Arcadia

los angeles

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The 1991 Tragedy in the US: An 11-Year-Old Girl Kidnapped and Imprisoned for 18 Years, She Was a Mother of Two After Her Rescue

 

Jaycee Dugard was a bright and beautiful little girl. Although she lived in a blended family, she was happy; her mother and stepfather loved her dearly.

 

The family initially lived in Arcadia, a county town in Los Angeles. Her parents moved to Meyers, a small town near South Lake Tahoe in California, to provide their child with a safer community.

 

June 10, 1991, was a day that 11-year-old Jaycee would never forget. Early that morning, her mother, Terry Probin, went to work. Jaycee, wearing her favorite pink outfit, headed alone to where the school bus usually stopped.

 

On the way, a gray car drove straight towards her and rolled down its window. Jaycee, thinking the driver was asking for directions, approached.

 

Instead, she was met with a stun gun.

 

After Jesse fainted, a woman got out of the car and quickly carried her inside.

 

Jesse's home wasn't far away, and her stepfather, Karl Probin, happened to witness his daughter being dragged into the car. He immediately jumped on his bicycle and gave chase.

 

Unfortunately, chasing a car by bicycle was futile. He not only failed to catch up but also couldn't see the license plate, only knowing that there were two people in the car, one of whom was a woman.

 

Several of Jesse's classmates also witnessed the kidnapping from a distance. Although they couldn't see the kidnapper's face clearly, they roughly saw a woman dragging Jesse into the car.

 

Stepfather Karl immediately called the police. The American police responded very quickly; within just a few hours, local media repeatedly reported on Jesse's kidnapping.

 

They appealed to the public to be on the lookout and to pool their resources to rescue Jesse as soon as possible, because the longer the kidnapping dragged on, the greater the danger to her life.

 

Police deployed a large force, including helicopters and police dogs, and many volunteers joined the search, but unfortunately, they found no clues about Jesse.

 

Based on descriptions from several of Jesse's classmates and stepfather, police drew a sketch of a female suspect, but given the distance, the accuracy of the sketch was uncertain.

 

Therefore, both the investigation from the kidnapper's perspective and the comprehensive search yielded no results.

 

Jesse's mother was devastated. She mobilized the community to search for her daughter, and missing person posters for Jesse were plastered all over the town.

 

Because Jesse's favorite color was pink, the entire town was covered in pink ribbons after her abduction, with everyone wanting to do their part. However, weeks passed, and there was still no news of Jesse.

 

To further expand the search's impact, her mother founded an organization called "Jaycee's Hope" to guide volunteers and raise funds.

 

Following this, T-shirts, sports jackets, posters, and missing person notices featuring Jesse were widely circulated. A singer even wrote a song specifically for Jesse.

 

Meanwhile, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children joined in, offering a generous reward for information leading to her arrest. The kidnapping case quickly gained national attention, becoming the talk of the town and even appearing on the popular American television program "America's Most Wanted."

 

Unfortunately, despite everyone's efforts, Jesse remained elusive. In desperation, the police began to suspect a possible acquaintance.

 

The first suspect was Jesse's stepfather, Carl, as he was the most direct witness. He stated that a woman dragged Jesse into a car, describing it as a gray sedan. If he committed the crime himself, it would make sense; why couldn't the police find her? Because he provided false information.

 

Furthermore, Jesse seemed to dislike Carl. This analysis made Carl a prime suspect.

 

Faced with police suspicion, Carl was helpless. He was taken to the police station for a polygraph test, which he passed smoothly. The police found no substantial evidence and ultimately released him.

 

The second suspect was Jesse's biological father, Ken Slayton. Perhaps Ken wanted his daughter to live with him, so he used unconventional kidnapping methods.

 

However, an investigation revealed that Ken had no idea he had a daughter. It turned out he had a relationship with Jesse's mother, Terry, but they broke up. At the time of the breakup, Terry hadn't told him she was pregnant.

 

Without a suspect and without the missing Jesse, the case reached a stalemate. As time passed, the case's popularity waned, and people speculated that Jesse was likely dead, perhaps abandoned in the wilderness.

 

Despite many people thinking this, her mother, Terry, never gave up. She insisted that her daughter was still alive, waiting to be rescued.

