. >> dna proved the person claiming he is timmothy pitzen is not timmothy.zen family is now reacting, so is the man behind this hoax. >>> president trump getting ready to head to the u.s./mexico border just a day after he backed off his threat to close it. what led to his change of heart. >>> the desperate search to find a kidnapped american. the search zone is expanding in uganda and authorities there have a warning for everyone. >>> and what would you do to eat more chicken? meet the people who braved the elements overnight for their chance to win chick-fil-a for a year. it's friday, april 5th. >>> let's rejoice. >> good morning. >> it's friday. we made it. >> we bought the colors. i got my pre-easter color, my obama suit. >> extra color. >> spring has sprung, everybody, let's do this, it's friday. >>> we begin it the ex-con who crushed the hopes of a family looking to end a kidnapping saga. >> for more than a day officials near cincinnati thought the 2011 kidnapping of then 6-year-old timmothy pitzen may have been solved after someone claiming to be timmo

the real timmothy pitzen has been missing for nearly eight years. when he was six, cameras captured his mother, amy fry- pitzen, walking him out of school and taking him to water parks. she was later found dead at a hotel of an apparent suicide. she left a note saying her son was safe but would never be found. despite the false hope, the search for timmothy now continues. >> my prayer has always been that when he was old enough, he would find us if we couldn't find him. >> glor: adriana, it's incredibly sad to hear from the family. but where does the search for the actual boy go from here? >> reporter: well, jeff, the fact that his name is making headlines is raising awareness about his case the f.b.i. also said today that they remain committed to timmothy and one day reuniting him with his family, but they added that, unfortunately, that day is not today. we're also learning more about the man allegedly behind this hoax. he has a long criminal history, including making false statements. jeff. >> glor: all right, there is a big development tonight i

this morning, new heartbreak for the family of timmothy pitzen.nvestigators say the mysterious young man who showed up in kentucky claiming to be their missing boy is actually a 23-year-old man from ohio, brian michael rini. >> he's been doing stupid stuff for as long as i remember. >> reporter: an extensive record and released after more than a year behind bars for burglary and vandalism. the police chief says rini has documented mental illnesses. his estranged brother said rini stopped getting treatment. >> once he started using my name for things he was doing, i have no compassion for him whatsoever. >> reporter: for the pitzen family news of this hoax opens up old wounds. >> it's devastating. >> yeah. >> it's like reliving that day all over again. and timmothy's father is devastated once again. >> reporter: pitzen has been missing since 2011 when he went on a trip with his mother. police say days later she committed suicide and left a chilling note claiming timmothy was safe but would never be found. then wednesday the news no one expected. th

the real timmothy pitzen has been missing for nearly eight years. when he was 6, cameras captured his mother amy walking him out of school and taking him to water parks. she was apparently found dead from suicide. she left a note saying her son was safe but would never be found. despite the small hope, there small hope continues. >> reporter: the fbi say they remain committed to one daymmhy his family. we're learning more about the man behind this hoax. he has a long criminal history including making false statements. adriana diaz, cbs news, newport, kentucky. >>> boeing may be to blame in two deadly claims. 346 people died in two crashes within the span of five months involving ethiopian airlines and lion air planes. now some members of congress want boeing to testify about what it may have known about the fally systems. the mother of one of the eight ethiopian crash responded to preliminary findings that the pilots had followed boeing's recommended procedures. >> obviously this could have been prevented and that's what makes me cry. this could hav

a jolt of hope for the pitzen family.s a lie. the f.b.i. tweeting, quote, a local investigation continues into this person's true identity. law enforcement has not and will not forget timmothy and we hope to one day reunite him with his his family. unfortunately that family is not today. now brian's brother says he has mental health issues and should be locked up. >> i tell the family i'm sorry for what he has done. for him i wouldn't speak to him. i hope he gets help. i also hope he goes to prison for this. or at least an institution. but i have no idea. >> this morning brian is being held on an f.b.i. detainer and not clear if he will be criminally charged. >> sandra: as we await the news conference this morning we do not know where the realtime timmothy pitzen is. how did he go missing? what was the story? >> well, next month actually marks eight years that he has been missing. back in 2011 at 6 years old his mother checked him out of his kindergarten calls in illinois. she spent a few days with him. took him to a zoo

the case devastating pitzen's family still refusing to give up hope. >> t.j., come home to us, buddy. >> we will never stop looking for you, praying for you and loving you. >> now, rini is charged with making false statements to federal agents. he could face up to eight years in prison. he'll be back in court on tuesday. but i want to go back to tim harris pittman's family. >> i'm curious to know, is there anything new here? >> they've shown such strength and poise through this awful situation. if there's some silver lining here, if any, what the family has said is it's brought new awareness, renewed attention to the case and perhaps could turn up new leads because the investigation into what happened to timmothy pitzen still continues. >> yeah, hopefully they can get some answers. >> exactly. >> thank you, whit, for your reporting this morning. a lot going on in the weather department, so let's kick it over to you, rob. what's happening? >> i mentioned april is severe storms month or the beginning of it and, of course, have in spring, we have spring thaw and that brings the flooding.

