The Most Famous Kidnappings in American History

The school summer break is upon us and millions of children are breaking up from school to enjoy a couple of months of fun with their friends and families. At this time of year, children are often given more freedom to explore their neighborhoods alone. Meanwhile, parents face the age-old dilemma of balancing their kid's independence with keeping them safe. For some parents, this situation turned into a nightmare scenario when their children were kidnapped. Some were just babies but others were teens or even older.

Although the number of abductions has diminished with the help of improved police techniques and programs like Amber Alert, the number of missing children reported each year is still quite high – around 460,000 – per the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

In the United States alone, a child goes missing or is abducted every 40 seconds, according to the Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center. While it may not seem like this could ever happen to you, and statistically the odds of this happening are slim, the threat is still out there. The motives for kidnapping are very varied but often include a combination of financial, revenge, so-called religious, and sexually deviant reasons. Some kidnaps are very short-lived but others last for years. Sometimes the victim is returned, sometimes they are killed and sometimes they are never found.

To create a list of the most famous kidnappings in America, 24/7 Tempo consulted different crime-related sources. These include the Library of Congress blog, People, and WatchMojo. For more crime-related content, click here to read more about the 25 most brutal criminals who ever lived.

• Kidnapper(s): Richard Hauptmann
• When it happened: March 1, 1932
• Who was kidnapped: Charles Lindbergh Jr. – son of aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh

The child was taken in the middle of the night when Richard Hauptmann took a ladder and climbed into the Lindbergh home. He allegedly kidnapped the baby with the hopes Charles Lindbergh Sr. would pay a massive ransom for his safe return.

Although it was paid, Lindbergh Jr. was still murdered. Hauptmann maintained his innocence up until the moment of his execution. The only evidence that's been given is circumstantial. As of 2024, Hauptmann is still the one accused of the crime, with nothing exonerating him.

• Kidnapper(s): The 'Ndrangheta Group
• When it happened: July 10, 1973
• Who was kidnapped: John Paul Getty III – grandson of Jean Paul Getty

The kidnap took place in Rome and there was an initial ransom demand of $17 million. At first, the family suspected that it was the 16-year-old himself behind the crime but changed their minds when a human ear came in the mail. Eventually, $2.2 million was paid and Getty III was promptly returned. However, he needed surgery to attach his ear and spent the rest of his life struggling with drugs and alcoholism. Nine people were arrested from the organized crime group, but only two went to prison.

• Kidnapper(s): Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Ileen Barzee
• When it happened: June 5, 2002
• Who was kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart (religious motive)

The majority of kidnapping victims who aren't taken for financial reasons are murdered within 48 hours of abduction. In Elizabeth Smart's case, she spent nine months in captivity. Mitchell had done work in the past for the Smart family, which is why he knew about his victim. Brian Mitchell believed he was a prophet when he took her. During the time of her captivity, she moved back and forth between California and Utah.

Smart was rescued in Sandy, Utah on March 12, 2003, while walking down the road with Mitchell. Thanks to her sister, there were ketches released to the public that helped him get recognized. She has gone on to be an author and advocate for survivors of similar crimes.

• Kidnapper(s): Phillip and Nancy Garrido
• When it happened: June 10, 1991
• Who was kidnapped: Jaycee Lee Dugard (sexual motive)

Dugard was abducted from a bus stop in California. For six years, she was held in a shed in the backyard of the Garrido's home. During this time, she gave birth to two daughters. As time went on, Dugard was given more freedom to be inside the home of her abductors. Dugard and her daughters accompanied Phillip Garrido to the University of California, Berkeley where he was giving a speech on religion at the campus. During this appointment, all three girls acted odd and were questioned by law enforcement. Eventually, Dugard revealed who she truly was. Once rescued, she sued the state of California for negligence due to the police having seen her in the home at one point. She's gone on to live a quiet and peaceful life.

