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CNN Saturday Morning News

Police Await Surrender of Mother Videotaped Beating Child

Aired September 21, 2002 - 09:06   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: Another story that we are closely following is out of Indiana this morning. Police there, they're expecting the surrender of Madeleine Gorman Toogood. She's the mother videotaped in the apparent beating of her 4-year-old daughter.
CNN national correspondent Gary Tuchman has been following this story all week long. He's joining us now with the very latest on the surrender.

I think everyone wants to know the fate of this 4-year-old child. Indeed, people concerned about not only her physical but mental health.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Catherine.

It was eight days ago that the woman beat this little girl and was caught on videotape doing it. Now the woman says she is ready to turn herself in, and if all goes as promised, it will happen at any time this morning or early this afternoon here in St. Joseph County, Indiana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TUCHMAN (voice-over): The video from a store surveillance camera is excruciating to watch, but the fact that it exists at all apparently helped convince the mother that surrendering was the right thing to do. So proclaims 25-year-old Madeleine Gorman's attorney, who says she will turn herself in with her 4-year-old daughter today.

STEVEN ROSEN, MOTHER'S ATTORNEY: The mother obviously used very poor judgment. I'm not here to defend the videotape or justify the videotape. She's very remorseful. She regrets it.

TUCHMAN: Houston attorney Rocket (ph) Rosen adds the mother and daughter are together and says that despite the punching, the hair- pulling, and the shaking, 4-year-old Martha is in OK condition.

ROSEN: There has been no trauma caused to the child. There's no hematoma, there's no bruises, there's no scratches.

TUCHMAN: But the attorney has not yet seen the 4-year-old in person. Prosecutors are still very concerned about the little girl.

CHRIS TOTH, PROSECUTOR: And obviously we want her examined by a physician, and from there, we'll have to see what happens. Obviously there's a number of things that could happen, but it'd probably be best to wait and see what the most appropriate course is once she's returned.

TUCHMAN: The surrender will happen in Mishawaka, Indiana, just blocks away from the Kohl's department store where the beating occurred.

ROSEN: There was no obviously intention to harm this young girl. It happened. It happens.

TOTH: I think that that was a little bit too much. Certainly parents lose their temper, but I think there are very few parents that actually will ever treat their child like that child was treated on the videotape.

TUCHMAN: But the prosecutors and police are relieved that the attorney has helped convince his client to turn herself in on the felony battery charge.

TOTH: It appears he's trying to do the right thing here, which is get the child back here so we can make sure that the little girl's safe and also to get his client back here.

ROSEN: It was a bad choice, and it was captured on a candid camera. And hopefully she'll have the guts and the wherewithal and the intestinal fortitude to look you in the eye and tell you exactly what happened that day and how this happened.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TUCHMAN: And how and when would that occur? Well, the attorney says he hopes the mother publicly speaks out after she's released on bond.

Catherine, back to you.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you, Gary Tuchman.

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 21, 2002 - 09:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Another story that we are closely following is out of Indiana this morning. Police there, they're expecting the surrender of Madeleine Gorman Toogood. She's the mother videotaped in the apparent beating of her 4-year-old daughter.
CNN national correspondent Gary Tuchman has been following this story all week long. He's joining us now with the very latest on the surrender.

I think everyone wants to know the fate of this 4-year-old child. Indeed, people concerned about not only her physical but mental health.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Catherine.

It was eight days ago that the woman beat this little girl and was caught on videotape doing it. Now the woman says she is ready to turn herself in, and if all goes as promised, it will happen at any time this morning or early this afternoon here in St. Joseph County, Indiana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TUCHMAN (voice-over): The video from a store surveillance camera is excruciating to watch, but the fact that it exists at all apparently helped convince the mother that surrendering was the right thing to do. So proclaims 25-year-old Madeleine Gorman's attorney, who says she will turn herself in with her 4-year-old daughter today.

STEVEN ROSEN, MOTHER'S ATTORNEY: The mother obviously used very poor judgment. I'm not here to defend the videotape or justify the videotape. She's very remorseful. She regrets it.

TUCHMAN: Houston attorney Rocket (ph) Rosen adds the mother and daughter are together and says that despite the punching, the hair- pulling, and the shaking, 4-year-old Martha is in OK condition.

ROSEN: There has been no trauma caused to the child. There's no hematoma, there's no bruises, there's no scratches.

TUCHMAN: But the attorney has not yet seen the 4-year-old in person. Prosecutors are still very concerned about the little girl.

CHRIS TOTH, PROSECUTOR: And obviously we want her examined by a physician, and from there, we'll have to see what happens. Obviously there's a number of things that could happen, but it'd probably be best to wait and see what the most appropriate course is once she's returned.

TUCHMAN: The surrender will happen in Mishawaka, Indiana, just blocks away from the Kohl's department store where the beating occurred.

ROSEN: There was no obviously intention to harm this young girl. It happened. It happens.

TOTH: I think that that was a little bit too much. Certainly parents lose their temper, but I think there are very few parents that actually will ever treat their child like that child was treated on the videotape.

TUCHMAN: But the prosecutors and police are relieved that the attorney has helped convince his client to turn herself in on the felony battery charge.

TOTH: It appears he's trying to do the right thing here, which is get the child back here so we can make sure that the little girl's safe and also to get his client back here.

ROSEN: It was a bad choice, and it was captured on a candid camera. And hopefully she'll have the guts and the wherewithal and the intestinal fortitude to look you in the eye and tell you exactly what happened that day and how this happened.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TUCHMAN: And how and when would that occur? Well, the attorney says he hopes the mother publicly speaks out after she's released on bond.

Catherine, back to you.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you, Gary Tuchman.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com