. >>> and an nbc news exclusive, the father of timmothy pitzen speaks out for the first time after a many claimed to be his missing son. >> he's alive soi kw he is. >> the family not giving up the search. >>> terrifying video of a lion tamer mauled by one of his own animals. the attack in front of a huge crowd of spectators. why the trainer says he is to blame. >>> and they don't have driver's licenses, but these young racers are already proving they've got a need for speed. ♪ >>> this is "nbc nightly news" with kate snow. >>> good evening to our west coast viewers tonight. with the president calling for a tough new approach on the southern border, late today he announced on twitter that his secretary of homeland security will be leaving her position. in her job, kirstjen nielsen became the face of controversial policies. she's come under intense scrutiny from democrats. while she's publicly supported the president's policies, she's also been berated by him behind closed doors. kelly o'donnell joins us live from the white house. what's the latest? >> reporter: this is no doubt a majo

timothy pitzen vanished eight years ago. his case making national headlines. now a teenaged boy says he's timothy and tells a dramatic story of his kidnapping and escape. could this really be the lost boy now found? >>> plus. >> pay for my tuition, lori. >> cheating scandal. from the red carpet to the courthouse. felicity huffman and lori laughlin appearing in federal court, among dozens accused of cheating to get their kids into elite colleges. >>> and nipsey hussle. from gang member to rap star with a mission. plowing his earnings into his troubled neighborhood. >> you might as well call him the president of the hood then. barack obama of the streets. >> a symbol of hope gunned down on the streets he tried to save. >>> but first, the "nightline" five. >>> number shshow me homecoming. baby sloth videos on youtube. amy, do you uh mind giving someone else a turn? oh... yeah i made myself a little comfortable here. i got a pizza for amy! yes, that's me! xfinity lets you search netflix, prime video, and youtube with the sound of your voice. and i don't have my wa

. >>> hopes raised then shattered for the family of timmothy pitzen. dna tests reveal the person who told police he escaped kidnappers is not. the news another blow for the family. >> it's devastating. it's like reliving that day all over again, and timothy's father is devastated once again. he's a wonderful little boy and i hope he has strength of personality to do whatever he needs to do to find us. my prayer has always been that when he was old enough he would find us if we couldn't find him. >> police say the young man who was found in kentucky is actually a 23-year-old brian michael rinny from medina, ohio. >> he has a criminal history, including prison time for burglary. he was released last month and was on supervised parole. his brother says he has mental issues and it's not the first time he has assumed a false identity. >> he has been doing stupid stuff, not this serious, but he has been doing stupid stuff for as long as i can remember. he used my name in a traffic stop in norton, and skipped court and i received a traffic stop for it. >> tim

de cuatro aÑos digo que logrÓ escapar de sus supuestos secuestradores, en ohio, este niÑo timmothy pitzeniar una guerra comercial >>te reacciona coamenaza del presente trump de imponer sanciones arancelarias ramÓn: seguimos recibiendo las demandas con relaciÓn a inmigraciÓn, asesorÍa gratuita y para inscribirse y participar en los talleres deben inscribirse justamente ahÍ tenemos la informaciÓn . palmira: llame ahora mismo palmira: un violento robo fue captado en cÁmaras fuera de una residencia san josÉ, un joven de 14 aÑos golpea un anciano en el intento de quitarle el auto. ramÓn: diane habló con la vÍctima y nos tiene el reporte >>el seÑor cuenta que la adolescente lo amenazÓ con una pistola, y aunque se le llevÓ su carro no pudo conducirla >>con una brutal golpiza fue recibido este hombre de 62 aÑos, cuando joven le robÓ su auto a plena luz del dÍa >>me empezÓ a pedir la llave de mi carro yo le dije que no se la daba, y digo traigo una pistola >>estrada dice que estaba sacando una dispensa de su vehÍculo cuando el joven lo atraco >>me cortÓ la cara, y ya no pude mirar bien, y me comen

