come to the flashing lights avonte. hi, avonte, it's mom.to the flashing lights avonte. >> do you believe, vanessa, that the school was negligent? >> yes. >> they should never have let him out of the school? i should have been impossible? >> yes. >> i suppose the other side of that argument is he's 14 years old, although he has a mind more of a seven or eight-year-old. he's 14. he's a tall boy. he may have given security the slip. he was fairly quite bright. do you think that could have happened? >> even though he's 14, it shouldn't matter. no one should be, you know, allowed to runaround the hallways in school and that security guard should have questioned him, and if he didn't answer, she should have got up from her seat and said come here and called someone because at that time he wasn't supposed to be out of the school. >> david, what is your view of the legal position of the school? it's obviously complicated because we're trying to integrate avonte in the main stream of the school and this happened, which is a disaster. >> before i do

come to the flashing lights avonte. hi, avonte, it's mom.ome to the flashing lights avonte. >> do you believe, vanessa, that the school was negligent? >> yes. >> they should never have let him out of the school? i should have been impossible? >> yes. >> i suppose the other side of that argument is he's 14 years old, although he has a mind more of a seven or eight-year-old. he's 14. he's a tall boy. he may have given security the slip. he was fairly quite bright. do you think that could have happened? >> even though he's 14, it shouldn't matter. no one should be, you know, allowed to runaround the hallways in school and that security guard should have questioned him, and if he didn't answer, she should have got up from her seat and said come here and called someone because at that time he wasn't supposed to be out of the school. >> david, what is your view of the legal position of the school? it's obviously complicated because we're trying to integrate avonte in the main stream of the school and this happened, which is a disaster. >> before i

. >> jeff: up next, where is avonte oquendo, an all out search in new york. >> jeff: for the last two weeks an extraordinary search has been taking place in new york city t involves thermal sensors, loud speakers and hundreds of officers. the goal? find a missing autistic boy. here's terrell brown. >> since early october daniel oquendo has been checking for leads at this mobile command center in queens, new york, hoping to find his missing son, avonte. >> it's like a nightmare. >> the 14-year-old is autistic and nonverbal. he was last seen on surveillance video at his school running through the hall as loan and leaving the building. >> do you blame anyone? >> no. there will be a time for that. but for now i'm just trying to concentrate on getting him back. >> reporter: over 100 new york city police officers and 600 volunteers have been searching. marissa dejesus has been handing out flyers every day since he went missing. >> we have flyers here in all sorts of languages, korean, creole, russian, italian, bengali, chinese, spanish, english, just so the word gets out there. >> reporter:

police have confirmed it is not avonte.day by a 13-year-old who posted it to his account after asking the boy if he was avonte and getting no response. nbc's katy tur has been following this story and joins me now. last night people were all over social media showing this picture, believing or at least hoping. authorities say they've talked to this boy. >> unfortunately, they really did think it was him. it looks so much like him. even avonte's father said he couldn't tell whether or not it was him. but he was wearing different clothes. there was some concern, some talk, why would he be in different clothes? he looked well fed. but there's a lot of hope out there. the cops have been looking. volunteers have been looking. every subway station you're seeing not only posters, but they have the announcements looking for this child. last month the police commissioner said he has less hope that he's going to be found alive. that angered the mother, as you could imagine. no mother wants to hear that anybody is deciding to maybe lo

it has been more than two weeks and there are no signs of avonte oquendo.h on this surveillance video running away from his school in queens. it was really the last anyone's seen of him. he doesn't communicate well or verbally and has trouble feeding himself. alexandria field is following the story for us. you spoke with the parents today. how are they holding up? i spoke with them on thursday evening and it was tough but they were holding up. as each day goes, what -- >> you can see it in their eyes, don, they are in a profound amount of pain as all of us might imagine, you can see the pain reflected in the eyes of everyone surrounding them right now, but they are holding up and they are trying to put the message forward that they need help finding their son. the gut wrenching part of the story is we are talking about a boy who cannot ask for help himself, and so his parents are speaking out today asking for help finding him. >> it's terrible. it's just like a nightmare i can't wake up from, you know? every day waiting to see my son come home, praying that

