Posted on 03/24/2008 10:02:07 AM PDT by Dick Bachert
A little girl fights for her life, and her last wish is to see her father. But that wish may not come true.
"They didn't expect her to still be here. She's fighting, day by day, minute by minute," said Vonda Yaeger, mother.
10/11 has followed the story of 10-year-old Jayci Yaeger as she battled brain tumors. Now doctors say she is about to lose that fight. Her last wish is to spend what time she has left with her father, but he is in a federal prison for drug charges.
Less than six months ago, Jayci was energetic, fun and upbeat. Now she's just a shadow of what she used to be -- lying in a hospital bed.
Jayci has brain tumors and doctors say she's dying.
"What doctors say? They say there's nothing they can do for her. The tumors are growing and hemorrhaging, and right now nothing they can do for her, just keep her comfortable," Vonda Yaeger said.
In less than two months, cancer turned an energetic little girl into someone those who know her hardly recognize. During the fight, her family has been hopeful, but now reality is setting in.
"It's really hard to say it, but it's time now and she doesn't need to suffer anymore. She needs to be where she can be peaceful and happy and not in pain," Yaeger said.
There's one more thing Yaeger said her daughter needs -- her father, Jason. But he's in federal prison in South Dakota and has been denied repeated attempts to grant him a 30-day release. Yaeger was convicted of methamphetamine charges nearly five years ago.
"She expressed many times that she misses him, and he talks to her on the phone now and she cries. That's the only time I see her cry," Yaeger said.
In fact, Yaeger said the need to see her father is the only thing keeping Jayci going.
"I think she understands. She knows what the outcome is going to be. She's very scared, and I think she's holding on for her father," Yaeger said.
Yaeger said denying Jayci's last wish is cruel, and goes beyond punishing Jason for any crime he ever committed.
"She didn't do anything wrong. He was there for her when she was born. He should be there for her when she goes," she said.
Jayci's family said they aren't looking to get Jason out of prison, or shorten his sentence. They even asked for him to be put on electronic surveillance while was in Lincoln, and he offered to serve double his remaining time when he went back.
Yankton Federal Prison Camp officials said they had no comment on the situation.
Jayci's family just hopes they have a change of heart before it's too late.
*The prison camp sent out a news release Thursday afternoon detailing why Jason will not be released to see his daughter:
Officials at the Federal Prison Camp are sensitive to the request from inmate Yaeger and his family to allow him to visit his daughter. In response to inmate Yeager's request, he has been escorted by prison staff on three separate occasions to allow him to be with his daughter during this difficult time. Two of these trips have occurred within the past month. We have also assisted inmate Yaeger in maintaining telephonic contact with his family and daughter.
The Bureau of Prisons routinely utilizes furloughs and escorted trips in response to family emergencies, whichever is deemed most appropriate based on a review of security and safety concerns for both the inmate involved and the community.
Bureau of Prisons officials have reviewed inmate Yaeger's request for a compassionate release and have determined his situation does not meet the criteria set forth by the Bureau of Prisons Program ... Inmate Yaeger's request for extended placement in a Residential Re-entry Center is currently in litigation; therefore, we are unable to comment further on this request.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons does not have the authority to release or suspend a court imposed sentence. Our agency's mission is to protect society by confining offenders in controlled environments of prisons and community-based facilities, which are safe, humane and appropriately secure.
I mean, he's let 20 million ILLEGAL INVADERS come here to kill 25 of us each day.
“There’s one more thing Yaeger said her daughter needs — her father, Jason. But he’s in federal prison in South Dakota and has been denied repeated attempts to grant him a 30-day release. Yaeger was convicted of methamphetamine charges nearly five years ago.”
Man, this is harsh. Let him see his kid before she dies...heartless bureaucracy.
So, it appears he has already been allowed to see his daughter...twice. Most articles omitt this. They are just not willing to allow him a 30 day release. Odds are, if his daughter dies, they would not see him again.
According to the article, the bureau of prisons has already allowed him three "field trips" to visit his dying daughter.
Officials at the Federal Prison Camp are sensitive to the request from inmate Yaeger and his family to allow him to visit his daughter. In response to inmate Yeager's request, he has been escorted by prison staff on three separate occasions to allow him to be with his daughter during this difficult time. Two of these trips have occurred within the past month. We have also assisted inmate Yaeger in maintaining telephonic contact with his family and daughter.
