The Most Bizarre and Terrifying Abductions Ever Reported

1. The Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart vanished during her attempt to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe in 1937. Despite extensive search efforts, she and her navigator Fred Noonan were never found.

2. The Betty and Barney Hill Abduction

In 1961, an interracial couple claimed to have been abducted by aliens in a rural area of New Hampshire. Their detailed accounts of the abduction were later subjected to hypnotic regression therapy.

3. The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping

In 1932, the 20-month-old son of aviator Charles Lindbergh was abducted from his home in New Jersey. Despite a ransom payment, the baby’s body was found two months later.

4. The Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping

In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her home in Utah and held captive for nine months. She was found alive and reunited with her family.

5. The Ariel Castro Kidnappings

Ariel Castro kidnapped three young women in Cleveland, Ohio between 2002 and 2004. They were held captive in his home for more than a decade before being rescued in 2013.

6. The Jaycee Dugard Abduction

Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped in 1991 at the age of 11 and held captive by Phillip and Nancy Garrido in California for 18 years. She was discovered in 2009.

7. The Steven Stayner Kidnapping

In 1972, Steven Stayner was abducted by Kenneth Parnell in California and held captive for seven years. He eventually escaped with another boy who had been abducted.

8. The Colleen Stan Kidnapping

Colleen Stan was kidnapped in 1977 by a couple in California who held her captive for seven years. Despite being allowed outside occasionally, she was subjected to extreme psychological and physical abuse.

9. The Alicia Kozakiewicz Kidnapping

In 2002, 13-year-old Alicia Kozakiewicz was abducted by an online predator in Pennsylvania and held captive for four days. She was rescued by the FBI.

10. The Jayme Closs Abduction

In 2018, 13-year-old Jayme Closs was kidnapped from her home in Wisconsin after her parents were murdered. She managed to escape from her captor and was found alive.