 

Over a million missing person posters for Jesse were distributed. As time went on, computer simulations were created depicting what Jesse would look like grown up, but Jesse seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.

 

So where was she? Actually, her mother Terry's intuition was correct; Jesse was indeed still alive.

 

Rewinding to the day of the incident, after being dragged into the car, Jesse regained consciousness several times. She vaguely heard a man and woman talking: "My God, we really succeeded, and we escaped successfully! It's unbelievable!"

 

When she fully regained consciousness, she was already 180 kilometers away in Antioch, California. The world before her had completely changed.

 

Little Jesse was naked, imprisoned in a messy and dilapidated backyard, her hands chained. This was incredibly cruel for a girl who had just turned 11.

 

The backyard of the house was quite large, enclosed by a wooden fence and then sealed off with plastic sheeting. Inside, piles of old items and trash littered the area, clearly an abandoned backyard neglected by anyone.

 

Jesse struggled to survive in this filthy and chaotic environment.

 

She was kidnapped by a depraved couple: the man was Philip Garrido, and the woman was Nancy Garrido.

 

Philip was a repeat offender and a registered sex offender with numerous prior convictions.

 

Philip later entered into a brief marriage. During the marriage, his wife accused him of domestic violence and wanted to leave. Philip then attempted to kidnap his wife, and through legal means, they successfully divorced.

 

In 1976, 25-year-old Philip kidnapped 25-year-old Katherine Callaway near South Lake Tahoe, imprisoned her in a warehouse, and subjected her to five and a half hours of inhumane acts.

 

Later, a patrolling policeman noticed a car parked outside the warehouse and, finding it odd, went to investigate, thus bringing the matter to light.

 

Faced with Catherine's testimony, he was unable to deny the charges and was ultimately sentenced to 50 years in prison.

 

Strangely, during his imprisonment, Nancy visited his uncle in jail.

 

Guess what? She actually fell for Philip, and the two subsequently became a couple.

 

It's unclear what Nancy's thought process was, falling in love with a rapist sentenced to 50 years in prison. What was she after?

 

Anyway, on October 5, 1981, Nancy and Philip miraculously got married in prison.

 

On August 26, 1988, Philip, who had only served 11 years in prison, was granted parole due to his outstanding behavior and positive feedback from the prison.

 

However, during his parole, he was subject to surveillance, later wearing an electronic ankle bracelet, and the local prosecutor's office would regularly visit him to prevent further criminal activity. Despite being monitored, Philip showed no remorse and was solely focused on committing another crime. His wife, Nancy, as mentioned earlier, had an unusual thought process; instead of stopping her husband's criminal intentions, she wanted to participate.

 

She and Philip conspired to collect information on young girls at a nearby children's playground, even filming a video of themselves engaging in sexual activity, and then driving around aimlessly.

 

Upon encountering Jessie, who was alone, they didn't hesitate to abduct her, eventually locking her in a soundproof shed in the backyard.

 

This was Philip's makeshift recording studio, so even if Jessie screamed or cried, no one would hear her.

 

For the first few days after Jessie's captivity, Philip didn't even provide her with food, leaving her locked in the dilapidated shed to fend for herself. A few days later, Philip brought her some food but warned her not to make a sound and not to leave the shed.

 

They lied to her, telling her her parents had abandoned her, she was homeless, and that large hunting dogs guarded the house, threatening to tear her to pieces if she tried to escape.

 

Eleven-year-old Jessie was terrified and indeed dared not go outside. In reality, she couldn't leave because she was constantly locked up.

 

Jessie was forced to huddle in this dilapidated shack. There was no toilet; she had to relieve herself using a plastic bucket. She was forbidden to write or read, and even her own name was forbidden. They gave her a false name—Allissa. The only person Jessie saw there was Philip, her kidnapper.

 

Later, Philip brought in a television, but only allowed her to watch shopping channels, fearing she would see news about his search.

 

Soon afterward, Philip revealed his true colors, frequently abusing Jessie.

 

A month and a half later, Jessie was moved to a larger room next door, which had a bed and was relatively more comfortable. However, to prevent her escape, she was still locked to the bed.

 

During this time, Philip continued to brainwash Jessie, claiming to be God's messenger, sent to resolve the world's troubles and problems, and that his actions towards Jessie were all to atone for her sins.

