Jayme Closs-Found Alive

[ENJDisneyFan]

Last night I listened to the entire 911 call from when she was found. It was incredible how calm those women remained as they waited for the police to arrive. Thank God she ran into that lady walking her dog.

 

[robinb]

The couple who helped Jayme once she escaped does not want the reward money. They say she got herself out.

https://www.channel3000.com/news/-50-000-reward-in-wisconsin-girl-case-up-in-air/977074846

 

[marthachick]

The couple who helped Jayme once she escaped does not want the reward money. They say she got herself out.

https://www.channel3000.com/news/-50-000-reward-in-wisconsin-girl-case-up-in-air/977074846

They could put it in a trust for Jayme.

 

[DLgal]

The couple who helped Jayme once she escaped does not want the reward money. They say she got herself out.

https://www.channel3000.com/news/-50-000-reward-in-wisconsin-girl-case-up-in-air/977074846

They should take it and open a 529 account for her.

 

[DLgal]

It’s simple—there is evil out there. If one believes in God you have to also believe in his fallen angel. And I don’t even consider myself a religious person. Sometimes there are no logically answers.

This, exactly. Although I don't subscribe to the God/fallen Angel aspect. Statistically, about 1% of the world's population suffers from mental illness that results in psychosis. That is a LOT of people, considering the population numbers, about 77 million at last count. Of course, not everyone who experiences psychosis becomes violent, but almost all people who commit violent acts like this suffer from psychosis.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

It makes us all feel so vulnerable. Our kids are grown now, but I always felt that kids are very vulnerable getting on and off school busses, the pattern is too predictable for someone who is stalking a particular bus stop or child. Parents need to be very careful with kids at bus stops, especially young tweens and teens. The story is so disturbing, thank God that she escaped the brutal captivity and this nutty monster

I agree what you have said above.

I also think, in this case, the most scary thing is that the FBI and CIA themselves could have monitored that bus stop, and it still would't have stopped him from breaking down their door at 12:53am, shooting the father through the door, finding the mom and daughter...etc....etc.

I think we can all see how a 13 year old child can be potentially in danger of abduction/being accosted once that bus pulls away and he/she is all alone on a backwoods road in the middle of pretty much nowhere. But to be sleeping safely in your beds one minute, and less than 4 minutes later your parents are dead and you are dragged out of the house and thrown into a trunk - no amount of bus-stop monitoring or any other kind of monitoring for that matter, will help prevent that.

And THAT is the scariest thing of all. I think that will haunt many people, especially the family and Jayme, for a lifetime. How does one EVER feel safe after this?

 

[yoopermom]

I agree what you have said above.

I also think, in this case, the most scary thing is that the FBI and CIA themselves could have monitored that bus stop, and it still would't have stopped him from breaking down their door at 12:53am, shooting the father through the door, finding the mom and daughter...etc....etc.

I think we can all see how a 13 year old child can be potentially in danger of abduction/being accosted once that bus pulls away and he/she is all alone on a backwoods road in the middle of pretty much nowhere. But to be sleeping safely in your beds one minute, and less than 4 minutes later your parents are dead and you are dragged out of the house and thrown into a trunk - no amount of bus-stop monitoring or any other kind of monitoring for that matter, will help prevent that.

And THAT is the scariest thing of all. I think that will haunt many people, especially the family and Jayme, for a lifetime. How does one EVER feel safe after this?

We live in a very remote area (very similar to where she was found).

Specific to this case, we taught DS when he was little to run to a specific neighbor's, if something took us adults out. Out the back door, and run like heck. Like practicing a fire drill. Police response time up here is so slow that there can be no reliance on response time/cellphones. "Hiding" does no good if you aren't rich and have a safe room. We also taught him that if someone grabs him to fight/scream/do whatever it takes to raise a ruckus, no matter what the bad man says will happen. Might seem extreme, but we were always just matter of fact about it. Thank God we never had to use it.

Terri

 

[DLgal]

And THAT is the scariest thing of all. I think that will haunt many people, especially the family and Jayme, for a lifetime. How does one EVER feel safe after this?

I agree it is scary to think about. These kinds of home invasions are always a possibility. I guess this is why so many people have firearms. I don't believe in having a gun in my home, but I also don't live out in a remote area like this. I would probably feel differently if I did.

I really am not saying the following to criticize anyone. This was a terrible, terrible tragedy. However, as a mother, I would never have complied with the request to tape my child's mouth shut. I would have said "absolutely not" and told my child "fight this guy with all you have." I mean, why take away your child's ability to scream and yell? Sadly, he killed the mom anyway, but I think about how if he had had to also fight with Jayme to silence her and tie her up, maybe he would have been delayed long enough that the cops would have arrived.

I don't know. What I do know is, I've always had a weapon nearby when I sleep (a very, very heavy duty knife called a k-bar). I've kept it in my nightstand drawer ever since I got married. My husband is gone a lot and I have two kids. We can't have a dog due to severe allergies, so this is all I've got. My husband keeps a baseball bat next to the bed on his side, so there is also that. I do know that I have a plan if someone breaks in while I am home alone, while I am home with the kids, and while I am asleep. I have a similar knife in my car, in the glove box, just in case. I know that I will do everything in my power to keep my kids safe, and am so thankful that I live in a dense housing neighborhood where if I open up my bedroom window and scream, no less than 8 neighbors will hear me.

