The First Man-made Trauma Study with Children: Terr’s Chowchilla Kidnapping Study

Abstract

1 In the summer of 1976, 26 children were kidnapped and held in a van for 11 h. Later, they were buried in a hole for 23 h. They finally dug out of the ceiling hole and managed to escape. The children had spent about 36 h away from their community. Their parents did not receive any news regarding their children for 27 h. The children were later taken to a nearby prison for treatment and physical checkups. No one died or was seriously injured, but the total period of separation was about 43 h.