in the meantime, the pitzen family is obviously disappointed. but hoping all of this new attention will generate some new leads. lester? >> ron mott, thank you. >>> there were tense moments on board a united express flight that was forced to make an emergency landing when some of the pilots' control screens in the jet suddenly went dark. here's nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: on the ground in dallas, the captain of a united express flight announcing he just made an emergency landing because two of the six screens in the cockpit instrument panel had gone dark. >> we lost two of our screens. now, if we kept flying, we lose them all. >> reporter: flight 4390 was flying from knoxville to houston when the screens went black. the apparent problem, the fans behind them to keep them cool failed and there was a risk of losing more screens. >> there is tremendous heat behind those screens. this dictates we land as soon as possible. because if we had continued eventually we would be flying blind. >> reporter: in a statement, express jet tells nbc news cus

pitzen vanished in 2011, when he was just 6 years old. his mother, amy frye pitzen, checked him out of school and took him on a three-day road trip. he was last seen leaving this wisconsin resort with his mother. a few days later, amy frye pitzen was discovered dead inside this illinois motel from an apparent suicide. she left behind a chilling note that read, "tim is somewhere safe with people who love him and will care for him. you will never find him." >> every day that goes by, our concern for timmothy is heightened. it's a very difficult case to work. >> the case confounding law enforcement officials and the boy's family for years. >> i don't know why my wife did what she did. i don't know where my son is. it is just terrifying for me to know that my son is there, with somebody i don't know. and i have no idea what my wife told them, so if they would keep him away from his family. >> reporter: then on wednesday morning, a 14-year-old turned up on this street in newport, kentucky. >> we have this child said he ran away, he said he was

timmothy pitzen made headlines in 2011.mily is reacting to the shocking claim. >>> new this half hour, the big headline about britney spears. >> the pop star making a major decision about her career weeks after putting her vegas act on hold. >>> and no one is ever allowed to stand up during takeoff on a plane so what are these standup airplane seats about? we'll explain who's behind the idea on this thursday, april 4th. >> it's like a roller coaster ride. >> i guess so, that is what it looks like. we'll break all that down later. >> we will. >>> we begin with former vice president joe biden speaking out for the first time since he's been accused of inappropriate conduct, now saying he gets it. >> biden took his message directly to the american people posting a video promising to be more mindful of respecting the personal space of others. but he stopped short of an apology for the physical displays of affection that triggered complaints from a growing number of women. abc's mary bruce has more. >> reporter: after days of mou

james pitzen says the experience was like ripping off a scab but now says you've got to wait for thecab to heal. >>> a horrific accident in phoenix leaves three people dead including a six-month old child. a fire truck on route to a structure fire sunday morning collided with a pickup. an adult man and woman were killed along with the baby. the cause of the accident under investigation chl investigation. three firefighters were taken to the hospital. they are said to be in stable condition. >>> three members of congress say the trump administration is blocking their access to a homestead, florida, facility. housing unaccompanied migrant children. debbie wasserman schultz, all represent south florida. they say a new law entitles them to get in and the administration is violating the law. the department of health and human service confirms access is being denied. they say a minimum two-week notification is required before any visit. the government announced last week the senate will expand its capacity from 2,350 beds to 3,200 beds. the congresswomen say the expansion merits immediate

timmothy pitzen is the illinois boy who was last seen when he was just 6. this surveillance of him with his mother among the last images of him. overnight, we reported a young man coming forward, telling police he had just escaped, he ran across state lines, he said. the family of the boy suddenly filled with new hope after waiting for so many years. and then, just a short time ago, the fbi revealing it is not the boy. heartbreak again. and what would lead someone to do this? abc's whit johnson leading us off from cincinnati. >> reporter: tonight, heartbreak for the family of missing timmothy pitzen, after the fbi announced a dna test confirms the mysterious young man who showed up in kentucky is not who he claimed to be. >> it's devastating. >> yeah. >> it's like reliving that day all over again. and timmothy's father is devastated once again. >> reporter: instead, authorities say, this is not a boy at all, but a 23-year-old man from ohio, brian michael rini. prison records there show a man there with the same name served time for burglary and vandalism. a

he said he was timmothy pitzen and escaped his captors that had been holding him for seven years but1 6-year-old timmothy pitzen's mother checked him out of his kindergarten class in aurora, illinois. she spent a few days with them then killed herself in a rockford, illinois, hotel, leaving behind a chilling note saying her son was okay but would never be seen again >> he was a wonderful little boy. i hope he has the strength and personality to do behavior he needs to do -- >> reporter: if there is a silver lining in the story it puts the case back in the spotlight, perhaps helping investigators find the real timmothy pitzen >>> it is 4:25. another dramaticying day in court as the trial for the oakland ghost ship warehouse trial. what court documents are revealing about the building's owners. >>> a father of 2 kids under 2 paying off my two kid's student debt, i am for you, optimistic about their future and to solve problems. >>> running for president and the top issue he is expected to make the centerpiece to his campaign. >>> good morning. we are off to a nice start when it comes t

