15-year-old dies after crashing van she stole from group home

A 15-year-old girl was killed after she wrecked a van she stole from a group home in Sierra Vista.

[RAE]

I agree with the 15yr old aunt,that the girl should have been placed under tight security. Because of her bio parents mental history.

[k a ginsburg]

I was the very first witness in my car who saw everything from two police cars chasing the stolen van on 17th of March to rollover of van three times to the driver ejecting from van and landing hard on highway only 25 ft away from my car and seeing the dead body upon exiting my car, screaming and crying. Families of Jessica Brasher have my deepest sympathy and my total support for such sad events that led to young girl's death.
I believe that facility of Mary Mission is not very secured place where that girl used to live in and for others who have serious mental illnesses. I drove by that place, not far from where I lived, few times and could see that facility did not meet strict standard requirements. Some windows were not barred; the patients could easily make the escapes through open windows. No high gate surrounding the facility with automatic gate opener for entrance and exit. In addition to that, it is way too close to the highway and one public school. The facility lacks so many things that could have prevent Jessica from escaping and meeting her death upon deadly wreck.
I would not recommend Mary Mission to any seriously disturbing minor patients at all. I can see potential lawsuit hanging in air set up by families of Jessica Brasher.
I will say to Mary Mission staff to wake up and smell the coffee; to start remodeling and fixing lacking materials to ensure the safety of the disturbed young people!

[Pauly]

k a ginsburg wrote:

I was the very first witness in my car who saw everything from two police cars chasing the stolen van on 17th of March to rollover of van three times to the driver ejecting from van and landing hard on highway only 25 ft away from my car and seeing the dead body upon exiting my car, screaming and crying. Families of Jessica Brasher have my deepest sympathy and my total support for such sad events that led to young girl's death.
I believe that facility of Mary Mission is not very secured place where that girl used to live in and for others who have serious mental illnesses. I drove by that place, not far from where I lived, few times and could see that facility did not meet strict standard requirements. Some windows were not barred; the patients could easily make the escapes through open windows. No high gate surrounding the facility with automatic gate opener for entrance and exit. In addition to that, it is way too close to the highway and one public school. The facility lacks so many things that could have prevent Jessica from escaping and meeting her death upon deadly wreck.
I would not recommend Mary Mission to any seriously disturbing minor patients at all. I can see potential lawsuit hanging in air set up by families of Jessica Brasher.
I will say to Mary Mission staff to wake up and smell the coffee; to start remodeling and fixing lacking materials to ensure the safety of the disturbed young people!

You not only must have seen everything being right there and all but too include your investigative work you obviously know everything as well. For example like what level of security is expected at “that place”. What level of care/treatment they proclaim to provide and to what sort of patient? With your educated view it appears the girl should have been locked up tight. A 1//2 way house for this girl in your opinion was probably ½ way too far huh? That should mean who ever diagnosed her and placed her there was wrong not the facility right? Oh there will be a lawsuit for sure. There always is.

And for the record “that place” is at least a couple miles from a highway; whatever your point in saying that was I can’t imagine except you may have walked it yourself and it didn’t seem that far.

Obviously you are very familiar with cases like this and of course the places they put patients for treatment. My only question is: How’d you escape?

[Bob Gush]

k a ginsburg wrote:

I was the very first witness in my car who saw everything from two police cars chasing the stolen van on 17th of March to rollover of van three times to the driver ejecting from van and landing hard on highway only 25 ft away from my car and seeing the dead body upon exiting my car, screaming and crying. Families of Jessica Brasher have my deepest sympathy and my total support for such sad events that led to young girl's death.
I believe that facility of Mary Mission is not very secured place where that girl used to live in and for others who have serious mental illnesses. I drove by that place, not far from where I lived, few times and could see that facility did not meet strict standard requirements. Some windows were not barred; the patients could easily make the escapes through open windows. No high gate surrounding the facility with automatic gate opener for entrance and exit. In addition to that, it is way too close to the highway and one public school. The facility lacks so many things that could have prevent Jessica from escaping and meeting her death upon deadly wreck.
I would not recommend Mary Mission to any seriously disturbing minor patients at all. I can see potential lawsuit hanging in air set up by families of Jessica Brasher.
I will say to Mary Mission staff to wake up and smell the coffee; to start remodeling and fixing lacking materials to ensure the safety of the disturbed young people!

