Elian Gonzalez Case: Pediatrician Warns Boy in Imminent Danger, Should be Removed From Miami Home
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We turn now to the Elian Gonzalez drama. As both sides await the all-important appellate court ruling, Justice Department officials have released a warning by a government- appointed doctor. The pediatrician says the boy is in imminent danger and should be removed from the home of his Miami relatives. CNN's Susan Candiotti is outside that home in the Miami neighborhood of Little Havana. Susan, good morning once again.</s>SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Indeed, the buzz so far this morning surrounds that letter written by Dr Irwin Redlener who was the doctor who helped to assemble the group of psychologists who came to Miami last weekend, briefly met with Elian's great-uncle Lazaro Gonzalez. Now, Dr. Redlener says that he wrote that letter after he saw the videotape shot by one of the boy's Florida relatives in which Elian claims he does not want to go back to Cuba. Now, not long ago, little Elian came outside to play here in the yard, in fact kissing a little girl as he played in the front yard and running around. When the crowds saw him, they began yelling, "freedom, freedom" and they cheered and applauded. Now, Dr. Redlener says that he wonders, again, how all this kind of attention is affecting the youngster and adds that, in his opinion, the child is under great strain.</s>DR. IRWIN REDLENER, PRESIDENT, THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH FUND: The most telling point of concern here is the videotape that has been released by the family themselves, and that shows me a child under a significant amount of duress. I mean, this is a child that has actually bitten his own therapist that the family's gotten for him down in Miami. He's obviously in an enormous amount of stress. And he's also suffering from a syndrome known as parental alienation where there's been outside influences trying to affect his relationship with his dad.</s>CANDIOTTI: One of the attorneys representing the Florida relatives that live at this home and taking care of the child calls Dr. Redlener's comments "absurd" and wonders how he can say such a thing without ever having examined the child. Now, a U.S. government official contends that this letter simply is meant to help educate the public and adds one more piece to the puzzle of trying to explain, in the official words, of why this little boy should be reunited with his father as soon as possible. Susan Candiotti, CNN, reporting live in Miami.</s>KAGAN: Susan, thank you. Search CNN.com CNNSI.com CNNmoney.com The Web