
At-Risk Girl
Episode 1 | 47m 8sVideo has Closed Captions
Bounced from foster home to foster home, no one knows how to deal with Jessie.
Bounced from foster home to foster home when she isn't living on the streets, no one knows how to deal with Jessie...especially not herself.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

At-Risk Girl
Episode 1 | 47m 8sVideo has Closed Captions
Bounced from foster home to foster home when she isn't living on the streets, no one knows how to deal with Jessie...especially not herself.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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This is Lakira [unintelligible].
Please leave me a message and I will return your call as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Hi there.
My name is Tara Veneruso.
I was referred by a Ms. Harbor over at Bridge Children's Home, and I worked on a program with Jessica Jeffries about nine years ago and also ten years ago, two different years that we worked with her.
I am having a big event that I want to make sure that Jessica Jeffries, who you may be familiar with, knows about.
And unfortunately, it's in three days.
Press one for more options.
Press one for more options.
I've been looking for, actually, a very long time.
At the tone, please record your message.
When you are finished recording -- Hey, Mandy.
My name is Tara.
One of my amazing and talented, incredible girls, Jessica Jeffries.
We've been trying to track her down for a long time to invite her because she -- we're going to show one of her movies.
We're sorry, you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service.
If you feel you have reached -- Have you guys got that photo of Jessie?
Oh, yeah.
I think Tito and I are going to go and look for her.
Have you seen this girl?
She deserves all the love in the world.
This is Jessie.
She's a sweetheart.
My name is Jessica.
Jessica Jeffries and I am 11.
And when I grow up, I'm going to be an art teacher, and I'm going to help people learn how to draw.
I can teach anybody.
And that's all.
My mom and dad was druggies, they couldn't help it and couldn't stop and everything, so.
We got what we needed, but we didn't get any love and that's what we really need.
It's like they just, they just gave up on not only their kids, but themselves as well.
I had sex at 13 and I didn't want to tell my parents I was freaking out and everything.
I was taking a bath, and then he came in there and locked the door.
It was, like, when I was seven, and it happened once.
You know, since he was convicted, he was put on the list and if he wasn't put on the list, you could just move next to a school.
I couldn't get up.
I mean, I just wanted to get up and do something about it, but my body wouldn't let me.
I didn't think it was anything bad.
I'd been getting my ass beat forever.
Like when I did that.
Like, I really wanted it to happen for, like, me to die.
If I had the chance, I would go back to my dad in a heartbeat.
Not because of the abuse and stuff that I got, but because I miss him.
I might be at risk for drugs and alcohol, but I know I'm going to try not to do that kind of stuff.
I personally think every girl is at risk when they're 11 to 14.
Every girl, regardless of where she lives, how big, how small, doesn't matter.
One bad decision will send her to the wrong direction.
This is KQ2, your hometown news at 10.
28 girls, along with their families are meeting here at Hollywood Theatre.
The girls are ages 11 to 14.
They participated in an intensive three week summer filmmaking program.
Tara Veneruso created the program.
She and her team have been documenting the girls for a feature film.
She wants these girls to learn there's more to life than doing drugs and getting in trouble.
We'll start over here and just, if you can tell us both of your names.
Tell me his name.
Dylan.
Okay.
I'm Brad.
This is Hannah.
I'm Amanda.
And this is Shelby.
Okay, great.
She's only been here a couple of weeks, but she's been doing really well.
She really likes her camera class.
She was only supposed to be here for three weeks, but she was supposed to leave after the class.
But she's going to end up staying for like two or three months afterwards.
So how many foster homes have you lived in so far?
Uh one, two -- Wait I can't.
I cannot see your mouth.
I'm counting.
Okay.
I don't care about anything.
I care about you guys, but -- I don't care -- What I do?
Yeah.
What does matter to you?
I don't know.
Me humming, saying, I don't know and I don't care.
Do you get tired of talking about your life?
Yeah.
How many people ask you to tell them?
A lot.
Really?
Well, do you know why I'm asking you about your life?
I don't know.
Well, I'm asking you about your life because I think it will help some other girls your age that have gone through something similar.
And they need to hear how strong you are out of the experience, because you've gone through some really, really, really hard stuff.
And I think it'll be really helpful for them to hear your story.
Do you think?
I think so.
Uh uh.
I think itd be really -- I dont like people, telling about my life.
Why not?
It just makes me feel really bad inside because they might make fun of me.
Okay.
I gotta come up with another cheese name.
