names to check out and repeatedly offered to assist police in any way he could. >> i'll help -- you to help you find whoever did this. >> back at children's hospital, erica was now in the icu holding on for life her heartbroken grandparents and big sister stood barely vigil >> it was horrible, i remember that that wasn't her, that wasn't erica >> ebony took a very hard. 14 years older, she'd been like a second mother to erica in fact, erica actually called her mommy by day four in the icu, erica's family was seeing signs of hope doctors believed erica was strong enough to remove her breathing tube. now, it was time to see how she would do on her own. >> i was rubbing her hand and she opened her eyes like a little bit. and she said, mommy and everybody was like, oh my goodness, she's speaking. >> well erica had taken the first small steps towards recovery, there was a big sign