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My son, Gage, is in legal trouble. We need help paying for his attorney. It is $7,500 to represent him for his current charges through his Gwinnett Probation Violation (if he's convicted on the new charges). My husband doesn't completely agree with me in getting him an attorney, but we talked about it and he's on board to do so. We do not have the money. We are building a new house with all cash (paycheck to paycheck) and just spent the rest of the available cash we had on the foundation. My daughter, Kayla doesn't agree with getting him an attorney to get out of jail either. Both my husband and my daughter feel that he needs to do SOME jail time. A few friends have told me they will help financially. Please continue reading and hear my pleas for help.
Gage has led a difficult life over the last 5-6 years; a life he chose when he decided to hang with the wrong crowd. He has severe mental problems; he has very low self esteem, low self confidence, low self-worth. Those things started when he was around 6 years old. We lived in a decent neighborhood in Auburn. Gage LOVED the police. When he learned about 911, around 3-4 years old, he called just so that Officer Danny would be dispatched to our house. Officer Danny always had coloring books, stuffed animals, police badge stickers, etc in his car. He would talk with Gage about the importance of 911 and it's proper use. But still, whenever he called, Danny took the time to speak with him and talk with him. The calling for this reason eventually stopped. When he started Kindergarten, he loved seeing his big sister, Kayla, in the hallways and would run to her or call out her name. She was in 5th grade and is five years older than him. He was repeatedly reprimanded at school and at home for this. His teacher pointed out every wrong thing he ever did without ever giving praise to anything positive he did. He hugged a child on the playground (at 5 years old) and was suspended for "sexual harassment". In his eyes, he was telling her good job for something she did on the playground; as we (his parents) do for him. His teacher constantly wrote negative comments on his papers; "color neatly", "stay in the lines", "write neatly". He was disciplined for sliding a crayon box across a table to another child instead of "handing" it to the other child. It was considered rude and disrespectful. TO A 5 YEAR OLD! We had him seeing the counselor at school; thinking that he was a "problem child" although he never displayed this type of behavior before. I was pregnant with Tori and I thought maybe it was related to the new baby coming. His teacher told us he was going to have to repeat kindergarten because he wasn't where he needed to be. I contacted his PreK teacher to see if she had any of these issues with him. She did not. After much pleading, school meetings, and phone calls, midway through kindergarten, we were FINALLY able to have his teacher changed. The remainder of the year was awesome! I loved his teacher and she did great with Gage and he was reading on a first grade level; ahead of where the previous teacher claimed he was. As his parents, my husband and I took him to a therapist in Athens because his teacher thought he had ADD or ADHD. After about 2 months or so, the therapist determined that he was "just a boy" and boys tend to have short attention spans anyway. He wasn't getting into trouble other than talking in class. (I did that when I was his age; ask my first grade teacher, Mrs Biggers) :)
Fast forward a little bit. After Tori was born, Gage began to exhibit more concerning behavior. He was playing with a grill lighter and caught the bed skirt on our mattress on fire. He would occasionally pull out a kitchen knife if Kayla or someone else made him mad. When he was 7, we moved to Winder. He made friends with some neighborhood kids and began exhibiting other behaviors; like playing "ding dong ditch" where you run to a neighbors house, ring their door bell, and run or hide in their bushes. We talked with him about this being unacceptable and would ground him. Kids on the bus and neighbors started calling him "Gay Gage". He just wanted to be liked and wanted friends. He started doing things other kids wanted him to do just so they would like him. We decided when he was 8 to enroll him in private school. He went to private school from 3rd through 8th grade. Things of this nature continued during this time and one day, we got a call from the school that Gage had marijuana at school. He was suspended and had to work from home for 2 weeks. Again, we grounded him, took privileges from him, spanked him, took his TV, didn't allow him to go outside, etc. Whenever Gage got mad, he started calling the police. He would tell them things like "my dad is mean", "my dad grounded me", "my dad took my phone", etc. The officers explained to Gage that it's fully within his rights as a parent to do those things. Gage was even told, "as long as your parents do not break bones, draw blood or leave bruises, they are within their rights to discipline you and spank you".
