An 11-year-old girl walked up a hill toward her school bus stop. Eighteen years passed before anyone saw her again.
Jaycee Lee Dugard was abducted on June 10, 1991, in South Lake Tahoe, California, by Phillip and Nancy Garrido. She spent 18 years held captive before her rescue in 2009 — and has since become a prominent advocate for other survivors of trauma and abduction.
The Abduction
Jaycee was walking to her school bus stop when the Garridos pulled up in a car and used a stun gun to force her inside. Her stepfather witnessed the abduction and tried to follow, but couldn't catch the vehicle. She was taken roughly 170 miles away to the Garridos' property in Antioch, California, where she would remain hidden for nearly two decades.
Years in Captivity
Jaycee was confined largely to a concealed backyard compound of tents and sheds. During her captivity, she gave birth to two daughters, fathered by Phillip Garrido. Given the severity of what she endured as a child and adolescent, and out of respect for how she's chosen to discuss it in her own published memoirs, we won't detail the specifics further here.
Discovery
The case broke open in August 2009, when Phillip Garrido visited a University of California, Berkeley campus with two young girls, drawing the attention of campus police who found his behavior unusual. A background check revealed his prior conviction for kidnapping and rape. When his parole officer called him in for questioning, Garrido brought Jaycee along, still using an assumed name — and eventually admitted to the abduction. Jaycee, then 29, was reunited with her mother the same day.
A subsequent review by California's prison oversight agency found that parole officers had visited Garrido's home roughly 60 times over the years without ever uncovering Jaycee's presence, despite some neighbors having reported concerns.
Trial and Sentencing
Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison in 2011. Nancy Garrido received a sentence of 36 years to life. Both remain incarcerated.
Life and Advocacy Since
Jaycee has rebuilt a private life alongside her two daughters, whose identities she has taken deliberate legal and personal steps to protect. In 2010, she founded the JAYC Foundation — "Just Ask Yourself to Care" — which supports families recovering from abduction and severe trauma, including through animal-assisted therapy programs. She's published two memoirs, "A Stolen Life" (2011) and "Freedom: My Book of Firsts" (2016), and has spoken publicly, on her own terms, about survival and recovery rather than victimhood.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long was Jaycee Dugard held captive?
18 years, from her abduction in 1991 until her rescue in 2009.
Are Phillip and Nancy Garrido still in prison?
Yes. Phillip is serving 431 years to life, and Nancy is serving 36 years to life.
What is the JAYC Foundation?
An organization Jaycee founded in 2010 to support families recovering from abduction and severe trauma, including through animal-assisted therapy.