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Childhood kidnap survivor finds peace 20 years later

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    Katie Beers describes how her horrific ordeal allowed her to escape life of abuse in new book

  • Duration 6:06
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Tonight Katie Beers who twenty years ago as a nine year old little girl spent seventeen days sexually abused and held captive in an underground -- and how she survived is a tribute to her after twenty years she's telling her incredible story -- here from Katie Beers in just a moment but first.

A look at the New York kidnapping case that -- the entire nation two decades ago.

Her harrowing story of abuse and imprisonment gripped our area twenty years ago this week -- was just nine years old when she was kidnapped.

The defendants maybe it was premeditated.

Celebration outrageous.

It was in late December of 1992 when Katie was plunged into the cells as the Zito admits he built specifically to Hauser.

He claimed he wanted to rescue her from childhood abuse and I couldn't rescue him from jail time prosecutors say he imprisoned her when she spurned his sexual advances.

You know I think.

You can do.

Terrorize.

And frightening thing.

Some strange perhaps.

We're way it's you we that in the end -- pro life the best thing about what you do.

-- was a victim even before she was kidnapped she lived with her -- Linda and Linda's husband selling -- -- -- sexually abused -- Then family friend John Esposito took fears and capture an underground bunker he built beneath his -- for weeks until she was found by police.

Katie did not have to testify in this case.

But a similar plea bargain deal with another family friend selling to Larry broke down she took the stand that sex abuse trial.

He was found guilty and faces up to fourteen years in jail.

Extra performance power in.

-- destroy you didn't show.

This child was determined that's not only survive.

But can thrive and she has done just got.

Katie Beers went on to graduate from college get married and have children on her own.

Katie -- tells all in her new book buried memories she inner co author reporter Caroline -- -- joined us good evening to both via.

-- evening at a Katie -- it's in the book -- I don't know.

-- a crime is so unthinkable that it's it's almost impossible to even talk about it but in in reading your book and and we want -- as the quotes you say.

Being abducted it was -- one of the best things that could have happened to me in my life why do you say that.

The reason for that statement is it because it brought me -- -- my support system my parents and my therapist.

It got me out of the abusive situation that I was in between.

Says -- sexual abuse -- -- got mothers husbands by the emotional physical and verbal abuse by my godmother herself.

Eight and gotten out of that situation and it to a stable environment where I can recover and then go on with the child.

Yes erasing the actress so against -- and what you've done with their life is so magnificent and in the -- -- what you've done I'm curious -- -- How I reached out and you -- minute after suffering seventeen days in a dungeon chain.

Sexually abused not known -- real live or die game and celebrating your -- birthday there.

Mean we know why why are you able to what what is it about you that they were so -- -- to prevail so magnificently.

I think it.

Is that I sustained throughout my entire childhood a bit and a warped way prepared me at.

For the abduction in that -- is it coming it made me stronger.

It Mamie street wise.

And it ultimately it.

Unfortunately.

-- helped me get for everything.

He.

Carolina I'm you met her mother -- neglected her what do you think about it.

Yeah I did I extensively interviewed Marilyn -- is her biological mother and I -- think in some way is Maryland.

You know was just ill equipped for.

For motherhood.

And the book is somewhat sympathetic to her and Marilyn didn't physically or sexually abused her child abuse Katie she.

She desperately -- severely neglected her.

She was.

Single mother she was working two jobs certainly not to excuse what she did.

But in some ways all these years later Marilyn.

Has some resilience about her as well.

That in the book we talk about extensively that perhaps Katie.

Inherited.

Some tougher constitution some of her her thick skin in a way to -- Beers.

It can't Katie -- cell though the man who -- -- first before your kidnapped he died in prison.

I'm John asked -- -- -- understand it he's still alive.

Any thoughts about him amid debt.

Yeah has he tried to get touching anything twisted like that.

Hours he did so.

-- your history that he's gone.

Come to my knowledge she has not tried to contact me with that being sad that my parents have kept me so shouts heard it from every -- The first eight years that I looked at them and still continue into Saturday Caroline actually contacted.

Hands up for the book to see if he would -- be willing to do an interview which she declines -- credit have been declining he actually wrote back to me saying.

Really it once again saying that it was about him that you know -- if we write this book if he writes this book his life will be made.

Difficult.

So Katie hill once again the focus he was focused on himself and.

-- decision doesn't give a shout out to your Foster parents because after -- -- system and they worry the stabilizing factor -- that they would they became a famine that they did they were wonderful people.

RI Armey thank.

And indeed there when the book is buried memories and I don't want take you through the tortured events the book you have people can read about it now and I had said -- us -- celebrate the out that this is -- -- ended up to be in a bizarre -- a good story you that's a story about success.

Carolyn -- thank you both thank you got to ask you.