Found Alive WI - Jayme Closs, 13, Barron, missing after parents found shot, 15 Oct 2018 *Arrest* #40

[Julia966]

That's true. I wonder what they have to say.

I wonder if they'll talk to the media. I feel like if that was me, I would not say a single word to the media and they do seem to be very private about it so far. But, the pressure to explain themselves, and the intense curiosity about his upbringing and warning signs, if any, may break them, and they may feel the need to talk about it one day.

 

[gitana1]

It wouldn't surprise me if a private firm took the case for publicity. Didn't take long at all in Mollie Tidbit's case and he confessed and showed where she was buried.

Yes. That happens.

 

[dreamwarrior66]

I know exactly what you're saying. She loves her aunt and uncle. This kid had a really great family. Her parents are gone, but she still has the rest of her great family.
She needs to be allowed to feel safe with them and create her new normal without interference of strangers. That's not happening at all. Even strangers with the best of intentions are still just strangers to Jayme. She's suddenly famous. Everyone knows her, but she doesn't know them. The worst situation in the world for a child abducted by a stranger that killed her parents and held against her will for 3 months to capture the attention of millions of strangers.
IMO.

I think her case might work out for her. She appears smiling in photos. Nobody has put any blame on her for anything she did. She did everything right. She was left alone only twice and escaped the 2nd time, realizing that she had the chance. She's suddenly popular, but I kind of think it's better than having nobody at all talk about what you went through. Everyone is being nice to her. That wasn't the case with Elizabeth Smart. Many people blamed her for not escaping sooner. I don't think the loss of her parents has really hit hardest yet though.

 

[dreamwarrior66]

I have a question. Your answers will be purely speculative, but given what we know about JP - the crime details, and his profile - how likely would you say this is his first crime? Would you be surprised to find out he'd either planned or carried out other crimes?

My feeling is he has not, given the murders of DC and JC, even though they were meticulously planned to eliminate evidence, it was still arrogant and risky.

Whereas someone who was only interested in the abduction of another, IMO, may not have taken such a risk. So many layers of violence.

I guess I am also wondering how others think the violent and reckless murders of the C's, along with the obsessive/compulsive nature of the abduction, fit into the ASPD framework and/or the sadism framework that has been talked about in this thread.

His exgf thinks he might've killed a dog. She doesn't seem that surprised that he did this. I think people knew he was off. If you had a kid/brother/friend like this you won't know what to do to fix him either.

 

[Lillymac]

Wow. Sounds like a bad idea.

I just assumed Denise and James had life insurance, but maybe not or maybe small policies. They may really need the money badly for expenses.

 

[PommyMommy]

Jayme Closs' Relative Was 'Not Prepared' for Horrifying Details of Murders: 'New Level of Terror'
For several months, JA wondered what exactly happened the night her sweet, fun cousin Denise Closs died. She knew she had been fatally shot, but she knew few details, and her imagination filled in the horrifying blanks.

The specifics of the Oct. 15, 2018, crime at the Closs home in Barron, Wisconsin, were worse than she imagined. “I was not prepared,” Arnold tells PEOPLE.

Arnold had hoped that her cousin had died quickly — perhaps while sleeping. Instead, her heart broke when she read in the complaint that Denise and Jayme heard the fatal gunshot that killed James, compelling Denise to call 911. Then, while she and Jayme hid in the bathtub, Denise enveloped Jayme in a protective bear hug moments before her death.

“Denise’s last thoughts were probably, ‘My daughter is next,’” Arnold says. “It makes me so heartbroken. It just wrecks me…When somebody dies, it just feels a million times worse when their last thoughts are of utter despair and terror. I had been hoping it had happened so fast that it wasn’t time for her understand.”

“I wanted to know. I had to know — to give myself some closure. Unfortunately, with some closure came a whole new level of terror for me as a mom,” she says.

 

[Julia966]

I think her case might work out for her. She appears smiling in photos. Nobody has put any blame on her for anything she did. She did everything right. She was left alone only twice and escaped the 2nd time, realizing that she had the chance. She's suddenly popular, but I kind of think it's better than having nobody at all talk about what you went through. Everyone is being nice to her. That wasn't the case with Elizabeth Smart. Many people blamed her for not escaping sooner. I don't think the loss of her parents has really hit hardest yet though.

She was only left alone twice? I don't remember reading that.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

I totally agree - I think everyone needs to close ranks around her IMO and let her heal her way without the added pressure

Perhaps Jayme’s closest relatives also require PTSD therapy after what they have been through? Is anyone guiding THEM? There’s a large extended family on both sides, with cousins who spoke out as well. I don’t wish to bash the family but it’s possible some members got so used to social media interaction (and attention) that it’s hard to just end the communications.

