TRANSCRIPT OF FIRST HALF OF FAMILY INTERVIEW
{missed initial question by the reporter but in reading the aunts answer its regarding the family's initial response to hearing about Jessica}
Aunt-
Just nauseaus, sick to stomach when heard it. I know everyone here says the same thing..can't put it into words..just don't wanna go there...how awful this is..how horrible it is..
We are already stronger and this is just gonna make us stronger. When I come to visit she has bunk beds and she sleeps on the top bunk so I can sleep on bottom bunk which is my favorite place..so Ive been sleeping there the past couple nights.
We are all also wearing some of her favorite earrings..she made this necklace and Becca has her necklace on.
Reporter-
Were you close?
Mom and aunt-
yes, very close
Another maternal female family member-
Yes, the part of what brings us together is the dancing, giggling one that is missing and the house is too quiet.
Mom-
We keep looking looking over at the door expecting to see her just walk in.
Reporter-
Dad, Jeremy when did you get in?
Dad-
Late last night/early this morning.
Reporter-
Mom tell me about Jessica?
Mom-
She is my rock she is all of ours.. If any one of us is kinda down she's gonna make you laugh, give you hug, give you a kiss..she loved to pretend to give foot massages, rubbing on people's feet with lotion.. I don't know why but she pretends she's a waitress, walking in with her little pad, taking orders.
Teachers remember her, everyone remembers her.. There are teachers from 4years ago that are coming forward to say they remember her and that she was always such a helper to make sure everyone was taken care of..she has always been a helper.. We want our helper back.
She was the light of our house..the house is way too quiet..
Reporter-
Mom tell me about that morning.
Mom-
It was like any other morning. I got home at 7:30, her alarm went off at 7:45..she had wanted her own alrm clock so she could wake up to her alarm..she goes downstairs to watch TV, eats her granola bar, goes back upstairs and gets dressed, and then we peeled oranges for her snack at school, and made her water bottle. She gets on her coats, she calls her friend to make sure they're walking and gonna meet her friend that morning and her friend was walking. And I watched her walk out the door and thats the last time I saw her..and we need her to walk through that door.
Reporter-
Mom, were there ever any concerns with her walking that route?
Mom-
No, last year they stopped the free bus service, now have to pay for it.. Last year there were no other kids walking to school so I always drove her.. I asked her what she wanted to do this year and she said she wanted to walk with her friend J and his older brother who goes to the middle school.. There is a whole group of them from the neighborhood that walk home.. Its too quiet on the streets too. No kids playing.. They need to be able to be out playing again and not scared.
Reporter-
Mom, when did you know something was wrong?
Mom-
When the school called, she never misses school her favorite were Math and PE. She would never not go cause she didn't want to go. I got call from school and made sure she wasn't any of the places where I didn't think she would be but just wanted to check to make sure. (school and friends house)
Reporter-
Did you miss the call from school?
Mom-
Yes, they left a message on my cell phone. I recently have been applying for colleges and one of those colleges keeps calling so I left my phone downstairs so that I could get some sleep because i need to be rested for when Jessica gets home from school.
After getting the msg from the school I drove past the park and had a little bit of hope and thought maybe the school was mistaken and she was at the park playing with friend.. But she wasnt and I lost a little bit of hope..went to her friends house and noone answered the door..went to the school and noone had seen her so I lost a little more hope..went back to friends house and friend still wasnt home .. And I knew in the pit of my stomach(emotional and crying) a parent never wishes to go there. I wouldnt wish for any parent to ever have to go there..
We are a strong family and we will get through this and she'll be taken care of as she always has been and she will be stronger too.
<snip>
END OF TRANSCRIPT OF FIRST HALF OF 33MINUTE FAMILY INTERVIEW