By Associated Press
Mobile, AL – Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran says divers and cadaver dogs in boats as well as three helicopters covered 100 square miles Wednesday searching for four children believed to have been thrown off the Dauphin Island Bridge by their father.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Cochran said he doubts the children survived the ordeal and operations are now in the recovery stage.
Sheriff's officials said the children were believed to have been dropped from the highest part of the bridge sometime Monday morning.
37-year-old Lam Luong was formally charged last night with four counts of capital murder. Bayou La Batre Police Chief John Joyner said Luong came to the small fishing village from Vietnam in 1984 and was a shrimper. He said Luong apparently had a dispute with his wife before taking the children to the bridge. Sheriff's officers confirmed Luong had a history of drug problems.
A family spokesman said the couple had lived in Hinesville, Georgia, for about two years and had moved back to the Bayou La Batre area only a couple of weeks ago.
Luong is scheduled to appear for arraignment in Mobile County district court Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)