20 Most Terrifying Kidnappings in History

20 Most Terrifying Kidnappings in History

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at twenty of the most disturbing kidnappings throughout history.

Aldo Moro

Regarded as one of Italy’s most important post-war leaders, Aldo Moro served as the country’s Prime Minister between 1963 and ‘68 and 1974 to ‘76. Just two years later, on March 16, 1978, Moro was kidnapped by a far-left terrorist group called the Red Brigades. The group ambushed Moro’s convoy and killed five of his bodyguards before taking him hostage. Moro was held in a secret location for 55 days while the terrorists demanded the release of various imprisoned members. The Italian government, led at the time by Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, adopted a strict “line of firmness” and refused to negotiate. So, on May 9, 1978, Moro was murdered, and his body was later found in the trunk of a car.

Polly Klaas

Slumber parties should be a time of fun, but it was anything but for 12-year-old Polly Klaas of Petaluma, California. On October 1, 1993, an intruder, later identified as Richard Allen Davis, entered Polly’s bedroom armed with a knife, tied up her friends, and abducted her. The case drew national attention, with widespread media coverage and massive volunteer searches. Actress Winona Ryder also personally offered a $200,000 reward for her return, having grown up in Petaluma. But despite the many prayers and massive search effort, the story ended in tragedy. Davis was arrested for her kidnapping, and he led authorities to her remains in rural Sonoma County. He was subsequently sentenced to death, showing zero remorse during his dramatic sentencing.

Christopher Abeyta

One of the most horrifying kidnappings imaginable is when a baby is swiped from their own crib. That’s what happened on July 15, 1986, when seven-month-old Christopher Abeyta was abducted from his family’s home in Colorado Springs. When his mother awoke, Christopher was already gone, and the front door was partially open. Abeyta’s father Gil believed that a woman named Emma Bradshaw was responsible, as Gil had just ended an affair with her and she had a history of break-ins. However, no charges were ever laid against her. Despite nationwide searches and the family’s decades-long efforts to find him, Christopher has never been located, and both of his parents have since passed away without receiving any answers.

Emmett Till

America saw one of its most infamous lynchings on August 28, 1955. Black teenager Emmett Till was visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi when he was accused of whistling at local white woman Carolyn Bryant. Days later, her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, kidnapped Till from his uncle’s home. They brutally beat the teen before executing him and throwing his body into the Tallahatchie River, weighing it down with a cotton gin fan. When Till’s body was finally recovered, Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, held an open casket funeral in Chicago, showcasing Till’s grotesque body to the public and exposing the nation to the horrors of racial violence. His killers were acquitted by an all-white jury in 1955.

The Princes in the Tower

We’re going back to the 15th century for this one. In 1483, Edward V of England and his younger brother Richard were lodged in the Tower of London by their uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. This was supposedly to prepare for Edward’s upcoming coronation, but in reality, it was mostly a power play by Richard to have himself crowned King, and he claimed the throne as Richard III. Meanwhile, the princes were never seen again. Many contemporaries believed they were murdered, with virtually all of the blame going towards Richard III. In 1674, two small human skeletons were discovered inside the Tower, and while it has never been proven, they have long been thought to be those of the missing children.

The Ariel Castro Kidnappings

Between 2002 and 2004, Cleveland man Ariel Castro kidnapped three young women off the street - Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus. He held them captive in his nondescript home for roughly a decade, subjecting them to repeated physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. The women were chained up, forced to live in the dark under deplorable conditions, and even impregnated on multiple occasions. But in May 2013, Amanda Berry managed to escape and alerted a neighbor, leading to the rescue of all three victims. Their captor was arrested that same day. Castro eventually took his own life while serving his sentence, and his house was demolished and turned into a small green space.

Graeme Thorne

It’s not inconceivable to say that the murder of Graeme Thorne changed Australia forever. His parents had recently won £100,000 in a lottery, and details of the win were published in the press - including, bizarrely, their names and even their home address. Naturally, this made them huge targets. On July 7, 1960, eight-year-old Graeme Thorne was abducted while on his way to school by Stephen Bradley, a Hungarian immigrant who sought £25,000 and used Thorne as ransom. Unfortunately, the boy’s body was found in some bushes about six weeks later, and Bradley was found to have murdered him. The case shocked the nation, leading to Bradley’s conviction for murder and sparking changes in laws around the publicity of lottery winnings.

