A Special Kind of Mother

Marietta Jaeger-Lane

Marietta's daughter, Susie, was abducted at the age of seven during a family camping trip in Montana. A year after the abduction, she received a call from the murderer who taunted her. Her immediate response to the young man was to ask how he was feeling, since his actions must have placed a heavy burden on his soul.

Her words disarmed him, and he broke down in tears on the phone. He subsequently spoke with Marietta for over an hour, revealing details about himself and the crime that ultimately allowed the FBI to solve the case.

Marietta was to learn that Susie had been killed on a remote Montana ranch a week after she disappeared.

Despite her family's tragedy, she remains committed to forgiveness and has been an ardent opponent of the death penalty for the over 25 years since Susie's death. She was a founder member of Journey of Hope in 1997 (see www.journeyofhope.org).

journey of hope...from violence to healing blog