 

[MassGuy]

I think her case might work out for her. She appears smiling in photos. Nobody has put any blame on her for anything she did. She did everything right. She was left alone only twice and escaped the 2nd time, realizing that she had the chance. She's suddenly popular, but I kind of think it's better than having nobody at all talk about what you went through. Everyone is being nice to her. That wasn't the case with Elizabeth Smart. Many people blamed her for not escaping sooner. I don't think the loss of her parents has really hit hardest yet though.

There’s simply no way of knowing.

It’s great that she has a tremendous amount of support, there’s no doubt about that.

But she’s gone through unimaginable pain, terror, and loss. She’s 13, and her life went from being completely normal, to being completely turned upside down.

I’m optimistic that she will live a happy and fulfilling life, but there is no guarantee of that.

Long road ahead.

 

[Ragnarok]

I agree. Elizabeth Smart was kept out of the public eye and didn’t really emerge for a number of years. Jayme should not become anyone’s hero and used as inspiration. She is a child who has endured the unspeakable. I hope her family can wall her off and protect her.

I agree about the hero label. If she had killed JP then I would be the first to call her hero.

Seriously. She can be a wonderful example to other girls that will end up in similar situations. I can't imagine the mental struggle Jayme went through to finally take the opportunity to escape.

She saw her mother murdered, knew her father was dead. Jayme is 5', 100 lbs. JP is 6', 215 lbs. He has already hit her when he found a bin was out of place and told her worse would happen next time. The courage she showed to get out, not knowing where she was, where JP was, where she was going, and the threat of violence if he discovered her; add in winter conditions and not knowing how long she would be outside, is remarkable and I can not praise her enough for taking the risk.

One of my female blood relatives turned 13 today. I would hope she would have the same courage and will that Jayme displayed.

 

[human]

I just assumed Denise and James had life insurance, but maybe not or maybe small policies. They may really need the money badly for expenses.

The tons of money she will need for therapy will be incredible. It will be needed and the need for it to be available for years will be there.

I imagine the family will get state of the art security for the home. I would get bullet proof glass windows.

$50,000 will maybe pay for one year of college .

She will get Social Security until age 18. Jennieo had life insurance for employees. Who knows what the amount is though

 

[The Dude]

I doubt it. Anyone who attempts to profit in that way, will face a tremendous backlash from the public.

It would not be worthwhile.

“Nobody ever lost a dollar by underestimating the taste of the American public.”
― P.T. Barnum

I think the greater long-term concern than t-shirt vendors will be how well prepared both Jayme and her fellow students will handle all this when she returns to school. I'm going to imagine that there are social workers already on this.

 

[PommyMommy]

Healing question for those of you who have been in similar situation and/or work in some capacity in the psychological trauma field --

Jayme's family has stated they will let Jayme dictate (my word) when she is ready to talk. Is there any formal scientific research with respect to when professional help is started and its correlation to the healing process/outcome? Just curious if the sooner the better. I can see it both ways - immediate and also when the victim is ready.

It's a subject I'm so interested in. How to heal from trauma? I'd love to hear what the pros have to say.

Elizabeth Smart seems to be doing very, very well. She never had therapy at all.

Jaycee Dugard seems to be doing okay to me. She had a ton of intensive and unique therapy like horse therapy, family reunification, etc.

I don;t know about the ladies taken by that Ohio creep. I know they wrote books but I didn't read them.

I;m not sure about Shawn Hornbeck either. It seems he has done well. 10 years after the 'Missouri Miracle': Shawn Hornbeck speaks | Daily Mail Online

He had quite a bit of family and individual therapy.

I'm betting it's all variable and depends on so many factors? Like the personality of the survivor, what they went through, the length of time they were kept captive, family they have to hep them, financial resources they may have (ET came from a wealthy family and a a tight, protective Mormon community, JD got $20 million form the state of California, etc.).

Where are our mental health professionals? I haven't seen them on this thread.

Yes, please appear and speak up! I know there are some posters here with personal trauma experience, but I am particularly interested in formal research.
I'd also be interested in knowing if the new therapy works - CRM I think?? I was in a grief counseling group a few years ago and one of the participants was doing it and said it was excellent for her. It has something to do with reliving the horror somehow. Her husband committed suicide (gun) right in front of her in their house. Unimaginable to me.

Calling @stereopticons...

 

[MassGuy]

“Nobody ever lost a dollar by underestimating the taste of the American public.”
― P.T. Barnum

I think the greater long-term concern than t-shirt vendors will be how well prepared both Jayme and her fellow students will handle all this when she returns to school. I'm going to imagine that there are social workers already on this.