 

[Wendy31]

I don't know...

It's just so scary!! She wasn't taken at the bus stop or walking to school - she was taken from her home after her parents were killed. And the saddest thing to me is how the police cars drove right by the kidnapper's car while she was in the trunk. They were just mere minutes too late.

I'm not second-guessing the mom at all, because you never know how you'll act or what you'll do in that kind of situation until you're actually in the situation, and, thankfully, most of us will never be in this kind of situation.

But this kind of thing is why we do have firearms, & DH has made sure I know how to load & shoot our handguns.

 

[J'aime Paris]

I agree it is scary to think about. These kinds of home invasions are always a possibility. I guess this is why so many people have firearms. I don't believe in having a gun in my home, but I also don't live out in a remote area like this. I would probably feel differently if I did.

I really am not saying the following to criticize anyone. This was a terrible, terrible tragedy. However, as a mother, I would never have complied with the request to tape my child's mouth shut. I would have said "absolutely not" and told my child "fight this guy with all you have." I mean, why take away your child's ability to scream and yell? Sadly, he killed the mom anyway, but I think about how if he had had to also fight with Jayme to silence her and tie her up, maybe he would have been delayed long enough that the cops would have arrived.

I don't know. What I do know is, I've always had a weapon nearby when I sleep (a very, very heavy duty knife called a k-bar). I've kept it in my nightstand drawer ever since I got married. My husband is gone a lot and I have two kids. We can't have a dog due to severe allergies, so this is all I've got. My husband keeps a baseball bat next to the bed on his side, so there is also that. I do know that I have a plan if someone breaks in while I am home alone, while I am home with the kids, and while I am asleep. I have a similar knife in my car, in the glove box, just in case. I know that I will do everything in my power to keep my kids safe, and am so thankful that I live in a dense housing neighborhood where if I open up my bedroom window and scream, no less than 8 neighbors will hear me.

The report that I read explained that the monster told Jayme's mother to tape her mouth shut. She was unable to do it...probably trembling, crying, shaking too much... so the monster did it himself.

 

[Allison]

It is easy to second guess someone when you haven't been in that kind of horrific situation. None of us know what that was like.

 

[yoopermom]

I don't think anyone here is second guessing or judging the mom, but, honestly, I would think that I am probably going to be dead no matter what I do, so I might as well go down swinging, and hope to give my child a chance.

(When DS was in karate, the sensai taught a lot of self defense courses, and it was interesting to see him teach this type of concept to people, since natural instinct is to hide/freeze/do as told.)

Terri

 

[cabanafrau]

It's so easy to think I would do X, Y or Z -- sitting entirely without any hint of threat or pressure safely behind my keyboard. I've seen firsthand countless people who've been in unbelievably traumatic circumstances of all kinds -- hideously traumatized and haunted about the idea that if only they had done X, Y or Z. In hindsight they cannot let go of the idea of what they did or didn't do in whatever their emergency circumstance was because after the fact their mind is telling them that they knew better and should have been able to prevent tragedy.

It's oh so easy until you're actually faced with whatever it is that comes your way -- and get mowed down.

Seems everyone is overlooking the fact that dad went to the door, with mom taking her phone and going to hide their daughter. They realized something was very wrong immediately and did their best. Judging by the fact that they lived in a remote area and the police response was within minutes I'm going to guess mom at least also managed to dial 9-1-1. God bless those poor parents, whose last moments were no doubt filled with terror of what had and would happen to those they loved most. Oh no, let's not think, but for the grace of God go I and those I love. No, let's propose we could have done better.

The woman was attempting to protect her daughter in the aftermath of knowing her husband had been shot in cold blood!

 

[DLgal]

The report that I read explained that the monster told Jayme's mother to tape her mouth shut. She was unable to do it...probably trembling, crying, shaking too much... so the monster did it himself.

Okay. I read that she did it herself. That is different, then.

 

[runwad]

I know I'd be terrible in that kind of situation! Our neighbors house burned down in the middle of the night and I couldn't even tell the 911 operator our address! I was so scared and shaken that I couldn't even think.

I was really mad at myself because in real life I'm a strong person and matter of fact about things. I don't get easily rattled, or so I thought, I learned a lot about myself that night when I was in an emergency situation

 

[Wendy31]

I know I'd be terrible in that kind of situation! Our neighbors house burned down in the middle of the night and I couldn't even tell the 911 operator our address! I was so scared and shaken that I couldn't even think.

I was really mad at myself because in real life I'm a strong person and matter of fact about things. I don't get easily rattled, or so I thought, I learned a lot about myself that night when I was in an emergency situation

Yes!

I like to think of myself as a relatively smart person who can be logical & practical & calm when the situation warrants it.

However, about 6ish years ago, I was helping my sister at this huge community yard sale event in which several neighborhoods participated w/ lots of tables & tents set up - kind of like a huge outside flea market event.