When Gage was about 14, I noticed some cuts on his arm. He told me that he felt a lot of pain and anger and it was his way to release it. He had "surface" cuts on his forearms and his upper thighs. He said he had been doing it for awhile and that some had already healed. I got him into therapy. He went for about 6 months and not much seemed to change. They basically put him on medication (which did help a little) but the therapy wasn't working. I later found out that they weren't really doing any therapy. He came in each time and told how he was feeling and what's been going on but they didn't give him any recommendations, suggestions, exercises or anything. When he was 15, he had a girlfriend and was at her uncle's house on Easter Sunday. The uncle had been drinking and, had we known, he would not have been allowed there anyway. He was play fighting with his girlfriend and accidentally smacked her in the face. She and her family knew it was an accident and he was very apologetic. However, the drunk uncle, grabbed Gage in a headlock and pulled him outside saying "tell me it was just an accident and that you didn't mean it" Gage could not breathe and was struggling to free himself. Because he felt threatened he pulled out his pocket knife and someone behind him saw it and grabbed his wrist to make him drop it. Gage called the police and HE was arrested for aggravated assault. He had scratches on his neck from the struggle and his neck was very red. I spoke with the family members there (before the police arrived) and even after....I was repeatedly told that Gage pulled the knife while in the headlock. But that's not what they told the police. Gage went to RYDC in Gainesville. We hired an attorney and the charge was reduced to simple assault. He was given 90 days probation and 14 hours (I believe) of community service. During the 90 days, he would leave home without asking, leave in the middle of the night, not come home for days, was smoking marijuana, going to adult neighbors up the street and bumming cigarettes or drinking alcohol. We told his probation officer. It took many calls before he would give him a violation of probation, at which time, he would go back to RYDC for 30 days . He was put on an ankle monitor which he cut off. He was put in a behavioral house for 30 days in which he got a broken wrist while there and he later escaped from there out a bathroom window about a week before his release. They let him go ahead and come home....another slap on the wrist. He stole money from me and my mom. He stole tools from our house, jewelry, a guitar, and more. Each time, we called the police and he would be given 30 days in RYDC. My husband and I kept pleading for something to be done. Gage tried injecting crushed up phenergan mixed with water into his arm. He called 911 and was taken to the hospital for attempted suicide. He spent 3 days at Summit Ridge during which the first 24 hours, he was having a reaction to the drug as well as whatever else he may have taken and was diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia. After several doses of benadryl, he was in recovery. We sent him to a boot camp facility for 4 weeks the summer before 10th grade. Once he came home, he started school the following Tuesday. It lasted a month. He had his pocket knife in his bookbag at a football game and was suspended and taken to RYDC. At some point during all of this, I was referred to another therapist. This one changed his medication and did more intensive therapy. It worked. I could tell a difference in Gage but then he stopped taking medication. Finally, we had a meeting with several people; behavioral center people, RYDC staff, probation officer, etc. They called it some type of Panel. The panel finally decided that Gage would serve a year in a YDC facility. He got out and got a job a couple of months later. The manager of the fast food restaurant he worked at was selling weed and tried to get Gage to. He didn't want to be around it and finally couldn't take it anymore; the pressure of trying to get him to sell, so he quit the job after 2 months.