True, and I have no doubt that you’re right, social workers are on this.

That’ll be an incredibly challenging balance:

Showing support, but not overdoing it.

She’s the most famous person in that town, and all that attention can be suffocating.

Even if it is well intentioned.

 

[Lilibet]

I agree about the hero label. If she had killed JP then I would be the first to call her hero.

Seriously. She can be a wonderful example to other girls that will end up in similar situations. I can't imagine the mental struggle Jayme went through to finally take the opportunity to escape.

She saw her mother murdered, knew her father was dead. Jayme is 5', 100 lbs. JP is 6', 215 lbs. He has already hit her when he found a bin was out of place and told her worse would happen next time. The courage she showed to get out, not knowing where she was, where JP was, where she was going, and the threat of violence if he discovered her; add in winter conditions and not knowing how long she would be outside, is remarkable and I can not praise her enough for taking the risk.

One of my female blood relatives turned 13 today. I would hope she would have the same courage and will that Jayme displayed.

Jayme undeniably showed tremendous strength and courage and deserves every bit of the praise we are heaping on her here at WS. I think if she herself wants to turn her experience into a more public inspiration and example for other young people, that’s great. But it should be her personal decision, at a time she chooses, after she has mourned and processed what happened, not a t-shirt manufacturer or anyone else making it for her right now. I just hope that society’s need for inspiration can be set aside for Jayme’s sake.
JMO

 

[Ellie1]

It sounds like there are a few sources of funds for Jayme that could help her for at least a little while.

$50k from the Facebook fundraiser
Currently a little over 50% of a with a $50k goal
(Hopefully) the $50k reward - I cannot imagine that even if it is given to the wonderful neighbors in Gordon on a technicality, they would not then pass it on to Jayme

This would be, ideally, $150k.

If the Closs house is sold, surely the profit would go to Jayme by default, along with any life insurance policy from her parents, if they had one.

Also importantly, she is certainly eligible for victim compensation from the state. They should cover all sorts of medical and legal assistance. IMO. Not sure what Wisconsin's system is for that.

Of course her aunt will manage her finances until she turns 18 and they will need more than these amounts but they will hopefully serve as a buffer for the moment, covering therapy and medical expenses, additional home security, and I am sure her aunt is taking time off from work for now.

Please delete this post if not okay. I don't want to post links to Facebook or . All IMO, JMO.

 

[PommyMommy]

Holy smokes...

"Knoxville's Truckster" brings Christmas to Jayme Closs


The Wisconsin teenager, Jayme Closs, whose parents had been killed and was missing for nearly three months, did not celebrate Christmas last year.

A Knoxville staple made the 1,400-mile trip to bring Christmas to her and her whole community. David Moore had driven his car that he calls "Knoxville's Truckster," a tribute to the film Christmas Vacation, to Closs's home town Barron, Wisconsin.

Moore brought gifts for Closs, her family, school and rescue crews. He brought with him things such as handmade quilts, crosses, stuffed animals and University of Tennessee sweatshirts and hats.

Moore says he felt called by God to make the trip and he's there to represent East Tennessee. He said he plans to stay for a few days.

 

[Julia966]

Does anyone else think that Elizabeth Smart's abdu

“Nobody ever lost a dollar by underestimating the taste of the American public.”
― P.T. Barnum

I think the greater long-term concern than t-shirt vendors will be how well prepared both Jayme and her fellow students will handle all this when she returns to school. I'm going to imagine that there are social workers already on this.

I wonder what the plan for returning is. I kinda hope she doesn't go back until the Fall, that maybe she can be tutored at home for the rest of 8th? grade. But maybe that's not the best thing for her, I dunno. She might feel isolated then.

 

[human]

Going out into the world will be tough. We know that there are people that are jealous of the gifts she is getting. The attention.

 

[Julia966]

Holy smokes...

"Knoxville's Truckster" brings Christmas to Jayme Closs
View attachment 164817

The Wisconsin teenager, Jayme Closs, whose parents had been killed and was missing for nearly three months, did not celebrate Christmas last year.

A Knoxville staple made the 1,400-mile trip to bring Christmas to her and her whole community. David Moore had driven his car that he calls "Knoxville's Truckster," a tribute to the film Christmas Vacation, to Closs's home town Barron, Wisconsin.

Moore brought gifts for Closs, her family, school and rescue crews. He brought with him things such as handmade quilts, crosses, stuffed animals and University of Tennessee sweatshirts and hats.

Moore says he felt called by God to make the trip and he's there to represent East Tennessee. He said he plans to stay for a few days.

Ugh.