timmothy pitzen disappeared nearly eight years ago. and the new charges and whit johnson from kentucky. >> reporter: tonight, federal charges for the man accused of impersonating a missing boy, and giving false hope to a heartbroken family. authorities today describing how 23-year-old brian rini allegedly lied to federal agents claiming he was 14-year-old timmothy pitzen. >> at what point in the process did your officers become suspicious of his story? >> i think there were suspicions relatively quickly if for not other reason than he declined to be fingerprinted. >> reporter: but rini agreed to a dna test, which ultimately revealed his true identity. a convicted criminal just released from prison. the pitzen family crushed. >> it's like reliving that day all over again. >> reporter: rini told officers he got the idea after watching this cable show produced by abc news. >> rini told the agents that he wanted to get away from his family and that he wished he had a father like timmothy pitzen's father. >> reporter: his brother says that

three days later, amy fry-pitzen killed herself at this illinois tel. the note she left behind saying her boy was safe but that he would never be found. >> we stillo not have any solid leads asti to wherothy may be. >> reporter: there also was blood found in her car which tezed positive as timmothy's. but a possible major development. according to an ohioolice report, a 14-year-old named timmothy pitzen told investigators he had just escaped two kidnappers that have been holding him for seven years, running from a red roof inn motel in theincinnati area across a bridge into kentucky. the boy described his captors as white men with bodybuilder-type build, one with a spider tattoo on his neck, the other a snake tattoo on his arms. police in his hometown said they are working with the fbi on missing persons tip but would not confirm if it's timmothy. his grandmother hopeful. >> we've never forgotten, never stopped thinking about him every >> reporter: ron mott, nbc news, chicago. >>> family, friends, and colleagues gathered to say their final farewell to t

when police a printed ended him he said he was timmothy pitzen. fbi says it was all a hoax. >> our investigation has returned to what it has been 7 years ago which was a missing youth. >> reporter: in 2011, timmothy pitzen's mother checked amount of kindergarten in aurora, illinois, spent a few days with him and then killed herself in a motel, leaving a chilling note behind, saying her son was okay but would never be seen again. >> he called me the best drama in the whole wide world. he is a wonderful little boy and i think he has the strength and personality to do whatever he needs to do to find us. >> reporter: if there is a silver lining in the story, it put the case back in the spotlight, perhaps helping investigators find the real timmothy pitzen. in chicago, matt finn, foxnews. >>> still ahead, more snow on the way in the sierra. the latest on the conditions and how homeowners and road crews are preparing. >>> rain back in the forecast in time for part of the weekend and the giants opening day. the timeline you can expect for your friday. >>

in particular, this case of timmothy pitzen, who went missing eight years ago. this will bring people forward who have information about something that happened years ago. as you brought up, maybe even timmothy pitzen is out there depending on the time this happened. he was seven years old. >> melissa: i think he was five or six. they said he was in kindergarten. so he had to be -- i mean, i have to double check that. but he was at such an age. based on the trauma and the amount of time that passed, it strikes me that maybe this brings attention to this case and there is a child out there who doesn't even know this is him. >> absolutely. trauma will alter the memory, especially at that age. he may have locked something up. so timothy may be out there and seeing this information on the news in this national stage. it may bring him forward. >> melissa: this is the fine line that you walk with this story. because america got used to this with all of the shows about crime and america's most wanted, when you put it on and the front of a criminal come you find the per

timmothy pitzen is a little boy who went missing in aurora, illinois 8 years ago. mother apparently picked him up from school before committing suicide in a motel room. the boy has never been found since then. the family was originally filled with hope when a young man found on a street corner in kentucky claimed to be timmothy pitzen but the hopes were dashed when the fbi said the person is not 14 , the age timothy would be. instead, he is a 23-year-old man from ohio who has a criminal record. >> unfortunately, this child is not our beloved timmothy pitzen. we know that you are out there somewhere, tim and we will never stop looking for you, praying for you and loving you. >> timmothy pitzen's aunt said of all the sightings over the years, this was the most promising and unfortunately the most devastating. authorities say the man claiming to be timothy is in fact brian michael rennie from medina, ohio. his motive for lying is still not clear. >>> a federal judge in manhattan today gave tesla ceo elon musk and the securities and exchange commission two weeks to res

pitzen went missing in 2011. disappeared his mom picked them up at school in illinois took him to a water park and a zoo. she later killed herself in a hotel room and left her a note saying her son was safe with people who would take care of him but that he would never be found. in a tragic turn, the fbi revealed dna tests show this is not timmothy pitzen. a lot of questions, including where is pitzen and who is this 14-year-old boy? watch. >> how did you react to the news that police are saying it's a hoax? >> i don't think anything involving a child is a hoax. >> dana: family speaking moments ago. >> we hope that everyone will join us in praying for the young man who claimed to be timmothy pitzen. >> dana: obviously that's the family there, i have the statement from the aurora police department and i want to read it to you. "the office has released a statement indicating the person in question located yesterday morning was not our missing person, timmothy pitzen. any remaining investigation into who that person

