ABIGAIL HERNANDEZ - 15 yo (2013)/ Charged: Nathaniel Kibby - North Conway NH

Police continue to seek missing NH teen Abigail Hernandez

October 13, 2013, 7:07 pm

(NECN: Nicole Jacobs, Conway, N.H.) - Police are following up on leads from as far away as Texas as they continue to look for a missing teenager from North Conway, N.H.

After five days of searching, however, there has been no sign of Abigail Hernandez.

Law enforcement officials say they continue to search for Hernandez, who would have celebrated her 15th birthday Saturday. They say their hope is to bring her back, safe and sound, to her family.

Officials say they have scoured more than 4,000 acres of wilderness after following up on more than 200 tips from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and even Texas.

They did not elaborate on what leads they received.

http://www.necn.com/10/13/13/Police-continue-to-seek-missing-NH-teen-/landing.html?blockID=855027&feedID=11106

Sister pleads for safe return of missing N.H. teen
Abigail Hernandez, 15, of North Conway was last seen leaving Kennett High School on Wednesday afternoon.

Posted: October 14
Updated: Today at 12:09 AM
The Associated Press

NORTH CONWAY, N.H. – Investigators say the last call made on a missing New Hampshire girl’s cellphone was at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, about four hours after she was last seen.


Abigail Hernandez,AP Photo


WMUR- Fifteen-year-old Abigail Hernandez of North Conway was last seen leaving Kennett High School on Wednesday afternoon. Police say she made it home but was gone when her mother arrived later.

TV reports that police said Sunday they have not located the girl’s phone, but have determined that the last call was made at 6:30 p.m. It’s not clear where the call was made.

Several agencies, including the FBI, have been involved in searching for the girl by land, water and air.

The mother of Hernandez made an emotional plea for her return Saturday, four days after the girl vanished.

“Abby,” Zenya Hernandez said, her voice breaking, “I want to say please come home. We miss you so badly. We want you back with us.”

Zenya Hernandez asked Abigail’s friends to come forward with any information that could help return her safely, including whether there were recent changes in her behavior. She was mindful of the importance of the day: Abigail’s 15th birthday.

“We love you and we miss you and happy birthday, Abby,” she said.

On Monday evening, Abigail's sister Sarah Hernandez said Abigail's family needs to know she's safe. She says if anyone knows where Abigail is to "keep her safe and let her" return to her family.

Assistant Attorney General Jane Young said anyone with information about Abigail should contact police. "No detail is too small," Young said.

Police are asking the public to remain vigilant. They’ve handed out posters with photos of the missing girl and have been stopping traffic to spread the word. Billboards carry Abigail’s image and the number to call to report tips: 1-800-CALL-FBI.

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Missing_North_Conway_girl_s_phone_last_used_day_she_disappeared.html

Last call from missing teenage girl's phone made from ski resort five days ago

   Abigail Hernandez, 15, disappeared last Wednesday in Conway, New Hampshire
   Sniffer dogs and officers have combed 3,000 acres of land for teenager

By Chris Pleasance
PUBLISHED: 10:22 EST, 14 October 2013
UPDATED: 17:04 EST, 14 October 2013

The last call made on a missing New Hampshire girl’s cellphone was last Wednesday about four hours after she was last seen, investigators said on Sunday.

Abigail Hernandez, 15, of North Conway was last seen leaving Kennett High School on Wednesday afternoon.

Police say she made it home but was gone when her mother arrived later.

Police said they have not located the girl’s phone but have determined that the last call was made at 6.30pm.

It was used about two miles from her home at a spot near Cranmore Mountain, a ski resort popular with tourists.

Several agencies, including the FBI, have been involved in searching for the girl by land, water and air.

The mother of the missing 15-year-old pleaded for her daughter's safe return on Sunday, saying: 'Please come home. We miss you so badly.'

Speaking in front of Conway police station on Sunday, Zenya Hernandez wished her daughter Abigail a happy birthday.

Kieran Ramsey, from the FBI, confirmed today that teams are continuing their searches using five sniffer dog teams.

Officers are also canvassing and chasing up tip-offs from the public, though no new information has come to light.

Abigail, a Kennett High School student, has been missing since Wednesday last week after walking home from class.

The last sighting of the girl, who ran on the track team for her school and was described as quiet and bright, was around 2.30pm.

Investigators believe Abigail made it back to her home, but when her mother came back from her nursing job, her daughter was gone.

The schoolgirl's 15th birthday was on Saturday.

Since then local police and the FBI have searched on foot, in boats, and by helicopter but have failed to turn up any new evidence about the disappearance.

FBI fixed-wing planes have been drafted into the search, and on Saturday lines of officials meticulously searched four square miles of woodland.

Despite searching over 3,000 acres Major Kevin Jordan of the Maine Fish and Game Department, said: 'We are nowhere near done. We are here to find Abi and to bring her home.'

Five specially trained teams of sniffer dogs were also used, but so far to no avail.

The search has been so thorough that officers have found the body of a hiker who went missing over the weekend, and bone fragments from another case, possibly that of a hiker who went missing in 2006.

