It was a Wednesday afternoon in October 2013 when 14-year-old Abby Hernandez started her usual walk home from Kennett High School in North Conway, New Hampshire. She never made it. For nine months, her face was on every local news station and missing person flyer in the state. People whispered. They wondered if she’d run away. They feared the worst. Then, 284 days later, she just... walked home.
Honestly, the truth of what happened to Abby Hernandez is way more intense than most people realize. It wasn't just a kidnapping; it was a masterclass in survival.
The Day Everything Changed
Abby was wearing a pair of new boots that day. They were cute, but they were killing her feet. When a man in a blue pickup truck pulled over and offered her a ride, she said yes. It was a small town. You’ve probably done something similar or known someone who has. Within minutes, the driver, Nathaniel Kibby, pulled a gun.
He didn't just take her. He systematically tried to erase her. He smashed her cell phone to pieces because he was terrified of the GPS. When she tried to look out the window to figure out where they were going, he hit her with a stun gun.
He drove her 30 miles north to Gorham, to a trailer on a secluded lot. But he didn't put her in the trailer. He put her in a soundproofed, windowless shipping container.
Nine Months in a Shipping Container
The details of her captivity are hard to stomach. Kibby used a shock collar on her—the kind meant for large dogs. He told her if she screamed, he’d trigger it. He forced her to wear a motorcycle helmet and taped her eyes shut during assaults.
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But Abby did something most people wouldn't have the presence of mind to do. She started playing the long game. She realized early on that if she fought him physically, she’d lose. Instead, she decided to make him see her as a person.
She talked to him. She listened to him. She even told him, "I don't judge you for this." It sounds wild, right? But it was a calculated strategy to gain his trust. She essentially "bonded" with her captor to stay alive.
The Secret Clues
At one point, Kibby let her write a letter to her mother. He watched her like a hawk. Abby tried to use her fingernail to indent the word "HELP" into the paper, hoping the light would catch it. He caught her and punished her brutally.
Eventually, she convinced him to let her read. One day, she saw a name written inside a cookbook: Nate Kibby. She memorized it. She also saw a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence on his wall and a "Don't Tread On Me" flag. These tiny details would eventually become the nails in his coffin.
The Bizarre Release
So, how did she get out? It wasn't a daring midnight escape. It was actually a counterfeiting investigation.
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Kibby was apparently printing fake $50 bills in his basement. He gave some to a woman he knew, who then tried to use them at a local Walmart. When the cops caught her, she called Kibby and warned him: "Whatever you're making in your basement, you better clean it up right now, because they are coming for your a--."
Kibby panicked. He didn't want the cops finding a teenage girl in a storage container while they were looking for fake money.
On July 20, 2014, he drove her back to North Conway. He made her promise not to tell anyone who he was. He even gave her a fake description to give to the police. Then, he just let her out of the truck.
The Aftermath and the Arrest
When Abby walked through her front door, her mother, Zenya, barely recognized her. She had lost weight. She looked like she’d aged years in months.
For the first week, Abby stuck to the lie. She gave the police the fake description Kibby had coached her on. She was still terrified he would come back and kill her family. But eventually, she broke. She told her mom the truth. She gave them the name from the cookbook.
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On July 28, 2014, the FBI and state police swarmed Kibby’s property. They found the container. They found the shock collar. They found everything.
In 2016, Nathaniel Kibby pleaded guilty to kidnapping and sexual assault. He was sentenced to 45 to 90 years in prison. He’s currently serving that time outside of New Hampshire for his own safety.
Where is Abby Hernandez Now?
Abby is a survivor in every sense of the word. She’s been very open about her trauma, even appearing on 20/20 to tell her story in her own words. She’s used her platform to talk about the "Stockholm Syndrome" label that people tried to pin on her, explaining that her "bond" with Kibby wasn't affection—it was a survival tactic.
She’s also had to deal with the reality of living in a small town where everyone knows her business. She’s mentioned in interviews that she’s sometimes afraid to tell people her last name.
As of 2026, she continues to advocate for other survivors. Her story was even turned into a Lifetime movie, Girl in the Shed, which she helped produce to ensure the details were accurate.
Lessons from Abby's Survival
If there’s anything to take away from what happened to Abby Hernandez, it’s these three things:
- Trust your gut, but use your head. Abby’s decision to "befriend" her captor is taught by FBI profilers now as a textbook example of how to survive a long-term abduction.
- Small details matter. That cookbook and the framed document on the wall were the only things that led police to the right trailer.
- Healing isn't linear. Abby has been honest that she still struggles. Freedom isn't just walking out of a container; it's a lifelong process of reclaiming your mind.
If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation, never underestimate the power of playing along to stay safe until an opening appears. Resources like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children offer specific guidance for families dealing with these unthinkable scenarios.