In June 2018, Gage had been off his medication and got into an argument with his girlfriend at a neighborhood pool. It escalated and the police were called by a neighbor. Later that same day, he got into an argument with Thomas at our house. We were going to take his girlfriend home (since Gage didn't have a working vehicle) but he didn't want us to. He said that he would figure it out. Again, things got heated. He followed me to my side of the vehicle when I told him to back away from the car door. Thomas thought he was "coming after me" and he approached Gage from behind. Gage pulled a knife because in his sense of reality, "Thomas was a threat and Thomas was going to hurt him". Thomas backed away and Gage went back to his side of the car with his girlfriend. He kept yelling and getting louder, demanding that we leave her at the house. I called 911 and Gage put the knife and his fist through my car window. He then ran up to the house and put his fist through the kitchen window. Thomas was trying to get him to stop and then Gage picked up a rake and ran through the yard after Thomas with it. He stopped when Thomas picked up a board. Gage took off down the street on foot. The look in his eyes was like he had a mental break from reality. He doesn't remember much about the incident of what happened. He had several stitches in his arm where they removed the broken glass from his arm. He sat in Gwinnett County jail for about 6 weeks. I got him an attorney and he used his First Offender Act (since it was his first offense as an adult). He received 5 years probation (with a behavioral incentive of only 3 years), 150 hours community service, and was to seek mental health treatment. This determination was made in December 2018. My dad lives on a farm an hour to an hour and a half away. He doesn't own it but he keeps up the property and lives on it. I tried to get the owner to allow Gage to live there with my dad to get him away from this area and the owner refused based on Gage's history. Keep in mind, Gage has never done anything to this person (except play on a forklift one time when he shouldn't have). Gage has never done anything to anyone in this person's family. They have only HEARD things that Gage has done; never witnessed anything themselves. They talk about the help that he needs but have never offered any help to him.
Around July or August 2018, my sister was out of town and Gage didn't know it. He just assumed she was at work and he was in the area and stopped by her house. She had allowed him to use her spare key in the past and to get a drink and use the bathroom so he didn't think it would be an issue and he used her key and went inside. His phone had died and I couldn't reach him. He didn't know she had a Nest Doorbell camera. She saw him go in and thought he was stealing from her (because of his history). She saw him taking a bag of something out of the house. She had recently started an EBay store and had a LOT of inventory in her foyer and living room as you walked inside. She called the police and he was arrested for burglary, theft by taking and breaking and entering. We hired an attorney again. His charges were reduced and he received 2 sentences of 12 months probation to be served consecutively, plus $15 restitution to my sister (because as it turned out, it was 5 bottles of Gatorade), plus 40 hours community service and a fine (I don't remember how much it was).
Several months later, he got another job. Each job never lasts more than a few weeks or a month. We have bought him several used cars to get him to and from work. He has worked at decent companies but will not get up. He sleeps most of the day and then wand to stay out or stay up all hours of the night. He does Door Dash food deliveries and Instacart deliveries for money. He has a 6 month old baby, Dakota. Gage is now 20 years old.
He has been staying at his girlfriend's family trailer (alone) because he and Thomas do not get along and can't live together. His girlfriend and the baby live with Thomas and I. The trailer needs a lot of repair work done (mostly because he put his fist through the walls many times over the last 2 years. It's very dark. Most of the electricity doesn't work. He does not like being there alone as he is constantly worried that someone will break in. Their front door is actually an interior door and doesn't even lock. They have come home several times and found things moved around and the back door unlatched.
A couple of months ago, Gage had a gun he had stolen and, I don't even remember what set him off, but he was waving the gun around at my house. I told him he needed to leave. He was very agitated and he wouldn't listen. I told him if he didn't leave, I would call the police. There are two small babies at the house and he's being dangerous. He held the gun to his head and said he would kill himself if I called the police. Kayla text a friend who actually called for us and the police arrived. Gage was taken to a mental hospital for about 5 days. He got out saying he would do better and take his meds.
