6 Kidnapped Kids Who Narrowly Escaped

Kidnapping is a terrifying crime that can leave lasting physical and psychological scars on its victims. However, there are some who are able to escape their captors and make it back to their families. Below is a list of such lucky kidnapped kids who managed to escape – narrowly.

1. Elizabeth Smart

In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was held captive for nine months by a couple who repeatedly raped and abused her. She was finally rescued when she was spotted walking with her captors in a suburb of Salt Lake City.

2. Jaycee Dugard

In 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped from her bus stop in South Lake Tahoe, California. She was held captive for 18 years by a man and his wife who kept her in a backyard compound. She was finally rescued when two campus police officers became suspicious of her captor and investigated further.

3. Shawn Hornbeck

In 2002, 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck was kidnapped while riding his bike in Richwoods, Missouri. He was held captive for four and a half years by a man who had previously been convicted of child molestation. He was finally rescued when police found him and another missing boy in the captor’s apartment.

4. Natascha Kampusch

In 1998, 10-year-old Natascha Kampusch was kidnapped on her way to school in Vienna, Austria. She was held captive for eight years by a man who kept her in a small cellar under his garage. She was finally able to escape when her captor became distracted and she was able to run away.

5. Hannah Anderson

In 2013, 16-year-old Hannah Anderson was kidnapped by a family friend who had murdered her mother and brother. She was held captive for six days before being rescued by FBI agents who shot and killed her captor in the Idaho wilderness.

6. Steven Stayner

In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was kidnapped while walking home from school in Merced, California. He was held captive for seven years by a man who had previously abducted and murdered another young boy. He was finally able to escape with another boy who had been abducted by the same man.