It's been very sad Bob

[JOHN GIRSCH]

MY WIFE WORKED FOR MARY'S MISSIONS FOR A VERY SHORT TIME IN THAT SHORT PERIOD SHE NOTICED THERE WAS REALLY NO PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REHABILLITATE THE GIRLS! ALSO HER BIGGEST ISSUE WAS THE FACT THAT THE STAFF WAS TEAMED UP WITH NO CONCERN FOR THE GIRLS,ONLY THERE BELOVED BABY SITTING JOB THEY HAD SECURED. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THAT YOUNG GIRL,SHE WAS SENT TO A HOLDING FACILLITY RATHER THAN A PLACE TO WORK THROUGH HER LIFE ISSUES. LIKE AMITY HAS FOR YOUNG TROUBLED GIRLS. WE KNEW IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFOR ONE OF THE GIRLS DID SOMETHING TO HURT THEMSELVES OR ANOTHER. THE QUALITY OF TREATMENT IS VERY LIMITED AND REALLY NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED. THE LAST PLACE IN THE WORLD I WOULD SEND MY YOUTH IS MARYS MISSIONS. I BELIEVE IT WAS A STAFF ISSUE OF NEGLECT TO THE GIRLS NEEDS. WE SHOULD DO ALL WE CAN TO SHAKE UP THIS FACILLITY AND MAKE THEM DO WHAT THEY ARE CONTRACTED TO DO, REHABILLITATE RATHER THAN BABYSIT! ALLOW THE STAFF TO COORDINATE A PROGRAM THAT DEALS WITH LIFE ISSUES AND PROVIDES A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR THESE MISGUIDED YOUTH. I MYSERLF HAD A TROUBLED PAST AND WAS INVOLVED IN A PROGRAM THAT TURNED ME AROUND,THAT WAS BECAUSE THEY REALLY DELT WITH SOCIAL ISSUES AND BEHAVIOR ISSUES,PROBLEMS OF GROWING UP,UNBURRYING THOSE DEEP SEATED ISSUES.MARYS MISSION WANTS A BACKGROUND CHECK AND A FOOD SERVICE HANDLERS CARD TO WORK FOR THEM, THATS IT! NO PRIOR EDUCATION IN REHAB OR DRUG THERAPY,THEY USE OUR BELOVED LORD TO GUIDE THEM,UNFORTUNATLY FOR THAT YOUNG GIRL THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH.TEENAGERS NEED HELP TO TALK NOT A HALFWAY HOUSE THAT ALLOWS THEM FREE REIGN INSIDE THERE UNSECURED PROPERTY WITH THE ONLY THREAT BEING WE WILL CALL THE POLICE FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.THESE KIDS HAVE NO RESPECT FOR POLICE OR ATHORITY,THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TALK AND RELATE WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE AND SUCEEDED. I HATE HEARING THIS, KNOWING WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE AND KNOWING MARYS MISSION WILL NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT OR ALLOW ANY ONE TO COME IN AND CHANGE THEIR PROGRAM. I WOULD DO IT FOR FREE!!! AND IF THEY CHOSE TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE IS MY EMAIL [e-mail]

[JOHN G]

FOR THE RECORD MARYS MISSIONS IS DIRECTLY ON HWY 92 20 YARDS FROM THE HWY IS THE FRONT DOOR.THE GIRL WAS NOT IN NEED OF TIGHTER SECURITY BUT IN NEED OF COUNSULING, SHE PROBABLY NEEDED TO TALK AND THE PROGRAM WAS NOT GEARED TO THAT.

[mehmet]

yeahhh

[babygurl]

marys mission does suck...i know because i was there once...they don't help there girls they make them feel worse...and they were asking for something like this to happen.

[babygurl]

does anyone know what the girl's race was????

[Rodriquez]

Marys Mission does not suck! I was recently there, and i was there when the accident happened. For Everyones information, Jessica talked about death and everything like that! She needed serious help, more than anyone in Marys Mission could offer... Yea some of the staff sucked, but they didnt stay long, they ended up getting fired! Girls are sent to Marys Mission for many reasons, and to be honest, the girls that were there when i was there were horrible, they didnt want to do anything to better themselves, you can put a person to treatment, but the person themselves need to be wanting to better themselves as well. So all this Marys Mission shit talkers, you need to get your information straight.

[Rodriquez]

babygurl wrote:

does anyone know what the girl's race was????

she was mexican and black...

