Famous kidnap surivors

Kala Brown was kidnapped at age 30 in Spartanburg, South Carolina by Todd Kohlhepp on Labor day weekend 2016. It started when she went to his apartment to clean as she has done before with her boyfriend Charles David Carver and after she arrived Kohlhepp proceeded to shoot and kill Carver very suddenly. He then kept Kala in a metal storage container chained like a dog. Everyday between 1-3 o’clock he would take her from the container to a main building to beat or rape her. Afterwards, he would chain her up and return her to the container. He left her bound during all of his torture. Also, he  had an obsession with Kala and expected her to get Stockholm Syndrome and be with him forever which is very disturbing. Finally,She was rescued about two months later by the police when Kohlhepp was not on the property around 9 pm. The most horrific part about this case is how Kohlhepp shot Carver so suddenly right in front of Brown before he chained her up like a sex slave. Kohlhepp also confessed to six other murders a few months later. Kala is the only victim to survive Kohlhepp. Lastly,Kala has spoke up about her experience on a two part interview with Dr. Phil. Kala has been through hell similar to all these women and every single one of them has taken their experience to inform people and help other victims which something we should all find inspirational and brave.

Sources:

Hernandez, Nina, and Nina Hernandez. “Interview With Survivor of Alleged Serial Killer: What We Learned.” Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/interview-with-survivor-of-alleged-serial-killer-what-we-learned-109502/.

Lee, Adrian. “Saved from a Killer: Kala Brown Reveals Shocking Details of Todd Kohlhepp Kidnapping.” Express.co.uk, Express.co.uk, 12 June 2017, www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/816245/Todd-Kohlhepp-Kala-Brown-kidnapping-rescue-video.

“Todd Kolhkepp Case: Confessions of the S.C. Serial Killer.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, www.cbsnews.com/news/todd-kolhkepp-case-confessions-of-the-s-c-serial-killer-kala-brown-rescue/.

Queen, True Crime. “The Dramatic Rescue of Kala Brown.” YouTube, YouTube, 11 July 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=d46Ke5Jcup0.

Gina DeJesus was kidnapped on April 2,2004 in Cleveland,Ohio around 3pm near a payphone she was last seen at after had just left middle school. Her kidnapper was Ariel Castro who she trusted because she was friends with his daughter and was thinking she was going to be dropped off at home. The sad but interesting part of this case was that DeJesus was held captive with two other girls named Michelle Knights and Amanda Berry who were kidnapped a couple years earlier by Castro. DeJesus was raped but, never pregnant unlike Knight. In addition, Ariel Castro participated in a search party to look for DeJesus and even tried to get to know her family at it which is very chilling. They were rescued on on May 6,2013 when Berry was able to make contact with neighbors by screaming when Castro was gone. They all escaped with the help of the neighbors and then Berry called authorities to report Castro. Gina is inspiring I watched her interview and she talked about how to help get passed what happened by being with her family and writing a memoir with Berry titled Hope. She is also apart of the group coming together to help Jayme Closs and the documentary I mentioned earlier. All of these women who have been through so much and watching them come together and share there story to help others is beautiful and we could all learn from it.

Sources:

“Ariel Castro Kidnappings.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 May 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_Castro_kidnappings#Gina_DeJesus.

“Let's Be Clear: Gina DeJesus, Part 1.” WKYC, 6 Mar. 2019, www.wkyc.com/video/news/local/lets-be-clear/lets-be-clear-gina-dejesus-part-1/95-d6d7c158-f86e-4609-9619-3ff6e7281c7b.

Prince, S.J. “Gina DeJesus: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know.” Heavy.com, 17 Apr. 2015, heavy.com/news/2013/05/gina-dejesus-cleveland-kidnapping/.

Colleen Stan was 20 years old when she was kidnapped by couple while hitch hiking named Cameron Hooker and wife Janice Hooker in California on May 19,1997 . One of the worst parts of this case is that Cameron kept Colleen in a box under the bed built too prevent air,sunlight, and sound from entering. She was then forced to sign a contract making her a sex slave named “K” to Cameron Hooker. He regularly beat and raped her when she was not crammed in the box under the bed. In 1981, Stan was able to visit her family alone but, could not explain situation because she was worried she would be killed. Later, Cameron visited with her as her boyfriend and after it he thought he gave her too much freedom.This lead him to lock her in the box for the next three years and only let her out to be fed and tortured once the kids fell asleep. Cameron then gave her some freedom because he wanted her to be his second wife. Janice admitted she had been brainwashed by Cameron as well. Colleen then left Cameron in 1983 and a few months later Janice reported him and he was arrested for his heinous crimes. Colleen then went on to write two books titled: The Perfect Victim and The Simple Gifts of Life: Dubbed by the Media the Girl in the Box and the Sex Slave. She has also been in documentaries and interviews. Similar to all the other survivors, her books helped her heal and help others heal. Every woman I have mentioned has created good out of there horrors and that is something we should all admire and be inspired by.

Sources:

“Colleen Stan the Girl in the Box.” Real Life Is Horror, reallifeishorror.blogspot.com/2017/02/colleen-stan-girl-in-box.html.

“Colleen Stan: The Simple Gifts of Life: Dubbed by the Media the Girl in the Box and the Sex Slave by Jim B. Green.” Goodreads, Goodreads, 25 Feb. 2009, www.goodreads.com/book/show/6340746-colleen-stan.

