Kidnapping is probably one of the biggest parenting fears – and it’s often seen that the longer a child is missing, the lower the chance of that child ever being found again.
Some tough kids have however defied those odds and escaped from their kidnappers and got back home safely.
By using some clever tactics, here are some interesting stories of kids that managed to get away:
1. Calysta Cordova
Calysta was kidnapped by a man named Jose Garcia, while on her way home from school. He threw her in his car, tied her up, punched her in the face a few times and drove around for hours until he got into a car accident.
A passer-by then picked them up and took them to a local gas station, where Calysta managed to run into the convenience store and call 911.
2. Tanya Nicole Kach
At 15 years of age, Tanya started a relationship with a security guard at her school, who she agreed to run away with. Kach became the man’s prisoner as she was forced to live in secret in a home which he shared with his parents and son.
For 4 years, the other residents of the house had no idea that she was there. When she turned 18, he introduced her to the family as his girlfriend.
After 10 years of imprisonment and with the help of a neighborhood grocery store clerk, Kach was able to escape.
3. Yi In Deyang
This troubling photo shows how 13-year-old Yi from China, was tied up and gagged and was held captive in an abandoned house.
He was able to stay calm during the whole ordeal and claimed that his courageous escape was due to strategies he’d learned from watching gangster movies.
4.Willie Myrick
After being lured by some money lying on the ground, Willie was whisked up by a man and thrown into his car.
For nearly 3 hours, Willie sang out gospel songs – his kidnapper became so annoyed, he pulled the car over and kicked him out. He then ran to nearby houses, got help and was taken back to his family.
5. Erica Pratt
This brave girl was abducted outside her home and held prisoner in an abandoned house in Philadelphia for 23 hours.
As her kidnappers tried to arrange a ransom, she chewed at the tape around her hands and muddled her way through the dark basement until she found stairs that led up to a locked door. Erica kicked through the door and squeezed through a tiny hole. Immediately she screamed for help and neighbors called the police.
6. Jeannette Tamayo
After coming home from school one day, Jeannette found a strange man in her house who drove off with her and kept her captive in his home.
Jeannette was able to escape by pretending that she had a lung disease and desperately needed her medication. The man eventually dropped her off on a street corner, after believing that she would die without her medication. Jeannette ran into a store and called the police immediately.