How the Jacob Wetterling case transformed Minnesota's way of life
Jacob Wetterling's 1989 abduction sent shock waves across Minnesota and the nation. It was one of several high profile child abduction cases that forced Americans to rethink how to keep their children safe.
This week, the public finally learned what happened to Jacob that night. However, the subtle changes the case has brought to life in Minnesota will continue.
MPR News recently asked Minnesotans in its Public Insight Network how this case and its outcome affected them. Here are a few of the responses.
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Freedoms lost
"When I was growing up in Alexandria, Minn., Jacob was the reason I couldn't walk to school by myself ... I say Jacob because his kidnapper was an unknown during my childhood. His kidnapper was the unknown monster that ate away the freedoms of my childhood."
—Gabe Diedrich, St. Cloud
"I also had spoken with my daughter about "stranger danger" and how to get help, who she could trust in the neighborhood. It was difficult to have these conversations on a regular basis. Perhaps it created some anxiety for my child. I know she was often cautious with others upon first meeting them."
—Beth Cefalu, St. Paul
"I think we are a generally safer people, but the feeling of safety is more precious, and more urgent than freedom."
—Kathryn Johnson, Minneapolis
"Nobody seemed to worry about me and my friends, but it was different for my kids. We always monitored their coming and going carefully, coordinating with trusted parents. I guess we were among the first helicopter parents — a term I don't like, but understand how it may have come about."
— Bruce Schultz, Wayzata
"I think it forced kids and parents to be more aware and in a sense robbed kids of their childish innocence."
—Krista Thompson, Minneapolis
"Gone are days when children ride their bikes everywhere, Halloween is a carefully orchestrated event where the parents walk with their children and all of the police are patrolling the streets. For those people in their thirties, or younger, this is the way it has always been, but for those of us old enough to witness the change we realize that there has been another casualty in this case; our nation's innocence."
— Randy Preble, Dublin, Ohio, lived previously in the Twin Cities
Grief and gratitude
"I frequently wondered how I would begin to accept what the Wetterlings had to, and I think it increased my gratitude and appreciation of and for my family."
—Sandra Swami, Shoreview
"Now that we have 3 of our own children, just slightly older than Jacob was, and we know what really happened, I feel nauseous. My kids have had several extra hugs these last few days and they, like all of us, just want to know "why?" There are so many words, and yet there are no words."
— Nicole Clarke, Bloomington
"I grieve for the Wetterling family and think about my own children, and now grandchildren and wonder what I would do if it happened to our family. Would I be as strong as they are?"
—Jim Ruether, Montevideo
"On a more personal level, the last few days have made me really mad and upset. I was molested by a family friend a few years before Jacob was abducted. It was not taken seriously and the judgment for the molester was next to nothing. I'm very angry about the fact that this guy was a serial offender. I'm very concerned that if his offenses had been taken more seriously the abduction may not have happened ... I'm very glad we have closure, but we need to do so much better for the future."
— Robert Moore, Minneapolis
"It is frustrating that the man who caused all of this pain and suffering will not get a more severe punishment but I understand why the family and prosecutors cooperated to put an end to this horrific journey. I try to look at the good that has come out of this tragedy; better laws that have saved millions of children."
— Sara Holger, Preston
"I hadn't realized how much, emotionally, I held on to some hope for that little boy. When I heard the news I was crushed for him and the family. Almost like it just happened."
— Sharon Davern, Mantorville