avonte oquendo has been missing for ten days.ef of detectives says they are still optimistic about finding him. fs last seen running from a score on october 4th. police have gotten more than 80 tips, all of those tips that have come up short. much of the search has been concentrated along the subway lines because avonte was quite fascinated with trains. over the weekend metropolitan transit authority took the unprecedented step of suspending all track work, suspended all track work for more than 200 workers searched the tunnels. flyers bearing avonte's face have been plastered all over new york city. mark joins me live now and liz fell, president of autism speaks is here in the studio. mark, let me start with you. what does it say that new york city, the largest city in the country is taking such unprecedented maneuvers in their search, including the sheer number of officers and suspending the track work? >> i think ever since he disappeared last week, there's been this both outpouring of public support and the law enforcement co

>> hi, avonte. it's mom. >> vans playing that particular message have spread out across the neighborhood where he disappeared. these surveillance images were taken moments before he disappeared from school. he has not been seen since. >> i got to say there are signs, posters up everywhere. >> that's is what we were talking about in makeup this morning. they said everywhere. the train stations, you cannot walk around here without seeing a picture of that little boy. >> you hear people talking about it too. you have a city on the hunt right now. let's hope they find him soon. >>> another story out of new york city that is troubling. police say a suspected sh shop-lifter what she was carrying around in a bag appears to be the remains of a baby. a security guard stopped the 17-year-old and a friend and called police. responding officers made this gruesome discovery and say rodriguez told them she had a miscarriage the day before and the medical examiner is investigating. >>> a bill to compensate the vic

i always says hi, avonte.t the response, hi, mom. >> reporter: this surveillance video, he can't communicate verbally. investigators say after approaching a security guard who didn't allow him to exit the school, avonte found an unmonitored side door and vanished. >> he's not supposed to be running through the halls without supervision. he's not supposed to be walking out the door and you're not stopping him. >> reporter: ray kelly does not believe the security guard is at fault. >> you see the action of the security guard on film and also a statement by the security agent and other people. >> reporter: a source close to the investigation tells cnn searches are concentrating on a five-block area around the school with particular focus on a marshy landfall, thinking cameras don't show the child going into the neighborhood so he may have headed towards the water. avonte's father believes he's elsewhere. >> i look at it it's part of their job to do that. but i'm pretty sure he's not there. he's been -- he wasn't

. >> dozens of volunteers have joined the all-out search for avon avonte, including the national action. sasha brown joins me along with advocate holly robinson peete, the co-founder of the holly rod foundation. i'll start with you here, you've joined us before at the beginning of the search and came to new york from your home in california to help participate here. the family is not given up, even though it is three weeks, nor should they. how was it being out there with them assisting them? >> it was like a nightmare wrapped inside a horror film. i couldn't believe just being there across the street from the school, where we all know he left, we know that he walked out of that school, there was according to the family, there was a security guard that saw him leave. he didn't respond because he couldn't. and he was allowed to go out into the street. you know, this is just unconscionable, tamron. this boy cannot self-advocate. and in my heart of hearts, i don't believe he's -- i believe he's still alive. we have to continue to advocate for him and continue to look for him. there are so

avonte avonte hasn't been seen since running out of his school. they pulled out all the stops to find him. today they're looking in a rail yard. apparently he really loves trains. for the first time they're using cadaver dogs as well in the search. >>> two convicted killers that walked away from a florida prison are still on the loose. today officials offer $10,000 reward each for their arrest. charles walker and joseph jenkins have been free for awhile now using forged documents, although authorities only learned of their escape this week. nick valencia is live outside franklin correctional institution in florida. nick, do authorities have any clues about these men's whereabouts? >> reporter: fred, i want to start with some new information we just got from the orange county sheriff's office a couple minutes ago. we are now learning the mother of one of the suspects that's currently on the run will hold a 2:00 p.m. eastern press conference to address the media. we have no idea what she will say and we don't know actually at this time which convict

. >> reporter: joining the search for avonte since he was last seen on friday. his family has also set up this tent outside the school for volunteers to congre agree gated pick up flyers. >> could be my kid. >> reporter: as the search enters the eighth day. they are still hopeful that he'll be back home with them soon. >> another parent helping to spread the word about avonte is actress holly robinson peete, co-founder of the holly rob foundation. i saw the inisstagram, and you heard the parent say they could be anyone's child. why does this story for obvious reasons really impact you? >> what a horrendous nightmare for this parent to go through this. every parent's worst nightmare, just just parents of children with awe autism. almost 50% of children with autism wonder, it's a huge dilemma for the autism community. if there's any silver lining, we're at least dialoguing about what these nonverbal children have to experience. my heart goes out to his family and the community galvanized. >> one of his brothers said, if you knew him, you know why we are so searchi