 

Seven months later, Jessie finally met her second person, Nancy. Nancy feigned concern, bringing a plush toy, chocolate, and milk, and apologizing to Jessie. In reality, they were playing good cop/bad cop to better control Jessie.

 

Jessie endured this environment, and after nearly three years, she was finally allowed a short period of release from her chains.

 

On April 3, 1994, Philip suddenly brought Jessie some hot cooked food. This was the first time Jessie had eaten hot cooked food other than cheap rations since her imprisonment. Had Philip had a change of heart?

 

Of course not. It was Easter, and there was another reason: Jessie was pregnant.

 

Philip naturally wouldn't take Jessie to the hospital. He simply had her watch news about pregnancy and childbirth, teaching her these skills herself.

 

On August 18, 1994, Jessie gave birth to a girl.

 

In a later interview, Jessie showed a long-lost smile, because she finally had a companion. Using knowledge learned from television, she diligently cared for her daughter.

 

In 1997, Jessie gave birth to her second daughter.

 

To provide more space for the two children, Philip set up a large tent in the backyard. Jessie was allowed to leave her room and take the children into the tent.

 

Thus, Jessie continued to endure Philip's abuse and brainwashing while struggling to care for her two daughters.

 

Although both children were Jessie's, Philip made them recognize Nancy as their mother, while Jessie's identity was limited to that of the older sister.

 

He believed that only in this way could the children deceive the police investigation when they grew up.

 

In fact, he succeeded. During their childhood, the police did not discover that the two children were Nancy's children; everyone else believed they were Nancy's children.

 

It was 2009, 18 years since Jesse's abduction. For years, Jesse's mother had never given up the search.

 

After 18 hellish years, a turning point finally arrived for Jesse.

 

On August 24, 2009, Philip arrived at the FBI's San Francisco office and left behind a paper containing his views on religion and relationships. He stated that he recognized his past mistakes, had healed his criminal behavior, and could help others heal similar issues.

 

But that wasn't all. He also brought his two daughters to the University of California, Berkeley, intending to apply to give a lecture on religion on campus.

 

The university's police department was involved in this process. Department head Lisa Campbell, during her interactions with Philip, found him to be "strange."

 

She noticed a strange relationship between Philip and the two girls. The girls seemed afraid of him, were always sullen, extremely reserved and withdrawn, and displayed extreme subservience to him.

 

Lisa sensed something was amiss. Out of caution, she discreetly had Philip register his name and asked him to return the next day, while secretly having an officer begin investigating him.

 

The investigation revealed that Philip had a long criminal record and was a registered sex offender currently on parole.

 

Lisa contacted Philip's parole officer to inquire about the situation. The officer was shocked to learn that Philip had two underage girls with him.

 

Due to Philip's past offenses, he was currently prohibited from associating with minors.

 

Therefore, the parole department immediately sent officers to Philip's home to investigate his relationship with the two girls. However, they only found his wife, Nancy, and his elderly mother; the two girls were nowhere to be found.

 

Philip explained that the two girls were relatives, and he had obtained permission from their parents to take them to the university.

 

This time, the investigators were not easily convinced. Instead, they ordered Philip to bring the two girls, along with their parents, to the parole department the following day.

 

On August 26th, the audacious Philip brought Nancy, Jesse, and Jesse's two daughters to the parole department. Philip pointed to Jesse and said she was his relative, Allissa, and the two girls were Allissa's daughters.

 

Jesse also admitted that she was Allissa and the two girls were her daughters.

 

She added that Philip was a good man and had been very kind to her and the children.

 

The two girls chimed in, saying that Philip had been very good to them and their mother.

 

On the surface, Philip seemed to have truly reformed; everything seemed as he said, and nothing seemed amiss.

 

In reality, this was a story he had repeatedly rehearsed the night before. The cunning Philip thought he had escaped punishment, but problems arose when investigators tried to verify Jesse's identity.

 

Because Allissa was a fabricated identity, to uncover the truth, investigators questioned Jesse and the two children separately and called the police.

 

Police

 

Facing the police, Jesse finally mustered the courage to reveal her real name: Jesse, the same Jesse who had been kidnapped 18 years ago, and her kidnapper was Philip.

 

For all these years, she had been controlled by Philip, living in a secluded backyard, unable to escape his clutches.