I was helping her pack up her things, & I THOUGHT my youngest child was playing w/ his big brother & sister & cousins at a nearby playground. I was wrong. When I discovered he wasn't at the playground, I started yelling for him & looking under tables & behind things, & I could NOT find him.

At first, I kept telling myself that he had to be around, but, after a few minutes when my sister & I & our other kids couldn't locate him, I completely panicked. I kept thinking about all the strangers who had been around.

Other people around noticed we were looking for a kid & started looking as well. I was frozen. I had my cell phone out, trying to call my DH... but, in my head, I was thinking, "You need to call the police first." And I couldn't call anyone. I couldn't even remember how to dial the phone.

A stranger asked me what he was wearing, & I couldn't remember. I just stood there, frozen, w/ my phone useless in my hand, in the middle of everyone else rushing around trying to find my little boy. I kept saying over & over, "He's my little boy. He has blond hair." My sister was crying & running all over the place calling for him. And I couldn't move.

I felt like I was some kind of slow-motion dream.

An elderly man came up to me, patted me on the back, & smiled, & told me, "It's okay, honey. We'll find him."

Something about the man reminded me of my grandfather, &, I don't know, I guess that contact w/ him snapped me back to reality. I decided to look one more time under a table that had a long tablecloth on it w/ some boxes in front of & sort of under it - and that's where he was!!

He & his cousin had been playing hide-and-seek, &, while he had heard us calling his name, he thought he was still playing the game. And he couldn't figure out why I was crying & laughing & scolding him & hugging him like a crazy woman.

And, when I turned around to thank the older man, the older man was gone, & I never saw him again.

Anyway, long story... but you really never know how you'll react until you're in the situation.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Remember, at that time, the parents didn't know what his intention was! The dad seemed to think he was law enforcement.

I've put myself in Mom's shoes and thought that I'd probably be thinking he just wants to rob the house, maybe looking for drugs or drug money, perhaps if I cooperate, we'll be ok. All under extreme duress of course. I've just heard my husband get his head blown off seconds ago, and I'm staring down the barrel of a shotgun now myself, held by a crazy, hyped-up perp dressed all in black with gloves and a mask, obviously seriously intent on doing whatever it is he's meaning to do. I don't think my mind woul've thought that he's here solely to abduct my 13 yr old daughter! I probably would've thought he's thinking she's going to scream and just wants to keep her quiet. So I don't fault the Mom at all, those few seconds were extremely traumatic. Patterson was in and out in only four minutes. Poor Mom had her head literally blown off in the bathtub. It really pisses me off to think about. I agree that having a firearm in the house is meant exactly for situations like these. Wouldn't it have been satisfying if Mom was sitting in the tub with her own form of self-protection and preservation... and I wonder how many this wil inspire to now go out and get their own.

I also want to point out, too, that the dog Molly barking was initially what woke Jayme up, who then woke up her parents, with the dad then going to the front door with a flashlight. That dog knew someone was in the driveway even when Patterson pulled up with his lights and interior dome light off so no one could see him. Dogs can give us an extra few seconds to summon help by giving us warnings. I remember one summer in the middle of the night we had our windows open and our German Shepherd was low-growling, which he hardly ever did. I knew to pay attention, but couldn't understand what he was sensing. Shortly afterward, we heard a knock on our door and it was a police officer, who asked if we'd seen or heard anything unusual around our house. We said no, but that our dog was growling. He left. Went back to bed and smelled fresh cigarette smoke coming from outside our window. Looked out and saw people smoking in our bushes. Called the police back who showed up with spot lights and pulled them out of the bushes. I think they were involved in some illegal activity in our neighborhood. This was many years ago. But it was one of the things that helped me learn to trust our dogs. They know when something's amiss, even when we don't. People who are up to no good are aroused and give off hormones that dogs can sense in ways we can't always understand. And it doesn't have to be a large dog, either - small dogs have the sense, as well. I guess my point is that we need to take it seriously when we hear our dogs reacting to something unusual. Don't tell them to stop. Call 911 if there's any possibility that something is going on. As we've seen here, even 20 seconds (the time that elapsed as he was driving away from the scene of the crime as police cars were on their way there) can count.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

I guess my point is that we need to take it seriously when we hear our dogs reacting to something unusual. Don't tell them to stop. Call 911 if there's any possibility that something is going on. As we've seen here, even 20 seconds (the time that elapsed as he was driving away from the scene of the crime as police cars were on their way there) can count.

Agree, our trainer asked if we wanted help training our dogs not to bark. Nope, I want them to bark like fiends if someone comes to the door.

I think what's so scary about this situation and what has so many people second guessing the parents, etc is that this is that "worst case" scenario that we always hear never happens. We're always told not to worry about strangers, it's always someone the child knows that abducts them, no one is going to steal our kids off the bus stop, and so forth. Then, this happens. This is that truly rare case where a complete stranger, with no connection to the family, saw this child at the school bus and decided to take her.

With that said, thank goodness she had the courage to escape and thank goodness they caught the evil person who did this.