Overview

On October 22, 1989, in the small town of St. Joseph, Minnesota, eleven-year-old Jacob Wetterling was kidnapped at gunpoint. Twenty-seven years later, Danny Heinrich led authorities to the boy's remains. What lies between is the riveting story of the search for Jacob, told by his mother, Patty. With down-to-earth candor, she details the investigation as it unfolds, discusses her family's struggles, and shows how she maintained her energy and optimism. For her own survival, Patty chose to focus on hope. She became a speaker, trainer, and national advocate for missing children. Her lobbying work took her to Washington, DC, where in 1994 Congress passed the Jacob Wetterling Act, establishing a national sex offender registry. In 2013, the Wetterlings were joined on their quest for answers by two unlikely allies: local blogger Joy Baker and plumber Jared Scheierl. Baker convinced Scheierl to come forward and share his story about being kidnapped from a nearby town and sexually assaulted the same year as Jacob. Together, Baker and Scheierl uncovered a string of similar assaults that had never been fully investigated. The combined efforts of this foursome led to the breakthrough that solved the case. Dear Jacob offers not only a behind-the-scenes account of one of America's most notorious crimes but also a historical account of what has been done in the years since to combat the problem of missing and exploited children.

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Joy Baker is the writer, blogger, and investigative journalist who uncovered key evidence in Jacob's case. She holds a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota and, for twenty years, was co-owner of a central Minnesota advertising agency. She currently works as an independent marketing consultant, professional copywriter, and writing coach. Her work on Jacob's case has been featured in print and broadcast media as well as true-crime podcasts. She blogs at JoyTheCurious.com. Patty Wetterling is a national advocate, visionary, and educator on the prevention of child abduction and exploitation. She served on the board of directors for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children from 1991 to 2021 and co-founded Team HOPE, a national support group for families of missing children. She has received many awards and was named one of the 100 Most Influential Minnesotans of the Century by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Rebecca Stern is an experienced audiobook narrator and a professional violinist. She loves to narrate history, memoirs, wellness and meditation, and anything that celebrates and empowers women in the fields of science, medicine, mathematics, and music. She also enjoys horror, speculative fiction, and historical fiction. When not in the booth, she practices meditation and yoga and explores all the natural beauty of the Idaho home she shares with her husband and their two cats.

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