‘Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez,’ directed by Jessica Harmon, is a drama thriller about a brave youngster named Abby who is abducted on her way home from school in North Conway, New Hampshire.
For the past nine months, she has been held captive by Nathaniel Kibby, who has locked her in a soundproof shipping container and used both physical and psychological violence against her.
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The Girl in the Shed True Story
Abby trusts God and thinks that she will be rescued by police soon despite the agony of her situation. Zenya, Abby’s mother, is engaged in a war of her own as she searches for her daughter and battles her own anxieties.
The film provides a realistic depiction of a young girl’s traumatic experiences and her mother’s dogged pursuit of her return. It’s hard to tell if the story is based on historical events or not, thanks to the performers’ convincing portrayals. Let’s find out if that’s the case.
Is the Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez Depicted in Girl in the Shed Based on Actual Events?
The kidnapping of Abby Hernandez is based on real events, as depicted in the film “Girl in the Shed.” This book recounts the actual kidnapping of Abigail Hernandez from North Conway, New Hampshire, on October 9, 2013.
Abby, whose real name was Abigail, was a Kennett High School student who resided in the town with her mother, Zenya, and sister, Sarah. She was last seen going home from school between 2:30 and 2:35 p.m. on the day of the event, and her last known contact with her boyfriend, Jimmy Campbell, was at 2:53 p.m.
Abby’s cell phone stopped receiving a signal at around 3:07 p.m. At 7 o’clock that evening, Zenya’s worried mother filed a missing person’s complaint with the police since she hadn’t returned home or responded to her messages.
This sparked a terrifying manhunt for Abby, and the FBI was brought in after only two days. Nothing that the police tried, from going door to door and asking questions to eliminating possible suspects to analysing surveillance footage, yielded any useful information about her abduction.
Abby’s disappearance was first reported on her 15th birthday, and three days later, the community gathered for a candlelight vigil to pray for her safe return. It was also determined that Abby was socially active and had a positive relationship with her family, ruling out the possibility of any foul play on their part.
The letter from Zenya’s daughter was dated October 23, 2013, and she received it on November 6, 2013. It said she was okay, missed her mom, and couldn’t tell anyone where she was.
As a result of this, the police began looking into the possibility that Abby had been kidnapped. Unfortunately, their efforts were ultimately vain, and a distraught Zenya eventually gave up hope.
Abby, now 15, surprised everyone by coming home nine months later, on July 20, 2014. Nathaniel Kibby, she said, kidnapped her and kept her in a shipping container on his property near Gorham, about 30 miles outside of town.
Abby also said that Kibby used a shock collar on her while he sexually attacked her. If she tried to escape, he threatened to set fire to the container and subject her to further mental and psychological torment
Kibby dropped Abby off on July 20, 2014, very close to where he had taken her up nine months prior. On July 28, 2014, in Gorham, police located and arrested Kibby at his home, reuniting the distraught youngster with her loved ones.
There were almost 180 allegations brought against him, including sexual assault, extortion, and kidnapping. On May 26, 2016, he entered a guilty plea to seven crimes and was given a sentence ranging from 45 to 90 years in prison.
Abby said in an interview that although creating the film was a little weird, she found it healing. Actress Lindsay Navarro, who plays Abby in the film, also discussed the teen’s desire to motivate others through her experience in a separate interview. There is good even in the faith of such evil and cruelty.
One positive interpretation is that there is a possible bright spot at the end. She hopes that her story would “[…] serve as an inspiration to others by demonstrating that it is possible to rise beyond one’s present circumstances,” as she put it.
As a result, we feel it is important to stress that “Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez” is an accurate account of Abby’s harrowing journey and the courage she shown in not only fleeing her abductor but also overcoming her anguish.
Last Words
The film offers an examination of Kibby’s motivations as well as an ode to Zenya’s struggle to return her daughter to her. The amazing efforts of the entire cast and crew really make all of these things come alive.
