In 1991, Jaycee Lee Dugard was abducted while heading to her school bus stop in South Lake Tahoe, California. Phillip Craig Garrido, a convicted sex offender, kidnapped her and subsequently held her captive for nearly two decades. Garrido had been on parole for previous crimes and, despite having an extensive criminal record, was able to escape law enforcement scrutiny. During her captivity, Dugard was kept in a hidden area in Garrido's back yard, where she endured a range of abuses. She gave birth to two daughters during her time in captivity, who were raised without knowledge of their mother’s prior life away from Garrido's property.

The disappearance of Jaycee prompted large-scale searches and significant media attention throughout the years. Despite multiple investigations and plea from her family, there were no leads that proved fruitful. It wasn’t until 2009 that her case took a turn. Garrido, alongside his wife Nancy, was confronted by authorities due to suspicious behavior during a visit to a local parole office, leading to the discovery of Jaycee and her children. Jaycee was eventually found alive, a revelation that shocked the world given the time elapsed since her disappearance.

The case garnered national headlines and brought attention to issues surrounding abductions, the handling of sex offenders, and the overall effectiveness of law enforcement in missing person cases. The eventual discovery of Jaycee revived interest in numerous missing child cases and underscored the importance of community involvement in such situations. The remarkable resilience demonstrated by Jaycee Lee Dugard following her captivity highlighted the complexities of recovery and reintegration into society after long-term trauma.