The Colleen Stan Case
This case has infamously become known as "The Girl in the Box" case. It is the story of 20 year old Colleen Stan who was kidnapped by Cameron and Janice Hooker on May 19, 1977 near Red Bluff California and was not set free until 1985. Colleen was hitchhiking from her home in Oregon to Red Bluff, California... about 450 miles away. Today that may seem unusual but in the 1970's it was rather common especially in the far Northwest part of the country. There had been some major crimes associated with hitchhiking already but for the most part it was believed to be safe. As she was hitchhiking the first car that pulled over was full of young men and Colleen did not feel like that would have been a safe so she turned it down. The next car that stopped was a young couple, close to Colleen's age, with a baby. Unlike the car full of young men Colleen thought one could not get much safer than with a couple with a baby and got in. After driving for a bit they s...