Both sets of evidence are unrelated to the Hernandez case.

New Hampshire's White Mountains are full of tourists at this time of year as they come to take pictures of the leaves changing in autumn.

This weekend the holidaymakers were handed flyers of the pretty girl and told to watch for anything suspicious.

Hernandez's picture was also plastered over store windows in North Conway Village and in the popular shopping mall.

Police officials said they are still treating Hernandez's disappearance as a missing persons case, but added that foul play has not been ruled out.

So far officers say they have received over 200 tip-offs, some from as far away as Texas.

Abigail is 5ft 4in tall and weighs 118lb with brown hair and eyes. She was last seen wearing black stretch pants, tall brown boots and a grey sweater.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Conway police on 603-356-5715.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2458851/Missing-Abigail-Hernandez-Mother-pleaded-safe-return-birthday-message-daughter.html#ixzz2ho07sq89

Missing New Hampshire teen Abigail Hernandez’s family pleads for girl’s return

'We need to know you're safe,' sister Sarah Hernandez tells teen in televised message. The girl disappeared on Oct. 9 after leaving Kennett High School in Conway.

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Tuesday, October 15, 2013, 10:07 AM


FBI
Abigail Hernandez, 15, was last seen on Oct. 9, leaving Kennett High School in Conway, N.H.

The family of missing New Hampshire teen Abigail Hernandez continues to plead for the girl to return home.

“Abby, I want to say please come home,” Zenya Hernandez said during a news conference on Saturday. “We miss you so badly. We want you back with us.”
Sarah Hernandez, the missing teen's sister, faced reporters two days later to repeat the heartbroken family's appeal,.

"Abby, we really miss you," Sarah said, according to WMUR. "We need to know that you're safe. Please come home. If you know where Abby is, please keep her safe and let her come back to us."

Abigail left Kennett High School on Oct. 9 and hasn’t been seen since.

The Conway Police Department’s search has turned into a full-scale operation with the FBI, state troopers and New Hampshire Fish and Game all joining the hunt.

But they’ve yet to find Abigail.

“We’re nowhere near done,” Fish and Game Maj. Kevin Jordan told reporters, according to ABC News. “I want to make sure everyone is clear on that.”


ABC News
Tearful mother Zenya Hernandez pleads for her missing 15-year-old, Abigail Hernandez, to ‘please come home.’
Abigail used her cellphone once shortly after leaving school, but nothing since then, authorities said.
Investigators believe she made it home, but they’re not sure what happened next.
Conway sits between the Maine border and a stretch of the Presidential Mountain range.

Search parties in the wooded foothills turned up remains of two other people: A hiker who went missing on Saturday and bone fragments of another person who died several years ago.

Zenya Hernandez was still hopeful they would find her daughter alive.
“We love you, and we miss you, and happy birthday,” the mother said.
Authorities continued to look for the girl on Tuesday.
With News Wire Services



http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/mom-plea-missing-teen-badly-article-1.1485980#ixzz2hoP5FVMx

FBI Releases New Information In Search For Missing NH Girl
By Michael Rosenfield, WBZ-TV
October 16, 2013 11:20 PM

NORTH CONWAY, NH (CBS) – The FBI has released new details in the search for 15-year-old Abigail Hernandez who went missing last week in New Hampshire. A timeline has been put together from interviews and surveillance video gathered along the route from Kennett High School toward Abby’s home.

Investigators say they have received over 500 tips since last week. They now say despite their initial reports, it’s unclear if she ever made it home after she left school last Wednesday.

CHECK: Map Of Area | Timeline

Abby was seen leaving school at 2:29pm last Wednesday and exchanged a series of texts with a classmate between 2:23 and 2:53pm. At 2:35pm, she was seen walking on the power line trail from Eagle’s Way.

There were multiple unconfirmed reports of someone matching Abby’s description between 2:40 and 3:30pm walking on the North-South Highway.

Her last cell phone activity was at 3:07pm when she sent a text message to the same classmate on the west side of Cranmore Mountain.

Investigators are also asking the public to be on the lookout for Abby’s white iPhone 5 with a pink and grey case.

On Wednesday, multiple law enforcement officers were once again handing out fliers at a traffic stop in Conway and asking drivers and passengers questions. “It’s a terrible, horrible thing that’s happened,” said Ken Fowler, a driver at the traffic stop. “The more that can be done to get her home safely, the better off everybody is.”

Officers are hoping someone can shed some light on what happened to the high school freshman. With few answers, the community is hoping people don’t forget and they’re trying to keep attention on the case. Kellie Severy and Corey Taylor run Kellie’s Colorful Stitches. Their kids are also classmates of Abby. They’re turning out Bring Abby Home t-shirts and decals.