First, tell us your names and how you're related to each other.
My name is Teara, and I'm related to -- this my little sister.
Well, my name is Latrice and this is my big sister.
Well, mom take care of all of us.
All seven of her kids by herself.
And she ain't had no help or anything.
Do either you guys sort of think that you might have kids young or do you think you'll wait a while?
I'm going to wait.
Wait.
Wait until I'm 20.
And what would you do?
I don't want no kids.
How come not?
Because it's kind of already hard having a little sister and little brother.
And then just got to imagine when you had one of your own.
Like a boy asked me to do something with him I be like, no, let him get mad and then run around spreading rumors about the -- spreading rumors about me or something.
But I don't get mad because it's not true.
What happened that you guys work with the social worker now?
We like -- we had let a lot of people hang around at our house and stuff and they was doing drugs and stuff they weren't supposed to be doing.
And the police -- the police had they was like looking at our house and they knew we had a lot of activities going on at our house and stuff.
Our house got kicked in, my mom went to jail.
And then that's when we got that social worker.
My mom, she wasn't doing drugs.
Oh, well --.
She still -- she went to jail because she had warrants.
That's the only reason why.
What were the warrants for?
Tickets, driving.
How did you first get involved in the filmmaking program?
What were the chain of events?
I don't know, my probation officer told me to go in it.
Have a seat young lady.
Yeah.
Can you wipe that off for me?
I'm sorry.
This is just -- Clean it up.
A disgrace.
I hate this.
I hate it.
I'm checking out of rehab tomorrow, and I'll just go to rehab again.
Watch.
I will.
Cut, cut!
Oh, now, how do you have a probation officer?
What?
What's the chain of events for that?
I get arrested a lot, don't I?
Well, first, how did you get involved in being in the filmmaking program?
My truant officer referred it to me.
So I just did it.
Breanna.
Say it louder.
Breanna.
Okay.
All right.
I was babysitting this one boy named Dante.
He was like three years old.
And I was like, this is going to be easy.
And then I was in the kitchen fixing him something to drink.
And he came in there and asked me what something was.
And I said, it's a water balloon.
So he went back to my brother's room and put a pink water balloon in his fish tank.
And he came back and got me and said, There's a balloon swimming with the fishes.
And I was like, what is he talking about?
He said, come back there and look.
And I went back there and seen what it was.
And then there's a pink water balloon swimming with the fishes.
Yes, it was.
Is that good?
What's your biggest fear for Bre?
Drugs.
Because me and her father in the past, we both drug addicts, alcoholics.
And I -- I'm so scared that one of my kids is going to be there.
And I don't want it.
Hopefully they have seen enough.
They know how much drugs tears a family up that they, you know, change their mind that they don't want to do it.
And that's what I'm hoping for.
I have a question for you, actually.
What is at-risk girls?
I don't get it.
Everybody has like mix ups in their life and like we have to look past that.
But some people don't, you know?
And they go find some way, some other way to get all this out.
Get something out.
And they end up with drugs or alcohol or just stuff like that.
So what are you trying to get out?
Like, why?
What -- why are you doing it to get something out?
I don't do it anymore, but if I wasn't on probation, I probably would be doing it, so.
I've been arrested once.
I've ran away from the cops about nine times.
You know I know what she's going through.
I told her I was 14.
Wild as a boar.
Okay?
Couldn't tell me nothing.
Not anything.
The grass was burning under my feet.
Every time I step on it, it burned.
You know?
So that's why I tell her.
You know?
It's nothing.
It's nothing.
Take your time.
Be 14.
Because you're going to get to 20, 21 soon enough.
And if you take it fast, it's going to go fast, you know?
So you know she's going to be all right.
I feel it.
I feel it.
Um, so since we're working so much with the girls about, you know, bringing in all these different people to change their lives, I want to start working on finding the woman who changed mine because she probably has no idea.
And -- and I definitely want to make a search for her.
So this is what I know about her: she was my vice-principal of the high school I was going to at the time.
I went to three high schools.
I was a bad kid and her name is Ms. Footnick.
She did change my life dramatically, so we should definitely try to find her.
Okay.
Because after this shoot's over, I'd like to go and visit her and, and let her know what she did for me.
Because I think, you know, teachers often are the unsung heroes, things they do, things they say, and, you know, how dramatic they can affect somebody's life.
I think, you know, obviously, start with the internet and then maybe go to Yellow Pages.
Okay.
