Cancer-stricken daughter of inmate dies
Posted: Saturday, March 29, 2008
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- A federal prisoner saw his ailing daughter earlier this week, but whether he'll be able to attend her funeral remains unclear.
Ten-year-old Jayci Yaeger died early Friday morning, her family said, claimed at last by the brain cancer that had ravaged her.
Her father, Jason Yaeger, is an inmate at the federal prison in Yankton, S.D., serving a four-year term for drugs.
He had beseeched prison officials and the courts for leniency, for compassion. He sought clemency from President Bush.
Yaeger wanted to be moved early to a halfway house in Council Bluffs, Iowa, about 75 miles east of Lincoln, Neb., where Jayci lay in a hospice bed.
Yaeger was already scheduled to move there in August in anticipation of his prison release next year. But he wanted to be closer to Jayci for visits -- she was too weak for talks over the phone and had asked to see him.
A federal judge refused to enter the fray. The federal warden refused the early transfer.
On Wednesday, Yaeger was escorted to Lincoln for a visit and got to spend about 45 minutes with his daughter, the family said.
On Friday, Jayci died of the cancer she had battled for seven years, said Ed Yaeger, her uncle.
Her mother, Vonda, and grandmother were with her. Her father was soon told.
"I spoke with him, and he's doing as well as he can be, I guess," Ed Yaeger told the Lincoln Journal Star.
"He's grieving, yet at the same time he also is working on trying to get himself down here for the funeral," Ed Yaeger said.
"We would like to appeal to the judge and to the U.S. attorney ... and warden to do what's right and allow Jason to come down here for the funeral."
Ed Yaeger said the family had not gotten an answer yet.
Ten-year-old Jayci Yaeger died early Friday morning, her family said, claimed at last by the brain cancer that had ravaged her.
Her father, Jason Yaeger, is an inmate at the federal prison in Yankton, S.D., serving a four-year term for drugs.
He had beseeched prison officials and the courts for leniency, for compassion. He sought clemency from President Bush.
Yaeger wanted to be moved early to a halfway house in Council Bluffs, Iowa, about 75 miles east of Lincoln, Neb., where Jayci lay in a hospice bed.
Yaeger was already scheduled to move there in August in anticipation of his prison release next year. But he wanted to be closer to Jayci for visits -- she was too weak for talks over the phone and had asked to see him.
A federal judge refused to enter the fray. The federal warden refused the early transfer.
On Wednesday, Yaeger was escorted to Lincoln for a visit and got to spend about 45 minutes with his daughter, the family said.
On Friday, Jayci died of the cancer she had battled for seven years, said Ed Yaeger, her uncle.
Her mother, Vonda, and grandmother were with her. Her father was soon told.
"I spoke with him, and he's doing as well as he can be, I guess," Ed Yaeger told the Lincoln Journal Star.
"He's grieving, yet at the same time he also is working on trying to get himself down here for the funeral," Ed Yaeger said.
"We would like to appeal to the judge and to the U.S. attorney ... and warden to do what's right and allow Jason to come down here for the funeral."
Ed Yaeger said the family had not gotten an answer yet.
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Why give special treatment wrote on Apr 3, 2008 8:41 AM:
Derek wrote on Mar 29, 2008 11:55 PM:
May God bless Jayci and those who survive her.
"
Mary Larsen wrote on Mar 29, 2008 10:20 PM:
She's a little girl, innocent.
I am sad.
Mary Larsen
Goodyear,
AZ "
rural_living wrote on Mar 29, 2008 6:59 PM:
Peace be with all of Jayci's family "