[bart mitchell]

JOHN GIRSCH wrote:

MY WIFE WORKED FOR MARY'S MISSIONS FOR A VERY SHORT TIME IN THAT SHORT PERIOD SHE NOTICED THERE WAS REALLY NO PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REHABILLITATE THE GIRLS! ALSO HER BIGGEST ISSUE WAS THE FACT THAT THE STAFF WAS TEAMED UP WITH NO CONCERN FOR THE GIRLS,ONLY THERE BELOVED BABY SITTING JOB THEY HAD SECURED. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THAT YOUNG GIRL,SHE WAS SENT TO A HOLDING FACILLITY RATHER THAN A PLACE TO WORK THROUGH HER LIFE ISSUES. LIKE AMITY HAS FOR YOUNG TROUBLED GIRLS. WE KNEW IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFOR ONE OF THE GIRLS DID SOMETHING TO HURT THEMSELVES OR ANOTHER. THE QUALITY OF TREATMENT IS VERY LIMITED AND REALLY NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED. THE LAST PLACE IN THE WORLD I WOULD SEND MY YOUTH IS MARYS MISSIONS. I BELIEVE IT WAS A STAFF ISSUE OF NEGLECT TO THE GIRLS NEEDS. WE SHOULD DO ALL WE CAN TO SHAKE UP THIS FACILLITY AND MAKE THEM DO WHAT THEY ARE CONTRACTED TO DO, REHABILLITATE RATHER THAN BABYSIT! ALLOW THE STAFF TO COORDINATE A PROGRAM THAT DEALS WITH LIFE ISSUES AND PROVIDES A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR THESE MISGUIDED YOUTH. I MYSERLF HAD A TROUBLED PAST AND WAS INVOLVED IN A PROGRAM THAT TURNED ME AROUND,THAT WAS BECAUSE THEY REALLY DELT WITH SOCIAL ISSUES AND BEHAVIOR ISSUES,PROBLEMS OF GROWING UP,UNBURRYING THOSE DEEP SEATED ISSUES.MARYS MISSION WANTS A BACKGROUND CHECK AND A FOOD SERVICE HANDLERS CARD TO WORK FOR THEM, THATS IT! NO PRIOR EDUCATION IN REHAB OR DRUG THERAPY,THEY USE OUR BELOVED LORD TO GUIDE THEM,UNFORTUNATLY FOR THAT YOUNG GIRL THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH.TEENAGERS NEED HELP TO TALK NOT A HALFWAY HOUSE THAT ALLOWS THEM FREE REIGN INSIDE THERE UNSECURED PROPERTY WITH THE ONLY THREAT BEING WE WILL CALL THE POLICE FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.THESE KIDS HAVE NO RESPECT FOR POLICE OR ATHORITY,THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TALK AND RELATE WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE AND SUCEEDED. I HATE HEARING THIS, KNOWING WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE AND KNOWING MARYS MISSION WILL NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT OR ALLOW ANY ONE TO COME IN AND CHANGE THEIR PROGRAM. I WOULD DO IT FOR FREE!!! AND IF THEY CHOSE TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE IS MY EMAIL [e-mail]

I bet their babysitting job really paid them a lot. I agree that people need someone to talk to when they are hurting in order feel better. Some people in this world need to realize that people make their own choices and they have to suffer the consequences of those choices. I get tired of people blaming everyone else and not the person who made the poor choice. If this kid was that messed up that she didn't know right from wrong then she definitely should have been locked up somewhere. It's a shame that the blame always has to be put on other people.

[Choke-em-danno]

babygurl wrote:

does anyone know what the girl's race was????

Does it matter? She's dead.:(

[Rachel Marquez]

babygurl wrote:

marys mission does suck...i know because i was there once...they don't help there girls they make them feel worse...and they were asking for something like this to happen.

Marys Mission does not suck i was there for almost 2 years. They helped me alot. Sometimes it didnt seem like it but they did. They really changed my life!!!!

[Rachel Marquez]

Rodriquez wrote:

Marys Mission does not suck! I was recently there, and i was there when the accident happened. For Everyones information, Jessica talked about death and everything like that! She needed serious help, more than anyone in Marys Mission could offer... Yea some of the staff sucked, but they didnt stay long, they ended up getting fired! Girls are sent to Marys Mission for many reasons, and to be honest, the girls that were there when i was there were horrible, they didnt want to do anything to better themselves, you can put a person to treatment, but the person themselves need to be wanting to better themselves as well. So all this Marys Mission shit talkers, you need to get your information straight.

