Theme Parks Investigation; Hamas Rejects Cease-Fire With Israel; Train Derails in Moscow; CDC Review Finds Problems
FEYERICK: Welcome back. Accused sexual predators manage to get jobs at some of the country's most popular theme parks. A stunning CNN investigation reveals the risk that predators pose. So what is being done to keep our kids safe? Earlier today, our own Chris Cuomo asked the Florida sheriff who's spearheading efforts to catch child predators before they strike what he thinks needs to be done.</s>JUDD: We can use polygraphs and we do before we hire a law enforcement officer. The law enforcement officer that's going to guard your business, come into your home at night if there's a problem, has to pass a polygraph. But the teacher, that teaches your elementary school and middle schoolchildren doesn't have to take a polygraph. The person that's going to be dealing with your children at a theme park can't take a polygraph. It is against federal law.</s>FEYERICK: Investigative correspondent Kyra Phillips is behind the CNN investigation that brought the situation to light. Also joining us from Atlanta, HLN legal analyst Joey Jackson. First to you, Kyra. It's fascinating. The man said it's hard to imagine a company that tries harder than Disney to keep out these predators.</s>PHILLIPS: Right.</s>FEYERICK: But the bottom line, are these parks safe?</s>PHILLIPS: Well, you know, Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, all insist, yes, they're doing everything possible and our theme parks are safe. They want to make that very clear. And also, these parks take immediate action with these men that are arrested. None of them work there any more. We pointed out that none of these cases involve children or teenagers that were visited the park. But clearly there is a problem, and more can be done according to Congressman Dennis Ross, who, after seeing our piece. is now proposing this legislation so that they have the ability to polygraph these employees, which I know you're going to talk about with Joey in just a second. But the sheriff made it very clear, the predators go where the children are, and he thinks more should be done.</s>FEYERICK: What's interesting also is that in one particular egregious case, the man used an image, a very child-friendly image, to lure in his alleged victim.</s>PHILLIPS: Right, he had a picture of himself with Mickey Mouse.</s>FEYERICK: That's what we saw in the piece.</s>PHILLIPS: Sure. And what are kids drawn to?</s>FEYERICK: That's exactly right. This is not, however, just a problem at theme parks.</s>PHILLIPS: Point well made. Even Congressman Dennis ross Raid, you know what? If law enforcement across this country got more aggressive and did these types of stings, that we'd find sexual predators being arrested all across the country, theme parks, schools, mega churches, you know, places where we feel our kids should be safe. You don't think about sexual predators in these environments. This was eye-opening for me as a mom, as I told you.</s>FEYERICK: I can imagine. But I'll tell you one thing. You need to talk to your kids, and you cannot talk to them soon enough about protecting themselves and making sure they're aware that there are people out there --</s>PHILLIPS: Yes.</s>FEYERICK: -- who are not kind and want to hurt them.</s>PHILLIPS: Mine are 3. I'm already talking to them.</s>FEYERICK: I talked to mine when they were very young. That's what a parent can do. Now to you, Joey, you heard throughout the story, the sheriff calling for polygraphs for everyone who works around children. Civil liberty issues with this, clearly, first of all, let's talk about the polygraph. Polygraph isn't even admissible in court because it's not always consistent. So what are the issues?</s>JOEY JACKSON, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: There's a couple of things. First of all, Kyra, great work with this report, and you've been speaking to your kids since they were 1, not 3. Who are you kidding?</s>PHILLIPS: You're right. Joey knows. Joey knows I'm very proactive.</s>JACKSON: No doubt about it, but here's the reality. There's a couple things with polygraph. We know that they're not foolproof, Deb, but very few things are foolproof. But they are telling. Yes, you could deceive polygraphs and that type thing, but there's a couple issues going on here. The first is federal law, and what does it say? There's the Employee Polygraph Protection Act that was passed 25 years ago, and pursuant to that act, private employers cannot go and take their employees and polygraph them. There are certain exemptions to that, and state and local governments are exempted by that. But that's the first issue. So they can't do it. I do think, as a result of Kyra's reporting as a result of this issue, we may see a shift, because now it's out there. Kids need to be safe. They need to be protected. A theme park and you can't, the employees there, polygraph them and they're looking at children all day? Doesn't make sense, Deb. So I think as a result of that you'll see legislative changes. Polygraphs are not foolproof, but it's a start in the right direction to ensure that people are being truthful and honest in their applications when they apply for certain jobs.</s>FEYERICK: Yeah, there's no question. Also, they could probably just tell the person, you know what? If you're a child predator, we will find you, we will fire you, and make that very clear right at the beginning of the interview. All right, Joey Jackson, Kyra Phillips, great work. Thanks so much.</s>PHILLIPS: Thank you.</s>JACKSON: A pleasure, Deb.</s>FEYERICK: Really great job. And of course there is a lot more on this. If you have a tip for Kyra or the investigative unit, please go to CNN.com/investigate. And tonight, the congressman who wants to make a change after seeing Kyra's report lays out his plan. Dennis Ross is on live tonight on "AC360" at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. And a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas has failed. The Egyptian- backed plan collapsed after only six hours, Israel briefly halting air strikes but Hamas refusing to stop firing rockets. The plan called for all sides to cease hostilities until high-level talks could take place. The latest fighting has killed more than 190 Palestinians in Gaza. Twenty people were killed after a metro train derailed in Moscow today. Another 150 injured, 42 in critical condition. Three cars derailed in a tunnel during morning rush hour. It's not clear what caused it, but the head of Moscow's transportation department said it was not a terrorist attack. An investigation into the recent anthrax exposure at the CDC has turned up all sorts of other problems, including an instance of H5N1 bird flu mixed with the regular flu strain. Anthrax stored in unlocked refrigerators and hallways was another problem and other dangerous materials being transferred in Ziploc bags. A congressional committee will hear more from witnesses coming on Wednesday. And dozens of mothers and their children who cross the U.S. border are sent back to Honduras. CNN crews were there as they processed back into that country, what leaders in Honduras say about the growing problem at the U.S. border.