“We don’t want this to fall by the wayside,” said Taylor. The t-shirts are $18 with all proceeds going to a local organization that’s raising money for the Hernandez family. “I think that if that’s what we can do to help, then that’s what we want to do,” said Severy.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/10/16/fbi-to-release-new-information-in-search-for-missing-nh-girl/

Cops: NH teen missing 2 months wrote letter to mom


Saturday, December 07, 2013


Zenya Hernandez, center, and her daughter, Sarah Hernandez look at Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young, during a news conference Friday Dec. 6, 2013 in Concord, N.H. Young said missing teenager Abigail Hernandez wrote a letter to her mother Zenya postmarked Oct. 23 and was received by her mother Nov. 6.(AP Photo/Jim Cole)


CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - December 7, 2013 (WPVI) -- A teenager who disappeared nearly two months ago mailed her mother a letter several weeks after she was last seen, law enforcement officials said Friday.

The FBI and New Hampshire attorney general's office said 15-year-old Abigail Hernandez wrote her mother on Oct. 22. The letter was postmarked October 23, two weeks after she was last seen on Oct. 9, but the family didn't get the letter until November 6.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young said the delay may have been caused by the letter going to a post office box and not the Hernandez house.


Police said they didn't disclose the letter until they could verify it was authentic. They are not releasing the letter or any of the contents and won't say where it was mailed from.

Law enforcement officials said the letter, which they called unprecedented in similar investigations, has given them hope, though they still have "grave concerns" for her safety.

Abigail was last seen after leaving Kennett High School in North Conway. Police have said she walked her normal route toward home and sent several text messages to a friend between 2:30 and 3 p.m. At first, police said she made it home, but they later said she hadn't. Police also at first said she made a call about 6:30 p.m. that day but later said that, too, was wrong.

The last signal her phone sent was at 3:07 p.m. from the west side of Cranmore Mountain Resort, 2.5 miles from her home.

"Though she could have left willingly, someone now could be coercing her," said Kieran Ramsey, the FBI special agent in charge who is leading the investigation. "Someone now may be manipulating her."

Asked if Abigail had run away before, Young said: "This is not a characteristic that we have seen before from her."

Police asked people to be on the lookout for the dark-haired girl. They said neighbors should ask themselves whether a young woman had recently moved into the area.

Young said because Abigail has no financial means, police believe she's getting help "either from a friend or, as we fear, a foe."

"We implore Abby that if she hears this, if she's able to see this, contact us," she said. "We will do everything we can to reunite her with her mother. If it's a good citizen, a good Samaritan, who has her who thinks you're helping her, I can assure you, you're not."

Since she vanished, police have consistently said they have no evidence to suggest anything suspicious and are treating this as a missing-person's case.

A $20,000 reward and activation of the FBI's tip line, 1-800-CALL-FBI, have yielded a few leads but no solid information. Her family has made pleas for her safe return, and the community has rallied around them, holding vigils, helping search, printing posters and sponsoring billboards seeking information.


http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/national_world&id=9352471

Friends of Abby Hernandez publicly plead for her safe return
Hernandez missing since Oct. 9

By Jean Mackin
UPDATED 2:10 AM EDT Mar 19, 2014

NORTH CONWAY, N.H. —For the first time, friends of a missing North Conway teen are publicly pleading for the girl's safe return.

Abigail 'Abby' Hernandez, 15, was last seen leaving Kennett High School in October.

A video and three letters were posted on BringAbbyHome.com, describing how much the teen is missed

"Ever since you left, a blanket of depression has covered everyone in the school," one of the messages read.

"Wherever you are Abby, whatever you are doing, just know that we all love you and miss you so very much. I hope to hear very soon, that you have returned home safe and can’t wait to see you again," another letter read.

To read all of the messages, click here.


The video message ends with a reminder about the $20,000 reward for information leading to Abby, as well as a number to call with information: 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Read more: http://www.wmur.com/news/friends-of-abby-hernandez-publicaly-plead-for-her-safe-return/25038396#ixzz2wWzugD5h

Human Trafficking?

Abby's parents increase reward to $60,000

Published Date: Monday, 12 May 2014 06:33

CONWAY — The parents of missing teen Abby Hernandez have increased the reward for information leading to the return of their daughter by a combined $40,000. That $40,000 is on top of the $20,000 reward already being offered by the FBI. They hope the money will motivate someone with good information to step forward to authorities.

Hernandez disappeared on Oct. 9, 2013, which was shortly before her 15th birthday. She was last seen shortly after leaving Kennett High School. Since then, the teen sent one letter home and has not been heard from again. Law enforcement, ranging from the local police to the FBI have been involved in the search. National media outlets have run the story repeatedly.

Last week, Abby's mother, Zenya Hernandez, posted the information on the website dedicated to the search and return of the missing 15-year-old Kennett High freshman (http://www.bringabbyhome.com/reward-information).

Notes the website, "A $10,000 reward is being offered by Abigail Hernandez's mother for information leading to the safe return of Abigail to her home. This information must be concrete, specific, actionable, and lead to Abby's return home. This is in addition to the $20,000 reward offered by the FBI. Please write to zenyanh@gmail.com; call (603) 733-5195; or mail to P.O. Box 718, Glen 03838."

On Monday, Abby's father and Zenya's former husband, Ruben Hernandez, added to the pot. Ruben communicates about his daughter through Facebook.

