Episode 27: The Kidnapping of Abigail Hernandez
Nathaniel Kibby
14-year-old Abigail “Abby” Hernandez was a kind, caring girl who loved animals, her friends and her family. When she did not return home from school and stopped answering her phone on the afternoon of October 9th, 2013, Abby’s mother Zenya panicked. She called Kennett High School in North Conway, NH who told her that Abby had already started walking home, and when the local hospital had no one matching Abby’s description, a missing persons report was filed.
Abby was on her normal route home from school when a man, 34-year-old Nathaniel Kibby, offered her a ride the rest of the way. Abby usually would refuse, but her feet were sore and she had painful blisters, so she accepted. Instead of bringing her home as promised, Kibby blindfolded her with a jacket, handcuffed her behind her back and threatened to shoot her if she tried anything. Then, he tased her. He brought her to his home where he led her down a dark hallway and trapped her in a 40 foot long shipping container in his backyard that he had soundproofed.
For the next nine months, Kibby would subject Abby to horrific torture, including blasting heavy metal music, keeping her hands bound with zip ties, sexually assaulting her, and gagging her. Several months into her captivity, he placed a shock collar around her neck. Nathaniel had set up the container door with fake wiring and explosives, telling Abby that if she or anyone else tried to open the door, the container would catch fire and she would die. Abby remained hopeful she would be freed and she worked with her captor to establish trust and a bond, and her resourcefulness and strength saved her life.
On the evening of July 20th, 2014, Nathaniel got into some legal trouble and had to rid his home of anything that could implicate him, including Abby. He dropped her off about a mile from her home, and she was able to walk through her front door to her mom and the rest of her family.
Kibby was taken into custody on over 180 charges 8 days after Abby was released. He struck a plea deal in 2016 where he pled guilty to seven felony counts, including kidnapping and sexual assault. This plea deal ultimately saved Abby from having to endure a full trial, where she would have had to relive the disturbing and graphic details of her captivity. Kibby was charged with 40 to 90 years in prison and is currently serving this sentence.
Abby has been praised by law enforcement, psychologists and members of the FBI for remaining calm in the face of grave danger and working to problem-solve and gain her captor’s trust. Abby is now living a private life in Maine with her young son, and she wants her story to inspire others to never lose hope. In a 20/20 interview, she stated “Hope is something that nobody can take away from you. Just keep that and you’ll keep going.”
Image sources:
abcnews.com - “Kidnapping survivor Abby Hernandez details her life in captivity”
nbcnews.com - “Arrest made in Abigail Hernandez case”