On Monday, August 31, another situation happened. I cannot go into details as it is an open investigation. What I can say is that he felt threatened and called a friend over to hang out. This situation escalated and Gage is now being charged with 8 counts of Party to a Crime (for aggravated assault and burglary) and sitting in Walton County Jail. The other people are being searched for (an approximate total of 15 people showed up at the house). Three others were arrested on Wednesday or Thursday in Walton County as well. I messaged Gage on Tuesday and he was upset and saying he wanted to move away to an area that he didn't know anyone and start over. Keep in mind, he has cried this "I'll never do it again" stuff before. If Gage is convicted, he will serve whatever time he gets in Walton (which can be 1-20 years per charge) plus up to 13 years in Gwinnett for Violation of Probation. Gage is 20 years old and COULD spend the rest of his life in prison. On Wednesday morning, I tried sending him a message and it said "inmate is not receiving messages at this time". I tried all morning before finally calling and was told that he was on suicide watch. I was very concerned and asked what happened. The officer wouldn't tell me anything until he heard me getting upset and he told me that he didn't know the details but knew that Gage was ok and that he should be cleared in a couple of days. I finally heard from Gage late Thursday night (at the kindness of an officer) and Gage told me that he found something sharp on a table or desk in his cell and tried to slit his throat. I talked with him and told him that he needs mental health treatment in an inpatient facility. That's better than jail and he will get the mental help he needs....even if that means he stays in a facility for a year or two or five.
I realize that he has to want to change. I realize that he's hurt a lot of people. I realize that he's screwed over a lot of people. I realize that he continues to make bad choices. I realize that he's not nice; he's mean; he's a bully; he's manipulative; he's controlling. I get all of that. But I know...based on his entire life...more than anything HE NEEDS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT! He needs a psychiatric evaluation. He doesn't need to be sitting in a jail cell where he will not change. He has other family who is sitting in jail; other family who has been to jail. They say that's not what he needs. It will make him worse. He needs TREATMENT. All of that to say, I do, of course, also tell Gage that he needs Jesus! I have told him on numerous occasions that if he will turn his life to God, things will get better. I've told him that he's so unhappy in his current life that what could hurt but to give God a chance? I spoke to Gage on Saturday and he told me that he requested a bible and was told he has to go through Inmate Services so let's pray that he gets one soon.
Please help me pay for an attorney to get him a reduced sentence or prayerfully to get him sentenced to a TREATMENT FACILITY.
I am so thankful for friends and family that will help support me and give Gage this LAST opportunity. I have asked his attorney (once hired) to plead for mental health treatment. I just need the financial help to hire him.
Gage has led a difficult life over the last 5-6 years; a life he chose when he decided to hang with the wrong crowd. He has severe mental problems; he has very low self esteem, low self confidence, low self-worth. Those things started when he was around 6 years old. We lived in a decent neighborhood in Auburn. Gage LOVED the police. When he learned about 911, around 3-4 years old, he called just so that Officer Danny would be dispatched to our house. Officer Danny always had coloring books, stuffed animals, police badge stickers, etc in his car. He would talk with Gage about the importance of 911 and it's proper use. But still, whenever he called, Danny took the time to speak with him and talk with him. The calling for this reason eventually stopped. When he started Kindergarten, he loved seeing his big sister, Kayla, in the hallways and would run to her or call out her name. She was in 5th grade and is five years older than him. He was repeatedly reprimanded at school and at home for this. His teacher pointed out every wrong thing he ever did without ever giving praise to anything positive he did. He hugged a child on the playground (at 5 years old) and was suspended for "sexual harassment". In his eyes, he was telling her good job for something she did on the playground; as we (his parents) do for him. His teacher constantly wrote negative comments on his papers; "color neatly", "stay in the lines", "write neatly". He was disciplined for sliding a crayon box across a table to another child instead of "handing" it to the other child. It was considered rude and disrespectful. TO A 5 YEAR OLD! We had him seeing the counselor at school; thinking that he was a "problem child" although he never displayed this type of behavior before. I was pregnant with Tori and I thought maybe it was related to the new baby coming. His teacher told us he was going to have to repeat kindergarten because he wasn't where he needed to be. I contacted his PreK teacher to see if she had any of these issues with him. She did not. After much pleading, school meetings, and phone calls, midway through kindergarten, we were FINALLY able to have his teacher changed. The remainder of the year was awesome! I loved his teacher and she did great with Gage and he was reading on a first grade level; ahead of where the previous teacher claimed he was. As his parents, my husband and I took him to a therapist in Athens because his teacher thought he had ADD or ADHD. After about 2 months or so, the therapist determined that he was "just a boy" and boys tend to have short attention spans anyway. He wasn't getting into trouble other than talking in class. (I did that when I was his age; ask my first grade teacher, Mrs Biggers) :)