And we'll wait to call her.
So we might -- I mean, if you get like eight numbers or five numbers, I'll, you know, we'll just sit down and start calling them.
Okay.
(Voices.
Voices outside my window.
Louder as the day gets longer.
Scratches in the air.
Faces.
Millions divided by corners.)
So basically what happened?
So after you were born, did you live with your mom and dad?
Your real mom and dad?
Yeah.
Then she started doing -- like she started drinking and my dad started like being really bad and stuff like he does drugs and stuff.
We had to eat out of cans and stuff.
My mom used to just buy stuff for her, like alcohol and stuff.
What would you do?
Would you ask her like, could you make something or what would happen?
We just made ramen noodles and stuff, whatever's really easy to cook and sandwiches and stuff and chips.
The crazy thing is that because your parents were on drugs and stuff, they weren't -- they're not able to show you love.
But the nutty thing is that there's a lot of other people that -- that do love you, and that love you a lot.
And do you ever think about that kind of stuff?
No.
You don't?
What do you -- what do you imagine that -- I don't feel like talking about this.
Oh, okay.
High five.
Wait, like five up high, five down low.
Oh, too slow.
You're too slow.
That's what happened.
Okay.
Five up high.
Five down low.
Oh, too slow.
Other side.
And the other side.
Down low, too slow.
You did good.
You get these kids in and you don't know them.
They don't know you.
You know, you have to adjust.
And a lot of the kids come with a lot of behavioral problems and you have to deal with that.
It's just a cold.
No, I got strip throat.
Strep throat?
Strep throat?
Yeah, it was something like that.
Erase it.
Erase it.
Others are not allowed to write on the board.
Sit down.
Yes, it needs to be erased.
You know the others aren't allowed to write on the board either.
Jessie... You can either erase it, or take a seat and I'll erase it.
It doesn't take that long to erase it.
You need to erase it faster.
Erase it all the way.
Take a seat.
Nobody is allowed to write on the board.
Nobody is allowed to write on the board.
No, Jessie.
Jessica.
Put the marker down.
Yes, I am mean, I'm mean.
Put the marker down, and go take a seat.
Take a seat.
Take a seat.
I will erase this, go take a seat.
Now.
No, in a chair.
Jessie, go sit down.
I'm asking you to listen to me.
Jessie comes from a home that was very chaotic and she had been tossed between mom and dad and grandparents and mom and dad back and forth.
She has six brothers and she was the only girl.
When we got her in Jackson County, she was living with a -- her mother and her grandparents home.
And the home was very filthy.
And it escalated into much deeper problems that we found out after we got them in.
That's why I was so thrilled with this behind the camera for Jessica and gives her something to hang on to something extra because she has so much to fight against.
Stop videotaping me.
Please stop.
Please stop tapping.
No.
You said you wanted to sit over there.
Go sit over there.
You said you wanted to go sit over there.
So sit over there.
You wanted to sit over there.
Go sit over there.
This is not a request.
She's done better without her brothers there.
I think she felt a certain fear without ever wanting us to know she was fearful of them.
There wasn't that protection like an older brother has.
There was more of a fear than protection.
We try our best to find someone loving enough that want to adopt them, and we thought we did have one in this foster home that she stayed in.
She loved her.
She put her in a special counseling program for sexually abused kids that Jessie needed real bad, as we found out, that was related later.
And all these girls that's been through what Jessie has.
You got to distinguish the difference.
Is this just not wanting to take the trash out or is this something that she's having nightmares over?
You've got to give them leeway for that.
I think it's kind of hard being a teenager, especially in independence, because there's especially in my school, there's a lot of peer pressure.
I've known three people who have had a kid.
And they were either in -- well I guess two of them were in middle school and one of them is my friend.
And then this other girl I know, she's in foster care, so I'm not going to say her name, but her baby was taken from her.
And so she's been really sad, a lot, like lately.
Um, most of my friends do drugs and I see how bad they're messed up.
And I don't want to be like that.
Do you think that's just something that you say, or do you think that you really believe that at the same time?
I really believe it, because I truly -- I don't want to get screwed up and be in the wrong place.
You know, one of the things that we're afraid of is the drug situation with them.
The drinking too.
The drinking.
But she knows from her parents.
I'm a recovered drug addict.
Recovering, always recovering.
Always recovering.
Eight years.
Eight years.
Almost ten, nine years.
Oh yeah nine years.
Lost count.
That's good.
