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CNN Sunday Morning
Toogood Criticizes Indiana Authorities
Aired September 22, 2002 - 09:04 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The woman accused of beating her child in a shopping center parking lot admits that she was wrong, and now Madelyne Gorman Toogood is criticizing the way the authorities are handling her child. Let's go right to CNN's Gary Tuchman, who's joining us from Indiana with the very latest. Gary, good morning.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, good morning to you. The nationwide search is over for the mother seen in the store surveillance videotape beating her child. 25-year-old Madelyne Toogood surrendered yesterday at this police station here in St. Joseph County, Indiana. She came with her 4-year-old daughter, Martha; she left without her daughter, because she was brought to jail. She bonded out on a $5,000 bond, but was told earlier by the state of Indiana that her daughter for the time being will live with a foster family while this investigation continues.
The good news so far, this little girl is in good condition, but medical examinations continue. Now, the mother talked to us last night. It was kind of a surprise, we didn't expect it, and we asked her why this all happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADELYNE GORMAN TOOGOOD: I was upset. Nothing in particular. It was my mistake.
QUESTION: Maybe it would help if you described it, because it looked like you were more than upset?
TOOGOOD: I don't want to describe it. It was just -- my lawyer advised me not to go into all of that right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Now, her lawyer is a Houston attorney named Steven Rocket Rosen. We asked him the same question, and he was a bit more specific.
We don't have that sound right now. We can tell you, though, that the lawyer said that according to the mother, the child was in the store and was playing hide-and-seek and was ripping up toys and ripping up paper. She got angry, and the lawyer acknowledges this is certainly not the way to discipline a child. But this is what happened.
This is the first time we've heard any reasoning whatsoever for what we've seen on the videotape. In either case, this mother admits she is wrong, but is very angry at the state for taking the child away. But the fact is, this is typically done in these cases while the investigation continues. The child is put with a foster family, especially in such a high-profile child abuse case.
The arraignment will be this Monday. This woman faces the possibility of up to three years in prison. Catherine, back to you.
CALLAWAY: All right, thank you, that's Gary Tuchman in Indiana.
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 22, 2002 - 09:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The woman accused of beating her child in a shopping center parking lot admits that she was wrong, and now Madelyne Gorman Toogood is criticizing the way the authorities are handling her child. Let's go right to CNN's Gary Tuchman, who's joining us from Indiana with the very latest. Gary, good morning.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, good morning to you. The nationwide search is over for the mother seen in the store surveillance videotape beating her child. 25-year-old Madelyne Toogood surrendered yesterday at this police station here in St. Joseph County, Indiana. She came with her 4-year-old daughter, Martha; she left without her daughter, because she was brought to jail. She bonded out on a $5,000 bond, but was told earlier by the state of Indiana that her daughter for the time being will live with a foster family while this investigation continues.
The good news so far, this little girl is in good condition, but medical examinations continue. Now, the mother talked to us last night. It was kind of a surprise, we didn't expect it, and we asked her why this all happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADELYNE GORMAN TOOGOOD: I was upset. Nothing in particular. It was my mistake.
QUESTION: Maybe it would help if you described it, because it looked like you were more than upset?
TOOGOOD: I don't want to describe it. It was just -- my lawyer advised me not to go into all of that right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Now, her lawyer is a Houston attorney named Steven Rocket Rosen. We asked him the same question, and he was a bit more specific.
We don't have that sound right now. We can tell you, though, that the lawyer said that according to the mother, the child was in the store and was playing hide-and-seek and was ripping up toys and ripping up paper. She got angry, and the lawyer acknowledges this is certainly not the way to discipline a child. But this is what happened.
This is the first time we've heard any reasoning whatsoever for what we've seen on the videotape. In either case, this mother admits she is wrong, but is very angry at the state for taking the child away. But the fact is, this is typically done in these cases while the investigation continues. The child is put with a foster family, especially in such a high-profile child abuse case.
The arraignment will be this Monday. This woman faces the possibility of up to three years in prison. Catherine, back to you.
CALLAWAY: All right, thank you, that's Gary Tuchman in Indiana.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
