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CNN Live Event/Special
Abandoned: 2 Year Old In Bakersfield, Calif.
Aired May 23, 2003 - 20:18 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Bakersfield, California have a mystery on their hands. A little boy believed to be about 2-years- old was discovered Sunday night roaming the streets of the city.
Charles Feldman joins us from Los Angeles with more on the boy that they have named Mateo -- Charles.
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good evening.
Yes, police in Bakersfield, California, they are working around the clock to try to solve this mystery. As you pointed out, the little boy, believed to be about 2 years old, was found wandering around the streets all by himself last Sunday.
Since then, no one has come forward to claim him. All police know is that he speaks some words of Spanish. He says his name is Mateo. He says he has two brothers and a dog. But for some very strange reason, whenever they ask him about his mommy and daddy, he's totally unresponsive to that. So no clue yet as to who his parents might be or for that matter, why he was left wandering around the streets of Bakersfield.
Now right now, he is in a foster home. If nobody comes to claim him in about six months' time, he could be up for adoption. Police are working on several theories. One is that he may have somehow gotten away from his parents. Another is that maybe his parents dropped him off, hoping he would find a better life somewhere in California -- Daryn.
KAGAN: He looks very well taken care of with the cute Teddy bear and the little baseball shirt. He's just absolutely adorable.
I couldn't help but notice in that video the detectives walking him through the streets in Bakersfield, pointing. Are they asking, you know, do you live on this street? Do you recognize this? He clearly understands what they're saying because he's shaking his head no.
FELDMAN: Yes, exactly and so far, he's given no sense that he is familiar with his surroundings.
But as you said, they've examined him. He appears to be healthy. He doesn't appear to have been the victim of any sort of abuse. And he's very well adjusted. He's playful, has a good term permanent. But the mystery is, who does he belong to? KAGAN: Absolutely. And on the scale of being adorable 1 to 10, he's off the charts.
FELDMAN: He's about an 11.
KAGAN: Yes, I'd make him a 12, but I'll give you 11.
Charles Feldman in Los Angeles, we'll be tracking that story. Thanks so much for that.
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 May 23, 2003 - 20:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Bakersfield, California have a mystery on their hands. A little boy believed to be about 2-years- old was discovered Sunday night roaming the streets of the city.
Charles Feldman joins us from Los Angeles with more on the boy that they have named Mateo -- Charles.
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good evening.
Yes, police in Bakersfield, California, they are working around the clock to try to solve this mystery. As you pointed out, the little boy, believed to be about 2 years old, was found wandering around the streets all by himself last Sunday.
Since then, no one has come forward to claim him. All police know is that he speaks some words of Spanish. He says his name is Mateo. He says he has two brothers and a dog. But for some very strange reason, whenever they ask him about his mommy and daddy, he's totally unresponsive to that. So no clue yet as to who his parents might be or for that matter, why he was left wandering around the streets of Bakersfield.
Now right now, he is in a foster home. If nobody comes to claim him in about six months' time, he could be up for adoption. Police are working on several theories. One is that he may have somehow gotten away from his parents. Another is that maybe his parents dropped him off, hoping he would find a better life somewhere in California -- Daryn.
KAGAN: He looks very well taken care of with the cute Teddy bear and the little baseball shirt. He's just absolutely adorable.
I couldn't help but notice in that video the detectives walking him through the streets in Bakersfield, pointing. Are they asking, you know, do you live on this street? Do you recognize this? He clearly understands what they're saying because he's shaking his head no.
FELDMAN: Yes, exactly and so far, he's given no sense that he is familiar with his surroundings.
But as you said, they've examined him. He appears to be healthy. He doesn't appear to have been the victim of any sort of abuse. And he's very well adjusted. He's playful, has a good term permanent. But the mystery is, who does he belong to? KAGAN: Absolutely. And on the scale of being adorable 1 to 10, he's off the charts.
FELDMAN: He's about an 11.
KAGAN: Yes, I'd make him a 12, but I'll give you 11.
Charles Feldman in Los Angeles, we'll be tracking that story. Thanks so much for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
