportedly wanted on a warrant for a drug charge and was arrested on
outstanding warrants, reports say.
The actor who plays Embery Call was allegedly driving erratically according to police.
A 20-year-old Missouri man Blake Lammers is charged with first-degree assault and making a terroristic threat after he allegedly plotted to open
gunfire at a movie theater during "Twilight", reports say.
Samantha Tumpach, a 22-year-old woman who was accused of trying to videotape "Twilight" saga "New Moon" bootleg style is reportedly suing the
movie theater for malicious prosecution among other claims.
An 18-year-old Illinois teen Olivia Ornelas reportedly blamed a DUI crash over the fact she was extremely upset with her boyfriend because she didn`t
see the movie "Twilight", reports say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That`s the tip of the iceberg with "Twilight" saga-related crime.
Back to you, Gary Barrett, anchor with WHO. OK. Let me get this straight, this guy, 33-year-old David LaVera poses as the star of "Twilight" saga in
order to do what?
BARRETT: To attract girls. And I guess to make it look like he was a 24- year-old because that`s how old Kiowa Gordon is. He first, according to one girl, said that they were in a trailer park in Newton and teen girls
were surrounding him, he was telling them all that he was an actor on "Twilight", and they were all excited about it. And then apparently one of
those girls talked to her parents into talking a teacher into letting him come and demonstrate at a couple of schools in Iowa.
GRACE: Oh, dear lord, in heaven, so he`s actually going to public schools posing as a "Twilight" star. It`s like he couldn`t be happier. He`s
thrown in the midst of all these preteen and teen girls.
Everybody, you`re seeing video from the movie "Twilight: Breaking Dawn" from Summit Entertainment.
Chelsea Krost is with us, talk show host with Millennial Lifestyle, and she`s an expert in that.
Chelsea, thank you for being with us. So he tries to -- didn`t he drive all the way to Iowa and ends up luring a little girl into his car?
CHELSEA KROST, TALK SHOW HOST, MILLENNIAL LIFESTYLE EXPERT: You know what, LaVera totally tapped into the Twi-hard in these 14-year-olds because they
call them Twi-hards for a reason. They are diehard fans of the saga. And allegedly he drove his car from California to Iowa because he made this
connection with this 14-year-old girl via social media.
GRACE: OK, Clark Goldband. "Twilight" saga related crime, and now we`ve got this 33-year-old man claiming he`s the star of the "Twilight" saga, and
he`s actually just similar enough to the werewolf star that he can pull it off and he ends up with a little girl in the car with him. That`s how far
it went.
What exactly was he doing at these public schools? Giving acting lessons?
CLARK GOLDBAND, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER, COVERING STORY: Well, Nancy, he was doing, according to reports, like martial arts type demonstrations. He
apparently --
GRACE: Whoa. Whoa. Martial arts? What? Did the werewolves in "Twilight" do flips and -- what?
GOLDBAND: He apparently Nancy, served on the stunt crew way back in one of the "Indiana Jones" films, according to an IMDB profile. So this guy does
have some --
GRACE: Clark, look, look at your monitor.
GOLDBAND: I see. I see.
GRACE: There he is posing with the girls at a junior high.
GOLDBAND: Yes, and --
GRACE: And I`m talking about 7th and 8th grade girls.
GOLDBAND: Yes. And Nancy, according to reports, he was also recently invited to an 8th grade pool party.
GRACE: OK. Just what he wants to be in. Eighth grade girls, what is that, 12 and 13 running around in bikinis?
Unleash the lawyers. Sue Moss, Jeff Gold, Raymond Giudice.
OK, Ray, he drives all the way from California to Iowa and lures a girl into his car for what? To give her an autograph?
RAY GIUDICE, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, here`s the problem with the state`s case and why they didn`t charge him with kidnapping. A 14-year-old can
actually consent to take a ride in a car when no harm comes to her, if there`s been no sexual contact or anything inappropriate. There`s been no
evidence of anything inappropriate, that`s why it`s not a kidnapping.
GRACE: They`re saying he drove all the way from California to Iowa to give a 14-year-old girl a ride?
GIUDICE: Listen. The state`s case is for kidnapping.
GRACE: No, no. Please answer that. Just don`t give me a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo.
GIUDICE: It`s not what you people --
GRACE: I do appreciate that you know the law.
GIUDICE: It`s not what you think people are trying to do, it`s what the state can prove they actually did. The young lady consented to going into
the car with him.
GRACE: The girl. She`s not a young lady.
GIUDICE: OK. Fair enough. She did consent by all pieces of evidence, there`s no harm.
GRACE: You know what?
GIUDICE: What happened to her?