"I am very grateful to Zenya and to the FBI for offering their respective rewards, and I agree with the motivation approach," wrote Ruben on his Facebook page. "So to add to the motivation, I am matching the two amounts by offering an additional $30,000 bringing the total reward to $60,000 for any information that leads to Abby's safe return." Ruben said the money is his own.

Zenya welcomes Ruben's contribution.

"I am grateful to Ruben for offering his reward, bringing the total to $ 60,000," said Zenya. "I pray that this catches attention of somebody who knows what happened, and that person comes forward. Please help us find Abby."

Zenya believes someone has some information about her daughter's disappearance and thinks it's too insignificant or is afraid to to tell police. Zenya does not believe Abby ran away. Zenya encourages people to give leads to law enforcement and asks people not to submit tips to other parties or post them on Facebook.

"All tips, leads, and clues are anonymously followed up on, no matter how vague or insignificant," said Zenya. "One of these leads/tips can and will lead to Abby's coming home, and then $10,000 will be paid by her mom, in addition to the $20,000 offered by the FBI."

Conway Sgt. Det. Chris Mattei of the Conway Police Department said Friday the case remains open and active.

"There is no change in the case. Det. (Suzanne) Scott, our lead officer on the case, is working on it daily," said Mattei. "As for the additional reward being offered by Zenya, we understand that she is going to continue to take steps to try and bring her daughter home, and we support those efforts."

On Monday afternoon, Kieran Ramsey, of the FBI, said no big tips have been submitted yet as a result of the new reward money, however it's still early and tips may come in.

"We continue to be hopeful," said Ramsey.

http://www.conwaydailysun.com/newsx/local-news/113102-abby-s-parents-increase-reward-to-60-000

New PHOTOS Released in Abigail Hernandez Case

NEWS CENTER, news source 2:43 p.m. EDT May 27, 2014

CONWAY, New Hampshire (NEWS CENTER) -- Zenya Hernandez, Abigail's mother, released new photos on Sunday.

Abigail Hernandez was last seen on October 9, 2013 as she was leaving Kennett High School in Conway, New Hampshire. A massive search including federal, state and local law enforcement turned up no sign of her. Police still consider this a missing persons case.

There is a reward offered for information leading to her safe return in the amount of $60,000. The reward is money from multiple sources; Zenya Hernandez ($10,000), the FBI ($20,000) and Abigail's father, Ruben Hernandez ($30,000).

Anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to contact the FBI.

http://www.wlbz2.com/story/news/local/2014/05/27/abigail-hernandezs-mother-releases-new-photos/9630317/

I just read on foxnewsboston.com that she returned home Sunday and they are investigating the details of her disappearance. AMAZING!!

Thank you! I'll post the article ...

Abigail Hernandez search: New Hampshire girl reunited with family

Published July 21, 2014
Associated Press

CONWAY, N.H. – A 15-year-old New Hampshire girl who disappeared while on her way home from school nine months ago is safely home with her family, the state attorney general said Monday.

Abigail Hernandez was reunited with her family on Sunday evening, Attorney General Joseph Foster said.

Foster said the family has asked for privacy. He said Abigail's mother, Zenya Hernandez, told authorities "today we are the happiest people on earth."

Police said Abigail was last seen Oct. 9 after leaving Kennett High School in Conway. Police said she walked her normal route toward her house and sent several texts between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. But she never made it home.

Police did reveal several months ago that she had written home to her mother. When the letter surfaced, FBI Special Agent In Charge Kieran Ramsey said there was the possibility that Abigail had run away but that someone could still be coercing her into staying away from home.

In a brief statement, Foster said the criminal investigation in Abigail's disappearance will continue.

After Abigail disappeared, police initially said she made it home, but later said she hadn't. Police also at first said she made a call about 6:30 p.m. that day but later said that, too, was wrong.

After she vanished, police consistently said they had no evidence to suggest anything suspicious and were treating her disappearance as a missing-person's case.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/21/abigail-hernandez-search-new-hampshire-girl-reunited-with-family/

Did Abigail run away because she was pregnant?  Did she have a baby?

Where Was Missing Teen Abigail Hernandez for the Past 9 Months?

Jul 22, 2014, 12:06 PM ET
By MEGHAN KENEALLY

Questions surround the return of a teenage girl who disappeared on her walk home from school nine months ago.

Abigail Hernandez vanished when she left her school in Conway, New Hampshire, on Oct. 9 and, aside from one letter to her mother this winter, there had been no indication by officials that there was any trace of her until she was reunited with her parents on Sunday.

Investigators were remaining tight-lipped about the 15-year-old's return, refusing to even say how the girl was reunited with her mother, Zenya Hernandez.

"We have said from the beginning and we continue to believe that this was a 14-year-old girl who went missing in October," Associate Attorney General Jane Young told ABC News. "She was gone for nine months. She didn't have the means to orchestrate and facilitate this on her own."

Abigail's whereabouts during her disappearance remain a mystery, with the only two locations publicly connected to the case being her school, Kennett High School in North Conway, New Hampshire, and her mother's home in Conway.

