Inmate Has Brief Visit With Dying Daughter

Warden Grants Him Supervised Half-Hour At Her Bedside

(CBS)  The imprisoned father of a ten-year-old girl in the apparent final stages of a battle with brain cancer was allowed to have a half-hour, supervised visit with her Wednesday, according to CBS affiliate KMTV in Lincoln, Neb.

Jayci Yeager's last wish was to see Jason Yaeger, but the warden of a federal prison camp in South Dakota, where Jason has a year left on a five-and-a-half year, drug-related sentence, has been resisting Jason's efforts to be released early to a halfway-house to enable him to spend more time with Jayci.

The warden had granted Jason two other brief, escorted trips.

Jayci is in a Lincoln hospice.

Jayci's family members say they believe she knew Jason was there Wednesday, because they noted a spike in her heart rate during the visit.

Jason has gone so far as to appeal to President Bush for clemency. His case is pending before a federal judge.

For complete details on this story, click here.

KMTV says, "The general public is invited to visit and pass along their thoughts on Jayci's personal Web pages, on www.CarePages.com. Search for "JayciYaegersjourney."

To help the Yaeger family:

Jayci Yaeger Fund
Wells Fargo Bank
1248 "O" Street
Lincoln, Neb. 68508

To contact the Yaeger family:

C/O Yaeger Family
PO Box 5818
Lincoln, Neb. 68505-5818

[j_flood]

Justice means far more than simply incarceration. Hopefully this young girl will have the aid and comfort of her father in her final hours.

If the roles were reversed would the warden not ask to be with his dying daughter?

[katbo64]

However said this tale is...this guy should have thought about his child before committing his crime.
She probably was ill when he broke the law.
Seems he wasn''t so concerned then.
It our society of "poor poor pitiful me" and then start to blame everyone else for the place you find yourself in.
The warden didn''t MAKE this guy break the law, he''s even made sure he''s gone to see his child.
Why should he be let out early?
Maybe this is the life lesson this guy needs.

[gundy22]

Don''t do the crime if you can''t do the time. They should of never let him go he is in prison for a reason. I''m sorry for the girl but now it is just going to snowball and someone will want out to visit their 3rd cousin. The prison has already allowed extra visits and longer phone time for him but he still wants more. I bet if he wasn''t allowed to go when he finally got out in a year that would be in the back of his mind so he might think twice before doing something other stupid and illegal.

[gopack443]

Another victim of the war on drugs!

[gopack443]

Another victim of the war on drugs!

[aggiekat2004]

My kid brother was committed to the state hospital only an hour ago...after a life of crime that has never been punished, a history of blaming others for his problems, alcoholism and drug use that affects everyone in our family.

We have BEGGED mental health officials, the police, the hospital where he ends up with a .434 blood alcohol level, the state hospital, yet no one will do anything about him. He''s recently refused four offers of rehab because they''re "faith-based."

My family is a good family...educated, honest, and law abiding.

However, it broke my heart to put my 12-year-old niece in a lock-down residential treatment center for troubled girls with *** and drug issues...because his problems were never addressed. He should''ve been locked up YEARS ago, but unfortunately his rights are too precious to the system, and our rights mean nothing.

The system is broken. We''re also tired of "poor pitiful me" who can''t take responsibility...a dangerous trend with our youth.

[mark46n]

What really saddens me is when little kids like this get a life ending illness. It''s like the song by Brookes and Dunn God must be busy. I think the warden did the right thing by letting him go and see her. If the guy committed a non violent crime and was just busted for buying for his own use which I doubt because he''s in Federal prison they should commute his sentence and let him be with his daughter. Halfway houses are very strict and you have limited freedoms so give him the chance and if he blows it send him right back.

[aggiekat2004]

gopack443...there NEEDS to be a war on drugs. My 12-year-old niece was doing meth, coke, smoking pot, doing ecstasy. Then she propositioned a 28-year-old man, offering him "favors" for $100.

Yes, it''s bad parenting...but meth especially is dangerous...it leads to NOTHING good...it''s destroying the younger generation.

[usmc1968]

I have read some of the heartless negative comments on this story and it never ceases too amaze me how many biblical goats arrogantly go thru life thinking on judgment day they will not have too answer to Jesus for their heartlessness, the bible clearly states ignore the poor, naked, hungry and those sick and in prison at your own mortal souls peril, and Jesus will not know you and God will not look upon your sin as you get cast too the lake of fire for eternity.

[aggiekat2004]

I''m glad they let him see her...it''s not HER fault that he''s where he''s at.

Commuting the sentence? No. But showing compassion and letting him see his dying daughter is okay. I''m sure he''s beating himself up enough right now...probably a sentence WORSE than prison itself.