>> pitzen's family is disappointed but refusing to give up w hope. know that you are out there somewhere, ti w anwill never stop looking for you. prayingor you and loving you. >> reporter: pitzen was 6 years oldn may, 2011, when his momim checkedut of school early. a few days later she was found dead of an apparent suicide. the criminal complaint filed today says while posing as the missing boy, rini allegedly claimed he had recentlyomscaped hotel room after being held captive for years. but after dna tests confirmed his true identity, rini stated he was not timmothy pitzen and allegedly said he watched a story about pitzen on television. >> clearly false reports like this one can beainful to th families of missing children and they also divert valuable resources in order to investigate untruthful claims. >> his rap sheet includes convictions for passing bad checks and a probation aolation. federal authoriti say he twice claimed to be a victim of juvenile sex trafficking. chris coffee, nbc news. >>> well, as boeing works to fix its anti-stall system

a crushing blow to the family hoping timmothy pitzen has finally been found. tonight, the new mystery unfolding. >>> also developing at this hour, the tense standoff, two police officers shot, the gunman barricaded in a ho >>> new fears about the measles outbreak spreading across the country. where hundreds of people are being warned they may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease. >>> an nbc news exclusive, the 9-year-old miracle survivor from a horrifying hit and run thanking everyone praying for her recovery. >> it's just wonderful and overwhelming that they are helping me. >> how her 12-year-old brother's quick action saved her life. >>> hilaria baldwin, wife of actor eric baldwin revealing personal news about her pregnancy. why she's decided to go public. >>> the big announcement from the world's richest man, amazon ceo jeff bezos and his ex-wife, the multi billion settlement to finalize the divorce. what it means for control of the tech giant. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >>> good evening, everyone. there has bee

pitzen's family said they were optimistic.ks into true identity to be clear law enforcement has not and will not forget timmothy and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. unfortunately that day will not be today. in 2011, 6-year-old timmothy pitzen's mother checked him out of his class in illinois. she spent a few days with him at a zoo and water park. then, apparentlyy killed herself in a rockport, illinois hotel leaving behind a chilling note saying her son was okay but would never be seen again. here is timmothy's family responding. >> we know that you are out there somewhere, tim. and we will never stop looking for you. praying for you and loving you. >> and tonight this mystery deepens who is the teenager that came forward and where is the real timmothy? >> and tucker this evening we have now learned the person claiming to be that teenager who suddenly resurfaceside actually a 23-year-olduall man. brian reasony of northern ohio, apparent lay convict. we wil investigate why he put the pitzen family through this h

the new twist in the case of timmothy pitzen. he's been missing for eight years and now a new dna test is revealing that the young man who claimed to be him is not the boy who vanished without a trace. so who is he? the mystery man's brother is telling all. >>> also this morning, president trump heading to the border after that stunning 180 walking back his threat to close it down and now his new war of words with joe biden. >>> midair scare. overnight the terrifying moment on a united flight. the cockpit screens going blank. >> you may be able to see we lost two of our screens. >> the pilot warning if they don't divert he would be, quote, flying blind. >>> grand canyon horror. another tourist plunges to his death, the third deadly incident in just eight days. >>> daring rescue. the woman trapped in this dangling car hanging off the side of a parking garage for nearly an hour. and the moment firefighters finally pull her free. >>> and prince harry taking on fortnite, blasting the game 200 million play, saying it should be banned.

