COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: In northern Idaho, sheriff's deputies are in a standoff with armed children. Those holding deputies at bay are eight to sixteen years old. They are holed up inside their house near Sandpoint, Idaho. The incident was set off Tuesday when the children's mother was arrested. More details now from Rex Rowland of CNN affiliate KREM, in Spokane, Washington.</s>REX ROWLAND, KREM REPORTER (voice-over): Inside their home, the six kids live in archaic conditions: living off lake water and lily pad soup. After their mother, JoAnn McGuckin, was arrested, a sheriff deputy approached the home, trying to help the kids. Frightened and panicked, one of the kids cut loose 27 of their dogs people here describe as vicious.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They attacked the officer. He was able to scatter the dogs by firing his weapon at a couple of them, and they ran.</s>ROWLAND: One of the kids yelled to his siblings to get the guns. No shots were fired. The Sheriff's Department has backed off. No one wants these kids hurt.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're doing everything in our power to take the pressure off the children and not to have a confrontation.</s>ROWLAND: People in this small lakeside community say they have been trying to help the family for years. They say JoAnn McGuckin suffers from paranoia and always said the government was after her home and family.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's too sad. Those children, especially, needed help a long time ago.</s>MCEDWARDS: That report from Rex Rowland. Now the children's 19-year-old sister is helping authorities by trying to talk the others out. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
In Idaho, Police in Standoff With Children, After Mother's Arrest