About This Episode
This episode of True Story delves into one of the most extreme kidnapping cases in criminal history - the story of Colleen Stan, also known as "The Girl in the Box."
On May 19, 1977, 20-year-old Colleen Stan was kidnapped while hitchhiking in California. The young couple Cameron and Janice Hooker offered her a ride, but the trip turned into a nightmare that would last seven long years.
Colleen was held captive under inhumane conditions, including being kept in a box under the couple's bed for up to 23 hours at a time. She was subjected to extensive psychological and physical torture, including so-called "mind control," which led her to believe she was being watched by a secret organization that would punish her and her family if she tried to escape.
The case took a surprising turn when it was the kidnapper Cameron Hooker's own wife, Janice, who ultimately helped Colleen escape and testified against her husband in court. The episode sheds light on the psychological mechanisms behind control and manipulation, as well as the astonishing fact that Colleen survived this horrific ordeal.
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