Bodies Of Missing Tots Found

Authorities say the bodies of two missing Georgia toddlers have been found in an algae-covered sewage reservoir a few hundred yards from their home.

Two-year-old Nicole Payne and her three-year-old brother Jonah had been missing since Saturday. Investigators say it is unclear whether the youngsters were the victims of foul play, or whether they had wandered off from their home.

John Bankhead, a spokesman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said the bodies were found just after noon in the pond, where sewage from the city is deposited. Bankhead said the pond is constantly covered with a thick algae film, making it almost impossible to see the toddlers' bodies.

In fact, Bankhead said investigators surveyed the reservoir Saturday, after the toddlers' disappearance, but they were not detected. Monday, "law enforcement saw a bump in the algae, and it was the body of the young girl," Bankhead said. Her brother's body was under the filmy green scum nearby.

The pond is part of the city's sanitation system. It is surrounded by a fence, but has several holes where a child could easily get through.

Bankhead said investigators have found no trace of foul play, but are continuing to examine the pond area for signs. Bankhead says autopsies will be performed tomorrow.

The parents are described as "broken up" over the news. The children's father identified their bodies from photographs, Bankhead said.

Authorities had said the girl needed a breathing machine on a daily basis, and that her brother was on medication for an unspecified condition.

Police Chief Jim McClain said the toddlers had a history of wandering off from their home. In fact, the girl had unlocked a door earlier Saturday.

The sewage pond is accessible from the home — according to Bankhead, "a road goes back behind the house and winds up down at the pond."

Warren County Sheriff Joe Peebles said the search has included the use of heat-seeking devices at night. Between 75 and 100 law enforcement officers were expected to be involved in the search Monday, along with divers searching a nearby lake.

The children's mother, Lottie Kain, said she discovered that the children were missing Saturday.

On Sunday, agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation questioned Kain. Authorities said more than one person was given a polygraph test. They would not comment on the tests.

"She said she came to the door and the front door was open," Warrenton Police Chief Jim McClain said. "The gate was open. She came outside and the children were gone."

Jay Jones, an attorney from Thomson, said the children's parents are engaged and live together. The parents attended a news conference Monday but did not make a statement.

While investigators questioned Kain, nearly 200 others kept up the search for the children. Neighbors say they are heartbroken, reports CBS Affiliate WRDW-TV in Augusta, Ga.

"I just can't imagine being the parent who's lost a 2- and 3-year-old," said Tami May, who had been helping with the search.