The Transcript of Unsolved Mysteries
The show begins will Kelly telling "her story" about her past and how "terribly" she was treated in her youth. None of this information is documented or has been verified. The exact text of this portion was unavailable at the time of this writing. Actors are used to portray the actual persons in this dramatized version of "Kelly's story".
(Scene: Actresses sitting in a kitchen):
Actress for Connie:
"We have figured out a way to put
Zena on our medical insurance!"
Actress for Kelly:
"That's great!"
Actress for Connie:
"Isn't it?"
Actress for Kelly: "How?"
Actress for Connie:
"It is so easy. All you have to do
is sign this paper."
Narrator Robert Stack:
"The paper was in fact a legal document allowing
Connie Jean and Donald to adopt Zenith but Kelly says
that Connie Jean explains it as a temporary arrangement
just until Kelly can get back on her feet".
(Scene changes to Unsolved Mystery's personal
interview with Kelly.)
Kelly:
"The bigger picture would be that we would be
this happy family together and live happily ever after."
(As the narrator speaks, the camera shows Kelly's
signature on the legal document)
Narrator:
"However, Kelly says that once the paper was
signed her detente with Connie Jean began to sour."
(As Kelly speaks, the camera shows a picture of Connie
holding Zenith at Zenith's infants blessing)
Kelly:
"She became increasingly obsessed with Zena,
wanting to be her mother and I started getting really
scared and I had an urgency to leave there."
(Scene: Kelly and girls enter the gate at the
airport)
Narrator:
"Feb 1993, Kelly gathered up her daughters and
returned to Arizona. That July, Kelly arranged to see
her mother during a lay over at the Salt Lake City
Airport. Kelly and the girls arrived. Connie Jean,
Donald and Kelly's half brother were waiting at the
gate."
Kelly:
"She had held Zena the whole time we were walking
to our connecting flight."
(Scene: UM's interview with Kelly)
Kelly: "And I had just gotten my boarding passes from the
agent and I just happened to glance over and my mom and
Zena were gone."
(Scene: Actress for Kelly glancing to empty chair and
then running through the airport)
Actress for Kelly:
"Stop that woman! She is stealing my
baby! Somebody stop her! What's wrong with you? What
are you doing? I am your daughter!"
(Scene: Actress for Connie, holding a baby, is stopped
by an actor as actress for Kelly approaches)
Actor:
"This woman is your mother?"
(The actress baby is crying.)
Actress for Connie:
"Yes! And I have sole custody of
this child because she is an unfit mother!"
Actress for Kelly:
(crying) "I can't believe this is
happening. Give me my baby. Please give me my baby?"
Kelly:
"I just freaked out. She was waving the paper
that I had originally signed."
(Scene: UM's interview with Kelly)
Kelly: "I could not understand
why my mother had gone so far off the edge to obtain
Zena."
(Scene: Actress for Kelly plead's with Actress for
Connie, while the actress for Zenith continues to cry)
Actress for Kelly:
"Mother this isn't right! Please
don't do this! It isn't right!"
Actress for Connie:
"Zena belongs to me now."
Narrator:
In the end Airport police intervened.
Kelly flew home to Arizona with both her daughters.
Two days later Connie Jean filed legal papers in Utah
to enforce the adoption agreement.
(Now the crying baby actress's voice slowly turns
into music. Scene: Actress for Kelly opening the door to
what is supposed to be her home. Actor representing
Mesa police officer, Van Killsdunk, shows a badge while
coming in the door.)
Actor Van Killsdunk:
"Miss Helton, Child Protective
Services we have a pick up order for little Zenith.
Beals check the back."
(Scene: Actress for Kelly follows actor police officer
Beals to another room.)
Actress for Kelly: "No sir!"
(Scene: Actor for Beals picks baby actress up out of a
crib while actress for other child looks on.)
Narrator: "Arizona police in compliance with the Utah
court order seized Zenith and delivered her to Connie
Jean."
(Scene: Actor for Beals leaves the room with actress for
Kelly following)
Actress for Kelly:
"Please sir, just let me talk to
you. Please just let me talk to you."
Kelly:
"I remember feeling that my mom was desperate."
(Scene: Actress for Kelly pleading with actor for Van
Killsdunk).
Actress for Kelly:
"You can't give her to my mother."
