Log in

Family: Wisconsin teen in 'good spirits' post-kidnap, escape

Family: Wisconsin teen in 'good spirits' post-kidnap, escape By JEFF BAENEN , Associated Press The grandfather of a 13-year-old northwestern Wisconsin girl who authorities say escaped a man who …

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor

Family: Wisconsin teen in 'good spirits' post-kidnap, escape

Posted

Family: Wisconsin teen in 'good spirits' post-kidnap, escape

By JEFF BAENEN , Associated Press

The grandfather of a 13-year-old northwestern Wisconsin girl who authorities say escaped a man who killed her parents and held her captive for three months said Sunday she's in "exceptionally good spirits."

Jayme Closs on Thursday fled the cabin near the small town of Gordon where she said she had been imprisoned. She approached a woman walking a dog and asked for her help.

Police officers arrested 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson minutes later based on Jayme's description of his vehicle. Authorities are holding Patterson on suspicion of kidnapping and homicide.

Little has been revealed about Jayme's ordeal since her abduction in mid-October, although more details could come Monday when Patterson is expected to be charged and make his first appearance in court.

Jayme's grandfather, Robert Naiberg, said Sunday that, considering the circumstances, the teen is holding up .

"She's doing exceptionally well for what she went through," Naiberg told The Associated Press by phone. "She's in exceptionally good spirits."

On Sunday, area churchgoers said their prayers were answered by Jayme's safe return.

"We are overjoyed and we couldn't be happier. It's a miracle and it's wonderful," Mary Haas told the Minneapolis Star Tribune while taking down Christmas decorations after Mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Barron. "We prayed and prayed and prayed."

Jayme has been staying with an aunt in Barron since she escaped.

"It's a great day up in our area," said Larry Leff at St. Peter's Catholic Church in nearby Cameron. "God answered all our prayers."

An intruder blasted open the door of James and Denise Closs' home near Barron with a shotgun Oct. 15, gunned the couple down and made off with Jayme.

While investigators have said Patterson's goal was to kidnap Jayme, he has no apparent prior connection to the family. Naiberg told the AP on Saturday that Jayme told FBI agents she did not know Patterson.

Patterson attorneys Charles Glynn and Richard Jones said in a statement that they consider the situation "very tragic" and that they are relying on the court system to treat their client fairly.

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald told reporters on Friday that Patterson took measures to avoid leaving evidence at the Closs family's home, including shaving his head before breaking in. A shotgun was recovered from the cabin, which Patterson's father owned.

___

For more stories on Jayme's abduction and her parents' deaths: https://apnews.com/JaymeCloss

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Share with others