According to the website established to bring attention to her case, Abigail was last seen walking on a path near a power line near her school at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 9. Her final text to a friend was sent at 2:57 p.m. that afternoon and her cell network noted last contact with the phone at 3:07 p.m.

She did not have money, IDs or any additional sets of clothes with her when she went missing, according to the website.

The biggest break in the case appeared to come in November when, according to officials, her mother received a letter from Abby postmarked in late October.

"Our worst fear right now is that while she could have left willingly, someone may now be coercing her, someone may now be manipulating her," FBI Special Agent In Charge Kieran Ramsey said in a December press conference detailing the letter. "When we received this letter, I'll tell you it was unprecedented. ... It gave us hope."

That hope was rewarded Sunday when Abigail was reunited with her sister and mother, who said, "Today, we are the happiest people on earth."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-teen-abigail-hernandez-past-months/story?id=24661804

Police asking for help after N.H. teen reunited with family

Posted: Jul 22, 2014 4:18 PM CDT
Updated: Jul 22, 2014 11:58 PM CDT
Reported by Cheryl Fiandaca

CONWAY, N.H. (WHDH) - Police in Conway, New Hampshire, are asking for the public's health to help them identify what happened in the hours before missing 15-year-old Abigail Hernandez was reunited with her family.

Police say Hernandez was wearing a grey striped shirt, black pants and carrying a National Guard backpack when she was reunited with her family Sunday night.

Police are asking for anyone who may have seen her Sunday night to call them at (603) 356-5715.

Police have not said if they know why Hernandez disappeared for 9 months, who she was with or where she went and say they are still involved in an active criminal investigation.

http://www.whdh.com/story/26084982/police-asking-for-help-after-nh-teen-reunited-with-family

Abby says man drove her away

Published Date Friday, 25 July 2014 18:44
By Daymond Steer

Police say they don't know if she was enticed, detained or concealed.

CONWAY – CONWAY – Police are looking for the man who last fall apparently drove away with 14-year-old Abby Hernandez, but they say they don’t know if she was taken against her will.

The teen returned Sunday after being missing for about nine months. Law enforcement asks the public to remain vigilant because the investigation is going.

During the time she was missing, Abby Hernandez, now 15, sent one letter to her mother at the end of October but had not been heard from again until Sunday when she reappeared. The mystery of what happened has generated international media attention.

Police say according to information from Abby, the man depicted in the sketch "drove her away" on Oct. 9 between 2:20 and 3 p.m. on Oct. 9. At the time, the man was driving a navy blue pick-up truck on North South Road in Conway, north of the rotary. Abby described the man as having darkish skin, dark brown eyes, black stubble facial hair, and a large build, who was slightly overweight and slightly taller than she was (5'4").

"While the investigation remains on-going, law enforcement authorities are still attempting to ascertain and confirm information as to whether this man or any others who may have been involved with Abigail's disappearance took her against her will, enticed her away, detained her or concealed her whereabouts for the last nine months," read a statement from investigators on Thursday afternoon.

Law enforcement is also asking if anyone saw a woman (Abby) in black pants and a multicolored sweatshirt walking on the North-South Roadlate Sunday night. Abby wore the same clothes the day she vanished.

Conway Police Chief Ed Wagner declined to discuss whether the man in sketch is danger to the public, but he remind people to remain vigilant. "All we're saying right now is in the press release," he said.

Investigators stress Abby was only 14 at the time she disappeared and that she did not have the means to disappear or  provide herself with food and shelter.

"It is a felony for any person to take, (or cause to) entice away, detain or conceal any child under the age of 18 who is unrelated by blood," said the statement. "Should the investigation reveal evidence that a crime was committed, in regard to any aspect of this investigation, then all appropriate charges will be brought."

Attorney General Foster said, "We are all pleased Abigail was returned safely to her family. Law enforcement officers must now obtain satisfactory answers to the questions surrounding the facts and circumstances of Abigail's disappearance and nine month absence. The individual or individuals who were involved with her disappearance and absence will now have to face the consequences of any unlawful actions Finding these answers and assuring the perpetrator is brought to justice will help ensure a similar act is not committed against another child."

On Wednesday, Associate New Hampshire Attorney General Jane Young said authorities are still looking for Abby Hernandez's iPhone and necklace.

In December, authorities have asked the public for help searching for Hernandez's silver necklace. The necklace that had a pendent with a blue heart. Abby had a white iphone 5 with a pink and grey Otterbox style case.

Her phone last made contact with the cellular network on the West side of Cranmore Mountain at 3:07 p.m. the day she vanished.

Investigation costs

Earlier in the day, Police Chief Ed Wagner estimated the cost of the investigation borne by his agency was about $20,000 in 2013, but stressed the results were worth it. Wagner couldn't guess what the investigation cost overall. There were a number of other agencies involved like the state police and FBI.

"I really have no idea how much the cost was," said Wagner. "I'm going to go back in the memory bank and (it was) probably somewhere around there. I want to make it very clear that I'm not grumbling about it."

