Mother’s Day Sadness
Jessie Foster
Mother’s Day is supposed to be a time for joy and happiness: a day devoted to mothers everywhere. It is a day that sons and daughters let their mothers know how much they truly appreciate them and the sacrifices they have made to insure that their children were happy and safe.
This year, and for the past four Mother’s Day, Glendene Grant has celebrated this day minus one child. Glendene has been forced to celebrate her daughter, Jessie’s birthdays without her. Jessie is missing. She disappeared without a trace from Las Vegas three years ago on March 28, 2006. Glendene, nor has anyone else heard from Jessie since.
Glendene later found out that her daughter was forced into moving to the United States and working for an escort service operated by Peter Todd, a Jamaican citizen. Jessie was said to have been engaged to Peter Todd. Glendene believes that Jessie would not just stop communicating with her family unless something were terribly wrong. And something is terribly, terribly wrong. Glendene believes with all of her heart that Jessie has been taken underground and is a victim of human trafficking.
Before I ever knew of Jessie Foster, I had NO clue about the severity of human trafficking worldwide. Sure, I had heard things, but really didn’t put much thought into actually how bad the problem is. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act defines “severe forms of trafficking in persons” as:
(a) sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person is induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age; or
the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.
It is not just adults that are trafficked for sex or labor. UNICEF reports that every year over one million children are forced into the sex slave industry or into slave labor. Those numbers are heartbreaking! Human trafficking affects every country in our universe. It exploits innocent people, and violates every fundamental human right that a person may have. Human trafficking occurs GLOBALLY. “Vietnamese—They Don’t Run Away!—International Marriage Specialist” proclaims the billboard on a South Korean roadside. Tours are booked for South Korean men to go to Vietnam, Cambodia or Mongolia to purchase a bride. It is estimated that 14,500 to 17,500 people, primarily women and children, are trafficked to the U.S. annually. Modern day slavery is the second largest and fastest criminal industry in the world! How can this be? The Polaris Project reports that “every year traffickers generate billions of dollars in profits at the expense of victimizing millions of people around the world.” Sex trafficking is one of the most lucrative crimes with regard to the illegal trade in people. I just cannot fathom some of the numbers. We are a modern society, and I don’t understand how this could still be happening. I asked Glendene if she would write something about her daughter, Jessie. She has made finding her daughter her fulltime job. I commend her for how much time she puts into getting information out there. That is how Jessie will be found -- by sharing information and keeping her story and photos out there.
My name is Glendene Grant. I am the mother of 4 daughters, 1 granddaughter and 1 grandson. Sounds like it should be a perfect life and it would be if my 2nd oldest daughter, Jessica Edith Louise Foster were not missing. My daughter, Jessie is an international endangered missing person but even worse, she is probably a human trafficking victim.
On March 29, 2006 my 21-year-old daughter went missing and we have not heard from her since. We are from Canada and she went missing from her home in Las Vegas, USA.
After she went missing we hired a PI in Las Vegas who gave us some very bad news. He found out that Jessie had been beaten so badly she had to be hospitalized, she had been forced to work at an escort agency and she had even been arrested WITHOUT TELLING A SINGLE PERSON.
We since then found out that Jessie was taken to the USA and forced into everything that has happened to her, she is listed as an international endangered missing person and a possible victim of a human trafficking ring. It is believed that Jessie was taken away, taken underground, because she was planning to come home.
On March 28, 2006, Jessie (who’s 25th birthday is May 27th) talked to her older sister Crystal (now 26) on the phone and text messaged with her over a dozen times about their stepsister Jodie & Michael’s upcoming wedding. The wedding was going to be in Mexico, but the reception was going to be in Calgary, Alberta, where the girls dad Dwight Foster, stepmom Tracy & Jodie live (they now have a daughter & Crystal & Jessie’s other stepsister, Alisha lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband Reg and children). They ended the last call with “I’ll talk to you tomorrow”.
No one we know of has ever heard from Jessie since then. It is like she simply dropped off the face of the earth. But she didn’t. Jessie was not just beaten by a man who was originally thought to be her fiance, but his ex-wife also threatened her. There are witnesses to Jessie have been cut with a knife on her hand by the ex and for some reason the police have never questioned her about it.
We have got Jessie’s case quite a bit of media attention, it was on Geraldo at Large on April 24, 2006; the Maury Povich show on October 11, 2006; the Montel Williams show on May 24, 2007 (this one they took me to his studio); the Montel Williams show on July 8, 2008 (this one they sent the producer and cameramen to our home for an update for one of his final shows); a full page article was in the National Enquirer magazine in August 2008; her story was told on America’s Most Wanted (November 15, 2008 -- link to page http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/brief.cfm?id=60803); E! Entertainment was at our home in March to film part of their documentary “Young Beautiful & Vanished” to air on August 28, 2009; there have been hundreds of newspaper articles, radio & TV news interviews, internet radio & posts all over (pretty well every time I find a missing persons site, I post Jessie on it) and her case has brought attention to our country on the subject of human trafficking.
