Behind The Smile of Jaycee Lee Dugard

(CBS)  After being held captive for 18 years, Jaycee Lee Dugard is finally speaking out. We're also seeing the first photos of her since being rescued from Phillip Garrido's backyard prison.

National correspondent Hattie Kauffman joined from Los Angeles with the latest on the case.

Kauffman saw that backyard prison - the horrible environment in which Jaycee was held, raped, and forced to bear children for her attacker. The first photos in People magazine come after she has spent nearly two months recovering.

The blond hair is darker now, but Jaycee Dugard's smile and piercing blue eyes so prominent in the missing posters 18 years ago remain the same.

She looks remarkably young, and happy. Kauffman showed the photo to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Saul Faerstein.

"The smile on her face is quite deceptive. It's a true expression of what she's feeling right now, but inside, there's confusion, it's pain. There are a lot of things she needs to work through," Dr. Faerstein said.

Inside Jaycee Lee Dugard's Photo Shoot

Since Dugard and her two daughters were freed from the backyard prison, she's been in seclusion with family. Last month, her aunt told reporters Jaycee's doing very well

"Jaycee is a remarkable young woman who has raised two beautiful daughters. They are clever, articulate, curious girls who have a bright future ahead of them," her aunt said.

Jaycee was 11 years old when she was kidnapped.

"She's really traumatized," Dr. Faerstein said. "[She] Missed 19 years of her life, and these two children are a constant reminder of this man who did these despicable things to her."

Police arrested Phillip and Nancy Garrido and charged them with her kidnapping and sexual assault.

Police say Jaycee is cooperating with the investigation and will testify against the Garridos.

As a part of that investigation police combed through the Garrido's backyard, looking for clues in the disappearance of other young girls. They unearthed some bone fragments, but analysis shows them to be ancient American Indian remains.

Erika Schulte, a spokesperson for the Dugard family, appeared on The Early Show Wednesday to talk about how Jaycee is doing today.

"I think people will be surprised how great Jaycee looks. When you hear somebody has been through what she has been through, you have preconceptions, but she looks healthy and young," co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez noted.

"She just radiates. I was thrilled when I saw the photo because it was the perfect representation of what she looks like and it speaks to her joy with being with her family now and looking forward to her new life," Schulte said. "She's a grown-up, she's a mother and a sister and a daughter. And it's amazing to just be in the presence of all of that. And if you walked into the room and didn't know the circumstances, it would seem, I think, like any other family."

"She is a mother to these two girls, who are 11 and 15, Starlit and Angel, and old enough to understand what's happening. Do they?" Rodriguez asked.

"I haven't spent a lot of time talking with the girls, other than, you know, just getting to know each other, but I'm not really privy to that kind of information," Schulte explained. "I don't know what their awareness would be. But they are just so embraced by Terry, Jaycee's mother, and by Shayna, her sister, their new aunt. And they're very much seem to me to be enjoying the life they have now."

Asked if she's expressed how she feels about Phillip Garrido, Schulte said, "You know, when I talk to with them, it's always about the future. Enjoying the moment or looking ahead."

"Is she willing to testify against Phillip and Nancy in court?" Rodriguez asked.

"She understands that the prosecution is going to need to move forward and it's going to require her cooperation to do so. So, you know, she is cooperating fully in whatever form that takes. She's prepared to do what needs to be done," Schulte said.

Why did she go public now, considering she could've kept her anonymity, Schulte said, "She is so appreciative of the outpouring of love and support. And worldwide. We were all, I think, kind of relieved when we saw the picture and how great she looks. She understands there's an interest in that. And she wants people to know that she's doing good and she's really happy and now we can all see for ourselves and be relieved that she's going to be okay."

[twinkie1cat]

While the overall situation is sick and perverted, it needs to be noted that Jaycee and her daughters were cared for. They are not diseased, they were provided the tools for an education, fed and clothed. It does not appear that they were beaten or tied up. Actually their living conditions were as good as that many children who live with drug addict parents and better than many who are homeless or very poor. What is wrong with this is that Jaycee was taken from a loving home and forced to produce children for this man. She can probably recover, but to her kids, Garrido is their daddy, their biological father. They know nothing else. I am concerned that they will be the most damaged as they watch the trial proceed and see him punished.

[jazerelle]

Wow lots of comments. Ok she looks great. Why wouldn't she. She was fed and clothed and he actually stopped molesting her several years ago (her comment not mine) probably because he now has two little girls in his bed (his comment not mine) which he was probably touching in inappropriate ways (now that is my comment.)