He's already seen her twice. He wants a 30 day release and they are not willing to grant that.
My, my. Times certainly have changed. 50 years ago, dying kids asked for watermelon. Now they want to go to Disney World, or to spring their dads from prison!
Read the whole article. They have escorted him to visit his daughter 3 times, including twice within the past month.
?
I agree. There must be a way.
It’s a sad story, but “If you do the crime you do the time.”
Just think of how many families were destroyed by the drug dealer doing his time.
“Read the whole article. They have escorted him to visit his daughter 3 times, including twice within the past month.”
So that should be it?
Thanks, I see that now, too.
just grant him daily visits with a police escort waiting outside of the room where his daughter lays. problem solved.
Father Denied Dying Daughter's Wish
The headline seems to suggest that the Father is truning his back on his little girl.
I think they should allow one more visit. While she is still aware and they can say their goodbyes.
That’s the way I feel, too. Prison isn’t supposed to be pleasant, or easy. It’s punishment for harming society.
It doesn't go into specifics as to what the "methamphetamine charges" were but I doubt it was simple possession.
No, but they haven’t said there won’t be any more visits. Just that they aren’t going to let him out for 30 days. There’s probably more to the story, such as problem behavior while in prison.
“Just that they aren’t going to let him out for 30 days.”
Could be a long 30 days for his daughter.
“There’s probably more to the story, such as problem behavior while in prison.”
Good point...who knows what his prison record is like.
The whole thing is tragic all around.
I don't mean to sound harsh but who's going to pay for that? Maybe the dad should have thought about his family before breaking the law. Just a thought
If he’s in ClubFed, it was probably interstate transport with intent to distribute. Simple possession would probably earn him no more than a year in county lockup.
This guy has had several trips to see his daughter at no small expense to the taxpayer. I sympathize with the daughter, of course, but this subject would be moot were it not for the father being a drug dealer.
just grant him daily visits with a police escort waiting outside of the room where his daughter lays. problem solved......
—
I don’t mean to sound harsh but who’s going to pay for that? Maybe the dad should have thought about his family before breaking the law. Just a thought
Yaeger was convicted of methamphetamine charges nearly five years ago.
Have you ever seen what methamphetamine does to addicts.
If this guy was convicted of manufacture or distribution I would say he deserves to serve everyday of five years and more.
Sure it is cruel to the child but that is an very old story. The children always suffer for the sins of the fathers.
Yes Justice is heartless and Justice is blind as it should be.
Just remember this guy was making a very dangerous drug available for children to experiment with and making money off of the misery of drug addicts.
We all think he should serve the time. We’re thinking only of the kid.
Then why didn't he behave like a decent father instead of a gang-banger?
I have great sympathy for the girl, and would like to see the prison system take dad to see her one more time before she goes. But that begs the question, who is going to pay the costs associated with that visit?
Modern society does not educate most people that their behavior has consequences, not only for the person engaged in the behavior, but for others as well.
His behavior landed himself not only in prison, but it took his presence from his family.
It is not her fault, you say?
True, but is it the fault of a person who mourns the loss of a life taken by a drunk driver? How can they see their loved one again?
Is it the fault of a person who mourns the loss of a plane crash victim? How can they see their loved one again?
The tragedy is that he has spent the last five years away from his daughter, not that he will miss the majority of her last months with her.
And that tragedy is his fault, and his fault alone.
But the child has seen the dad twice within the last month. Her wishes aren't being ignored, the jail just doesn't want him out for 30 days straight. I don't think the public should pay for anything else for this guy. We've paid enough.
Ah, so you are volunteering to foot the bill for dad's trip to his daughter's beside (as well as the guard that would go with him)?
There has been no lack of compassion in this man's case. He has been escorted to visit with his dying daughter three times.
Why do you feel that this man should be released?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050727063759.htm
We’ve known for a while that meth abuse during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, cleft palates and other malformations but this is the first research demonstrating that even a single exposure can cause long-term damage,” says Wells. “It’s pretty remarkable that a single low dose can have such an effect.
“It’s an important finding, given the increasing use of club drugs among women of childbearing age. It has clinical implications, because it shows that the fetus is exquisitely sensitive.”
