Starlet Dugard is the younger daughter of Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was kidnapped at the age of 11 in 1991 while walking to her school bus stop. Her mother remained missing for 18 years, enduring a horrific ordeal that would leave a lasting impact on their lives.
Starlet and her older sister, Angel, were born during their mother’s nearly two decades of captivity by convicted sex offender Phillip Garrido and his wife, Nancy. Her mother was forced to homeschool them while being held captive. She told them she was their older sister, while Garrido’s wife posed as their mother.
When they were finally rescued in 2009, Starlet was 12 years old, and her sister was 15. They had to grapple with the immense challenge of reintegrating into society after spending a major part of their lives in captivity.
Starlet Dugard’s Background
Starlet Dugard, 27, was born on November 17, 1997, in California, to Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was tragically being held captive by Phillip Garrido and his wife, Nancy. Her older sister, Angel, was born three years earlier under similar circumstances.
Life for Starlet and her sister was far from normal. Confined to the Garrido’s property, they were homeschooled by their mother, Jaycee. To shield them from the harsh reality of their situation, her mother made the heartbreaking decision to tell them that Nancy was their mother and she was their older sister.
As time passed, they were gradually allowed some interaction with the outside world, but they continued to live under the false identities they had been given. This added another layer of complexity to their already challenging situation.
Finally, in 2009, after years in captivity, Starlet, her mother, and her sister were rescued. She was 12 at the time. The experience had a profound impact on them, and they faced a long and difficult journey towards healing and rebuilding their lives.
How Her Family Regained Freedom
In August 2009, Phillip Garrido, a registered sex offender on parole, visited the University of California, Berkeley, with two young girls, Starlet and Angel. A campus officer noticed something strange about the girls and Garrido, who was trying to hold a program there.
A background check revealed Garrido’s past convictions, and the girls’ pale appearance and unusual behavior raised further concerns. The officer called his parole office, and agents were sent to Garrido’s house. They found his wife, Nancy, and his mother, but Garrido lied, claiming the girls belonged to a relative.
Despite violating his parole, Garrido was initially allowed to go after a review. However, the next day, he returned with his wife, Nancy, the girls, and their mother, who was actually Jaycee Lee Dugard, whom Garrido had kidnapped 18 years earlier.
Fearing for her own safety and the safety of her daughters, Jaycee initially withheld her true identity during questioning. However, when Garrido finally confessed to her kidnapping, Jaycee felt safe enough to reveal herself as Jaycee Lee Dugard. This revelation led to the arrest of both Garrido and Nancy and a joyous reunion between Jaycee and her mother, who had never given up hope of finding her daughter.
Garrido and his wife were arrested, while Jaycee and her daughters were finally free. Two years later, Garrido was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison, and his wife received a 36-year sentence.
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Where Is Starlet Now?
It has been over a decade since Starlet, her sister, and their mother were freed from their captors. Now in her late twenties, Starlet deliberately avoids social media, leaving her current life a mystery.
The first and probably only publicly documented glimpse of Starlet and her family together came in 2016. They were seen enjoying a casual afternoon of window shopping and lunch near their Northern California home. This marked their first public appearance since their liberation in 2009. Additionally, unconfirmed reports suggested that Starlet and her sister were pursuing higher education at the time.
Her Mother Wrote About Their Experiences In The Book A Stolen Life: A Memoir
Starlet’s mother wrote two powerful books about her experience. Her first book, A Stolen Life: A Memoir, published in 2011, details the harrowing ordeal of her abduction, sexual abuse, and years spent in captivity. The book received critical acclaim but also warnings about its disturbing content. Reviewer Andy Lewis described the story as emotionally tough and advised readers to be prepared for its weight. He found the book so overwhelming that he had to take breaks while reading and cried at the end.
Five years later, her mother published another book titled Freedom: My Book of Firsts. This book chronicles her inspiring journey of rebuilding her life and reintegrating into society after her long captivity. In the book, she describes the challenges and triumphs of everyday experiences that most people take for granted, from driving a car to simply going grocery shopping.
In addition to writing, her mother has also dedicated herself to helping others who have experienced similar traumas. In 2011, she established the JAYC Foundation, which provides support and resources to families of kidnapping and abduction victims. Her foundation’s mission is to help families heal, rebuild their lives, and find hope for the future. Jaycee’s dedication to helping others was recognized at the 2012 DVF Awards, where she received a Lifetime Leadership award.
