Case overview
Abby Hernandez disappeared while walking home from her high school in Conway, New Hampshire, on October 9, 2013. She reappeared nine months later on July 20, 2014, alive but traumatized, leading investigators to Nathaniel Kibby, a 34-year-old who had held her captive in a storage container on his property. Her return and subsequent cooperation broke open a case that had yielded almost no leads during her absence.
The last confirmed sighting
Abby Hernandez, 14, left Kennett High School in North Conway around 2:30 p.m. on October 9, 2013. She was last seen walking along Route 16 toward her home in Conway, a route she had taken many times. When she failed to arrive that afternoon, her mother, Zenya Hernandez, reported her missing that evening.
The initial investigation focused on the walk between school and home, roughly two miles. Witnesses reported seeing a girl matching Abby’s description walking along the highway, but no one saw her enter a vehicle or interact with anyone. Investigators canvassed the area, reviewed surveillance footage from nearby businesses, and searched along her usual route. No physical evidence was recovered.
The lack of evidence complicated the investigation from the start. There was no indication of whether Abby had run away, been abducted, or met with an accident. Search teams combed wooded areas and local waterways. The FBI joined the case within days, but the trail remained cold.
The months without answers
Between October 2013 and July 2014, the case remained unresolved. The FBI and New Hampshire State Police followed up on reported sightings across multiple states, but none led to Abby. Her family maintained public appeals for information, and the case received regional and national media coverage.
In early November 2013, Zenya Hernandez received a handwritten letter. The letter, later confirmed to be from Abby, stated that she was alive and safe but provided no details about her location or circumstances. Investigators analyzed the postmark and handwriting but found no actionable leads. The letter offered limited reassurance and raised more questions than it answered.
Throughout the winter and spring, investigators pursued tips and conducted interviews. Despite extensive efforts, the case stalled. There were no confirmed sightings, no credible leads pointing to a suspect, and no forensic evidence to follow.
The return
On July 20, 2014, Abby Hernandez walked up to her home in Conway. She was alive but visibly shaken. Her mother immediately contacted law enforcement. Abby was taken to a hospital for evaluation and later interviewed by detectives.
During interviews, Abby disclosed that she had been held captive by a man she identified as Nathaniel Kibby. She described being abducted on October 9, 2013, shortly after leaving school. According to her account, Kibby stopped her on Route 16, used a stun gun to incapacitate her, and forced her into his vehicle. He transported her to a property in Gorham, New Hampshire, where he held her in a storage container.
Abby described being confined to the container for the duration of her captivity. She reported being subjected to physical and sexual abuse. Kibby controlled when she could leave the container, what she could eat, and when she could communicate with the outside world. The letter sent to her mother in November had been written under his supervision.
She also provided details about Kibby’s property, his vehicle, and his daily routines. This information gave investigators the first concrete leads since her disappearance.
The arrest
On July 28, 2014, eight days after Abby’s return, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Nathaniel Kibby’s residence on Covered Bridge Lane in Gorham. The property included a mobile home and a large storage container. Inside the container, investigators found evidence consistent with Abby’s account, including restraints, bedding, and other items indicating long-term confinement.
Kibby was arrested and initially charged with felony kidnapping. He was held without bail. As the investigation continued, prosecutors filed additional charges, including aggravated felonious sexual assault and criminal threatening. More counts were added as forensic analysis and victim interviews revealed the extent of the abuse.
Kibby’s criminal history included prior arrests but nothing that had flagged him as a suspect in Abby’s disappearance. He had no known connection to Abby or her family prior to the abduction. His property had not been searched during the initial investigation because there was no evidence linking him to the case.
The legal proceedings
Nathaniel Kibby was indicted on multiple charges in August 2014. The case proceeded through the court system as both the defense and prosecution prepared their strategies. In January 2016, Kibby pleaded guilty to kidnapping, criminal threatening, and seven counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault as part of a negotiated plea agreement.
The agreement spared Abby from having to testify at trial. In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of 45 to 90 years in prison. On February 18, 2016, Kibby was sentenced to the agreed-upon term. At the sentencing hearing, Abby read a victim impact statement describing the lasting trauma of her captivity.
The judge sentenced Kibby to 45 to 90 years, making him ineligible for parole until he is in his 70s. He is currently incarcerated in the New Hampshire State Prison system.
The investigation’s findings
Forensic evidence recovered from Kibby’s property corroborated Abby’s account. The storage container where she was held measured roughly 8 feet by 20 feet. Investigators found restraints, locks, and a makeshift sleeping area inside. DNA evidence confirmed Abby’s presence in the container.
Kibby’s vehicle, a red Jeep Wrangler, was also examined. Investigators recovered trace evidence consistent with Abby’s clothing and belongings from the day of her abduction. Surveillance footage from the period of her captivity placed the vehicle near his property repeatedly but did not capture the abduction itself.
Interviews with neighbors and acquaintances revealed that Kibby had kept largely to himself. Several people reported seeing the storage container on his property but had no reason to suspect it was being used to hold a person. No one reported hearing or seeing anything unusual during the nine months Abby was held there.
The aftermath
Abby Hernandez returned to her family and gradually resumed her life. She completed her high school education and has since spoken publicly about her experience, advocating for victims of abduction and sexual violence. In 2021, her story was adapted into a Lifetime film.
The case highlighted gaps in missing-person investigations, particularly the difficulty of identifying abduction cases when there are no witnesses or physical evidence at the scene. Law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire have since emphasized the importance of regional coordination and public vigilance in similar cases.
Abby’s survival has been attributed to her resilience and her ability to maintain hope during captivity. Her cooperation with investigators after her return was critical to securing Kibby’s conviction and ensuring he would remain incarcerated for decades.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez” (Lifetime)
- Podcast: “Abby Hernandez” (“48 Hours”, CBS News)
- Podcast: “Abby Hernandez” (“Crime Junkie”, Audiochuck)