Wagner said they are putting in a lot of hours trying to get to the bottom of the mystery. They are still working on it and there is still over time involved in the investigation. The detectives work the case from Sun up till midnight.

"We're more than happy to do it," said Wagner. "We just want to find out in the end what happened. We're certainly glad she came home safe."

Wagner said if there were a criminal defendant in this case, that person would not be asked to pay restitution since the police are paid to solve cases anyway.

"It's what we do," said Wagner. "It's our job."

Wagner said police cannot predict cases like the Krista Dittmeyer murder, Abby's disappearance or the Army Barracks triple murder before they happen. So, people need to be aware of what's going on around them.

"We need to be ever vigilant of our surroundings," said Wagner adding people should report anything suspicious.

Meanwhile, close friends of the Hernandez family, Paul Kirsch and Amanda Smith, put out a statement on the Bring Abby Home Facebook page saying the Hernandez family is continuing to "recover and rest." They also appealed to the public to be patient as they wait for more information to become available.

"Many people have been requesting specific answers and details as to exactly what happened to Abby," wrote Smith and Kirsch. "While we appreciate the desire for answers, this is still very much an ongoing law enforcement investigation and no details can be released that could jeopardize the integrity of their work."

The statement says they have taken direction from law enforcement about how to conduct their efforts to help the family.

"Abby being reunited with her family on Sunday is a testament to us that this process has worked and (we) continue to believe they are acting in Abby's best interests," wrote Smith and Kirsch. "As we receive more information from them, we will share it as soon as we can."

Jonathan Goodwin, of Gemini Signs, said on Thursday he'd be removing the Abby sign he erected on Route 16 in Albany.

Anyone with information about Abby's walk along the North-South Road is encouraged to call Conway Police at 356-5715 or State Police at 271-3636.

http://www.berlindailysun.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50577:abby-says-man-drove-her-away&catid=103:local-news&Itemid=442

Authorities release sketch in Abigail Hernandez case

By John R. Ellement and Evan Allen, GLOBE STAFF  
JULY 24, 2014



Investigators are looking for this man in connection with the disappearance of Abigail Hernandez.


Law enforcement officials investigating the disappearance of New Hampshire teenager Abigail Hernandez released a sketch Thursday of a man they say drove the girl away in a pickup truck on Oct. 9.

Hernandez, now 15, was missing for nine months; she was reunited with her family Sunday.

“We are all pleased Abigail was returned safely to her family,” New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph A. Foster said in a statement accompanying the sketch. “The individual or individuals who were involved with her disappearance and absence will now have to face the consequences of any unlawful actions.”

Hernandez told investigators that the man in the sketch was driving a navy blue pickup truck on North-South Road in Conway, north of the rotary, when he drove her away between 2:20 and 2:30 p.m., according to the statement. She described him as slightly overweight and a little taller than her 5 feet 4 inches, with a large build, darkish skin, dark brown eyes, and black stubble facial hair.

Officials have said little about where Hernandez has been. On Thursday, supporters said in a statement posted to bringabbyhome.com that they know people want to find out what happened to the teenager during the past nine months, but because law enforcement is continuing its investigation into her disappearance and return, they will not be commenting for now.

“Many people have been requesting specific answers and details as to exactly what happened to Abby,’’ said the statement, signed by Amanda Smith and Paul Kirsch. “While we appreciate the desire for answers, this is still very much an ongoing law enforcement investigation, and no details can be released that could jeopardize the integrity of their work.’’

The website has been endorsed by Hernandez’s mother, Zenya, and the girl’s father, Ruben. It has served as the primary source of information from relatives of the teenager since she went missing, after leaving Kennett High School in North Conway.

In the statement, supporters thanked the public for its support.

“We want to thank everyone for their continued support for the Hernandez family as they recover and rest from this long ordeal,’’ the statement said.

Supporters said that while Abigail was missing, her family and friends followed the advice of law enforcement officials, including the FBI and local police, on what to share with the public and are continuing to do so.

“During the last nine months we have fully supported and taken direction from law enforcement on ways to proceed that were in the best interest of Abby’s safety and return to her family,’’ supporters said on the website. “Abby being reunited with her family on Sunday is a testament to us that this process has worked and continue to believe they are acting in Abby’s best interests. As we receive more information from them, we will share it as soon as we can.’’

The statement ended with an implicit appeal: “We thank you for your patience.’’

Earlier this week, authorities released pictures of clothes the teenager was wearing when she reappeared Sunday and said they are reviewing surveillance video from around the family home to “gain answers to the many questions” in the case.

Investigators have asked anyone who saw her between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Sunday wearing a colorful striped sweater and black leggings. They appear to be the same clothes Hernandez wore before she disappeared in October, a few days before her 15th birthday, authorities said.

Jane E. Young, an associate attorney general in New Hampshire, said this week that police are also looking for more video of the Hernandez home and asked residents who have video security systems to provide tapes to investigators.