The developing fetus appears to be vulnerable to DNA damage from methamphetamine exposure because it hasn’t yet developed the enzymes that protect it against free radicals — highly activated, destructive oxygen molecules that have been implicated in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, says Wells. This vulnerability lasts from the embryonic stage through the later fetal period, times when organ structures and mental functions develop.
“People usually think the last trimester of pregnancy is when developing brain function is most susceptible to damage, but in this case the brain is also affected by methamphetamine even in the earlier embryonic period,” says Wells.
Wells’ next step will be to study women and their babies who have been exposed to drugs like methamphetamine that enhance free radical formation to see if the human damage is consistent with his mouse findings. He will also try to determine whether the methamphetamine causes other lasting damage in mice, such as impacts on learning and memory.
“Methamphetamine has very different toxic effects in the fetal brain than in adult mice, which surprised me,” says Wells. “In adults, you can see actual structural degeneration of the brain.”
U of T doctoral candidates Winnie Jeng and Andrea Wong and undergraduate Ryan Ting-A-Kee were also involved in this study. The research was supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The doctoral candidates received awards from the CIHR/Rx&D Health Research Foundation, the American Society of Toxicology and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
______________________________________________________
Such exemplary parents. Could their meth manufacturing have contributed to her weakened medical condition?
George Bush should be ashamed that he is not personally checking up on every inhabitant of the planet earth. What happened to individual responsibility??
I have a better idea, why don’t you go visit her in the hospital and let me know if you’re able to console her, ok?
Cheap shot at best.
I guess he should have thought of his daughter when he was making Meth
Will they allow him to go to her funeral?
If so, an exception can be made for this child’s benefit, for crying out loud.
Officials at the Federal Prison Camp are sensitive to the request from inmate Yaeger and his family to allow him to visit his daughter. In response to inmate Yeager’s request, he has been escorted by prison staff on three separate occasions to allow him to be with his daughter during this difficult time. Two of these trips have occurred within the past month. We have also assisted inmate Yaeger in maintaining telephonic contact with his family and daughter.
See Post 36
Sorry, Personal responsibility comes first, he knew the consequences of his actions, he did the crime while his daughter had the cancer. Its a tragic situation brought on himself.
Maybe next time he will think before he sells dope to kids that may kill themselves or other innocent people with them maybe even my kids or yours.
Personally, I feel nothing for this man but contempt however, my heart breaks for his daughter.
Now you would think that this would prove to be an awakening in this man in his soul that he would never again submit himself to crime, but in my judgement it most likely won’t and a couple years from now look for this joker to be back in jail for another crime.....
Faces of Meth......Good God!!
Why do they get the massive sores on their faces?
“Faces of meth”. That was interesting, gross and sad. Why do they all have sores on their faces? Since it seems to be universal, meth must be the cause. I’ll have to look it up and see why it does that.
I saw that after I posted. Thank God for FReepers for spreading the ENTIRE truth.
The get the feeling of itchiness or of something crawling on them, so they pick at their skin.
Well apparently they ARE using Jayci’s tragedy for a CLEMENCY appeal!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.kolnkgin.com/home/headlines/16929056.html
We have learned that Jason has filed paperwork asking President Bush for clemency.
But the child has seen the dad twice within the last month. Her wishes aren’t being ignored, the jail just doesn’t want him out for 30 days straight. I don’t think the public should pay for anything else for this guy. We’ve paid enough
I asked the same question you did some seconds later. Here’s the answer.
“Heavy stimulant use causes a rise in body temperature and increased blood flow to the skin to counteract it.
The produced sweat contains an enzyme that increases blood flow to the skin even more.
When the sweat evaporates, it removes the protective sebaceous oil which coats the skin.
The combined effects of dehydration, sweating and removal of the sebaceous oil on the skin create a sensation on the nerve endings on the skin and cause the addict feelings of something irritating or “crawling” on or under (Delusional Parasitosis) the skin. Also to be mentioned here is that the skin is an escape route for the toxic wastes used to create the drug.
The psychological aspects of this drug complicate the situation even more by causing the user to tweak out and obsessively pick, scrape and dig at their skin. “
Try googling, Meth mouth.
Strong stomach alert!!!!! Truly sickening what those who abuse this drug put their bodies through.
I feel sorry for the drug dealer's daughter but her suffering is his fault.
See post 48,
Not for the weak of stomach. Their teeth rot and it is a recognizable indication that they are users.
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