Authorities are deciding what to do with the $50,000 reward in the Jayme Closs case — because the couple who called 911 to help the teen said she should be the one to get the money.
Peter Kasinskas said he and his wife, Kristin, don’t want the dough and that if anyone, the 13-year-old girl should get it because “she got herself out.”
The teen had been missing for nearly three months when she approached Gordon, Wisconsin, resident Jeanne Nutter on Jan. 10 and asked for help. Nutter, who’d been walking her dog, brought Jayme to the Kasinskases’ home and called the cops.
After being found, Jayme said she’d escaped the home of Jake Thomas Patterson, 21, when he told her he was leaving for five to six hours.
The failed Marine and former cheese factory worker allegedly killed Jayme’s parents, James and Denise Closs, on Oct. 15 and snatched the teen, keeping her under his bed for about 88 days.
Of the reward money, half came from the FBI and the other $25,000 from the Jennie-O Turkey factory where Closs’ parents worked, and where her accused abductor was employed for a day.
Authorities are still deciding what to do with the cash — but many people agree with the Kasinskases.
“She saved herself. Give it to her,” tweeted @_ElizabetheMay.
Added @BrookeKramer13: “THE REWARD FOR FINDING JAYME CLOSS SHOULD GO TO JAYME CLOSS AND NO ONE ELSE!!!!! NO ONE ‘FOUND’ HER!!!!! SHE RESCUED HER DAMN SELF AND SHE DESERVES THE REWARD MORE THAN THE PERSON WHO CALLED 911 AFTER SHE ESCAPED!!!!!!!! Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.”
Others said the reward could help the teen with for post-traumatic therapy or a college fund.
“She earned it the hard way: by surviving her ordeal,” wrote @barjhall.
With Post wires