Anyone with information about the man in the sketch is asked to contact the New Hampshire State Police at 603-271-3636 or the Conway Police Department at 603-356-5715.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/07/24/abigail-hernandez-supporters-ask-for-patience-while-police-probe-disappearance-and-return/oWB8iP3dNr8sf1CnW5VBJO/story.html

Man arrested, charged in Abigail Hernandez case

By Zachary T. Sampson, GLOBE CORRESPONDENT  
JULY 28, 2014

A 34-year-old man was arrested shortly after noon today and charged with kidnapping Abigail Hernandez, the New Hampshire teen who was missing for nine months before being returned to her family in Conway last week.

Nathaniel E. Kibby was taken into custody at his home in Gorham, N.H., the New Hampshire attorney general’s office said in a statement. He is expected to be arraigned in Conway Tuesday afternoon.

“Over the course of the past week, law enforcement officers have worked around the clock to ascertain the facts and circumstances surrounding Abigail’s disappearance and return,” the attorney general’s office said.

“Abigail Hernandez provided the police with details of her kidnapping sufficient to warrant today’s arrest.”

Authorities asked anyone with information about Kibby and activity at his residence since October 9, 2013, the day Hernandez was taken, to contact New Hampshire State Police at 603-271-3636 or the Conway police at 603-356-5715. No information about how Hernandez came to be reunited with her family was immediately released.

Earlier today, Hernandez said in a statement that she was thankful “beyond words” for the people who helped search for her during the nine months she was missing after her mysterious disappearance on the way home from her New Hampshire high school.

“I wish that I could personally thank everyone who looked for me. My gratitude is beyond words,” she said. “It’s an incredible feeling to be home and I believe in my heart that your hopes and prayers played a major role in my release. Thank you all for the welcome home.”


http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/07/28/abigail-hernandez-grateful-beyond-words-for-help-search/rSJMDgt1FgV1t2bQvsJWoL/story.html

This is good news.  I have sooooo many unanswered questions.

Did she know him?  

Why did he keep her so long?

Why did he finally let her go?

I read yesterday about a lady who was mentally challenged.  A man and a woman had kidnapped her and held her captive since 2012.  They stole her monthly disability check.  She was beaten, raped, forced to clean house and many other horrible things.  

It is scary to think about how many people are kept captive and none of us know about it yet, maybe never will.

Thank God Abigail is safe in her own home with her family, once again.  She will be scarred forever but hopefully will get the help she needs to learn to put the past behind her and move forward.  God bless her in her endeavor.

Nathaniel Kibby: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Published 3:52 pm EDT, July 28, 2014
Updated 5:53 pm EDT, July 28, 2014
By Paul Farrell

A 34-year-old man has been arrested in the case of Abigail Hernandez, the 15-year-old girl who went missing for nine months from her home in Conway, New Hampshire.

Nathaniel E. Kibby of Gorham, New Hampshire, is in custody and charged with kidnapping.

Here’s what we know about this breaking story.

1. He’s Accused of ‘Knowingly Confining’ Hernandez

Kibby is charged with felony kidnapping “knowingly confining Abigail Hernandez on October 9, 2013, in Conway, New Hampshire, with a purpose to commit an offense against her.”

A press release from the New Hampshire Attorney General states that Kibby was arrested at 12:04 p.m. today at his home at 4 Brookside Drive in Gorham, New Hampshire.

Police executed a search warrant at the house.

Kibby will be arraigned at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Conway District Court.

Anyone with information about Kibby “and any activity at his residence since October 9, 2013,” is urged call New Hampshire State Police at 603-271-3636 or Conway Police at 603-356-5715.

2. High School Classmates Describe Him as an Outcast

A few days before her 15th birthday, Hernandez disappeared while walking home from Kennett High School.

New Hampshire Today reports Kibby also attended Kennett High School, many years earlier, and that his classmates describe him as an outcast.

Hernandez was found alive and well on July 19 and reunited with her family.

At the time, cops said they suspected she had been confined during the intervening months but provided few details.

3. Abby’s Statements to Police Led to Kibby’s Arrest

  Abigail Hernandez Police Sketch

Above is the sketch police released last week of the man sought in the kidnapping.

While Kibby is far from an exact match, investigators say “Hernandez provided the police with details of her kidnapping sufficient to warrant (the) arrest.”

In a July 24 statement, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office described the wanted man:

Law enforcement authorities have been provided information from Abigail Hernandez that the man depicted in the sketch drove her away on October 9, 2013, between 2:20 and 3:00 pm. At the time, the man was driving a navy blue pick-up truck on North South Road in Conway, north of the rotary. Abigail described the man as having darkish skin, dark brown eyes, black stubble facial hair, and a large build, who was slightly overweight and slightly taller than she was (5’4″).

4. It’s Unclear How Long Kibby Allegedly Held Hernandez

Details are still scarce at this point, and authorities have not tied up the many loose ends of the mysterious story. It’s unknown whether Kibby allegedly held Hernandez for the entire nine months she was missing, how he held her, or how she escaped captivity.

In the week of December 2, 2013, just under two months after Abby disappeared, Kibby appeared in court and paid a $350 fine for marijuana possession.

Additional records show Kibby paid a speeding fine in 2009.