. >> wendy: here in new york, a 14-year-old autistic child named avonte has been missing for at least, what, three weeks. the . >> going on three week. when i leave here, i'm going out for the second time to helphis family. i cannot imagine what it would be like to put your son in school, complaint self advocate and he's allowed to leave the school and he's missing. but there was a sighting who looks kind of like him. stop lo. in respe it's only been a few weeks, so we cannot let up. >> wendy: it's really nice of you to stop by. >> thank you. my kids sd you have to ask wendy to show last year's costume, which was lil' wayne. >> wendy: oh, yeah. where is it? >> i embarrassed them, but they -- i love you. >> wendy: holly robinson peete. up next, dave mizejewski. >> wendy: all right. so i love when our next guest stops by. he always brings like the best stuff for to us check out. today he brought along some creepy halloween animals i call them. please welcome our wildlife expert dave mizejewski. >> you don't want to give me a hug. i have all sorts of creepy halloween animals. >> wendy: y

. >> reporter: 14-year-old avonte was last seen on surveillance video running away from his new york city school last friday. now seven days with no sign of the nonverbal boy with autism. his dad daniel. >> i try not to think of the worst. i still have the support of everybody. >> reporter: today as they have done every day the boy's worn out family combed the streets with the help of volunteers. police turned over manhole covers and swept the east river. everyone hoping the rescue doesn't turn into a recovery. >> we need leads throughout the day. we try to take them serious, call the police, call detectives. >> reporter: now the family's search has gone national. the group autism speaks is offering a $70,000 re ward for his safe return. the group's vice president warns of the extra challenges when children with autism go missing. >> he may not understand what they are saying. could you just imagine how he must be feeling and the anxiety? he may not be able to understand them or he may not be able to communicate back what his needs are. >> reporter: here in new york the nypd expanded

they have been trying to find avonte oquendo and his mother refuses to believe the worst. >> my son, not looking in the right places. >> police have scoured all 468 new york city subway stations because avonte likes trains. they also employed sonars, video camera scans and roaming audio vans to find him. >>> matthew kordel finally got his justice for what he was seeking, justice he did to a 61-year-old, a vic tomorrow of kordel's drunking driving. this youtube video went viral back in september. it was his confession. now he's been sentenced to 6 1/2 years telling cnn his jail time will never make up for what he did. >> there is really no fair sentence when it comes to the loss of life. it's just time and time won't bring back the victim unfortunately. so, you know, i'm just glad that family can have some measure of closure and i hope that they find peace throughout this. >> well, the victim's dotter spoke at cordle's sentencing unlike cordle, her dad got a death sentence. >>> maybe you picked up a cheap webcam hoping to skype with a friend in indianapolis, or a friend in new zealand

the group autism speaks is offering a $70,000 reward for avonte's safe return. the group's vice president warns of the extra challenges when children with autism goes mitssing. >> he may not understand what they're saying. you know, could you just imagine how he must be feeling and the anxiety? so he may not be able to understand what they're saying. or he may not be able to communicate back what his needs are. >> reporter: here in new york, the nypd has expanded its efforts to find the boy especially here in the subway system since he was known to like trains. this year alone, 14 kids with the disorder have wandered and died. according to the national center for missing and exploited children. but dad daniel says he's not giving up. >> he's definitely a fighter. >> reporter: tonight still more searching and a vigil for a young boy lost in a big city. katy tur, nbc news, new york. >>> still ahead for us on this friday night, two of the men responsible for our nation's nuclear arsenal relieved of duty. both within a week. >>> and later, the incredible story of cl

we are told avonte's mother, brother, father are all there. no new details in the search. we do know it is extensive, continuing through the weekend. a source tells cnn that police, for the first time, have now brought in the assistance of cadaver dogs. >>> congress took the country to the very edge of the fiscal cliff before finally agreeing on a plan to reopen the government and to avoid default. >> but the drama isn't over yet. we could face another budget crisis in a matter of months. >> chris lawrence joins us from the world war ii veterans memorial, and, chris, what's the mood like in washington? >> reporter: oh, washington is a hole, victor. just as bitter and pessimistic as ever. the mood here at the world war 2 memorial, much better today. this was the site of so many protests and showdowns during the shutdown, and here you can see hundreds of veterans and tourists kwoming back to the mall to see the world war ii memorial. the big question this morning is how much longer can it last? the federal government is back open for business, but for how long? >> this is ju

