From prison to the office of the Governor
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Ripley County is celebrating a recent success story at home. Jessica Ogden was recently honored by meeting and telling her story to Governor Eric Holcomb. She was invited by Director of Adult Education at River Valley Resources – Work One (RVR), Konnie McCollum, to meet the Governor and tell how RVR adult education changed her life.
Ogden’s story is like a Hollywood script. It is fraught with more tragedy and trauma at an early age that continues throughout her young adult life.
Ogden’s mother, Melanie Adkins (later Ogden) lived with her family in Napoleon. Her mother worked at P&G and her father was a bus driver. Pretty normal start, well, not so quick.
Adkins was 16 years old when her brother, Stephen Adkins was killed – in a single car, drunk driving accident. Adkins’ parents (Marcella and Shirley Adkins) were going to play bingo and they were killed shortly after her brother’s fatal crash. Once again, a drunk driver had shattered Adkins’ world.
At 18 years young, Ogden’s mother (Melanie Adkins) found herself, orphaned, without any siblings, and pregnant. However, Ogden shares, “She (Ogden’s Mother) said I (Jessica) saved her life. It got her away from all those people, drugs, and gave her me.”
This is to establish the generational trauma that young people are involved in and must work through to become fully functional productive members of society. Up to now, the trauma in this family history is before Ogden’s birth.
Fast forward, Jessica’s parents (Jeff and Melanie Ogden) got divorced. Melanie and Jessica Ogden started the next chapter of their life in Florida. Jessica loved Florida. She loved school – where she was a straight A student. Jessica states, “I loved homework, I loved all of it!”
When Jessica was 17, her mother was prescribed Xanax and Jessica’s life started to spiral out of control. (This is not to imply that a Xanax prescription is a guaranteed addiction issue.) Jessica and her mother, Melanie experienced the tumult of multiple evictions and Melanie could not keep a job.
Jessica started stealing, skipping out of school – she even got caught stealing Xanax from her mother’s purse. Expecting to be ‘in trouble’ imagine Jessica’s shock when instead Melanie sat her down and explained exactly what to say for Jessica to get her own prescription (Rx) from the doctor.
Jessica did get her own Xanax Rx. Jessica describes the feeling when she was high – Jessica stated: “I never felt like I fit in. Anywhere. But when I took the pills, I fit in. I felt accepted.”
Jessica did not graduate high school. She missed her graduation by one credit.
At 19, Jessica was pregnant. In a drug-based relationship. Living in a motel room with her first son. Her first son’s paternal grandparents helped with him and her mother watched him also.
At 20, with two children and living in a motel – Jessica knew she could not take care of her children so she asked her 1st son’s dad to take him – trying to provide the best she could for him.
It was around this time in 2021 when Jessica’s father was driving his motorcycle home after partying and drinking and wrecked into a disc-tractor and died on his way home. About a year after this, Jessica’s grandfather, Gene Ogden died.
Although Jessica maintained sobriety during her pregnancies, she was not yet ready to be sober herself.
Jessica describes the tumultuous years that her children and she grew through together. Her second son, born in 2003, and her third in 2008 lived through many years of Jessica’s dysfunction.
Jessica gets emotional when she describes the damage, she created by leaving for weeks at a time, when her husband and their family did not know where she was – or if she was alive.
In 2018 one of Jessica’s brothers found a gun in his grandfather’s “collections” (hoarder, is how Jessica describes the ‘collection’). Her brother then stole bullets, was driving and shooting the gun. Her brother then arrived home, turned the light on, put the gun to his head and shot himself. He died instantly.
In 2019 Jessica finally met her waterloo. She was in possession of meth in the presence of a minor – sentenced to five years in DOC. The door shuts. There is razor wire. On one call, a son graduated; another – her other son got his driver’s license. Jessica was absent for all these milestones. Once, her youngest son asked, “why can’t dad just come get you out?”
This haunting question is what created the unsettling realization that her life needed to change.
Jessica looked at things differently. She started recovery while incarcerated. Jessica took parenting classes. She got a job – taking care of the guard’s dogs. Correction Officers (COs) work twelve-hour shifts at DOC in Madison. They bring their dogs to work and the inmates care for and train them.
Jessica contributes a great amount of healing that came with caring for these animals. Jessica states “There was routine – normalcy.” Jessica also reflected the unconditional love from the animals helped her to love herself more.
Jessica was offered CTP – community transition program – you come home three months early on house arrest. CTP is only for inmates with NO violations while imprisoned.
First the prosecutor denied Jessica the CTP program. However, Jessica recalled a statement Judge King made during her sentencing. “He told me I could come home on CTP if I didn’t get into any trouble – not one time. And I didn’t (get in violations while in DOC).”
She sent an email and got a hearing in Versailles, Jessica states “and he (Judge King) let me go home.” Jessica recalls, “after my release they were on me. CADS (Court Addiction Drugs Services) was required for eight months, three days a week, three-hour sessions.”
When CADS assessed Jessica, they suggested one session a week – however, Jessica had other ideas. She attended both sessions weekly.
Jessica was referred to River Valley Resources (RVR) – Work One (RVR) and they supported Jessica’s efforts to succeed. RVR facilitated training for CAPRC (Certified Addiction Peer Recovery Coach) 1 (basic) and 2 (advanced).
One only needs level one to work in the field, but Jessica wanted to be more prepared than one level – so she graduated with both levels, which is the highest certification one can get in the field.
Josh Wilson ran Peer:2:Peer (P2P) for ten years. Recently this position was offered to and accepted by Jessica Ogden. Jessica is the liaison for all programs that go on inside the Ripley Co. Jail (male/female).
A GED program recently implemented is already experiencing success. When asked to describe exactly what P2P is – Jessica says “We are not AA, not faith-based – nothing to do with religion. We are a room full of people who care and want to learn how to live life sober. No Judgement. Come as you are.”
Addendum: If you are wondering – her only two surviving blood relatives are her paternal G’ma, Eileen Ogden, Osgood – Jessica’s biggest supporter; and her brother, Jared, in Greensburg. Her family (spouse/sons) are doing well.
Her spouse, Jeremy Owens, Jessica’s step-son (20), Jessica’s son (19) and Owens and Ogden’s son, (15) are great! My boys have NEVER been in trouble.” declares Jessica.
Finally – the generational trauma may be mended and Jessica is contributing to both society and her family’s well-being.
Jessica closed with: “When I first went into prison, I hated Judge King! But then prison (and Judge King) saved my life!”