San Diego Teen Found Safe “Victim of a Horrific Crime”

San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said 16-year-old Hannah has been under extreme stress

The father of a San Diego teenage girl who was missing for nearly a week said the healing process will be slow for his daughter Hannah.

"No one should have to do this," said Brett Anderson, who just returned from Cascade, Idaho, where 16-year-old Hannah was being held against her will by 40-year-old arson and murder suspect James DiMaggio.

Anderson thanked multiple law enforcement agencies for the safe return of his daughter, and said that the widespread use of social media and media coverage played a part in finding his daughter.

"This did make a difference," he said Monday.

San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore also spoke, saying that Hannah is a victim of a "horrific" crime.

"During our law enforcement interviews with Hannah, it became very clear to us that she is a victim in every sense of the word in this horrific crime," Gore said. "She was not a willing participant. She was in extreme duress from the time she was taken from Boulevard to the time she was rescued in Idaho."

Officials would not answer specific questions about the investigation, saying that they still had to interview people and check areas of the crime scene.

Officials said that DiMaggio burned his own home on Aug. 4 in Boulevard, Calif., killing Hannah’s mother and 8-year-old brother.

A widespread Amber Alert was set for Hannah and her brother Ethan while authorities searched for DiMaggio. It was later revealed that Ethan had died in the house fire, and DiMaggio was traveling with Hannah alone.

Timeline: Searching for Hannah Anderson

While the nationwide manhunt for DiMaggio was in place, Anderson publicly spoke and said, “Hannah, we all love you very much. If you have a chance, you take it. You run. You’ll be found.”

DiMaggio took Hannah to a rural part of Idaho, hid his car and spent multiple days in the woods camping with the teen before authorities fatally shot him

Anderson was able to reunite with his daughter in an Idaho hospital before taking her home to San Diego. 

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