I was also in Marys Mission about 5 months ago. I agree with you it didnt suck. But lets get something straight not all the girls were there all messed up. Some were there beacuse they didnt have a place to stay!!! But it was a very good place.

[Rachel Marquez]

I was in Marys Mission about 5 months ago. I was there for almost 2 years. It really helped me when i first got there i was a mess i will admit. But they changed my life around and i thank them for that. I was also pregnant and they let me stay and i was also 18 years old. I loved them like they were my own family, and i still do. Marys Mission is not a BAD place i recommend it for any teenage boy or girl. And i still call them and talk to them. There my family and nothing can change that!!!! So if you dont like Mary's Mission keep your comments to yourself. Again Marys Mission is a great place!!!!!

[wtfman]

i think she deserved to go to jail but not to die.

[chuka]

RAE wrote:

I agree with the 15yr old aunt,that the girl should have been placed under tight security. Because of her bio parents mental history.

i was there when jessica first got there and from knowing her within the day i already new that she should have been in a level one instead of a level two which wut marys mission was...yeah it did suck there but not because of the girls that were there but because of the lack of commitment that we recieved from the staff...while i was there i never meant one staff that was actually there to help us instead they talked down on all of us and were just there for the money. Jessica was a good person but she had problems just like all of us and its not marys missions fault that she wasnt assessed right and place somewhere that isnt required to have high secruity like the level one institutions soo.duh...people need to get there facts straight and realize that jessica was verrry suicidal and should have went to alta vista or mingus mountain LEVEL ONES!!
but rest in peace jessica!

[WFT]

Rodriquez wrote:

Marys Mission does not suck! I was recently there, and i was there when the accident happened. For Everyones information, Jessica talked about death and everything like that! She needed serious help, more than anyone in Marys Mission could offer... Yea some of the staff sucked, but they didnt stay long, they ended up getting fired! Girls are sent to Marys Mission for many reasons, and to be honest, the girls that were there when i was there were horrible, they didnt want to do anything to better themselves, you can put a person to treatment, but the person themselves need to be wanting to better themselves as well. So all this Marys Mission shit talkers, you need to get your information straight.

YES I DOES IF IT DIDNT RACHEL HOW DID YOU GET A BABY WHEN YOU WHERE IN MARYS MISSION.I SAW YOU GOING INTO THE BOYS BATHROOM AND LET ME SAY SUMTHING IF THAT WAS A GOOD PLACE I WOULD OF NOT DONE ALL THOSE THINGS I DID BRING POT SMOKING POT IN THE GROUP HOME WITH OUT THEM FINDING OU TWHEN THEY ARE IN THE SAME HOUSE.AND HALF OF THE THINGS THAT GO ON IN THAT HOUSE IT SHOULDNT.OH YEA WE EVEN HAD STAFF SLEEPING WHEN THEY SHOULD BE WAKE WATCHING US HOW THAT. TRUE STORY I WAS THERE I WOULDNT LIE ABOUT ANY OF THIS!!!!!!!!!!

[Sam]

Rodriquez wrote:

Marys Mission does not suck! I was recently there, and i was there when the accident happened. For Everyones information, Jessica talked about death and everything like that! She needed serious help, more than anyone in Marys Mission could offer... Yea some of the staff sucked, but they didnt stay long, they ended up getting fired! Girls are sent to Marys Mission for many reasons, and to be honest, the girls that were there when i was there were horrible, they didnt want to do anything to better themselves, you can put a person to treatment, but the person themselves need to be wanting to better themselves as well. So all this Marys Mission shit talkers, you need to get your information straight.

Just from your comment that she was talking about suicide it is obvious she should have been in better placement. There are no perfect places for kids to go when they are in need of some help.
I use to be a supervisor of a juvy where you didn't have to commit a crime to be placed in the facility. There were kids there who had no place else to go. It was sad but it was the way it was.
I was a 13 year old kid living on the streets. I am much older now and have children of my own who are adults. There is truth in, you get out of it what you want to take. I am glad to hear that some of you found help from this facility.
I hear anger in a number of you. If you really want to help out kids who may find themselves in your position I would seriously think about donating time to youth at risk. There is no one else who can understand the pain teenagers experience. Give back what someone else gave you. Give alittle of yourself it really rewards you in many ways.
I left the facility I worked because seemed everytime a kid was released they went out got drunk and stole a car. Easier to ease the pain. They would run from the police and be killed. After 4 in one year I had had enough heartache. I spent 5 years there I saw myself in them. Give of yourself, let go of the hate, and work to live right by yourself.