Mother begs escapee: 'Turn yourself in ... please Joey please'

The mother ofEarl Joey Wiebe, aviolent psychiatric patient who escaped in Winnipeg aweek ago, is pleading with her son to turn himself in.

'I'm sitting here looking at your picture wondering when and if I'll ever see you again.' Alma Brown

In a statement issued by RCMP on Wednesday, Alma Brown wrote that she misses her son and needs to know whether he's all right.

"I'm sitting here looking at your picture wondering when and if I'll ever see you again," wrote Brown, who lives in Niverville, a town south of Winnipeg.

"I am pleading with you, Joey, to please call your lawyer and turn yourself in right away, please Joey please. I need to know if you are OK."

Wiebe, 23, escaped frommedical escorts while at an appointment at the Health Sciences Centre on Sept. 27. Hehas been a patient at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre sincebeing found not criminally responsible for killing his stepmother, Candis Moizer, in Niverville in 2000.

Police describe him as violent, dangerous and at risk of offending again.

But Brown wrote that she doesn't believe Wiebe is out to cause harm.

"I don't believe for a minute that you are out to hurt anyone but most people don't know you like I do," she wrote. "I love you and I miss you, son."

Brown also thanked her community for its tremendous support and encouragement to her and her family "during this difficult time."

'I don't believe for a minute that you are out to hurt anyone but most people don't know you like I do.' Alma Brown

Her statement came after she changed her mind and declined to speak at an RCMP news conference originally set for Monday.

Policesaid her statement is not part of theinvestigation into Wiebe's escape.

The Selkirk Mental Health Centre confirmed Tuesdaythat it has changed its policy onescorting psychiatric patients considered to be dangerous.

Itnow has the authority to ask provincial sheriff's officers to takepatients, in handcuffs, to medical and other appointments outside the facility, ifthe patient poses a risk to public safety.

Police haveasked the public to call 911 or RCMP immediately if they see Wiebe or have any information that could help locate him.