Patty Hearst

In February of 1974, 19-year-old Patricia Hearst, the granddaughter of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped from her California apartment by a left-wing revolutionary group called the Symbionese Liberation Army. The SLA demanded that her wealthy family fund a massive food distribution operation to the poor. Weeks later, Hearst began appearing in SLA propaganda tapes, declaring support for the group and adopting the nickname “Tania.” In April, she was even photographed wielding a rifle during a bank robbery conducted by the SLA, fueling debate over whether she had been coerced or had willingly joined the group. Hearst was eventually found in 1975 and convicted of bank robbery, but her seven year sentence was later commuted by President Jimmy Carter.

Jacob Wetterling

Stories like this are what fueled the “stranger danger” craze of the 1980s and effectively ended the era of free roaming children. Around 9 PM on October 22, 1989, Jacob Wetterling was riding bikes with his brother and a friend when they were approached by a masked man. The man was armed with a gun and forced the boys into a ditch. He then selected Wetterling and drove away with him, leaving the others unharmed. The boy remained missing for nearly three decades. Fast forward to 2016, when a man named Danny Heinrich confessed to abducting, assaulting, and murdering Wetterling. He then took authorities to the boy’s remains, which were found in a pasture outside Paynesville, Minnesota and identified by dental records.

Ursula Herrmann

This 10-year-old German girl is perhaps better known as The Girl in the Box, and for rather unfortunate reasons. Herrmann was abducted while riding home on her bicycle on September 15, 1981. Soon after, her family received a ransom demand for two million Deutschmarks. The family agreed on paying the ransom, but unfortunately, it was already too late. About three weeks after Herrmann’s disappearance, her dead body was found inside a box in the Weingarten forest. Her abductor had placed her in there with blankets, food, books, and even a radio, intending on keeping her alive. However, she did not receive sufficient oxygen inside the box and quickly suffocated, likely within hours of being placed inside.

Julie Dart & Stephanie Slater

On July 9, 1991, Michael Sams kidnapped Julie Dart and took her to his warehouse in Nottinghamshire, where he chained her up and had her write her own ransom note, demanding £140,000 from her boyfriend. However, he had no intention of freeing Dart and murdered her shortly after. The following January, Sams kidnapped a second victim, Stephanie Slater, and took her to his workshop. He held her captive in a makeshift coffin-like box for eight days, threatening her life and again demanding a ransom. This time he made good on his promise, and Slater was released unharmed after her employer paid £175,000. Luckily, Sams was arrested after his story appeared on “Crimewatch,” and he was sentenced to life in prison.

John Paul Getty III

In July 1973, John Paul Getty III, the 16-year-old grandson of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, was kidnapped by a Calabrian crime syndicate. His wealthy grandfather refused to pay the $17 million ransom, but after months of negotiations, Getty’s severed ear was mailed to a local newspaper. It was then that Getty agreed to pay - but only what was tax deductible, while the boy’s father borrowed the remainder at 4% interest. Getty was freed after five months in captivity, but he never fully recovered. He quickly developed issues with substance abuse, which in turn led to a stroke that left him with paralysis, unable to speak, and with nearly zero sight at just 25. He lived in poor health until his death in 2011 at the age of 54.

Jayme Closs

Shortly before 1 AM on October 15, 2018, 21-year-old Jake Patterson approached the house of 13-year-old Jayme Closs in Barron, Wisconsin. Patterson had reportedly become fixated on Jayme after seeing her board a school bus and wanted her for himself. Patterson shot Closs’s father through the door, then barged into the house and found Jayme and her mother, Denise, huddled in the bathroom. He then bound Jayme with duct tape, murdered Denise, and then led Jayme from the house. He took the kidnapped girl to a remote cabin and kept her there for 88 days, often trapping her directly under his bed. Luckily, she managed to escape on January 10, 2019, and Patterson was sentenced to life in prison.