 

Upon hearing this, the officers were all being Shocked by this revelation, they immediately arrested Philip and his wife, Nancy.

 

When Jesse's mother, Terry, received the call from the police, she could hardly believe it. For 18 years, she had never given up hope, and finally, she heard her daughter's voice again.

 

Jesse hugged her mother, crying uncontrollably for a long time. For over a decade, Jesse had been afraid of forgetting her mother's face, so she had constantly tried to recall her features.

 

Thankfully, Jesse and her two daughters were in relatively good health.

 

Jesse's stepfather was especially happy about her return. Although the police had cleared him of suspicion through polygraph tests and investigations, many people still suspected him over the years, making his life very difficult.

 

The police quickly arrived at the place where Jesse was being held—Philip's house—only a little over two hours' drive from Jesse's home, yet for 18 years, no one had searched the place.

 

Stepping into the backyard, the scene was utterly unbelievable. The conditions were appalling. The backyard contained two shacks, two tents, and piles of garbage.

 

A gray car was parked in the yard—the very one used to kidnap Jesse.

 

Jesse's room was extremely rudimentary and cluttered. It was unimaginable that she had lived in such conditions for 18 years, raising two daughters alone.

 

The culprits behind all this were Philip and his wife, Nancy.

 

Soon, Philip and Nancy were charged with 29 felonies, including kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. Initially, Philip pleaded not guilty, but faced with overwhelming evidence, he eventually confessed and accepted punishment.

 

On June 2, 2011, under state law, Philip was sentenced to 431 years in prison, while his wife, Nancy, was sentenced to 36 years.

 

The case didn't end there, because many others were indirectly responsible for this tragedy.

 

It's important to understand that Philip, who kidnapped Jesse, was a registered criminal. Although paroled, he was under state supervision, with parole officers conducting periodic checks.

 

According to official records, investigators entered Philip's home 60 times after Jesse's abduction. Yet, despite all 60 inquiries, they failed to find Jesse in the backyard – a remarkably haphazard approach.

 

Furthermore, police didn't even consider Philip a suspect, even though his home was only a little over two hours' drive from Jesse's.

 

Moreover, in 1976, Philip had kidnapped a girl near South Lake Tahoe, where Jesse lived. Despite so many coincidences and clues, the police ignored them all.

 

There were even more absurd actions that caused the police to miss opportunities to rescue Jesse.

 

In 2002, the fire department received a call reporting a child injured while swimming at Philip's home. Philip supposedly had no children, but the fire department didn't report this to the parole department, and no one investigated the child's identity.

 

In 2006, Philip's neighbor called the police, reporting children living in Philip's backyard. An officer found Philip and spoke with him for 30 minutes, but did not inspect the backyard.

 

It is no exaggeration to say that the irresponsibility and negligence of the police and government departments were what led to Jesse's 18 years of torment.

 

In July 2010, the California government decided to pay Jesse $20 million in compensation for the years of imprisonment, continuous abuse, and mental and physical mistreatment caused by government negligence.

 

The local police chief also issued a public apology to Jesse.

 

Jesse's family sued the U.S. government, arguing that Philip had violated parole by using alcohol and drugs during his parole period, and should have been revoked and returned to prison. They argued that if the government had strictly enforced parole, Jesse would not have been kidnapped, and that government negligence caused this tragedy.

 

However, this lawsuit was dismissed by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

 

In 2010, Jesse founded the JAYC Foundation to serve families like hers who had experienced severe trauma (JAYC stands for "Just Ask Yourself to Care").

 

In July 2011, Jesse published a heartbreaking memoir, *A Stolen Life*, based on her personal experience.

 

The book recounts her kidnapping and long-term imprisonment in Philip's home, and her struggles to survive. Filled with tears, anger, courage, and longing, the book is both poignant and moving.

 

Even knowing the chances of rescue were slim, Jesse remained strong and never gave up hope, which sustained her.

 

After returning home, Jesse experienced a difficult period, but with the help and therapy of her family, she quickly recovered and lived happily with them. She also dedicated herself to helping other women who had been kidnapped and abused, helping them regain their confidence.

 

In July 2016, Jesse published her second book, *Freedom: My Book of Firsts*, in which she recounts her life since her rescue and how she recovered and reintegrated into the world.