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CNN Saturday Morning News

Authorities Make Contact With Children in Idaho Standoff

Aired June 02, 2001 - 09:16   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the standoff in Idaho, a lawyer says contact has been made with five children holed up in their rural home, and food and water were delivered.

So let's get the latest now from CNN's Eileen O'Connor. She is near Sandpoint, Idaho.

Eileen, has there been any movement in this case this morning?

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, not this morning, Carol. But it is still very early morning here. But last night there was a little bit of movement. We saw a lot of police cars coming in and out, a Verizon van, a telephone van, going in. Police have been trying to establish communications with the children. And the lawyer for JoAnn McGuckin who stands accused of child abuse for neglecting the needs of the children, says that they are, in fact, in face-to- face contact with the children and are making progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Are they coming out soon?

BRYCE POWELL, MOTHER'S ATTORNEY: We don't know, but at least we have communication established with the children.

QUESTION: Have the phones been set up?

POWELL: (OFF-MIKE) we have communication, people have talked to the children. We have a means of communicating with them now.

QUESTION: Through a telephone?

POWELL: In person, through people. And again, that is progress. Things are looking better. But we've got a lot to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'CONNOR: Now, of course, Bryce Powell also said that the children now know that their mother is alive. And in the back of some of the police cars that went into the compound yesterday, it looked like there was a woman with red hair in the back of that police car, also a teenage boy.

Now, we do know that Benjamin, one of the children that was around the compound, has come out to authorities and is helping authorities. Prosecutors say with his information is -- his information indicates that these children still are very frightened and very mistrustful.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHIL ROBINSON, PROSECUTOR: The children are very frightened, these children by now. They don't know where he is, they don't know where their mother is. They've had no communication with anyone. There are very few people they've ever trusted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'CONNOR: Now, the standoff began on Tuesday after the arrest of JoAnn McGuckin. She had cut the family off for years, these children, and it was after the death of her husband that authorities arrested her for child abuse. She had said that she'd cut the family off for fear that the authorities were going to take her home over a tax debt.

Now, when the authorities came to get the children on Tuesday to put them in protective custody, the children let loose vicious wild dogs that they had on the property. And Benjamin indicates to law enforcement authorities that there are guns on the property. And so authorities are very fearful for the children's safety.

Now, one thing that lawyers for Mrs. McGuckin and also the sheriff's deputies say is not helpful is a lot of talk by militia groups, groups that are critical of local and federal law enforcement, that they may come to the aid of the children. But so far federal law enforcement sources tell me that they are not overtly concerned about this -- Carol.

LIN: All right, a lot of sensitivity, certainly, about Ruby Ridge, which is not too far away from Sandpoint, Idaho. Thank you very much, Eileen O'Connor reporting live out there watching that standoff as it unfolds.

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