The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and Crime Stoppers have got together to educate our country on the crime of human trafficking.
AND, Jessie’s case is going to our Nation’s Capital in a bid to get a National DNA Database activated. I have been communicating with the Executive Director for the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime in Ottawa, CANADA and they are taking the submission in this week!! Jessie’s case is making a HUGE difference in many things -- I guess the 2nd best thing, next to my daughter’s return.
We have many sites set up, here are just a few – there are tons more and you can Google her name to see how much is out there on her case.
WEBSITE: http://jessiefoster.ca/ -- check it out
FORUM: http://findjessie.com/ -- sign up and post
BLOG: http://jessiefoster.blogspot.com/ -- sign up to follow blog
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MissingJessie -- sign up for my tweets
MY SPACE: http://www.myspace.com/jessiesmomglendene
NOW PUBLIC: http://my.nowpublic.com/jessiesmomglendene
FACEBOOK: search for Jessie Foster or Glendene Grant (the reason for that is our accounts are constantly being disabled there, so I have had to set up over a dozen of them).
Wow, there is just so much to say; yet I have already said so much. Please help us spread the word about Jessie’s case. Her poster is available to print and there are thousands of pictures if you do a Google search [Results 1 - 20 of about 3,300 (0.18 seconds)].
Sincerely, Jessie’s mom Glendene.
jessiesmom@jessiefoster.ca or glendene@telus.net
If that didn’t make you sad, then this video message to Jessie from her mother will.
Hug your children and hold them tight. There are terrible people out there who don’t care that mothers go to bed crying for their lost sons and daughters. I ask that everyone say a prayer tonight that all of the missing children and adults can find the light that guides them home.
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I cannot imagine the pain and torment this woman and her family have been through. To say I will pray for her and Jessie seems so ineffectual, because I cannot fathom the anquish they’ve suffered.
I cannot help but condemn the men and others who do this to women and children, and I pray that if there is an afterlife, they are forever damned to burn in the flames of Hell. Surely whatever their thrill is from something like this, it’s not worth the life of anyone.
How sad and utterly gut wrenching that this happens . Joota I’m with you on the flames of Hell for these people that steal people. Humans were not put here to be stolen and sold. Anyone that would do such a thing has no soul to start with.
How sad. I cannot imagine the pain that this lady is going through. I know if anything happened to my girls I would fall apart.
Princess- Do they think that Jessie is still in the US or do they think she was taken overseas somewhere if she is still alive? Other than starting the National Database is there any other things that can be done to prevent this from happening? It is too bad that Media only gives certain missing people all of their attention expecially since the number of missing children and adults seems to be happening alot more now. I have never heard about this girl until hou mentioned it. It is too bad that there isn’t a way that when a person is missing that every state and city cannot put that persons picture and story on every news channel.
The thing that can be done to prevent this is vigilance. Keep your eyes open. This is happening all over. Keep passing those emails around with photos of the missing, and keep their names out there.
Jessie needs to be found. Please post her story and photo everywhere. Glendene is doing such an excellent job of spreading the word about Jessie and bringing to the public’s attention this horrible crime of Human Trafficking. Glendene has made Jessie so real to me she feels like one of my daughters. The day she is found I will rejoice as if she is one of my children. One thing I know is Glendene will never give up, not even an option for her to give up, she will fight until answers are found.
If Jessie is anything like her mother, she’ll come home. She is a fighter. I admire her mother for her passion and drive to make sure that Jessie’s name and picture are out there, and the issue of human trafficking isn’t one that no one knows exists.
So sad. I will pray for Jessie. Indeed, she is in some serious trouble and needs prayers. I do hope that Glendene finds some answers about her Jessie. This man Jessie was engaged to…has he been located? Are he and his ex-wife still in Vegas? I’m sure Glendene has explored every avenue possible.
Not only should mothers hug their children and hold them tight, but sons & daughters should let their parents know they love them. That last communication can mean so much. Children should let their parents know what is going on with them; or at least someone they trust. I know all of this is hindsight, but no one knows when a tragedy will strike. There are children angry at their parents and refuse to speak to them. So very sad. There are parents angry at children and refuse to contact them. When someone goes missing, those angry times mean nothing anymore. Please don’t let an argument keep you from contacting a loved one. I know this is NOT germane to Jessie & Glendene; it just made me think of so many I’ve known who refuse to speak or contact a loved one, never knowing when someone may go missing.
Thank you for sharing your story, Glendene.
A lot of these Guys involved in human trafficking seem to prey on the girls and even boys that have problems at home. I have a daughter who is in college and I call her a couple times a week just to make sure she is ok. She always asks why I call her so much and I tell her because of things that are happening to these girls in the world I just want to make sure she is alright.
Thank you all for your awesome support in our search for my international endangered missing daughter JESSIE FOSTER. Yes, Jessie is likely a victim of human trafficking – a crime we know too little about.
There are so many people out ‘there’ in Internet land where the love and support flows so strongly, thank you all. For more info on Jessie’s case go to: WEBSITE – http://www.jessiefoster.ca – FORUM – http://www.findjessie.com – BLOG – http://www.jessiefoster.blogspot.com – Thank you, Jessie’s mom, Glendene.