Now, are there any updates on finding the teacher or vice principal?
The information that I found, I found an S. Footnick in Missouri City, Texas.
That could be it.
And it was the only one that I could find in Missouri -- in Texas.
This is it right here, actually.
Should I try to call it?
I think you should try that one.
Okay.
What time is it there?
It's very nerve wracking.
It's the same time we have here, it's 9:30.
Is that too late to call somebody?
Oh, I don't know.
It's probably right before she goes to bed.
Okay.
All right, let's see.
My parents used to have that area code.
She has an accent, doesn't she?
Not that I remember.
No.
Okay.
Okay.
Two rings.
It's very nerve-wracking.
Speaker.
Please leave a message.
Hi.
I'm calling for Ms. Footnick.
My name is Tara Veneruso.
You may not or probably don't remember me.
If this is the right Footnick, then you used to be a vice-principal at Kempner High School when I went there.
And I have a quick question for you that is good news.
And again, it's Tara Veneruso, thanks a bunch.
Bye bye.
I guess we'll see what happens.
What if she doesn't call?
What if they don't call?
I don't know.
The -- another one of the sites that I found had Sandra Footnick and it said something about vice-principal on it.
It was a list of people and careers.
Oh really?
I don't know.
When you called the school, did they tell you her first name?
There -- I couldn't get through to the school.
Because it's summertime.
But I went -- I went on to the websites and she's not -- she's not working there anymore on obviously not the, the Kempner one, but she's not working for Clements either anymore.
So that's something else there.
Okay.
Well, I wonder if she'll call before the end of the shoot, you know.
I know, I mean, we should try her again tomorrow.
Maybe she's out for the night or the weekend even.
Okay, will you remind me?
Yeah.
Okay.
That'll be weird.
Anyways, we're almost done, and I don't know if anybody'll cry tomorrow and I don't know.
And then I'm going to come back and see them in October for follow up interviews.
Oh.
And that's been the biggest question the girls have had, is, when do I see you again?
Do you just disappear out of my life and I never see you again?
And it's been interesting that that's been their question to me, not the other way around.
And in Kansas City, a couple of the girls are moving in a couple of months and back in foster care to a different home or whatever their circumstance.
And I told them, I said, Well, you can always find us through Girls Behind the Camera dot com or, you know, dot org or whatever.
And if it's like ten years from now, you want to find me, just go to that site.
I'll just keep the site up just to keep in touch with the girls.
Well, if it impacts their lives like your life was impacted, you know, in ten years, you might be able to find out what kind of impact that has made.
Some of these ideas to do a program where they come together and see each other.
And that would be fun, like on a Saturday to have them come together and sit in a circle and see each other and reunite.
And I think then it might do the job of -- Oh my gosh is that it?
It is.
Hello?
Hi, Tara?
Yes.
Oh, my goodness, it is.
I recognize your voice.
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, how are you doing?
I'm good.
Well, do you remember me at all?
I -- vaguely.
That was so long ago.
Well, I am -- I'm calling because of a very strange reason.
I actually.
Over a long period of time have become a film director.
Oh okay, good for you.
And I -- thank you.
I ended up going to NYU film school.
And the reason I'm calling is because this summer I am making a movie of a project, a program that I created for 36 at-risk girls to learn in summer camp for three weeks, how to make films.
Uh huh.
And the -- the sort of spark of the program, like the idea of the program came because of something that -- that you did that you don't know you did.
Oh my goodness.
See, now I can't tell her now I'm gonna cry.
Basically, I got into lots and lots of trouble.
And basically at one point you called me to your office and I'm not really sure why, but I guess I was in trouble for something and-- It couldn't have been very much because I would remember a sharp glare if you'd been in real big trouble.
Well.
Well, I went to your office and you sat me down and asked me what I wanted to do with my life, like what I wanted to be.
Uh huh.
And I told you that I wanted to make films and be a filmmaker and a director.
And you said, Oh, well, do you have a video camera?
And I said, Oh, yeah, I have a video camera.
I've worked all summer to buy a video camera.
And then the next thing that I remember that you said was really a big moment in my life where you said, Well, I'd like to hire you to make a documentary of a school program that we have called Future Quests.
Yeah.
And can you make a documentary about that program?
And -- and I'll let you get out of class and interview some kids and teachers and people that are going to Future Quest, you know, to different businesses to -- Right.
But just the words that you said to me that you wanted to hire me to make a documentary were words that I don't know, really affected me and changed my life.
