i do want to go to one statement from dustin brown's attorney. it's really interesting when it comes to this act that they used to get the daughter back. it says, quote, it is important to understand that the indian child welfare act was not used as a loophole in this action, she goes on to say, my client would still be entitled to custody of his daughter even under south carolina law. they believe that they have have won veronica back regardless of the act that they used. >> unbelievable. you're going to be following this. you said it may go on as long as the summer before it even goes to court? >> it could. and the family has actually set up a very aggressive online campaign on twitter, on facebook. they have actually come up with several websites talking about their case, hoping to get as much attention as possible. >> the thing is, do you get the sense from both sides that there's a child involved and they're not just going over the child and fighting amongst each other? >> i think at this point, it seems like the child is the centerpiece. an

in comes into the picture the biological father, dustin brown, and dustin brown has been able to get his daughter back through a rule, a law called the indian child welfare act, basically because he is native american enrolled in the cherokee nation also his daughter being partially native american, he was able to get her back under this law that basically aims to keep indian families together to protect the integrity of the indian family. so on new year's eve, rather, this family met in charleston, they thought they'd have a little more time to prepare themselves to turn over their daughter, but they had less time than they thought, they turned her over to dustin brown who drove off to oklahoma. we have an interview with the family before a gag order came through where they spoke to wciv, our affiliate. here's what they had to say. >> matt said when we had to do the transfer it was like he was failing her as a father. to send her off with people that she didn't know, what she must think of us. she just had this -- in my mind -- a really confused look on her face, which just -- but i

d dustin brown's attorney said he would have won custody regardless in south carolina. the family plans to appeal to the south carolina court of appeals. >>> we're learning new information this evening about an atlanta woman who was foun's found abandoned. i spoke with her parents and they tell me they have just learned that there was a 911 call about her car three hours after she was last seen. also police say they want to requestion a man who was visiting stacy for the holiday. >> there was someone with her that last night. testifies a friend, did they get into an argument and he left. >> by his admission, and we're only hearing one side. she asked him to leave. argument, dispute, whatever it was we don't know because we hear one side. >> and that was here in atlanta and now he is back in st. louis. >> that's correct. and so now this new timeline has come forth. someone had to see something. >> do you know this young man? did she ever talk about him? had you ever met him. >> she talked to me about him on christmas eve. because while i was talking to her, i know that h

but her biological father has stepped back into the picture, dustin brown, and because he is enrolled in a cherokee nation, his daughter then being native american, under the indian child welfare act, he was able to get his daughter back in court. so on new year's eve, this family thought that they'd have at least another day to prepare for this transfer. they didn't. that night, they actually had to hand veronica over to her biological father. and we actually got an interview with the family from our affiliate wciv. listen to what they had to say about that transfer. >> matt said when we had to do the transfer, it was like he was failing her as a father, to send her off with people that she didn't know, what she must think of us. she had in my mind a really confused look on her face which just -- but i'll always remember her crying after us. we had to walk out of that office and leave her there. >> everybody keeps saying how bad they feel for us. but she's a 2-year-old girl that got shoved in a truck and driven to oklahoma with strangers. >> a lot of people talking about this case. >

but when veronica was 4 months old, dustin brown, the biological father, filed suit 0 to get her back. he said he was tricked into signing his daughter off. he won custody because of the indian well fare of 1978. it was designed to keep indian children and their families together. cnn legal analyst avery freedman says in this case the law was misused. >> it's a wonderful law which seeks to preserve the integrity of families, native americans. but it cannot be used as a bludgeon to destroy the integrity of an existing family. >> reporter: the assistant attorney general for the cherokee nation says the law is clear. >> some of the protections provided by the indian child welfare act, there's a mrailsment preference if the child is removed by the state or if they're placed in private adoption placement. the first preference is for a family member. >> reporter: but in cases like this, what about the child? >> everybody keeps saying how bad they feel for us, but, i mean, she's a 2-year-old girl who got shoved in a truck and driven to oklahoma with strangers. >> reporter: the couple thought

just pickpocketed by dustin brown. kings take a 2-1 lead.e score, second period, they're strap ago long the boards for the puck. roman hamrlik, the kings going the other way. jackson shoots, scores. see him one more time. check out the celebration. johnson is tebowing, had a little bet with his friends. kings win 5-2. caps have dropped two straight. they're at home thursday against the penguins. and finally, we're talking college hoops. georgetown finding that home not so sweet. in a bit of a rut. georgetown loses two straight for the first time all season. this one last night against cincinnati, very simple. they had an unhow ya like 17 turnovers. john thomasen, the third coached team. georgetown down by 1. hollis thompson throws up the three and banks it in to beat the buzzer. thompson 14 points in the game. hoyas up by 2 at the break. just over three to go. jason clark tries to save the path to hollis thompson, throws it right to the bearcats. one of 17 georgetown turnovers in the game. man, cincinnati would go ahead on free throws. ten s

when veronica was 4-month-old, the biological father, dustin brown, filed suit to get her back.ney said he claimed he'd been tricked into signing papers agreeing to give up his daughter. brown won full custody under a law called the indian welfare act of 1978. the law was designed to keep indian children and their families together. cnn legal analyst avery freedman says in this case the law was misused. >> it's a wonderful law which seeks to preserve the integrity of families of native americans. but it cannot be used as a bludgeon to destroy the -- the integrity of an existing family. >> reporter: the assistant attorney general for the cherokee nation says the law is clear. >> some of the protections provided by the indian child welfare act, there's a placement preference. if children are removed by the state or if they're placed in private adoption placement, the first preference is for a family member. >> reporter: in cases like this, what about the child? >> everybody keeps saying how bad they feel for us, but i mean, she's a 2-year-old girl that got shoved in a truck and dr

dustin hoffman's daughter. tabloid says lady gaga left behind lots of blood in her bathtub. sources assure it was just stage blood left over from her show. >>> and finally, chris brownas a solution for the anger that led him to throw a chair last year after walking out of an interview in which he was probed about his ex, rihanna. in 2012 chris brown will do no interviews. >> we will never hear from him in the next year. >> on blogs, they are saying they might get back together. >> are you starting that rumor, not me. >> if that's the case, he will definitely be asked about it again. >>> from greenwich, connecticut, one teen talked about his thrilling christmas vacation. 15-year-old jordan scaled historic heights when he reached the top of antarctica's tallest mountain on christmas eve. that climb made him the youngest person to reach the tallest point on every continent, the so-called seven summits. jordan shared his experience with connecticut students telling him while he's not done climbing, he may stop to finish high school first. oh, my goodness, impressive. this is "early today," your first stop of the day on your nbc station. >>> at one competition in japan,

dustin hoffman's daughter. tabloid says lady gaga left behind lots of blood in her bathtub. sources assure it was just stage blood left over from her show. >>> and finally, chris brownas a solution for the anger that led him to throw a chair last year after walking out of an interview in which he was probed about his ex, rihanna. in 2012 chris brown will do no interviews. i guess that is one way to do it. don't know how good from your career. >> we won't be hearing from him. drew barrymore, four carats, that's a large ring. >> that is a large ring. she looks happy, congratulations. >> art consultant buying four carat ring. i didn't know they did that with. >> bravo. >>> from greenwich, connecticut, one teen talked about his thrilling christmas vacation. 15-year-old jordan scaled historic heights when he reached the top of antarctica's tallest mountain on christmas eve. that climb made him the youngest person to reach the tallest point on every continent, the so-called seven summits. jordan shared his experience with connecticut students telling him while he's not done climbing, he may stop to finish high school first. doesn't he just make you feel like the biggest l