Fast forward a little bit. After Tori was born, Gage began to exhibit more concerning behavior. He was playing with a grill lighter and caught the bed skirt on our mattress on fire. He would occasionally pull out a kitchen knife if Kayla or someone else made him mad. When he was 7, we moved to Winder. He made friends with some neighborhood kids and began exhibiting other behaviors; like playing "ding dong ditch" where you run to a neighbors house, ring their door bell, and run or hide in their bushes. We talked with him about this being unacceptable and would ground him. Kids on the bus and neighbors started calling him "Gay Gage". He just wanted to be liked and wanted friends. He started doing things other kids wanted him to do just so they would like him. We decided when he was 8 to enroll him in private school. He went to private school from 3rd through 8th grade. Things of this nature continued during this time and one day, we got a call from the school that Gage had marijuana at school. He was suspended and had to work from home for 2 weeks. Again, we grounded him, took privileges from him, spanked him, took his TV, didn't allow him to go outside, etc. Whenever Gage got mad, he started calling the police. He would tell them things like "my dad is mean", "my dad grounded me", "my dad took my phone", etc. The officers explained to Gage that it's fully within his rights as a parent to do those things. Gage was even told, "as long as your parents do not break bones, draw blood or leave bruises, they are within their rights to discipline you and spank you".
When Gage was about 14, I noticed some cuts on his arm. He told me that he felt a lot of pain and anger and it was his way to release it. He had "surface" cuts on his forearms and his upper thighs. He said he had been doing it for awhile and that some had already healed. I got him into therapy. He went for about 6 months and not much seemed to change. They basically put him on medication (which did help a little) but the therapy wasn't working. I later found out that they weren't really doing any therapy. He came in each time and told how he was feeling and what's been going on but they didn't give him any recommendations, suggestions, exercises or anything. When he was 15, he had a girlfriend and was at her uncle's house on Easter Sunday. The uncle had been drinking and, had we known, he would not have been allowed there anyway. He was play fighting with his girlfriend and accidentally smacked her in the face. She and her family knew it was an accident and he was very apologetic. However, the drunk uncle, grabbed Gage in a headlock and pulled him outside saying "tell me it was just an accident and that you didn't mean it" Gage could not breathe and was struggling to free himself. Because he felt threatened he pulled out his pocket knife and someone behind him saw it and grabbed his wrist to make him drop it. Gage called the police and HE was arrested for aggravated assault. He had scratches on his neck from the struggle and his neck was very red. I spoke with the family members there (before the police arrived) and even after....I was repeatedly told that Gage pulled the knife while in the headlock. But that's not what they told the police. Gage went to RYDC in Gainesville. We hired an attorney and the charge was reduced to simple assault. He was given 90 days probation and 14 hours (I believe) of community service. During the 90 days, he would leave home without asking, leave in the middle of the night, not come home for days, was smoking marijuana, going to adult neighbors up the street and bumming cigarettes or drinking alcohol. We told his probation officer. It took many calls before he would give him a violation of probation, at which time, he would go back to RYDC for 30 days . He was put on an ankle monitor which he cut off. He was put in a behavioral house for 30 days in which he got a broken wrist while there and he later escaped from there out a bathroom window about a week before his release. They let him go ahead and come home....another slap on the wrist. He stole money from me and my mom. He stole tools from our house, jewelry, a guitar, and more. Each time, we called the police and he would be given 30 days in RYDC. My husband and I kept pleading for something to be done. Gage tried injecting crushed up phenergan mixed with water into his arm. He called 911 and was taken to the hospital for attempted suicide. He spent 3 days at Summit Ridge during which the first 24 hours, he was having a reaction to the drug as well as whatever else he may have taken and was diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia. After several doses of benadryl, he was in recovery. We sent him to a boot camp facility for 4 weeks the summer before 10th grade. Once he came home, he started school the following Tuesday. It lasted a month. He had his pocket knife in his bookbag at a football game and was suspended and taken to RYDC. At some point during all of this, I was referred to another therapist. This one changed his medication and did more intensive therapy. It worked. I could tell a difference in Gage but then he stopped taking medication. Finally, we had a meeting with several people; behavioral center people, RYDC staff, probation officer, etc. They called it some type of Panel. The panel finally decided that Gage would serve a year in a YDC facility. He got out and got a job a couple of months later. The manager of the fast food restaurant he worked at was selling weed and tried to get Gage to. He didn't want to be around it and finally couldn't take it anymore; the pressure of trying to get him to sell, so he quit the job after 2 months.
