Dexter Wade’s family deserves answers

Bettersten Wade reported her son, Dexter Wade, missing on March 14, only to be informed of his passing on August 24 – a devastating five months later. In an unimaginable twist of cruelty, Dexter was laid to rest in a pauper's field, denied the dignity and respect that every human being deserves.

To add to the indignity, Dexter's body was exhumed without his family present. Shockingly, officials failed to honor the agreed-upon time approved by a county attorney for this critical process. This not only disrespects the family's wishes but adds another layer of injustice to Dexter's tragic story.

Following the mishandled exhumation, an independent pathologist, Dr. Frank Peretti, uncovered the disturbing details surrounding Dexter Wade’s death: Dexter suffered blunt-force trauma to his ribs, leg, and pelvis, a result of being run over by a police car. To add to this tragedy, Dexter's left leg was amputated.

The pathologist also discovered that Dexter was carrying a wallet containing credit and insurance cards, along with a state identification card bearing his address.

The discovery of Dexter's identification among his belongings points to a deliberate effort to conceal the circumstances of his death from his family. There is no justification, not even incompetence, for withholding such vital information from a grieving mother.

Despite Bettersten's persistent efforts to seek answers, the authorities met her with silence, leaving her in agonizing darkness for months. This is an injustice that cannot go unanswered.

We cannot allow Dexter Wade's death to be swept under the rug. Sign our petition to the Department of Justice (DOJ), urging them to thoroughly investigate the actions of the Jackson Police Department and all local entities involved in Dexter's death and the action and inaction that followed it.

We must uncover the truth and put an end to the suspected cover-up that has left a grieving mother in the shadows.