he not only wasted resources, he gave home to the pitzen family. who are still waiting for him to be found. >> or he sees this and goes and gets help. >> if rini is convicted he could spend eight years in prison. >>> a warning for parents about a certain baby seat. it's a popular baby seat. it's the fisher price rock and play. this is what it looks like here. the consumer product safety commission says ten infants have died in this seat since 2015. parents should stop using the seat as soon as the baby can roll over. fisher price previously issued the same warning to parents. >>> stinging words from prince harry. he's taking on the massively popular video game fortnite. back in october prince harry told some students they sho shouldn't play that game. now he's suggesting banning fortnite entirely. he called it addictive and irresponsible, especially for young player. he also had concerns for social media calling it addictive. >>> baseball is back in san francisco, and the weather gods blessed the ballpark. they blessed the ballpark, maybe not the g

i'd tell him he's going down a dark road. >> reporter: when rini claimed to be pitzen, pitzen's familylly timmothy. >> cautiously if it turns out we're thrilled. >> reporter: hopes soon dashed, his aupts snt saying it was lik reliving the disappearance all over again. >> unfortunately this child is not our beloved timmothy. we know that you are out there somewhere, tim, and we will never stop looking for you, praying for you and loving you. >> what a terrible thing to put that family through again. >>> threats of border closures to threats of tariffs, we'll get mexico's perspective on president trump's ever changing positions ahead here. >>> plus the former u.s. vice president joe biden is apologizing for his behavior, kind of. what the former vice president says he is sorry for and where he is doubling down. . >>> welcome back to our viewers here in the u.s. and around the world. you're watching "cnn newsroom." i'm natalie allen. >> and i'm george howell with the headlines we're following for you. forces of ren xwa renegade gene libya are advancing on their capitalit ity capital. the

test showed it was not pitzen. >> they identified themselves to him as f.b.i.administered miranda warnings and warned him lying to a federal agent is violation of federal law. he again repeated that he was timothy pitzen. law enforcement confronted him with d.n.a. results and at that point, the person immediately stated he was not timothy pitzen. >> this former criminal own brother is blasting him for giving the pitzen family false hope. >> i'd tell the family i'm sorry for what he's done. for him, i wouldn't speak to him. i hope he gets help. i hope he goes to prison for this, at least an institution. but, i have no idea. >> emily, talk to us about the legal trouble he could be in and should be in. >> he is currently charged with lying to federal agents, we know well, in plenty of legal stories in the news. to satisfy the element there is knowing and willful element to it. given his history of mental health problems there might be arguable defense there that he didn't knowingly, it wasn't willful, he didn't understand. he also, eluded there, extensive criminal

what we know about the disappearance of timothy pitzen, next. >> i'm very hopeful that it's him and he's okay and he's been in a good place when he was gone and he's going to come back to us. >> melissa: arrests 280 workers at tech firm in mc allen, texas in single biggest workplace raid in a decade. homeland security official says the bust follows investigation stretching over a year after ice got tips the company was hiring illegal immigrants who were using fraudulent documents. the intense search continues for an american woman and her guide kidnapped at gun point from national park in uganda, the gunman demanding half million in ransom. following this from london, here is benjamin. >> hi, melissa. as with kid napings, the first 48 hours are critical. we are seeing a large-scale search under way for the american women and her local guide. kimberly sue indocat, was on safari when she was ambushed cht the kidnappers pulled her out and their guide and left a canadian couple behind. they used her cell phone to demand ransom of $500,000. >> suspect tourism police -- group of four known gun

wendy woolfolk, nbc news, chicago. >> timmothy pitzen's family has had much more to say this week. you open the nbc washington app to hear from them yourself. just search missing boy. >>> new at 4:00, a private school in d.c. will be closing after 90 years. >> you giost get to work closely with the teachers and students and this is the first school in a while they felt like i fit in. >> it's heartbreaking and it's left us in a very difficult position, because, you know, we kind of miss the application cycle and, t'yeah, heartbreaking. >> right now parents are trying to raise $2 million to help save the school. >>> all right. doug is here to talk about your friday night plans. whatever they may be, they should include an umbrella. >> i would say absolutely. and? >> maybe rain boots. and a coat? >> and a drink. >> yea thatt. that's exactly what we need out there tonight. it's going to be a very night. we've got the rain out there right now. t're going to continue to see the rain over next couple hours and then it does look like by the time we're done wit dinner it should be about out

a crushing blow to the family hoping timmothy pitzen has finally been found. tonight, the new mystery unfolding. >>> also developing at this hour, the tense standoff, two police officers shot, the gunman barricaded in a ho >>> new fears about the measles outbreak spreading across the country. where hundreds of people are being warned they may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease. >>> an nbc news exclusive, the 9-year-old miracle survivor from a horrifying hit and run thanking everyone praying for her recovery.