[ramos937]

The father did the crime and should do the time. The daughter is an innocent in all of this and to punish her by denying his visits is stupid, mean and vindicative. As shown, the visits can be supervised by law enforcement. I am confident that enough officers could be found to volunteer for this duty. Not for his sake but for hers. I hope the warden''s superiors make note of his actions.

[undermyboot]

If his name was "Scooter Libby" he would have had compassionate Clemency years ago. Vote Republican! They look out for the people who really matter!

[jcavalier30]

GOD is good. I responded to this article when I first read it and he was allowed to see his daughter eventhough the visit was for only 30 minutes and he will also have 2 other visits to see her. Thank you warden for being so compasionate enough to understand the severity of the situation. I know that he/she has children and if he was in this man''s shoes he would have wanted to see his child as well.

[advanceus]

The important thing is that he was there. Hopefully, she knew it. There is nothing worse in this world than a child dying. My heart goes out to all of them.

[jcavalier30]

Warden, if you''re reading this article please understand that holding this man''s release for only 1 left to do his time is ridicoulas to me. Please let him go so he can be by his daughter''s side until GOD call her home. Who knows...where as the doctors are saying that she''s brain dead, GOD can turn it all around for the better for this family. If daddy is there and as this article stated that the child must have known that her father was there by the raising of her heart rate just may bring her back to them. Please have a heart and do right by this family. It''s not like he''s trying to get out to go home, he''s trying to support his daughter and his wife in a time of need.

[ranger1948]

You people coming down on the warden do not understand the legal system. He has rules and regulations to follow. Sure this is a sad case for the dying girl but don''t blame the warden. He doesn''t make the rules he does have to obey them. They asked president bush to intercede but he has done nothing and he has the power to do so. I do not feel sorry for the father, he should have thought about his family before he committed the crime. I think the warden has shown compassion for this little girl and should be commended for it.

[hereticzero-2009]

god''s not going to save anyone. never has, never will.

The guy with the sick daughter was probably selling drugs to pay for her medical care. The cost of staying alive makes more criminals whenever the misery index goes up, so does crime. I feel very sorry for the inmate and his kid.

[gopack443]

aggiekat2004. Did the war on drugs save your niece? of course not. If drugs laws stopped drugs or at least made them difficult to get maybe they would be worth it but in reality all they do is keep cops and prison guards employed wile wasting uncountable amounts of tax money on nothing.
The laws are doing more harm than the drugs, it''s time for a fresh look at what to do.

[oleander8]

If there is a god, he''s got a lot of explaining to do.

[suszanlynnn]

http://www.kolnkgin.com/news/headlines/17045176.html

Dear Editor,

I have just learned that little Jayci Yeager was allowed to see her father one last time before God takes her to her new home.

While 20 minutes is not alot of time to spend with her father before she goes, in the end little Jayci got her dieing wish and that is what matters.

Little Jayci can now rest comfortable and know that her father was there and that he will always be with her, and her with him.

I do hope that in the future society has learned from this and that even though some of us make mistakes, there are times that regardless of what we have done some things take precedence over others and that the end result is what matters and what is important.

I would like to say thank you to Warden Whitehead and the others for allowing Mr. Yeager the time he needed with his daughter, and for granting this little girl her dieing wish.

Little Jayci may now lay her head down and allow the Angles to take her to a special place were she will now watch over her mom, her sister and her father until they meet again.

God Bless you little Jayci you will never be forgotten, and you will forever live on in our hearts and in out prayers.

Susan Manis
Pearland Texas
281-412-6660

[guysdigdirt]

If there is a god, he''''s got a lot of explaining to do.
Posted by oleander8

How is that? Did he cause the father to be a criminal? Did he cause whatever it was that created her cancerous situation? Do you believe you have more understanding and knowledge than a supreme being who is the creator of all the architect of the entire plan?

[guysdigdirt]

god''''s not going to save anyone. never has, never will. HOW DO YOU KNOW? DO YOU KNOW EVERYTHING?

The guy with the sick daughter was probably selling drugs to pay for her medical care. THIS THOUGHT CROSSED MY MIND TOO, AND IF THAT BE THE CASE I FEEL DEEPLY SORRY FOR THEM BOTH, WELL I FEEL DEEPLY SORRY FOR THEM BOTH ANYWAY BUT IF HE WAS JUST A CRACKHEAD THEN I FEEL MORE SORRY FOR HER THAN HIM.
Posted by hereticzero

[sheila1346]

When a man is separated from his dying child because of hard core bureaucratic paperwork it is time we reevaluate our penal system. Keeping people locked up with out the counseling or education they need to make it in the real world is absolutely wrong. Live in drug rehab programs (one to two years)that are not connected with the prison system, really work but we no longer have them due to politics and greed. We now lock people up for years with no rehab "Letting them work for cents on the dollar" instead. This helps the corporations but does nothing for society as a whole. This story illustrates how corrupt our penal system really is.

