Jacob Wetterling's Mom Speaks Out On Son's Case, Still Missing: Jacob Wetterling And The Unsolved Mystery

Before the publication of her new book, Still Missing: Jacob Wetterling and the Unsolved Mystery That Changed My Life. A Glimpse of Forever, Patty Wetterling, the mother of Jacob Wetterling, an 11-year-old child who disappeared and was murdered in 1989, discusses her son's story and her advocacy efforts.

Wetterling stated in an interview with ABC News that although the kidnapping and murder of her son always haunt her, she has found solace in the accounts of other lost children who have returned home.

"I am a believer in children," Wetterling said. "I believe that they can overcome anything."

Wetterling has developed into an ardent supporter of the families of missing children. She established the Jacob Wetterling Foundation, which has contributed to the fundraising of over $25 million for search and rescue operations, public awareness campaigns about child safety, and legal reforms to assist missing children and their families.

Wetterling discusses both her personal experience of loss and grief in her new book as well as the experiences of other families who have experienced child loss. She also discusses her advocacy activities and her outlook on the future in her writing.

"I want people to know that missing children are not lost forever," Wetterling stated. "They are out there, and we need to keep searching for them."

About the case of Jacob Wetterling

On October 22, 1989, Jacob Wetterling was kidnapped as he rode his bike home from a video rental shop with his brother and a friend. The youngsters were stopped and told to lie down by a masked shooter. The other two youngsters were uninjured as he then carried Jacob away.

For more than 27 years, Wetterling's case remained unresolved. Danny Heinrich, a local from a neighboring town, admitted to attacking and murdering Jacob in 2016. He directed the detectives to Jacob's bones, which were discovered in a forest.

After being found guilty of killing Jacob, Heinrich received a 20-year jail term.

Wetterling's pro bono activities

Since Jacob's kidnapping, Wetterling has established herself as a strong defender of the rights of families of missing children. She established the Jacob Wetterling Foundation, which has contributed to the fundraising of over $25 million for search and rescue operations, public awareness campaigns about child safety, and legal reforms to assist missing children and their families.

Wetterling has also provided testimony before Congress on behalf of the parents of missing children. The Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Predators Act, which mandates that sex offenders register with the government, is one of the legislation she helped enact.

Numerous families of missing children and their lives have been improved by Wetterling's efforts. She serves as an example for everyone trying to make the world a safer place for kids.