I was working with Future Quest and had since its inception, which was a program and I guess they still have it, where seniors could go out and shadow people in the jobs.
And it was a job shadowing experience for seniors.
An excellent, excellent, wonderful program.
And when you walked into my office, and of course, I don't know why you were there.
I'm -- you know.
It -- kids think that what they did was so big in terms of negative behavior.
We really don't remember those unless they were just really, really wild.
You know, there's just so many things that kids do and probably just sat down and talked with you like I tried to talk to most kids.
And when I talk about respect, one of the things you show, one of the ways in which you show respect is to validate the other individual and what -- and what they're interested in is important and what they -- no matter what that interest in is.
If it's something that's legal then it should be respected.
And I think you need to validate other young people.
You need to validate young people.
You need to validate adults.
We all benefit from that.
And that's something that I think I just learned from experience growing up because I too need validation.
What was that experience for you?
Getting a call from me or from any other student out of the blue.
It's -- it's awesome.
Students, people out there who -- who had someone in their life that -- that -- that touched them.
I would hope that they would -- would call that person because it's so appreciated.
We gotta find apartment five.
This is the first girl that we're going to see since 2008.
You see it?
Okay.
Oh, my gosh.
This is so wild.
Oh, my God.
I wonder what this is going to feel like.
I'm nervous.
I'm nervous.
I never get nervous.
Five.
I see it.
I see it.
I'm so excited.
I'm so excited.
I can't wait.
I'm so excited.
Hi.
I'm so excited.
Hi.
Hey.
Hi, little boo.
Hi.
How are you?
Hi.
Hi.
What's your name?
Hello, cutie.
How are you?
I'm good, how about yourself?
Can I give you a hug?
Oh, my goodness.
You have no idea.
I'm so, like, I was like --.
Yeah.
So explain what you remember feeling like back then.
Like I shut myself out from everybody, family included.
I was -- I would say I was depressed.
After my mother passed, like when I moved in with my grandmother, me and her, we used to talk a lot.
So.
Because I feel bad after my mother died there.
Like I didn't let her know everything that was going on in my life.
So I had no choice at that time but to open up to my grandma because she would -- she would harass me until I talk to her.
So, yeah, I told her a lot of stuff.
I wish I would have opened up more and talked to my mother more, you know, and told her how I really felt and stuff.
You know, because now at 23, I still think, you know, I should have told her this, that and not kept those a secret from her because she could have helped me, you know, open up and, you know, be different than what I am now.
What were some of the things that you, looking back, you wish that you could have talked to her about?
Me being, just me being molested and stuff.
I wish I would have talked to her about that.
Like she knew.
But her anger and stuff, she, like I, we never got the chance to actually talk about how I really felt about the situation because she was so upset.
We had some friends, like a family friend living with us at the time.
And I didn't go to school that day because I wasn't feeling good and it just went all down from there.
And I was scared.
Like, I didn't tell her, actually, until the next day.
Because -- I guess he was -- he knew that I was going to tell.
So him and his lady, they moved out.
But, you know, I told her -- I actually told Tearra first.
And while I was at school, she told momma.
And then they came and got me.
And it just all went left from there.
You know, but there's some stuff that I just won't tell nobody, it just will never come out.
I know that I grew up and realized that I can do and be anything that I want to, and it's never too late.
But I hope that I will finish school, get my RN, and, you know, probably further on to a doctor's, you know, move out of Kansas City.
You know, live somewhere better for me and my boys.
So they can get a better life.
They don't have to --all this violent stuff that's going on down here, they don't have to witness none of that stuff or be a part of this.
And I hope in the future that our justice system is better.
You know, all this racism dies down.
You know, all the stuff that I've been through and I have not broke down yet or gave up yet.
That's hard to find in this life that we're living.
Okay.
What was going on with your sister at the time?
Do you remember, like anything going on in your sister's life?
Been bad.
Doing stuff a regular 14 year old would not do, doing stuff that grownups would do.
That's what they were into.
And she got pregnant at a young age, too.
So that kind of was an eye opener.
Like, you're not going to be able to do half of the things like go to college and stuff on time because now you're 15 with a whole baby.
So it was a huge eye opener for her to get pregnant.
Oh, my gosh.
Hi.
Can you see me?
Can you see me okay?
Yeah, I can see you.
Oh, my goodness.
How are you?
I'm okay.
So how did you go from KC to Arizona?