james pitzen tells nbc news, there may be an upside to the hoax by a 23-year-old man who claimed to be>> exposure will help him get his face back out there. he's alive somewhere. i know he is. you can't give up hope. as soon as you give up hope, then what should i do, declare him dead? i mean, i'm not going to do that. >> timmothy would be 14 years old. he went missing when his mother took him out of school, brought him to a hotel and ultimately killed herself. last week, the man claiming to be timmothy surfaced in kentucky but dna proved he was a fraud. >>> a horrific accident leaves three people dead including a six-month-old baby. a fire truck on route to a structure fire collided with a pickup. an adult man and woman in the pickup were killed along with the baby. the cause of the accident under investigation. reports say the fire truck had its lights and sirens on. three firefighters were taken to the hospital. they are said to be in stable condition. >>> three members of congress say the trump administration is blocking their access to a homestead, florida, facility housing housin

and we've heard from timmothy pitzen's family.s i'm floored who the bleep would do that, his father according to timmothy pitzen's aunt is just definivasd all over again. you had a brief moment of hope, of cautious hope, and now shattered once again to learn that this is not their long lost son or relative, timmothy pitzen. >> a thothena jones, thank you. also tonight a look at rush that's military buildup. vladimir putin's forces strengthening their presence in the arctic. fred pleitgen travelled to the region and he is back in moscow tonight and joining us live. you got to see this military expansion up close. >> reporter: yeah, you're right. and the russians are making a huge push to boost their presence in the arctic economically but also militarily as well. and you're right, they took to one of the newest and remote bases. here's what we saw. racing north across the frozen arctic sea on a russian army chopper. russians are making a huge effort to upgrade their military infrastructure. several of their bases are already fully

the fbi said the dna evidence shows the man is not timmothy pitzen. a boy who went missing in 2011. >> it has been awful. we have been on tender hooks. we have been hopeful, alternatively helpful and frightened, and it is just at exhausting. >> that is timmothy pitzen's grandmother describing what it has been like for the family over the last 24 hours. timmothy pitzen is a boy who went missing in aurora, illinois eight years ago.'s mother apparently picked him up from school before committing suicide in a motel room. timothy was never seen again. the family was recently filled with hope when a young man found on the street corner in kentucky claimed he was timothy. those hopes were dashed late today when the fbi said the person is not 14 which is the age timothy would be. instead, he is a 23-year-old man from ohio with a criminal record. >> unfortunately, this child is not our beloved timothy. we know that you are out there somewhere, tim. and we will never stop looking for you. praying for you and loving you. >> timmothy pitzen's aunt said of all the

did he have any knowledge of timmothy pitzen? he gives his name and birth date.e just appears out of jail. >> we all got our hopes up. >> we really did. so disappointing to hear that news. >> and what his poor family went through through this whole thing. >> so many questions still. >>> the search for an american woman kidnapped in an african wildlife park. kimberly sue endicott and a driver were taken. the country's top police officer is leading the search. the u.s. embas sy is warning americans in the same area to be careful. roxanne, good morning to you. >> good morning. authorities tell cbs news that, quote, hard negotiations are taking place for the release of the two hostages. we're told the kidnapers are not backing down on their demand for a ransom. authorities in uganda tell cbs news since the kidnappings in queen elizabeth national park they've made repeated demand near a ransom of half a million dollars and the search for the two hostages has now expanded beyond the parks where four men abducted them at gunpoint. >> the security teams have cut off all

. >> >>> hopes raised, then shattered for the family of timmothy pitzen.ests reveal the person who claimed to have been released by kidnappers is not. the news a blow for the family of the boy who vanished in 2011 at age 6. >> it's devastating. it's like reliving that day all over again. and timmothy's father is devastating once again. >> he's a wonderful little boy, and i hope he has strength of personality to do whatever he needs to do to find us. my prayer has always been that when he was old enough, he would find us if we couldn't find him. >> police say the young man found in kentucky who identified himself as pitzen is really 23-year-old brian michael rinney from me dee -- rini from ohio. >> his brother says that he has mental issues and it's not the first time he's assumed a false identity. >> he's been doing stupid stuff not this serious, but he's been doing stupid stuff for as long as i can remember. he used my name in a traffic stop in norton, and then skipped court and i received a traffic warrant for it. >> timmothy pitzen's family has searched

>>timothy pitzen his family has searched for him in several states.r told us a few years back that he has one image left in his mind the day he dropped off to the at school and saw him running to class and such an back to you. >>happening today officials will remove a dead whale that washed ashore in the east bay, the gray whale washed out of san pablo bay on to the beach in the town of rodale it's unclear the cause of death. scientists say so far they do know this it's a male and one year old. >>maybe some are not getting enough food in there and help to hear lot of condition. >>the way to the question of how long it's been there what happened to it you know. it's not a popular waterways for stuff like this use a lot of fishermen and stepped out here so. be interesting see how this concludes. >>so they will do an autopsy for a whale you know the edge of the investigation and hopefully that will let them know exactly the cause of death this is the 3rd a dead whale that washed ashore in san francisco in our area just this year to area. 9.34 outrage in