GRACE: Sue Moss, along that vein, when you`ve got a child getting into a car when some perp says, hey, I`m looking for my lost puppy, can you get
into the car, and they get into the car? What? Are we just supposed to ignore that? According to Ray Giudice, the answer is yes.
SUSAN MOSS, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY & CHILD ADVOCATE: And how about the back - - if that car had five daggers and two swords in it, I mean, we`re not talking about "Twilight," this guy is trying to remake the "Hunger Games."
This was a very dangerous situation. And the fact that the parents finally did get involved and called the authorities and they were stopped is the
only reason why this story didn`t turn out much, much worse.
JEFF GOLD, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Look, we just don`t know what his intent was. And so we --
GRACE: We said that nth time. I do know.
GOLD: Well --
(CROSSTALK)
GOLD: We don`t know what his --
GRACE: The guy is posing as a star. He drives to California --
GOLD: He`s impersonating.
GRACE: To Iowa, to trick a girl -- OK. You know what? You`re like "Alice in Wonderland," you and Giudice, everything`s upside down.
OK, take -- everybody, you`re seeing video from the movie "Twilight: Breaking Dawn" from Summit Entertainment. Take a listen to what the victim
in this case had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s like an awkward feeling that I don`t think I should be in here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You knew what you were doing was wrong?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, and it`s like, you`re scared, so you don`t want to say anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: And now to rural Kenai. A happy family of four, a family including children at just three and five, vanish into thin air. Left behind? Both
family cars, all of their camping gear, even the car seats for the two little children. At this hour tonight the search by land and air expands
to dense woodlands near the family home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our neighbors haven`t seen her, nobody`s seen her.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: An unusual set of circumstances surrounding the family`s disappearance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want them to be found. I want them home.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: For now the search continues for Brandon, Rebecca and her 2 little girls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: This is not the first time a family seemingly disappears into thin air. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The McStay family of four disappeared from their home in suburban San Diego in February, 2010 with no signs of a struggle in
their home. The family`s bodies were found nearly four years later in shallow graves in the Mojave Desert.
Husband and father of three Gary Bain reported his wife and children missing in April 2012. About five days later, police found the bodies of
Gary`s wife Jo Ann and 14-year-old daughter Adrienne. The two other children were found safely in a wooded area. The suspect Adam Mayes shot
himself as police arrived.
The Kim family disappeared in November 2006 at a remote road in California after taking a wrong turn. Mom Katie and children Penelope and Sabine were
found alive with the family car after being stuck in the snow for nine days. Father James Kim was found dead two days later in a creek after
walking 16 miles for help in the cold and snow.
Bobby and Sherilynn Jamison along with their daughter Madison were last seen October 9th, 2009. The family truck was found eight days later by
hunters in the area. The remains of the family were found nearly four years later, less than three miles from where they vanished.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: So you see the track record is that when entire families disappear, there is normally statistically not a good outcome. Tonight take a look at
this happy family of four, mother, father and two young children ages 3 and 5. Rebecca Adams, mother of two. Brandon, Michelle and Jaracca, all gone.
Laurel Andrews is joining us from the Dispatch Loyal. What clues are left behind? I know that both family cars are there, the mother, the boyfriend,
both children gone, but their car seats are still there, their camping gear are still there. What else do we know, Laurel?
LAUREL ANDREWS, DISPATCH LOYAL: Well, we know that both the police -- the Canine Police Department and the FBI are involved in the investigation at
this time. The family was last contacted by Rebecca Adams` sister, spoke with her over the Memorial Day weekend and the family has now been gone for
roughly two weeks. There are canine units being used to search the surrounding wooded areas, there was an Alaska State Trooper helicopter that
was being used to search the area, and there`s also volunteers on the ground.
GRACE: You know, Laurel Andrews, everyone, joining me from the Dispatch.
Laurel, the fact that the camping gear was left behind, the family cars were left behind, what do we know about cell phones, purses, wallets,
identification, any of that taken with them?
ANDREWS: My understanding is that the cell phones have been turned off, and Lanell Adams, the sister of the missing woman, had been trying to call
the cell phone. I`m not sure about wallets --
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: And, you know, another thing, Laurel Andrews, is that the dog, the family dog is also gone. But another interesting fact here -- Laurel
Andrews, everyone, joining me on this missing family of four.
You correctly stated that her sister -- excuse me, the victim, Rebecca Adams` sister had called her and she seemed teary, like something was wrong
on the phone. And the two of them had this little game that they played ever since they were little, if you thought one was telling a story they
would say, thou shall not lie. And the other would always tell the truth whether it was good or bad.
Didn`t that happened, Matt Zarrell, this case on the phone, the sister was talking to the mom in the scenario, Rebecca Adams, said, what`s wrong?
Then she said oh, nothing. And she said, thou shall not lie. What happened, Matt?