My best friend, actually, she had came and lived out here a little bit after we did the Girls Behind the Camera.
And she used to always like ask me to come to Arizona with her when like they'd come back and stuff.
But I always just like, No, because I didn't want to be away from my mom.
Yeah.
In 2009 we lost our mom.
So after a while I feel like it was nothing there that was left right?
And I didn't have no choice but to grow up fast.
Yep.
And as the years go -- went by, I had children, so I had to do what I had to do to take care of them.
I watched my mom raise seven kids by herself.
So -- Yeah.
You know, that was like an eye opener, you know?
Yeah.
So and then I have daughters that I want them to be strong like they mommy.
So you gotta show them, hey, I got to show them how to be strong.
Okay?
I got to tell you, everybody that I work with saw your, your photo today, because before I called, and -- and everybody's like, Oh, my gosh, she's so beautiful.
And and everybody was.
And then I looked through and I was like, oh, my gosh, I know you were then.
You are now.
It's just -- it's amazing.
And, you know, what's even more amazing is that I have you in an interview in when you're 14 saying that what you want to do is do hair.
Ten years from now, I know what I'm gonna be doing.
I'm going to school for doing hair and stuff like that.
And I'm going to ty try to get my own beauty salon and stuff like that.
How do you feel about accomplishing one of the, the goals and dreams that you have?
Like -- It is good because now that I stood on that goal, I know I can stand on any goal.
What's your next goal?
My goal is to go to college.
I want to go to college.
I'm so happy for you.
I do want to get my business license because I want to run my own business and -- Oh, my God, you'd be so good.
I want to run my own salon, and I do want to have a food company because it's very -- it's not a lot of soul food places out here in Arizona.
I feel like getting out of that environment was very important to my children.
Mostly like it may be important for me, but it was more important to them because it is a lot of kids down there dying like in -- I'm very known in Kansas City, so I know a lot that goes on in the streets and I just had to get my kids from down there like because I didn't want my kids catching a stray bullet for some stuff that other people have going on.
And I want them to be somewhere where it's more of a positive vibe than negative vibe because you surround yourself by so many people that's negative you gonna be negative.
So I didn't want them to be around that, and I wanted them to see their mother be happy because I was not happy down there.
Like, so if I'm not happy, they're not happy.
I want my kids to be like I am.
I want them to be self-made, you know, women and my son, to be a self-made man with his own business and stuff like that.
Like, I don't when them to always work for someone.
I want to build a foundation.
So when I'm gone, they have something that they have something to rely on and they don't have to rely on people because when we lost our mother, we didn't have anything.
We didn't have no one to rely on.
So when I leave, I don't want them to be at a loss like how we was.
Yeah.
And it took -- my mom been gone since 2009.
It took me a minute to find myself, but I found myself and I don't want my kids to be at her loss like that.
Like, yeah.
I wish I could tell that to the girls that chose a different path.
Some of them did?
Like it was -- some of them just didn't do -- they're not doing good?
Nope.
Wow.
Yup.
It's a huge difference.
Wow.
Yeah, it's sad.
Heartbreaking, actually, and -- I'm pretty sure.
Yeah.
Well, I chose the good choice, so.
It's amazing.
Have you guys got that photo of Jessie?
Oh, yeah.
I think Tito and I are going to go and look for her.
Okay.
Cool.
So have you seen this girl?
She deserves all the love in the world.
This is Jessie.
She's a sweetheart.
Hey, Tara, this is Nancy.
I am reading a newspaper article about a sexual abuse case of a 12 year old girl named Jessica.
I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I think I may have found Jessie.
(I wouldnt say I'm prepared for this.)
On the next episode of Girl Unscripted.
I need to change, like, my behavior and stuff.
I need her to see me as a good role model, and it's not really cool to get arrested and to smoke and that kind of stuff.
Any child wants to be with their mom, you know, irregardless.
Like, she would say stuff and then it wouldn't happen.
And I would look forward to it and get my hopes up.
And it wouldn't happen.
Did he fall down?
Yeah.
He's embarrassed.
Cute.
So hard.
You know.
Knowing that you have friends, but you still want your family but your family ain't there.
At-risk girls behind the cameras.
It's a good opportunity.
And I feel that we don't really have opportunities this big like this.
It could change my life, you know, and I think I -- the cameras -- I look good on camera.
(Drown out the silence of my tears.
Play back in my head, the everyday words you said.
Its time to go.
Its time to go.
We loved and we let go, and now its time.)
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