Amber Hagerman

Surely you’ve heard of the Amber Alert? Well, that was created after the events of Amber Hagerman’s dramatic disappearance. In January 1996, the nine-year-old child was abducted while riding her bike near her grandparents’ home in Arlington, Texas. The police were quickly informed, resulting in a massive search of the surrounding area. Tragically, her body was found near a creek just four days later, and her murderer was never caught. Amber’s case horrified the country and highlighted the need for rapid community alerts in the case of child abductions. In response, authorities created the country’s first Amber Alert system, which was named in the late girl’s memory.

Madeleine McCann

The story of Madeleine McCann is widely regarded as one of the most infuriating child abductions. The three-year-old was vacationing with her family in Portugal and was put to bed with her siblings at 8:30 PM. Meanwhile, her parents Kate and Gerry went out to a restaurant with some friends. Kate came to check on the kids around 10 and found Madeleine missing. The story spread far and wide; it was extensively covered in the media, and both Kate and Gerry were widely scrutinized for their behavior. To this day, the child’s disappearance remains unsolved, although it’s believed that she was abducted by a man named Christian Brückner. He is currently considered the prime suspect by German authorities, although no charges have been laid.

Elizabeth Smart

Imagine watching an episode of “America’s Most Wanted,” then strolling down the street and seeing the criminals you had just learned about. That’s how Elizabeth Smart was freed after nine months of captivity. The 14-year-old from Salt Lake City was kidnapped from her bedroom on June 5, 2002. Her abductors, a self-proclaimed religious prophet named Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, kept Smart imprisoned and subjected her to daily sexual abuse. She was also forced to live under Mitchell’s strict control and religious delusions. Smart remained missing until March 12, 2003, when a passerby who had just watched “America’s Most Wanted” saw her walking with Mitchell and Barzee in Sandy, Utah. They alerted the police, and Smart was safely reunited with her family.

Adam Walsh

“America’s Most Wanted” was hosted by John Walsh, whose son Adam famously went missing on July 27, 1981. Adam was shopping with his mother in Hollywood, Florida, when he disappeared from a Sears department store. His mom had gone to ask about a lamp, leaving Adam with some other kids who were playing Atari. A scuffle broke out between the children, and a security guard asked them to leave. Walsh, too shy to speak up, left the store and disappeared. Two weeks later, on August 10, Walsh’s remains were found in a drainage canal along the Florida Turnpike. Police have pegged the crime on famous serial killer Ottis Toole, but many people doubt his involvement, citing a recanted confession and a lack of strong evidence.

Jaycee Dugard

In June of 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped while walking to her bus stop in Meyers, California. She was taken by Phillip and Nancy Garrido and kept hidden in their backyard compound in Antioch for a staggering eighteen years. During this time, she was cut off from her family, forced to live under strict control, and impregnated by Garrido. In 2009, Garrido visited UC Berkeley with his and Dugard’s two daughters, and the group’s suspicious behavior caught the attention of campus police. This opened an official investigation, and police eventually found Dugard under Garrido’s control and brought her to safety. Dugard was later awarded $20 million by the state of California, as Garrido was on parole at the time of her kidnapping.

Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr.

Called everything from “the crime of the century” to “the biggest story since the Resurrection,” the Lindbergh kidnapping captivated the world throughout the spring of 1932. The 20-month-old son of aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife, Anne Morrow, was snatched from his crib on March 1, and a ransom note was left on the nursery windowsill. So began a media frenzy the likes of which had never been seen before. But despite a massive search and various ransom negotiations, the child’s body was discovered in May less than five miles from the Lindbergh estate, confirming that he had been killed shortly after the abduction. Fame aside, it’s also an incredibly creepy kidnapping, with the perpetrator having used a ladder to climb into the child’s bedroom.

The Chowchilla Kidnapping

How’s this for terrifying? Three armed men storming a school bus and abducting 26 children and one driver before storing them all inside an underground trailer? The Chowchilla kidnapping occurred on July 15, 1976, when the kids were coming back from a summer class trip to the Chowchilla Fairgrounds. Three men hijacked the bus and took their captives to an underground bunker they had constructed in the California Rock & Gravel quarry. They had intended to ransom the children, but luckily, the captives escaped before they could do so. The three abductors were eventually caught and spent decades in prison, but all three have since been paroled. Luckily, all of the victims survived, but many continue to suffer from PTSD, depression, and substance use.

What do you make of these stories? Let us know in the comments below!