(Scene: UM's interview with Kelly)
Kelly: "That she was truly obsessed with Zena and that
Zena was in real danger."
(Scene: Actor Van Killsdunk holding actress Kelly's
wrists)
Actor for Van Killsdunk:
"I'm very sorry."
(Scene: Actor for Van Killdunk goes out the door
and actress for Kelly Cries.)
Narrator:
"Kelly would soon find herself in a protracted
legal battle with Connie Jean. By time the time it was
over Zenith would be 2 1/2 years old.
(Scene: Actress for Connie sitting in a living room,
motions for a little girl actress for Zenith to come and
sit beside her. While John Moody, acting as himself,
seats himself on the sofa with them.)
Actress for Connie:
"Zena come sit next to mommy.
Narrator:
Ultimately the Utah court appointed IMPARTIAL
EXPERTS to evaluate whether Kelly or Connie Jean would be
the best mother for Zenith."
(Scene: John Moody adjusts himself and his note pad as
if he is having an interview in actress Connie's home
while actress Zenith watches.)
Actress for Connie:
"I wasn't sure if you knew the real
truth about Kelly. I mean I'm sure you know she is a
single mother on welfare who can't take care of one child
let alone two."
John Moody:
"Connie Jean was very easily irritated,
she's not patient, she's very insensitive and
intolerant to others."
(Scene: John Moody, guardian ad litem, in a personal
interview with Unsolved Mystery staff while the words
"Custody Expert" is labeled on the screen.
John Moody:
My gut instincts were that we needed to get
this child back into Kelly's home as soon as possible.
(Scene: Actress for Kelly escorts actress for Zenith
into a bedroom. Another child actress is present.
Narrator:
"The court agreed, permanent custody of Zena
was restored to Kelly. The old adoption agreement was
dismissed."
Actress for Kelly: "Welcome"
Actress for Zenith: "I love it."
Actress for Kelly laughing:
"It's your very own bed."
(Scene: Actress for Zenith jumps on the bed and then
embraces the other child actress.)
Narrator:
"Connie Jean however was granted 9 hours of
unsupervised visits per week. Then immediately she
picked up from Utah to be near Zenith."
(Scene: Kelly in UM interview.)
(Scene: Steve Hutchinson in a law office. Label on
the screen; "Kelly's Attorney")
Steve Hutchinson:
"Kelly, at least every other week,
urged me on to do something because she was terrified
about the prospect of Connie Jean abducting the child."
(Scene: Actress Kelly carrying actress Zenith to a
parked car where actress Connie sits as a passenger in
the front seat. Another actor sits in the back seat.
Actor for Donald gets out of the car comes around to the
passenger side and opens the car door. Actor for Donald
takes the child actress from Kelly's arms and puts her
in actress Connie's lap and closes the door.)
Actress for Kelly: "Hi mom."
Actress for Connie:
"Hi! What are you up to?"
Steve Hutchinson:
"She had said this to me even before
the court order that she feared that if the court ruled
against Connie Jean that Connie Jean would figure out a
way to take the child and run."
(Scene: Actor for Donald takes a bag from actress Kelly
walks around the car to get in.)
Narrator:"By all accounts that is precisely
what happen on October 17th, 1995.
Actress for Kelly:
"Her birthday is in 3 days."
Actor for Donald: "That's ok. That's no problem."
Actress for Kelly: "Ok."
(Scene: The car drives away while actress for Kelly
waves good bye.)
Narrator:
"Connie Jean and Donald picked up Zenith for
a visit and kept on going.
Actress for Kelly:
"Bye Zena! Wave to mommy."
(Scene: UM interview with Kelly crying.)
Kelly:
"I have a fear that I will never see my daughter
again and I want her to know I love her very much and I
wish my mom would just stop this craziness."
(Scene: Photograph of Connie Jean and Donald Hanes)
Narrator:
"Zenith Elaine Helton is now 4 years old. She
has blond hair and blue eyes. Connie Jean and Donald
Hanes have been charged with felony child abduction.
They are both devote mormons and strict vegetarians.
Donald is a computer programmer that frequents chess
tournaments. In addition to Zenith they may be traveling
with Connie Jean's 16 year old son. He is not a suspect
in this case. If you have any information please contact
the FBI or call our toll free number."