Skip to main content

Man charged in teen’s 9-month disappearance

By WTOP Staff

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.

___

Associated Press writer Holly Ramer contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote