Police Think Amber Alert Indiana Mom and Kids Are Still Alive

Although authorities gave no indication as to the location of 31-year-old Kimberly N. Walker and her four children ages 16 months to 9 years old, police searching for them say they believe all five are still alive but in extreme danger.

One of the children, 9-year-old Jaylan Walker, suffers from asthma so severe that it requires constant treatment -- including the use of a ventilator every few hours. Police are very concerned about this oldest child especially because Jaylan's ventilator and inhalers were left behind when the family disappeared.

"We're concerned about all four children, but Jaylan ups the ante a little bit with his medical condition," Sgt. Wargo said. "We know he's not received that medical attention that he needs."

Kidnapping suspect Jerry D. White, 30, Walker's ex-boyfriend and father of the children, reportedly has "a criminal history that includes weapon charges and has spent time in prison." Jerry White has had an arrest warrant issued against him, containing charges of attempted murder and numerous counts of confinement.

During a news conference held Monday, Detective Sgt. Bill Wargo said, "We believe he is armed and he is holding Miss Walker and her children against their will."

Sgt. Wargo would only say that police had received reports of possible sightings of the children and their mother from other Midwestern law officers, but he didn't go further into details about those sightings.

More than 100 tips have flooded in regarding this kidnapping case after an Amber alert was posted in the region and on the Internet, reports CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers. Some of these 100 leads are promising, cops believe.

Cops believe it was White who broke into Walker's house around 2 a.m. Saturday and shot Kimberly's sister's boyfriend, Chicagoan Lathie Turnage, 30, once in the face and once in the chest.

After the shooting that ultimately left Turnage in critical but stable condition at Elkhart General Hospital, Jerry White allegedly held everyone captive then fled with his ex-girlfriend and their children around 11:30 a.m.

"Through the investigation, we do believe that Kimberly and the children are alive," Wargo said, adding, "We can't go into any detail as to why."

Jerry White had been harassing Walker for several days, police said. Kimberly reported to police Friday that Jerry, a native of Chicago's West Side, had restrained her in her car and then stole the car.

Sgt. Wargo admitted, "At this time we don't know where he's at. We have several possibilities that we are looking into right now."

The manhunt for White has been extended across the Midwest and into Canada.