5. Abby’s Mom Went on the ‘Today’ Show This Morning to Insist Her Daughter Did Not Run Away

Abigail’s mother, Zenya Hernandez, went on NBC’s Today show on the same day the arrest was announced, breaking the family’s silence. She made is clear that her daughter did not run away and said Abby returned to her family in failing health.

Abby released this statement ahead of the interview:

I wish that I could personally thank everyone who looked for me. My gratitude is beyond words. It’s an incredible feeling to be home and I believe in my heart that your hopes and prayers played a major role in my release. Thank you all for the welcome home.

–Abby

http://heavy.com/news/2014/07/nathaniel-kibby-abigail-hernandez-kidnapping-conway-nh-new-hampshire/

Teen's Alleged Kidnapper Arrested Twice While She Was Missing



MEGHAN KENEALLY
Wednesday, July 30, 2014

The man charged with kidnapping a New Hampshire teenager Abigail Hernandez was arrested twice during the nine months that she was missing, court records indicate.

Nathaniel Kibby, 34, was ordered held today on $1 million bail after being arraigned on a charge of kidnapping Hernandez last year. The charging document says Kibby "confined (Hernandez) with a purpose to commit an offense against her." His lawyer declined to enter a plea.

The affidavit detailing the case was sealed, but the prosecutor told the judge it was a "unique case and this bail is more than warranted."


Hernandez, who was 14 at the time, disappeared as she was walking home from Kennett High School in Conway on Oct. 9, 2013. She returned home on July 20 after nine months. She is now 15.

While Kibby sat at the defense table in an orange jail jumpsuit, his alleged victim sat with her mother, Zenya Hernandez, in the front row of the courtroom. This marked the first time that the teenager has been seen in public since she arrived home on July 20.

Kibby has a lengthy criminal history, the majority of which took place when he was 17-years-old. These charges included six criminal trespassing cases, two counts of receiving stolen property, providing false information to purchase a firearm and theft, all of which were misdemeanors, court documents state. During that time his address was a post office box in North Conway, which is adjacent to Hernandez's hometown.

But records show that Kibby two run-ins with police during the nine months that Hernandez was missing.

He was charged with marijuana possession on Oct. 22. That arrest took place in North Conway, which is 34 miles away from Kibby's current home in a trailer park in Gorham, N.H. Kibby was scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 3, 2013 in connection to the marijuana charge and documents state that he entered a guilty plea and paid $434 to cover his fine and fees.

On March 3, 2014, he faced criminal charges for simple assault and criminal trespass. Kibby later wrote a letter to the sheriff's office explaining that it was in connection to an automobile accident with a man identified as Eric Ray. The charging documents accused Kibby of "shoving" Ray's wife, Tammy Shackford, to the ground and he subsequently accepted a negotiated plea deal where he paid a $1,000 fine and agreed not to contact Ray or his wife.

In the letter that he sent to the sheriff's office, Kibby insisted he remained calm throughout the aftermath of the March 3 accident and claimed Ray was trumping up the charges.

"I considered informing (Eric Ray) I was armed with a carry pistol, but decided against it. I tried to sympathize with his anger and felt it was best to turn the cheek," Kibby wrote in the letter.

In the letter, Kibby wrote, "This is not a joke. It is not frivolous. This is not filed in spite, but out of a genuine concern for my safety and for my property."

The case was settled on July 23, 2014, just three days after Hernandez arrived home to her mother's house.

The Hernandez family put out a statement after her return saying that she is safe though she has lost a lot of weight and is unable to eat solid food.


http://abc7.com/news/teens-alleged-kidnapper-arrested-twice-while-she-was-missing/226421/

After nine-month kidnap ordeal, New Hampshire teen feeling 'better'

© AP Photo: Charles Krupa​
4 hr ago | By Scott Malone of Reuters

BOSTON (Reuters) - A New Hampshire teenager who reappeared mysteriously after a nine-month kidnapping ordeal told her hometown newspaper that she was "feeling a lot better every day" and re-adjusting to life back home in the mountain town of Conway.

Abigail Hernandez, 15, told the Conway Daily Sun she had seen its coverage of her disappearance and that it gave her hope, the newspaper reported on Friday.

Hernandez declined to discuss her case in detail, the paper reported. State prosecutors on Monday arrested a 34-year-old man, Nathaniel Kibby of the nearby town of Gorham, and charged him with felony kidnapping in the incident.

"I'm taking it a little at a time but I'm feeling a lot better every day," Hernandez said. "I'd just like to be treated like a normal person."

Authorities have released few details of Hernandez' disappearance on Oct. 9 after she left Kennett High School or the circumstances of her return home on July 20.

Hernandez made her first public appearance after returning home on Tuesday, looking frail and thin during an appearance in Conway District Court at Kibby's arraignment hearing.

She could not be reached for comment on Friday.

In a photo in the Conway Daily Sun on Friday she wore a T-shirt bearing the slogan "C.S.I. Can't Stand Idiots."

(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Doina Chiacu)


http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/01/us-usa-new-hampshire-teen-idUSKBN0G149220140801