People can survive all sorts of different circumstances. She survived him but he wasn't molesting 24/7. She was doing something between attacks. She had to or go crazy. She has obviously formed a warped bond with Philip and Nancy but remember they were the only people in her life. People need people and they were all she had. And once she lost her "little girl looks" he left her alone sexually and put her to work (from sex slave to labor slave). Now she has two more people in her life, her girls, even though she was not allowed to let them know she was their mother.

So yes she is smiling but she has a long way to go to obtain a real happy life. She has to learn to put the garrido's out of her life and the lives of her girls (he donated forcefully the sperm but I refuse to call him any sort of father.)

Please note that most people before the smiling pictures had basically one description of both Jaycee and her girls "polite". In other words no real personality was shown to anyone. I am happy that police officer noticed the absence of real life in the girls and allowed them and their mother to get free of the sociopaths Philip and Nancy,

[bhash875]

You know I hope whoever wins one of the big lotteries in the near future will donate some portion to Jaycee. What has happened to this poor girl/woman is the worst crime I ever heard of and the worst possible luck and she deserves some good luck and good fortune. I hope she is able to turn this into something goood for her

[aworldview]

The family surely got paid by People Magazine. Yes, a hideous crime, but actually with the best possible outcome..she's alive and reunited with her family, unlike the vast majority of predator kidnap victims

[issybee2]

Amazing personality. Life... Has new found meaning with Family and strong support networks, A wonderful future beckons.

[memoritz]

Jaycee raised those babies/girls in Garrido's prison, and had to be mindful on some level of the loving, nurturing, safe environment that she had been raised in and they were deprived of for no fault of their own. She knew firsthand all of the experiences that they were missing out on: first day of school, sleepovers with friends, regular care by doctors, to mention just a few. It seems she did everything she could to pass on the eleven years of love she had before Garrido came along. My point is that if they reminded her of anything it was probably of being an innocent victim and considering their closeness it sounds like she compensated for what they - all three of them - were missing and passed it on as best as she could. After all, only she knew what it was like first hand. Of course this is conjecture but Jaycee survived extraordinary circumstances so I think crediting her with extraordinary emotional skills is just about right. In mothering them she was also able to mother herself, which very well may have made the difference.

[lola090]

This is by far the most insightful, intelligent and compassionate comment I have read on this site.

[galsmiley]

Jaycee has grown into quite a beautiful woman. I wish her all the peace she and her family can get. I hope she and her daughters overcome this and prosper. They deserve good things in their life to come. God bless them!

[aworldview]

Nacho
The past is past, as ugly as it was. The main thing now is she and her daughters came out of this ordeal alive and are back together with her family. It's not hard to understand how they only want to look forward Wouldn't you want to embrace the life you have been given back. PersonBlock it out the best you can and live your life.

[parisdakar]

If this isn't the crime of the century, I don't know what is. The death penalty is too good for the Garridos.

[Harden_Tar]

I just hope that the blood sucking media ghouls are kept away and at bay. It sounds like so far that is happening. Jaycee and her kids will never, ever, have anything approaching a normal life due to their circumstances and the culture of celebrity that will hunt them down even if they do not seek it out. The media will NEVER leave them alone. I am all for them getting financially set-up because that is the only way they are ever going to be able to get by. I hope they have good mental and legal support.

[rhs648]

Why shouldn't Jaycee Lee Dugard capitalize on her experiences if possible. Most of us go to work each day to provide a livelihood for ourselves and our loved ones. We capitalize on whatever skills we have. This would be as true for a carpenter as it is for a doctor or lawyer or a salesman. It seems as if half the world has written books and been on the television circuit. In spite of the horrors she experienced, Jaycee probably has a more interesting story to tell than most people. If Jaycee can make money as a result of what she was put through, we should be happy for her. Wouldn't it be nice if people started wishing good things for people other than themselves?

[twinkie1cat]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with her making money from and capitalizing on her experience. Everyone talks about the media being so terrible, but truthfully, we would not know what was going on in the world without it. I hope she starts making the talk show circuit soon and gets on Oprah and Barbara Walters.

[gramto8]

by erasmus111 October 14, 2009 10:03 PM EDT
by joule18 October 14, 2009 8:12 PM EDT
Not everyone needs braces. At 11, all of her permanent molars had not grown in etc. The space in front adjusted after they did. My daughter and son have perfectly staight teeth and never had braces.


Actually some molars are in at age six.

My daughter had a space between her teeth and that space did not grow together. Most peoples don't, unless they were to have over crowding.
Reply to this comment
_______________________________________
erasmus,
Those molars that come in at age 6 are baby teeth. They do not have the long root that permanent teeth have. They are pushed out later by the permanent teeth.

[erasmus111]

No, some kids permanent molars start coming in when they are six.

[erasmus111]

Also when these first molars come in, they don't always push out the baby teeth, they will come in behind them.