. >> reporter: a massive search fanned out across the city, looking for any sign of avonte, now missing for more than two weeks. >> i'm very happy. i'm very grateful for each and every person that's come out here, you know, to show love. >> hi, avonte. this is mom. >> reporter: the voice of his mom, vanessa, blasts from police trucks, as the face is plastered beyond the city where he lives. they fear he may have left the area. >> call 911. >> reporter: he was last seen walking out of his school on october 4th. police are looking at surveillance cameras. the reward has grown to more than $70,000. on saturday, the reverend al sharpton joined the search. >> before the media asks why is sharpton in it, you need to ask why everybody else is not in it. >> reporter: his father asking everyone to keep their eyes open. >> be aware on your travels, what's around you, and be observe a observeant of your surroundings. >> reporter: christen dahlgren, nbc news, new york. >>> and now, to a follow-up on a story we told you about saturday. the violin that was reportedly played on the deck of the "titani

this is a missing person poster for avonte kindo.communicate verbally. he's been missing since october 4th. avonte's family, volunteers, and new york city police have been engaged in a massive search for the young man who is said to be particularly fond of trains. now, i want to add to the voices, asking that anyone with information regarding avonte, please contact authorities. call 1-800-577-tips. there is a reward for his safe return. after the break, we're keeping our eye on the ongoing government shutdown and the one city bearing an unusual brunt of the stress of the shutdown, that major u.s. city that is about to go broke is next. get paid to do something you really love, what would you do?" ♪ [ woman ] i'd be a writer. [ man ] i'd be a baker. [ woman ] i wanna be a pie maker. [ man ] i wanna be a pilot. [ woman ] i'd be an architect. what if i told you someone could pay you and what if that person were you? ♪ when you think about it, isn't that what retirement should be, paying ourselves to do what we love? ♪ le le store and es

his frantic parents say avonte cannot speak or take care of himself. even psychics have been helping in the search. the city's extensive underground train system has been searched, as well. a $70,000 reward is being offered in this case. and i know it's something that is transfixing the city here. we do hope for avonte's safe homecoming. >>> and pope francis, earning his reputation as, if nothing else, being the people's pope. greeting pilgrims at the vatican. a firefighter handed him his helmet. let's get it on, literally. no stranger to wearing several hats. never one to refuse. the crowd erupted in cheers. >> he never ceases to amaze how real he is. >> from the very beginning understood. he is there to try to bring the church back to the people. >> that's it. josh, thank you. >>> how about "pop news," lara? >> "pop news" to the people, robin. good morning to you. the rock and roll hall of fame, announced its list of annual nominees. half of the list this time were first-timers. nirvana, linda ronstadt, peter gabriel, hall and oates, the replacements

>> if they were to see avonte, we would suggest they keep him in their sight and that they call 911 asrtainly wouldn't try to touch him, but really keep him in your sight and call the authorities right away. >> i also read, lisa, that, you know, often times kids like avonte are engaging in high-risk behavior. can you explain what that means? >> so, it's not -- again, it goes back to some of the autism may not understand danger. for some, they're attracted to water. we know that there's a portion of those that wander are attracted to water, and so they may not understand the dangers of that. they may not understand dangers in terms of crossing the street and what that may mean. so it really is very, very challenging. and so concerning to certainly the autism community but the community as large. >> i know this mother wants her little boy back, and we hope she gets him safe and sound. lisa goring with autism speaks, thank you so much. >>> want to take you back to the live pictures here as we continue to watch this firefight under way. this is west los angeles. and you are looking all the