Goldfarb, Kara. “The Horrifying Story Of Colleen Stan - ‘The Girl In The Box.’” All That's Interesting, All That's Interesting, 23 Oct. 2018, allthatsinteresting.com/colleen-stan-the-girl-in-the-box.

Mendonsa, Cristina. “Perfect Victim, the Case of Colleen Stan.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 June 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD4WDKqAEOI&t=21s.

Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped on June 10,1991 outside her house in South Lake Tahoe, California by convicted rapist Phillip Garrido and his wife Nancy. Her stepfather even witnessed and tried to catch them on bike. They confined her to the very covered backyard in there home in Antioch,California. One of the most disturbing parts of this case is that Phillip got her pregnant twice and Jaycee had children at age 14 and 17. Dugard was held captive for 18 years, but went places with the couple often. She was found when the trio was spotted on University of California,Berkeley on August 24th/25th,2009 and there odd behavior had of people become suspicious and Garrido had to take them to his parole office on the 26th where she was identified. Dugard then went on to write two books titled A Stolen Life and Freedom: My Book of Firsts. Even though she did not appear in the lifetime film as I stated above she wrote books to bring information to people and relate to victims which is very inspirational considering everything she has been through. There are many documentaries on Jaycee as well which is also very brave and hard to go through and I admire every single one of these women.

Sources: 

Channel, 20/20 - Official. “20/20 Jaycee Dugard Interview | Freedom: My Book of Firsts.” YouTube, YouTube, 11 July 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlI9yl_OE6A.

“Jaycee Dugard.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 16 Apr. 2019, www.biography.com/crime-figure/jaycee-dugard.

“Jaycee Dugard.” Simon & Schuster, www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Jaycee-Dugard/80405224

“Kidnapping Victim Jaycee Dugard Held Captive for 18 Years.” THE ECHO, www.uhsecho.com/2011/05/kidnapping-victim-jaycee-dugard-held-captive-for-18-years/.

In June 2002, Brian Mitchell held Elizabeth Smart at knife point in her home in Salt Lake City,Utah. Mary Katherine, her sister was also in the bedroom but pretended to be sleeping and later alerted the parents a couple hours later when Mitchell left the household. Next, he took her to woods outside Salt Lake where he then performed a fake ceremony to marry him and Elizabeth. He then proceeded to rape her and keep her from escaping by chaining her to a tree and had to take on a whole new name: Esther. The cruelty does not end there he continued to rape her,feed her garbage, make her drink alcohol and threatened to kill her many times a day. In addition, they relocated to San Diego and many counties around the area throughout her kidnapping. The weirdest part of this case to me is that Elizabeth was in public many times with her perpetrator and people failed to recognize her despite her being in the media. Not long after, Smart’s sister realized the perpetrator was someone who had worked on there roof once for the family and went by Emmanuel. Smart and Mitchell were discovered not long after by two woman in Utah on March 12,2003 and Mitchell was arrested. Elizabeth then proceeded to speak about her experience and even wrote books on her experience. She also was the lead in bringing victims together to help Jayme Closs and do a Lifetime documentary on her case called,Smart Justice: The Jayme Closs Case. She did this to help Jayme by letting her know she is not alone and bringing awareness to victims. Elizabeth is very bold and inspiring I recommend everyone to watch the Documentary. 

Sources: 

News, ABC. “Elizabeth Smart Brings Together Group of Abduction Survivors.” YouTube, YouTube, 27 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KBpnQcY5tI.

“Kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 May 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapping_of_Elizabeth_Smart.

“Smart Elizabeth.” Tumblr, Unypl, www.tumblr.com/tagged/smart-elizabeth.

“Watch Smart Justice: The Jayme Closs Case.” Lifetime, www.mylifetime.com/specials/smart-justice-the-jayme-closs-case/full-special.

Sarner, Lauren, and Lauren Sarner. “Elizabeth Smart: I Didn't Want My Jayme Closs Lifetime Special to Be 'Exploitative'.” New York Post, New York Post, 26 Apr. 2019, nypost.com/2019/04/26/elizabeth-smart-i-didnt-want-my-jayme-closs-lifetime-special-to-be-exploitative/.

On Monday October 18,2018 Jayme Closs was kidnapped at age 13 in Barron,WI in her family home by 21 year old Jake Thomas Patterson. He then proceeded to murder her family and take her with him 70 miles to Gordon,WI In an isolated area. Jayme was able to escape 88 days later and ran into a kind lady walking her dog who proceeded to help her. The uniqueness of this case is how she was the big break in her case and saved herself. In addition, the cruelty of it as well because Patterson not only took her but,killed her parents as well. This kidnapping has brought together women survivors together to not only help Jayme but, for others and to bring awareness on how to help and treat victims.  This case caught the eye of the world and that should be for good and helping not, for making anyone infamous. Elizabeth Smart who is another vicitim saw Jayme’s case and it inspired her to help survivors and educate which is how she got a group of victims together to speak and even have a lifetime premiere called the Smart Justice: The Jayme Closs Case. If there is such thing as a silverlining in these situations this would be it and  everyone should check this out. #justiceforjayme #strongertogether #survivor

Sources:

“Kidnapping of Jayme Closs.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Apr. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapping_of_Jayme_Closs