Chowchilla survivor Jodi Heffington tells her story | Forensic Files

[Music] foreign [Music] it's a hard thing to explain because I'd never been around guns you only seen bad
guys in the movies with stockings on you know so I knew it wasn't good when it was my turn to get on the van he
stopped me he held a shotgun to my stomach I said I was doing what you said [Music]
and I had to stand there with this gun in my gut until the one van drove away and they backed the second van up
it felt like forever I thought he was going to shoot me I actually did [Music] foreign
[Music] I just remember looking up at that hole I wanted to stay close I wanted to be
like right there because that was the way out [Music] [Applause] all right [Music]
[Music] [Music] [Music] the kidnappers lawyers appealed the finding of bodily harm
and the Appellate Court overturned it and while acknowledging the horrific nature of the crime stated that the
injuries suffered did not rise to the level of bodily harm under the law [Music]
it just seems like every three years I go and I go three times every time it's excruciating and the aftermath is never
good [Music] hello my name is Jody Medrano I was Jody Heffington foreign to listen to him talk about his poor
childhood I don't know if I want to laugh cry cuss him or what because uh where did my childhood go
like I told him Mr Woods you're not a kidnapper you're a thief you're a thief of lives not just the
kids that were in the bus but they stoled our family's lives and what we all had
before that [Music] how that day affected me has affected me every day in some way or another
[Music] I think it made me not a good daughter I'm not a good sister I'm not a good aunt and especially not a
good mother and probably not a a good friend [Music] I try to be those things but it seems like it um
[Music] it just took something from me that I can't ever get back and I can't tear it down
no matter how hard I try and no matter what I do [Music] oh

Jodi Heffington was just 10 years old when she and 25 other children were kidnapped at gunpoint and buried alive. For almost 30 years, she fought to keep her kidnappers behind bars.

Crime. Social justice. Impact. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

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Brief Summary

Jody Medrano shares her traumatic kidnapping experience and its lasting emotional effects on her life and relationships.

Key points

The Impact of Kidnapping. Jody Medrano shares how her childhood was stolen and the lasting effects of trauma.
A Life Forever Changed. Jody reflects on how the kidnapping affected her relationships and sense of self.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

You're a thief of lives, not just the kids.

Jody Medrano reflects on the impact of kidnapping.

4:04WatchMar 18, 2023

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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