In June 2018, Gage had been off his medication and got into an argument with his girlfriend at a neighborhood pool. It escalated and the police were called by a neighbor. Later that same day, he got into an argument with Thomas at our house. We were going to take his girlfriend home (since Gage didn't have a working vehicle) but he didn't want us to. He said that he would figure it out. Again, things got heated. He followed me to my side of the vehicle when I told him to back away from the car door. Thomas thought he was "coming after me" and he approached Gage from behind. Gage pulled a knife because in his sense of reality, "Thomas was a threat and Thomas was going to hurt him". Thomas backed away and Gage went back to his side of the car with his girlfriend. He kept yelling and getting louder, demanding that we leave her at the house. I called 911 and Gage put the knife and his fist through my car window. He then ran up to the house and put his fist through the kitchen window. Thomas was trying to get him to stop and then Gage picked up a rake and ran through the yard after Thomas with it. He stopped when Thomas picked up a board. Gage took off down the street on foot. The look in his eyes was like he had a mental break from reality. He doesn't remember much about the incident of what happened. He had several stitches in his arm where they removed the broken glass from his arm. He sat in Gwinnett County jail for about 6 weeks. I got him an attorney and he used his First Offender Act (since it was his first offense as an adult). He received 5 years probation (with a behavioral incentive of only 3 years), 150 hours community service, and was to seek mental health treatment. This determination was made in December 2018. My dad lives on a farm an hour to an hour and a half away. He doesn't own it but he keeps up the property and lives on it. I tried to get the owner to allow Gage to live there with my dad to get him away from this area and the owner refused based on Gage's history. Keep in mind, Gage has never done anything to this person (except play on a forklift one time when he shouldn't have). Gage has never done anything to anyone in this person's family. They have only HEARD things that Gage has done; never witnessed anything themselves. They talk about the help that he needs but have never offered any help to him.
Around July or August 2018, my sister was out of town and Gage didn't know it. He just assumed she was at work and he was in the area and stopped by her house. She had allowed him to use her spare key in the past and to get a drink and use the bathroom so he didn't think it would be an issue and he used her key and went inside. His phone had died and I couldn't reach him. He didn't know she had a Nest Doorbell camera. She saw him go in and thought he was stealing from her (because of his history). She saw him taking a bag of something out of the house. She had recently started an EBay store and had a LOT of inventory in her foyer and living room as you walked inside. She called the police and he was arrested for burglary, theft by taking and breaking and entering. We hired an attorney again. His charges were reduced and he received 2 sentences of 12 months probation to be served consecutively, plus $15 restitution to my sister (because as it turned out, it was 5 bottles of Gatorade), plus 40 hours community service and a fine (I don't remember how much it was).