MATT ZARRELL, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Yes, these two sisters had a very close bond and they used to talk to each other when they were kids to get
honest with each other, they would say, thou shall not lie. Are you OK? Tell me the truth. And when the sister asked Rebecca that, Rebecca
responded reportedly by saying, don`t ask me that right now, and added, just know that I love you.
GRACE: Everyone, the tip line in this case 907-283-7879 hanging in the balance two little girls, Jaracca and Michelle, ages 3 and 5. Please, help
us bring them home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: Welcome back. After we report a well-respected cardiologist refuses to pay $135,000 strip club bill, claiming he was drugged four
separate times and that evidence reveals he signs all of his own American Express bills at the strip club.
Breaking news tonight. We can reveal an elaborate scheme for high-priced strippers actually drug men in their drinks then run up bills on their
credit cards. I`m talking about tens of thousands of dollars at strip clubs. Maybe the doctor was right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Police say that four women, four female adult entertainers charged more than $200,000 while the guys were passed out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were drugged in the restaurants and bars after meeting them and then get them to the strip clubs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then drug them with a combo of ketamine, Molly, and cocaine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Subsequently when they check their credit cards or the credit card companies contacted them, they saw exorbitant charges on the
cards.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Straight out to Brett Larson, investigative reporter. Now where does this leave the original doctor that we reported on? Because didn`t he
make four separate visits to the strip club? I mean, was he drugged four times?
BRETT LARSON, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: Nancy, that is exactly what he is claiming. He says he does not remember ever stepping foot inside of these
strip clubs and that if he did, he must have been drugged to do so.
Now the strip clubs say they`ve got him on video coming in and enjoying the club, but he is, again, claiming and now has this to back him up, that
these women were -- he was caught up in this alleged scam.
GRACE: Right. Out to the lines. Lisa, hi, Lisa. What`s your question?
LISA, CALLER: just a quick question, Nancy. And I love what you do supporting people and protecting them. Trying. OK. Basically doctors are
there to help us and to help us live through health problems. So why is this bad boy doctor going to disgusting hotel/stripper places?
GRACE: You know, Lisa, that`s what I`m screaming. I don`t necessarily want a doctor that claims he`s drugged four separate times at a strip club
racking up almost $150,000 working on me. But hold the thought.
To Brett Larson, investigative reporter.
Brett, this scam, does it necessarily apply to -- you know what, take a listen to what we learned about the doctor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A cardiologist is accused of trying to skip out on a huge bill from a strip club to the tune of over $135,000. Scores Strip
Club is suing the Dr. Zyad Younan for money they claim he owes them. According to court documents, Dr. Younan visited the strip club four times
over two weeks and charged over $135,000 on his American Express card.
The lawsuit claims once the bill came, the doctor denied the charges saying he wasn`t there and later saying he must have been drugged by the staff.
The strip club says they have camera footage that proves the doctor was at the club. Scores says the doctor used the food and beverages among other
things at the club and hopes at the end of the day he`s going to pay.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: So a doctor claims that he was drugged at a strip club and that the strippers charged almost $150,000 on this bill. We balked at that but now
did that claim spark an investigation? And a sting? A banker hedge fund manager, a surgeon, and real estate attorney claimed they were all drugged.
Defendants, Samantha Barbash, aka, Samantha Fox, Roselyn Keo, Karina Pascucci, Marsi Rosen, and a club manager, now charged. It led to a sting.
So Justin Freiman, how did the whole -- how did the stripper scam work? What did they do to the rich guys?
JUSTIN FREIMAN, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: According to prosecutors, Nancy, what they do is these women would go and look for rich guys at bars and
restaurants then make arrangements to meet with them again. When they met again, they would drug them and then get them to go to these strip clubs
and start charging away on their cards.
GRACE: OK. Brett Larson, what`s going to happen? I still find it hard to believe that this surgeon went to the same strip club and got drugged four
separate times.
LARSON: Well, now, Nancy, he claims he`s part of a fishing scam, these scams where women get, you know, lure you out to go on a date with them.
He says he went on a date with this woman. And the claim is that while out on these dates, that`s when they drug the man with the mix of katamine and
the molly, and the cocaine. And take them to the strip club to rack up these debts.
GRACE: Everyone, let`s stop and remember our American heroes, but tonight, we honor a local hero. Washington Police Officer Chris Hoffman, 28, passed
away June 7th. An active member of the Air Force. Also served overseas. Loved his work. He leaves behind his parents, Richard and Deanna, sisters
Elizabeth and Alexis.
Police officer Chris Hoffmann, tonight`s American hero.
And tonight happy birthday to world class coach, Joan Hudgens.
Everyone, we thank you again for being with us tonight. Very grateful you joined us. Drew up next. I`ll see you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp Eastern
and until then, good night, friend.
END
