- A lot of these stories have become movies and have documentaries, too.
Do you know these stories of kidnapped people who escaped? It’s amazing they survived, they strength had to have been off the charts.
Elizabeth Smart (2002)
Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her home in Salt
Lake City at age 14 by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee. She was held captive for nine months before being recognized and rescued in 2003 after members of the public noticed her. After her escape, Smart became an advocate for missing persons and survivors.
Jaycee Dugard (1991)
Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped at age 11 while walking to a bus stop in California. She was held captive for 18 years by Phillip Garrido and Nancy Garrido. She was discovered alive in 2009 after Garrido’s unusual behavior led authorities to investigate. Did you know this as one of the crazy stories of kidnapped people who escaped?
Natascha Kampusch (1998)
Natascha Kampusch was kidnapped in Austria at age 10 by Wolfgang P?iklopil. She was imprisoned in a hidden underground room for more than eight years. In 2006, she escaped when her captor briefly left her unattended.
Ariel Castro Kidnapping Survivors (2002–2013)
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight were kidnapped by Ariel Castro in Cleveland. They
were held captive for about a decade before Berry escaped in 2013 by forcing open a door and calling for help. The rescue revealed a long-term captivity case that shocked the world. Did you know this as one of the crazy stories of kidnapped people who escaped?
Colleen Stan (1977)
Colleen Stan was kidnapped while hitchhiking in California by Cameron Hooker and his wife Janice Hooker. She was imprisoned and abused for seven years. She eventually escaped after gaining the trust of her captor’s wife and seeking help.
Kara Robinson Chamberlain (2002)
Kara Robinson Chamberlain was kidnapped at age 15 by Richard Evonitz. She escaped after hours of captivity by carefully observing her surroundings, then provided information that helped police connect Evonitz to other crimes.
Steven Stayner (1972)
Steven Stayner was kidnapped at age seven by Kenneth Parnell. After being held for seven years, Stayner escaped in 1980 while carrying another kidnapped child to safety. His case later influenced discussions about missing children and recovery. Did you know this as one of the crazy stories of kidnapped people who escaped?
Carlina White (1987)
Carlina White was taken as an infant from a hospital in New York City. She discovered as an adult that the
woman who raised her was not her biological mother. In 2011, she reunited with her birth family after investigating her own identity.
Shawn Hornbeck (2002)
Shawn Hornbeck was kidnapped at age 11 in Missouri and held for more than four years before being found in 2007. His case drew national attention because he had been missing for years before his rescue.
What do you think of these stories of kidnapped people who escaped? Tell us what you think in the comments.