Other than look for Jessie everywhere we go, is there anything else we can do to help you Glendene? I will be praying for Jessie, you and your family.
Your burden is heavy, and the pain must be overwhelming. I truly want to help, but I’m not sure how. I will visit your website, and gladly put up posters and forward emails to everyone I know. Is there anything else that will help you in your search?
I have launched the new someoneknowsme.com blog with a cross-post of this blog entry to there. http://www.someoneknowsme.com/blog
Glendene, if there is anything that we can do, please let us know. I would be happy to forward emails and any other information to get the word out not only about Jessie, but information on the magnitude of the human trafficking problem globablly.
hmm weird story , why did the woman go off on her own in the first place? we are 7 daughters none of us are missing nor did we ever tempt faith. so this woman who loves her child let her go to las vagas? mothers day is beautiful for us , our mom is the best in the world. she taught us so much we knew never to enter to places that is scary.or leave home on our own.
Another thing JT keep in mind, it doesn’t matter where you go trouble is everywhere even in your own back yard!
JT, many women leave the nest. I did it as countless others before me. Some of us just aren’t intimidated about what the world out there offers. I see nothing wrong with Jessie moving to Las Vegas. It’s a beautiful place and a lot of fun for a young person. As for tempting faith, I am lucky many times over to be alive. I pulled a lot of s**t that could have potentially harmed myself. My mother wouldn’t have been able to hold me back. I was an adult and did what I wanted.
I am certain that you aren’t making judgment on Glendene. Each mother raises her children differently, but one thing is true for most all mothers – they will fight to the death to protect their young.
jt
This women’s name is Glendene Grant! Nothing weird here she is a wonderful women and a great mother. Jessie wanted to spend here birthday in Las Vegas and ending up staying because she liked it so much. I guess you live a sheltered life and have never had anything bad happened to you thank GOD! You and your sisters have been VERY lucky others haven’t been so.
Nothing weird about it JT. THE WOMAN, I am assuming you mean my daughter, JESSICA FOSTER, Jessie to her friends did not GO OFF ON HER OWN. She went there with someone she THOUGHT was her friend of several years. Is it the victim’s fault that there are predators ‘out there’ in the world. No doubt in your eyes and the eyes of her 7 daughters, she is the ‘best in the world’ when it comes to moms. You say she ‘taught’ you right from wrong, but it sounds like either she did not teach you enough, or you just plain do not listen…remember: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY, DO NOT SAY ANYTHING AT ALL.
Why were you so compelled to tell the world that \jt’s mom is the best in the world\? Why not tell your name and PROUDLY your mom’s name. You anonymously post this comment and I am sure you are so happy by all the replies you have got, but jt, who are you? Why did you waste you time with this redundant message. We are from Canada and we PROUDLY do not have a city named SIN CITY. The USA does and sadly hundreds of people go missing from there every month. That is terrible, but hardly the people going to Las Vegas can be blamed. ALSO: creepy that your mom taught you to never ‘leave home on our own’. Doesn’t anyone in your house work or go anywhere? That is the weirdest part of your message, to be honest. JESSIE’S MOM GLENDENE
PS: I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE I WASTED THIS MUCH OF MY TIME ON jt!
JT
Jessica is old enough to make her own decisions. She doesn’t have to have Mom’s permission to move to another State. Her daughter went thinking she was going with her friend. My daughter goes to college and will be moving into a house next fall. I am glad because she needs to find out what it is like not to have Mom pay her bills. Other than that What is a parent suppose to do. Am I suppose to lock her in her room and tell her she has to stay with me the rest of her life. No. I will let her go and make sure that I am in contact with her. If you don’t let her child go out into this world then they are going to rebel and most will run off without your permission. Jt the only thing your Mom did was to shelter you from what really goes on in the world.n
Glendene you did nothing wrong. Jessie would of left even if she did not have your blessings. That person she left with would of convinced her to go. I really hope you find something about your daughter. As a Mom I don’t know how you do it every day without her. It has to be hard. I know if it was one of my daughters I don’t think I could get out of bed every day. I probably would be crying my eyes out.
I pray Jessie is alive, I pray she is going to come home to you Glendene. Normal children spread their wings and fly, Las Vegas is a city with the most growth in the US. There are tons of opportunities there, reasonably priced homes and jobs. It’s an exciting city with much to offer, like any major city in the world there is crime, and a person who could have been a friend decided that selling his friend for easy money was his “job” and “opportunity”, poor Jessie is not the first person or the last person on Earth to be used and taken advantage of, Glendene I hope you get Jessie back. If you survive you can get over and recover from anything and go on to live a happy life. I think you have done everything possible to look for Jessie and if she is out there you will get her back.
As for JT, I disagree you were raised by a wonderful woman, she raised a bitter judgmental fool. It’s temp FATE not faith, so she didn’t even raise a well educated child. JT’s mom, epic fail.
Good luck Glendene and I am praying for the return of your child Jessie.