PHOENIX — On Wednesday, Governor Doug Ducey signed HB 2459, a bill making it a crime for an adult to encourage a minor to die by suicide when they know the child intends to do it.
You would have thought a law like that existed, but there wasn’t one until Paolla Jordan came along.
Jordan's son Adrio Romine was 17 years old. He was described as handsome and smart; a freshman at Arizona State University who had aspirations of becoming a doctor. Romine was also battling depression. What his family did not know was he began visiting an internet chat room where he met a person, who his mother says, encouraged her son to take his own life.
“My son is going to change lives. He was enough and he had the last word. He’s a perfectionist and it was unanimous," said Jordan.
“When I talked to the FBI, and talked to Chandler PD and Fremont PD and the Oregon Sheriff’s department, I was in disbelief. There was no law,” Jordan said. “All four entities told me there was nothing we can do. Our hands are tied and you need to go to your lawmakers.”
So began a two-year crusade for Jordan. Chandler State Representative Jeff Wininger took up her cause in the legislature. His bill passed both chambers unanimously.
“It made it real for me to be there because part of the closure and what’s happened our family. It really wasn’t real to me until I was there this morning,” Jordan said as she watched her two-year journey become law.
Jordan wears a tattoo of her son’s signature on her wrist. She has another of Scrabble squares -- the two of them enjoyed playing the board game together -- with the inscription of the bill, on her arm.
No mother forgets her son. Jordan will go to her grave with Adrio’s legacy.
