LYNNE TUOHY
Associated Press
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire man was arrested Monday and charged with kidnapping 15-year-old Abigail “Abby” Hernandez more than nine months ago sometime after she left Kennett High School in Conway.
Nathaniel Kibby, 34, was arrested without incident at his Gorham home, about 30 miles north of where the girl lives, and was charged with felony kidnapping, authorities said.
Police allege Kibby knowingly confined Abby, then 14, on Oct. 9, sometime after she left school to walk to her home in North Conway. Abby returned home the night of July 20, but authorities have not explained the circumstances of her return.
Attorney General Joseph Foster said Monday law enforcement officials have worked around the clock to determine the facts surrounding the girl’s disappearance and return. He said Abby provided the police with details of her kidnapping that led to Kibby’s arrest.
Kibby is scheduled for arraignment Tuesday at Conway District Court. It was not immediately known if Kibby has a lawyer. Foster said he will have a press briefing after the arraignment.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young, who heads the criminal bureau, would not comment on what Kibby does for a living or supply other details about his background. She said details would come out in court Tuesday.
A phone number associated with Kibby was not in service.
In an interview earlier on NBC’s “Today,” Abby’s mother, Zenya Hernandez, said that when her daughter returned home, she was thin and pale and had “a look in her eyes I’ve never, ever seen before. And that’s something that’s haunting me, and I think will haunt me for the rest of my life.”
Abby also issued a statement, which was posted on Facebook, thanking people who searched for her and saying she believes their hopes and prayers “played a major role in my release.”
Zenya Hernandez said she believes Abby did not run away and didn’t know the man believed to have driven off with her. Police released a sketch of him last week based on Abby’s description. The mother also said that rumors that her daughter was pregnant aren’t true.
Young said that when the girl disappeared, she apparently had no way to get about or secure food, shelter or other necessities on her own. She said that Abby “went dark” and could not be traced through social media for the duration of her absence.
However, police revealed several months ago that Abby had written home to her mother. When the letter surfaced, FBI agent Kieran Ramsey said it was possible the girl had run away but that someone could be coercing her into staying away. Police have not revealed the contents of the letter.
Several in Kibby’s neighborhood said they weren’t well acquainted with him.
“He seemed to be nice, down to earth. He was very polite,” said Roger Lawrence, 66, who lives in the same mobile home park as Kibby.
Lawrence said he met him last summer while Kibby was walking his dog. He said they exchanged pleasantries. He said he didn’t see Kibby all winter, but saw him Saturday, walking past his home to get his mail.
Lawrence said he was shocked to hear of the arrest.
“No words can explain it. I was ready to wring his neck,” he said. “I was wondering what happened to that little girl myself, seeing it on the news, thinking ‘Where could she have gone?'”
Another neighbor, Raylene Beaulieu said she had not seen Kibby during the time the teenager was missing and had not seen him much before then.
“He pretty much kept to himself,” she said.
She was surprised to hear of his arrest.
“I can see his trailer from mine, and I had no idea,” she said.
Donald St. Germain, who lives three trailers down from Kibby’s home, said he doesn’t know Kibby.
“The only time I saw him was this spring when he had to fix the roof on his trailer,” the 76-year-old St. Germain said.
Around noon Monday, St. Germain noticed police in the mobile home park and he was later interviewed by FBI agents, he said.
Police still had both ends of Kibby’s street blocked off hours after the arrest.
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Associated Press writer Holly Ramer contributed to this report.
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