Wisconsin lawmakers honor Jayme Closs as a hero a week before her captor will be sent to prison for life
Molly Beck
MADISON - Wisconsin lawmakers are honoring Jayme Closs, a 13-year-old girl who was held captive for nearly three months by a man who shot and killed her parents before dragging her away.
Jayme traveled more than 200 miles from her Barron home Wednesday to be recognized for her bravery by leaders of her state government in the Wisconsin State Capitol.
"Your strength, your resolve and your bravery is beyond incredible," Rep. Romaine Quinn, who represents her hometown, told Jayme before Assembly lawmakers. "You are truly an inspiration and a bright light in a time of sadness.
"No matter how grave your situation, no matter how dark your day becomes and no matter how impossible your circumstances may seem, there is always hope," Quinn said, honoring the girl a week before her captor is scheduled to be sentenced to life in prison for his crimes.
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Jayme did not speak, but smiled widely as she was given an award recognizing her as a "hometown hero."
Jennifer Smith, Closs' aunt and guardian, thanked lawmakers on behalf of her niece.
Jayme's visit to the state Capitol is one of a very few public appearances she has made since escaping a house in Gordon in Douglas County, where she was held captive by Jake Patterson.
She freed herself on Jan. 10, running away from the home until she found a passerby who took the teenager to a nearby neighbor to call the Douglas County Sheriff's Department.
Patterson in March pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the shooting deaths of Jayme’s parents, James and Denise Closs. He also pleaded guilty to kidnapping Jayme, who was held for 88 days in the house that Patterson’s family owned in Gordon.
Authorities say Patterson forced Jayme to hide beneath a twin bed when guests visited or when he left the house, surrounding the bed with containers so she couldn't be seen and weighing them down to keep her from escaping.
He played music in the room when others were in the house to drown out any noise she might be making, court records show.
Haley BeMiller of the Green Bay Press-Gazette contributed to this report.
Contact Molly Beck at molly.beck@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MollyBeck.