Jennifer Smith/Healing Jayme Closs Facebook Page Jayme Closs after her return.
Jayme Closs, the once missing teenage girl from Barron, Wisconsin, is settling back into the embrace of her family, where she was reunited with her aunts, cousins, and her dog. Since Jayme’s dramatic escape into the arms of a dog walker, her family members have shared several photos on social media.
They show a smiling Jayme posing for selfies with relatives and her puppy. You can see the first photos of Jayme Closs after her return above and throughout this article.
Tragically, of course, Jayme, 13, unlike Elizabeth Smart, won’t have the comfort of her parents to ease her return. Jayme, an only child, lost her parents at the hands of her abductor, authorities say. They have accused Jake Thomas Patterson, 21, of shooting Jayme’s parents – James and Denise Closs – to death in the family’s Barron home and then hiding Jayme in a remote cabin in Wisconsin’s northwoods near Gordon, population 645.
In a chilling 12-page criminal complaint released on January 14, 2019, authorities gave every indication that Jake Patterson allegedly acted alone. They accuse him of kidnapping Jayme after randomly seeing her getting on a school bus outside her family’s Barron home. He didn’t know her name or the names of her parents then but, the complaint alleges, “When he saw (Jayme) he knew that was the girl he was going to take.” (You can read the criminal complaint in full and get more details from it here.)
This was the first picture to emerge of Jayme and her aunt after her return:
Jayme Closs with her aunt
Jayme’s aunt, Jennifer Naiberg Smith, wrote on Facebook on January 12, 2019: “Jayme had a pretty good night sleep it was great to know she was next to me all night what a great feeling to have her home. As a family we will get through all of the healing process Jayme has. It will be a long road but we are family strong and we love this little girl so much!! We will do anything and everything!! My beloved sister Denise pooh and brother in law Jim can rest at peace and I keep assuring them Jayme is safe and we will make sure forever. We all miss them both dearly now they know there Jayme which was there whole world is home with family!! God is Good !! Bless you all!! ❤❤???”
Here’s what you need to know:
Photos Showing Jayme With her Dog Were Shared to the ‘Healing Jayme Closs’ Facebook Page
Jayme Closs after her return
The Facebook pages devoted to finding Jayme are no longer needed; in their place, a page was created called “Healing Jayme Closs.” The above photos of Jayme and a dog were posted to that Facebook page along with the message, “Another photo from this morning that’s been approved for reposting Aunt Jennifer reports Jayme is full of big smiles today ? (And so are we!!) Everyone is so proud of you, Jayme!!” The post also contained this photo:
Jayme Closs with her aunt.
The Facebook page explained, “We began a Facebook fundraiser only 24 hours ago with a goal of $10k. You all have blown us away with your generosity as we approach the $50k mark!!! Thank you Thank you thank you! Jayme’s aunts have not been online much but Audra and I have been updating them on the progress and they are so thankful too! We will be ending the Facebook fundraiser when we reach our $50k goal. Those still wishing to make a donation can contact any Sterling Bank and reference the Closs Family Benefit Fund. I know some of you will think we should keep raising our goal, however we feel it’s best that this large of incoming funds be processed by a bank rather than Facebook. Thank you again to everyone!!”
People who wish to donate money to help Jayme Closs can do so here:
The family has set up a P.O. Box:
Her other aunt, Sue Naiberg Allard, wrote:
I have absolutely no way of knowing how to thank soooo many people. I would Love to give each and everyone of you a huge hug…together we brought Jayme home?. She did this❣️❣️❣️ I am so very proud of you Jayme Closs ❣️. You saved your strength at the utmost opportunity. I believe all the thoughts and prayer behind you, God and your mom and dad led
You to use your strength ,love, and power to get you home to us. I am so thankful for that❣️. This is a day of happiness I will never forget…getting to hug you and tell you that I LOVE YOU ❣️??you will now be surrounded by love and we will
Always be there for you ❣️ God is good. Keep praying for our dear girl as we will travel this road together to help heal what has been lost. My sister Denisey-Pooh and Jim. .. we have your baby girl in our arms and may You both now Rest In Peace ❤️❤️we will never forget you ????????? just so glad we Got your baby girl Back??Love you both and miss you terribly ❤️❤️
Jayme’s parents, James and Denise Closs, both worked at Jennie-O, which is a turkey plant in Barron, a town of about 3,300 people located in rural, northwestern Wisconsin.
James Closs was shot to death in the doorway of the home, and his wife, Denise, was shot elsewhere in the house. Authorities received a 911 call from Denise’s cell phone. When they arrived four minutes later, the parents were deceased and Jayme was gone. For 88 days, she remained missing.
Denise Closs Once Described Jayme as ‘the Sweetest & Most Kind Hearted Girl’
On Facebook, Denise’s page was filled with photos of Jayme and other family members, including odes to her parents. The pictures show family-oriented activities, such as time at a pumpkin patch. The photos above are older pictures of Jayme Closs.
In July 2017, she wrote of Jayme, “Happy Birthday to My Daughter Jayme Closs who is Growing up to be the Sweetest and most kind Hearted Girl…Love you to the Moon And Back..Hope you Have the Best Day Ever…” Jayme responded in the thread, writing, “Thank you for Awesome Birthday Mom …and Thank you Aunt Sue for Everything. love you all…”
People also paused to remember Jim and Denise Closs anew.
Jayme Closs described herself on Facebook.
“I love to dance at Christine’s Dance Jazz, ice-skating, valleyball (sic), swim, Art, cross country, Track, Dance,” Jayme wrote on her Facebook page, which she filled with photos of herself with a middle school sports team and in dance outfits.
One young woman who knows best what Jayme might be going through is Elizabeth Smart. In her Instagram post on Jayme, she also wrote, “I have no doubt Jayme and her family will forever appreciate the efforts and prayers of the many thousands of people who contributed and kept them in their thoughts and prayers! I hope we may all continue to support and embrace Jayme as she reclaims her life and comes to terms with the reality of her situation. What a brave, strong, and powerful survivor!!!! No matter what may unfold in her story let’s all try to remember that this young woman has SURVIVED and whatever other details may surface the most important will still remain that she is alive. May god bless you Jayme Closs and may we all continue to search for every missing child. #miracleshappen #novictimblaming #hope #findingnormal #survivor #strong #brave.”
School Superintendent Diane Tremblay said in a previous news conference that Jayme Closs is a “sweet girl who is a loyal friend and loves to dance” and is a member of the cross country team. She recalled how a school assignment asked Jayme what she would do with $1 million and Jayme answered that she would “feed the hungry and give the rest to the poor.”
In the end, Jayme brought herself home.