[sunseeker6]

I am all for doing your time, however this is a special case and he should be allowed visits. To not let the father see is Daughter is punishing her. That is her final wish- to see her Father. And Ranger1948, my Husband has been a Prison Guard for almost 20 years. His opinion was the Warden was just flexing his/her power. The Warden does have the right and other Wardens have done so in the past for similiar circumstances. This Warden is a jerk but at least the press has done something right (my belief the visit happened because of media attention).

[aggiekat2004]

"Dear God" from the band XTC...

Dear God, hope you got the letter, and...
I pray you can make it better down here.
I don''t mean a big reduction in the price of beer
but all the people that you made in your image, see
them starving on their feet ''cause they don''t get
enough to eat from God...

Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but... I feel that I should be heard
loud and clear. We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
and all the people that you made in your image, see them fighting
in the street ''cause they can''t make opinions meet about God...

[navyvet77]

If there is a god, he''''''''s got a lot of explaining to do.
Posted by oleander8
-----------------------------------------------------

I believe that God does answer all prayers. Sometimes its yes, sometimes it%u2019s no usually its "I''ve already given you what you need to help you.....you call it a brain"

[lovethechild]

Continutation of "This is Me, Lori!", written by Lori Yaeger this morning.

Somehow KETV, channel 7 in Omaha, was notified that Jason was here and was sending a news crew in. They swooshed Jason away. KETV DENIED Jason his final quality time with Jayci.

WHO called KETV? Was this set-up from the get-go to show that the warden %u2018has compassion%u2019 but then they yank him away suddenly because of a threat of a news agency %u2018on the way?%u2019

PLEASE, let your listeners know the FACTS. Let them know too that now more than ever, we need to send letters & call the warden. He was DENIED the proper good-bye, yes, nice gesture warden, but WHO called the media and why was he whisked away so suddenly? "

Thank YOU!
Lori Yaeger

[lovethechild]

Here is Lori''s Email, titled "This is Me, Lori!", written by Lori Yaeger this morning. (I have written permission to publish any of our correspondences.)

"There is all sorts of incorrect media flying from coast to coast this morning. Here are the FACTS. PLEASE READ SLOWLY AND REPORT ACCURATELY.

Jason WAS escorted to Lincoln yesterday by 2 men. He WAS NOT in handcuffs, etc. NOT.

Jason%u2019s visit was NOT 3 hours. It was far less than one hour and his actual time by her side was very minimal. 15-20 minutes at most. AT THE MOST and even then, it wasn%u2019t just with her in the room.

Jason DOES know how to talk with Jayci about death. HE DID NOT need coaching from staff.

Jayci%u2019s condition DID NOT IMPROVE while he was there. Her breathing became labored. SHE KNEW HE WAS THERE.

If Jason & Jayci were the only ones in the room, then WHO were the other 8-12 people that I spoke with? When I MYSELF was in there, the guards WEREN%u2019T!

Jason himself told me %u2018they%u2019re just doing this to make themselves look good%u2019. QUOTE HIM. QUOTE ME."

[mainemade]

Just where do these people think he would go if they let him out to see his daughter? The dying know when and who is around them when the die. Seems to me this warden and other power players involved are the ones trying to play God. He is serving time for drug crimes, and like others here, most likely was doing so to pay for the rediculous cost of healthcare. Less then a year left. And all we keep hearing in the media is about prison over-crowding!
Talk about HEARTLESS!!

[termtex01]

"He is serving time for drug crimes, and like others here, most likely was doing so to pay for the rediculous cost of healthcare.

Posted by mainemade at 06:38 PM : Mar 27, 2008"

Gotta correct you on that. He was busted for using drugs, about 3 years AFTER his daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer.

[termtex01]

Hey, LovetheChild, answer me this...

If his daughter wsa diagnosed with cancer, and 3 years later he''s caught using drugs and gets sent to prison for it, how is that our problem? WHy should he be treated any different than any other criminal?

He did the crime YEARS after his daughter first became ill. I''d''ve said let him stay im prison. What kind of father loses himself in drugs when his daughter is fighting brain cancer?

[lovethechild]

You are not given the authority to judge this man. God didn''t give it to you, and neither do I.

So, because you refuse to forgive him for what he did (I''m sure you''ve never met any of these people) and because his daughter forgives him and loves him none the less, you deem she should die alone without him.

Nice guy, you are not.

I am a hospice trained nurse. You are talking to the wrong person here. Get educated on what matters, and what does not. On your time, your dime.

