'She wants him treated humanely': Spokesperson for Travis King's family shares their plea

 

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The family of a Wisconsin soldier in North Korea is speaking out publicly for the first time since finding out he is still in the country.

"She wants her son back, and she wants him treated humanely in the meantime," King/Gates family Spokesperson Johnathan Franks said.

On Wednesday, Franks, the spokesperson for Travis King's family, talked to CBS 58 about the North Korean claims that King entered the country because "he harbored ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army."

"I think we remain concerned. There is no way to verify the authenticity of that message. It, certainly, is inconsistent with the text messages he sent his mother days prior. So, I don't think we really know what that message means, and it's hard. It's overwhelming. There's no manual with how to get thrown into a geo-political crisis that has nothing to do with you," Franks said.

The North Korean media acknowledged King is in the country, a sign U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said is a step to bringing King home.

"This is the first we've heard from the North Korean government, and first of all, just the acknowledgment that Travis is there is very important to the family," Baldwin said.

The White House commented on the message telling the public to consider the source, and Baldwin echoed that sentiment on Wednesday.

"This is a message from the North Korean government, not directly from Travis King, and so I think everyone is taking it with a grain of salt if you will," she said.

Franks tells CBS 58 that the family is scared to death for King and that they want people to remember that the claims made by North Korea about King cannot be validated.

"You have to consider the messenger. Of course, anything is possible. For now, we're going to reserve judgment on this. It's our plan and expectation that he will come home," Franks said.

"This family, they welcome prayer, support. This is not a young man that didn't have anything to come to. This is a large supportive family. He has very close relationships with many of the members of it, beyond his mother, right? So, he had something to come to."

As for the assault allegations King was facing from the U.S. Army, Franks said the family would like more information.

"We'd like to know more about them. We don't know much more than you do. Certainly, he was not a person that got into fights. It is out of character, and we're going to have to learn more. Was he provoked? Hard to know," Franks said.

North Korea said they are still investigating Kings' entrance into the country.