the reward for finding avonte is more than $170,000. >> i'm praying he's in the area.e's father is holding ton hope-after two weeks his mother is holding her breath in a city full of people to find their son. >> he's a special boy. he's a loving boy. he's a caring child, whoever has him out there please be kind to him and let him go. let him come home to his family. >> reporter: because of how long avonte has been missing our source says that police have brought in cadaver dogs to help with the search. but ana, victor, the family does not want that to deter to helping find their son alive. they will appeal to the public helping to find that boy who cannot ask for help himself. >> of course, alexandra, they're keeping up the hope. where are they focusing on the search right now? any leads? >> well, ana, we know avonta has this love for trains. the source says the focus is a railroad yard in long island city. police have searched 468 subway stations. that's every subway station in new york city. >> alexandra field, live in new york, we're hoping for a happy ending, thank

this young boy looks quite like the boy with autism, avonte oquendo. is it really him?o took the picture after it was posted on facebook and he said he couldn't get the boy to engage in conversation. it's really important to note, avonte's brother has said he doesn't think the photo looks like his missing sibling. >>> prosecutors strongly object to letting kennedy cousin michael skakel leave prison while they appeal a court ruling while they set aside his conviction. he was convicted in 2002 of killing his neighbor, martha moxley in 1975. a connecticut judge ordered a new trial last week, ruling that skakel's trial attorney didn't adequately represent him. >>> a tokyo to san francisco delta airlines flight made an emergency landing in cold bay, alaska. an engine indicator showed a problem. the small town jumped into action, transferring stranded passengers to their community center in a small armada of pickup trucks, an suv and a bus. they were eventually loaded on to another plane and went on to their destination, san francisco. >>> this store clerk was shot by a gunma

police say a boy photographed riding the subway -- that's the picture on the right -- is not avonte.o took the picture told cnn that when he was asked if he was the missing boy, he didn't respond. that was one of the details about that missing child. he does not talk to strangers. >>> in another story, a connecticut couple is accused of punishing a child with an electric shock collar that is meant for dogs. police in danbury, connecticut, say an official ticked them off to the alleged abuse. now the parents are behind bars on assault and cruelty charges. >>> ted cruz is joking about things that are coming back to, well, dare i say, on halloween haunt 'em. a lot of people say it's downright not funny. we're going to tell you what it is and tell you how he's responding in a moment. you can d but not your nasal congestion, you may be muddling through allergies. try zyrtec-d®. powerful relief of nasal congestion and other allergy symptoms -- all in one pill. zyrtec-d®. at the pharmacy counter. so hurry in and try three succulent entrées. like our new snow crab and crab butter shrimp, jus

. >> new york city police are on a desperate search for a missing autistic teenager. 14-year-old avontequendo vanished after running out of school two weeks ago. now his mother's voice is being played on house speeders imploring him to call out to police. a man with a knife hijacked a school bus in arkansas this morning. 11 elementary school children were on board. police chased the bus for ten miles. they were able to stoipt and arrest 22-year-old nicholas john miller. the three women who are victims of kidnapper ariel castro may receive compensation from the ohio state government. a bill in the ohio state legislature would give them up to $25,000 for each year they were held captive. and anderson, take a look at this. nearly 100 bush fires are burning in australia. police say one man died trying to defend its home from the flames. hundreds of homes are in danger of being destroyed. conditions are said to be hot and dry, very very difficult situation, anderson. >> incredible pictures. isha, thanks. >>> up next, breaking news, nsa leaker edward snowden gives his first extensive intervie

. >> new york city police are on a desperate search for a missing autistic teenager. 14-year-old avonte aquendo vanished after running out of school two weeks ago. now his mother's voice is being played on house speeders imploring him to call out to police. a man with a knife hijacked a school bus in arkansas this morning. 11 elementary school children were on board. police chased the bus for ten miles. they were able to stop and arrest 22-year-old nicholas john miller. the three women who are victims of kidnapper ariel castro may receive compensation from the ohio state government. a bill in the ohio state legislature would give them up to $25,000 for each year they were held captive. and anderson, take a look at this. nearly 100 bush fires are burning in australia. police say one man died trying to defend its home from the flames. hundreds of homes are in danger of being destroyed. conditions are said to be hot and dry, very very difficult situation, anderson. >> incredible pictures. isha, thanks. >>> up next, breaking news, nsa leaker edward snowden gives his first extensive intervie