How would you treat a child of a prisoner? Would you let your child play with them, or would you scorn them and treat them as a leper as much of our society does?

Arrogance and Ignorance are not flattering.

Another one of my personal peeves, the people who lack the inner strength to see someone through to their death when they are terminal because it causes them too much pain. Shame on any one of you, if this would apply!

No One Should Bury A Child! And you judge Jason for not being "stronger"??? And what would you have done if it was your own? You can''t say, b/c it hasn''t happened to you.

Walk a Mile in a Mans Shoes before You Stone Him...

LORI YEAGER, Any aware human can see in your child the loving qualities that have ever existed in anyone that they have ever really loved. Its a shame at age 10 she had to sense the separation of all she has ever known. Believe me, the world feels also pain of losing one from her only loves at anytime but also so soon.

[termtex01]

Posted by LovetheChild at 07:54 PM : Mar 27, 2008
I do not need your authority to make judgments, as you have no authority to grant or deny that right to others. And God gave me the ability to think and the power of free will, so in Him I am allowed to judge.
This is not about the daughter; it is about what kind of man deserts his family to get lost in drugs. He deserves his punishment, which includes the pain he feels being separated from his family by his actions WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THEM!
As for your pet peeve, it applies directly to this man, so who is judging now?
I have gone through the deaths of numerous loved ones and close associates, and I wasn%u2019t locked away in prison at their deaths because of drug use. I am currently the court appointed guardian of another close relative. So you have no place or standing to judge my opinion.

[cfin5]

I hope the Warden lets him have another time to see her with no media around. The allowed time had to seem like a second. If I was on that bed, and that age,.....I would latch onto my Dad and cry. Don''t think I could even talk. Sometimes words are lesser spoke than crying. I LOVE my ***Mom and Dad***!!! I want them both to be proud of their first born son that I am. I do not want to do anything that would make their name to stink in public........Please, would somebody in greater authority ensure that that little girl''s Constitutional and Humanitarian rights are honored........She did nothing wrong!

[runningralph]

Drug abuse is a terrible thing. It is prevalent is our society to the point that people are afraid to stand up and condemn it for fear that their condemnation will have bad consequences for themselves. It was drug abuse that deprived this poor child of a father.

[mamba_dude]

What a terribly sad story. It is a shame that a convict was allowed out of prison to visit a dying family member. I have no idea about the numbers, but I believe it''s safe to assume that many, many prisoners lose loved ones every day. Should we now make exceptions for those prisoners as well? And for you people who think drug laws do more harm than the drugs-- Pull your head out and stop your idiocy. If people were a little less willing to tolerate illicit behavior and coddle those who break the law, we wouldn''t have the problems we have. I REALLY hate to agree with Senator Clinton, but it truly does "Take a Village"

[gopack443]

There is a real simple way to decide if he should be allowed to move to a halfway house.
Ask this victim!
And if there isn''t one to ask why is he in prison in the first place?

[gopack443]

There is a real simple way to decide if he should be allowed to move to a halfway house.
Ask this victim!
And if there isn''t one to ask why is he in prison in the first place?

[vapelloni]

This little angle has now gone to heaven. May God enbrace her. I have two thoughts: 1) May her family find piece in the fact her suffering is over, And 2) when it is that warden''s time to pass away, I hope he is all ALONE!!!!

[bamiej]

I''m glad she got to see her father one last time. So sorry to her family for their loss.

[klavergrd]

I agree with many that he did the crime, so serve the time. Now that this one has had visits, how many more costly requests will be granted for thieves and criminals "in the name of the family"? As a veteran that has missed many family births, deaths and other occassions, I don''t have sympathy for anyone in jail.

[texasllcv]

Here''s a really sad note...The poor little thing was diagnosed 7 years ago. What a shame her dad couldn''t stay clean back then since he had a daughter facing such a mountain. Or maybe the cancer diagnosis had something to do with why he was involved with drugs...God bless this precious little angel.

[ladairmy]

You all need to pull your head out and understand that the dad was not looking for pitty, he wanted to be there for his daughter!!! THIS IS ABOUT THAT BABY GIRL...the story is about her, not him so quit making it seem as if it''s anything different! And I agree, I hope that warden spends all of his hard times ALONE AND JUST AS SCARED AS THAT LITTLE GIRL WAS, all she wanted was her daddy by her side so that she could die in peace and that jerk took it from her...and he''s in charge of thousands of other lives, I feel sorry for them!

[toolmangler-2009]

I don''''t have sympathy for anyone in jail.
Posted by klaviergrd at 01:26 PM : Mar 28, 2008



If a dying child asked you if she could see her Daddy before she died, Tell me, straight, would you tell her no, (if it were in your power tto grant the request)?