• Kidnapper(s): James Schoenfeld, Richard Schoenfeld, and Frederick Newhall Woods IV
• When it happened: July 15, 1976
• Who was kidnapped: 26 children (financial motive)

Kidnapping one person is hard enough. Imagine trying to take 26 children and one adult simultaneously. This is what happened during the Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping. Three men took the group of mostly children with hopes of pulling in tons of ransom money. However, the adult bus driver helped the group of children escape a few hours after they were first abducted.

The group of children all survived, but some struggle with PTSD today. In total, they were only in captivity for around 19 hours. The group of men who kidnapped these children were sentenced to jail terms, but have all been released on parole as of 2024.

• Kidnapper(s): Kenneth Parnell
• When it happened: December 4, 1972
• Who was kidnapped: Steven Stayner (sexual motive)

Being kidnapped at only seven years old, Steven Stayner was held captive for an additional seven years. Stayner wasn't taken for ransom money. His kidnapping was fueled by inappropriate sexual deviancy. By the time Stayner turned 14, he had grown out of the boyish look his captor wanted.

Kenneth Parnell wanted to look for another young boy to abduct, but still keep Stayner for himself. He succeeded and brought home Timothy White. Stayner knew what was going to happen to the young boy. Rather than watch White suffer with what was done to him, Stayner helped the duo escape successfully.

Stayner died young in a motorcycle accident at 24 (His older brother Cary became known on his own for murdering four women and is currently on Death Row in California awaiting his execution.) White spent his life talking to children about constantly being safe and aware to avoid a fate like his. He died in 2010 from a pulmonary embolism.

• Kidnapper(s): Unknown
• When it happened: January 13, 1996
• Who was kidnapped: Amber Hagermam (motive unknown)

Even though she was murdered shortly after her abduction, Amber Hagermam's legacy lives on today. She was taken from an abandoned grocery store lot in Arlington, Texas after her little brother went home and she remained. Four days later, her body was discovered. As of 2024, the perpetrator and motive are still unknown. The family felt that since she was taken from a public area, someone should have seen something.

After this tragedy took place, her family helped create the AMBER Alert. This is a program that alerts nearby citizens of possible abductions. The information that's released is the car the child is in, a description of the child, and anything else that might lead to a safe recovery. This program has helped save countless lives since its inception. It's become easier and easier with the increase in technology capabilities.

• Kidnapper(s): Unknown
• When it happened: July 1, 1874
• Who was kidnapped: Charley Ross (probably financial motive)

Kidnappers enticed four-year-old Charley Ross and his six-year-old brother Walter with candy and fireworks. It is the first example of someone being kidnapped with a ransom motive in American history. The suspect thought the Philadelphia family could pay the ransom with ease.

Law enforcement advised against the family paying this ransom. After multiple attempts to meet the kidnappers with money and countless conversations back and forth, all communication stopped. Nobody knows what happened to Charley or where he ended up.

Bill Mosher, Joe Douglas, and William Westervelt were seen as likely culprits in the kidnappings. Westervelt spent time in jail for conspiracy, but nobody has ever been formally charged with the crime.

• Kidnapper(s): Pat Crowe
• When it happened: December 18, 1900
• Who was kidnapped: Eddie Cudahy (revenge and financial motive)

• Kidnapper(s): Symbionese Liberation Army
• When it happened: February 4, 1974
• Who was kidnapped: Patty Hearst (political motive but became more complicated)

• Kidnapper(s): Ottis Toole
• When it happened: July 27, 1981
• Who was kidnapped: Adam Walsh (violence)

• Kidnapper(s): Ariel Castro
• When it happened: August 23, 2002-April 2, 2004
• Who was kidnapped: Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus (sexual abuse motive)

• Kidnapper(s): Unknown
• When it happened: August 23, 1912
• Who was kidnapped: Bobby Dunbar (unknown motive)

• Kidnapper(s): Barry Keenan, Johnny Irwin, and Joe Amsler
• When it happened: December 8, 1963
• Who was kidnapped: Frank Sinatra Jr.