Several months later, he got another job. Each job never lasts more than a few weeks or a month. We have bought him several used cars to get him to and from work. He has worked at decent companies but will not get up. He sleeps most of the day and then wand to stay out or stay up all hours of the night. He does Door Dash food deliveries and Instacart deliveries for money. He has a 6 month old baby, Dakota. Gage is now 20 years old.
He has been staying at his girlfriend's family trailer (alone) because he and Thomas do not get along and can't live together. His girlfriend and the baby live with Thomas and I. The trailer needs a lot of repair work done (mostly because he put his fist through the walls many times over the last 2 years. It's very dark. Most of the electricity doesn't work. He does not like being there alone as he is constantly worried that someone will break in. Their front door is actually an interior door and doesn't even lock. They have come home several times and found things moved around and the back door unlatched.
A couple of months ago, Gage had a gun he had stolen and, I don't even remember what set him off, but he was waving the gun around at my house. I told him he needed to leave. He was very agitated and he wouldn't listen. I told him if he didn't leave, I would call the police. There are two small babies at the house and he's being dangerous. He held the gun to his head and said he would kill himself if I called the police. Kayla text a friend who actually called for us and the police arrived. Gage was taken to a mental hospital for about 5 days. He got out saying he would do better and take his meds.
On Monday, August 31, another situation happened. I cannot go into details as it is an open investigation. What I can say is that he felt threatened and called a friend over to hang out. This situation escalated and Gage is now being charged with 8 counts of Party to a Crime (for aggravated assault and burglary) and sitting in Walton County Jail. The other people are being searched for (an approximate total of 15 people showed up at the house). Three others were arrested on Wednesday or Thursday in Walton County as well. I messaged Gage on Tuesday and he was upset and saying he wanted to move away to an area that he didn't know anyone and start over. Keep in mind, he has cried this "I'll never do it again" stuff before. If Gage is convicted, he will serve whatever time he gets in Walton (which can be 1-20 years per charge) plus up to 13 years in Gwinnett for Violation of Probation. Gage is 20 years old and COULD spend the rest of his life in prison. On Wednesday morning, I tried sending him a message and it said "inmate is not receiving messages at this time". I tried all morning before finally calling and was told that he was on suicide watch. I was very concerned and asked what happened. The officer wouldn't tell me anything until he heard me getting upset and he told me that he didn't know the details but knew that Gage was ok and that he should be cleared in a couple of days. I finally heard from Gage late Thursday night (at the kindness of an officer) and Gage told me that he found something sharp on a table or desk in his cell and tried to slit his throat. I talked with him and told him that he needs mental health treatment in an inpatient facility. That's better than jail and he will get the mental help he needs....even if that means he stays in a facility for a year or two or five.
I realize that he has to want to change. I realize that he's hurt a lot of people. I realize that he's screwed over a lot of people. I realize that he continues to make bad choices. I realize that he's not nice; he's mean; he's a bully; he's manipulative; he's controlling. I get all of that. But I know...based on his entire life...more than anything HE NEEDS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT! He needs a psychiatric evaluation. He doesn't need to be sitting in a jail cell where he will not change. He has other family who is sitting in jail; other family who has been to jail. They say that's not what he needs. It will make him worse. He needs TREATMENT. All of that to say, I do, of course, also tell Gage that he needs Jesus! I have told him on numerous occasions that if he will turn his life to God, things will get better. I've told him that he's so unhappy in his current life that what could hurt but to give God a chance? I spoke to Gage on Saturday and he told me that he requested a bible and was told he has to go through Inmate Services so let's pray that he gets one soon.
Please help me pay for an attorney to get him a reduced sentence or prayerfully to get him sentenced to a TREATMENT FACILITY.
I am so thankful for friends and family that will help support me and give Gage this LAST opportunity. I have asked his attorney (once hired) to plead for mental health treatment. I just need the financial help to hire him.
Organizer
Jill Haney
Organizer
Lawrenceville, GA