>>is the same one accused of impersonating timothy pitzen they think that he would take advantage of any criminal opportunity that he would have

who pretended to be a missing boy named timmothy pitzen.atest on this bizarre case.>> reporter: charges are filed against brian rini the man who earlier this week falsely claim to be a missing illinois boy. the real timmothy pitzen vanish in 2011 when he was six years old. authorities say they rush to expedite his dna test which found he is actually a 23-year- old ex-convict. he is charged with lying to federal investigators.>>> they want him lying to a federal agent is a violation of federal law. nevertheless he again repeated that he was timmothy pitzen. >> reporter: he made it he admitted he is not the missing boy when he was confronted with his dna results. at one point he told police he had escaped 2 captors who had been the sickly of sexually abusing him for years. in reality he just got out of prison last month. after serving more than a year for burglary and vandalism. >> people making false claims can and will face criminal penalties for their false claims. >> reporter: it is revealed this is not the first or even second time brian

dna results show a young man found wandering in kentucky today claiming to be timmothy pitzen.investigation, chris, what is going on here? i spoke with sharon hall. she believed it was this young man talking to a teenager and she believed it was timmothy pitzen. this was what she said. >> i really thought it was him because i truly couldn't believe that someone would end up in newport, kentucky on 8th and columbia at 7:00 a.m., missing for seven years. >> what the hell is going on and what can motivate someone lie of being a kidnap victim? >> you know, don, when you have extensive publicity around a case, it often does draw out the crazies, as we would say. you really -- you have to balance out that publicity against all these false leads and hoaxes that will indefinitely come in. maybe something positive comes out of this. maybe there is a new lead here that reopens on the case and puts more focus on the case. it's been, what, seven years old now. it's never a bad thing to put a focus on a missing child base. >> but wasn't this a cold case? i'm sure it's received lots of publi

he claims to be timothy pitzen that would be 14 years old today.zen's family has been searching for him. he was six years old when he went missing. his grandmother says they're devastated again. >> it's been awful. we've been hopeful and frightened and -- it's just been exhausting. i feel so sorry for the young man who a had a horrible time. >> ed: the suspect said he wanted to get away from his own family. matt finn reporting live from our midwest newsroom. you hear the grandmother and your heart breaks. >> for sure. a gut punch for this family. the u.s. attorney's office revealing this is the third time this 23-year-old man has lied to authorities about being the victim of juvenile sex trafficking. authorities say he faces up to eight years in prison if convicted. wednesday, police responded to a 911 call of a suspicious teen in newport, kentucky. that's when the 23-year-old man shocked neighbors and police when he claimed to be timothy pitzen. police say he claimed to be 14 years old with stomach pain. they took him to children's hospital while

timmothy pitzen was just 6 when he was last seen with his mother. the school's security camera capturing this moment right here. abc's whit johnson on the fast-moving investigation tonight. >> reporter: tonight, the stunning discovery. has a boy who made national headlines, last seen when he was just 6 years old, now been found? the call to police in kentucky came in early this morning about a boy claiming he'd just escaped kidnappers who'd held him for years. >> he's with a 14-year-old juvenile, male white, says he was kidnapped from somewhere. >> reporter: the 14-year-old identifying himself as timmothy pitzen, a boy who mysteriously vanished in illinois. that surveillance with his mother in 2011. police say the boy ran across a bridge into kentucky, after escaping his captors, who were staying at a nearby red roof inn. >> he looked like he had been beat up, yes, punched in the face a couple of times. you could see the fear on him and how nervous he was and how he kept pacing and he just looked odd. >> reporter: the boy describing his kidnappers a

went missing 7 years ago the fbi says a 23 year-old man from ohio pose as this little boy timothy pitzen 6 year-old pits and went missing back in 2011 in illinois. police say days earlier his mother checked him out of his elementary school and took him on a ide at a hotel, timothy pitzen disappeared shortly afterward his family is saddened by the hoax. just yesterday on that. >>this appears to be either a hoax or some person obviously lying about who he was. we don't know who he is obviously but i feel terrible for the grandmother and the aunt and the father. >>it's kind of back to ground 0 for us. r that did then. renewing the loss one more time. >>that was the grandmother of the little boy of course they were disheartened by the fact that this turned out to be a hoax. and you also heard from the police in that case the investigation will continue public records search shows that the suspect is a former felon he was released from prison last month after serving 14 months for burglary and vandalism investigators are weighing charges against him. meantime in the south bay. investigating a