Jaycee Lee Dugard’s Daughters Are Doing Surprisingly Well After Growing up in Captivity
It’s been nearly a decade since Jaycee Lee Dugard was rescued from captivity, and since then, she’s managed to make a relatively normal (and private) life for herself. Part of that privacy has to do with the now-37-year-old’s two children, who have been adjusting to living outside of the toxic environment in which they grew up.
Her daughters, Angel and Starlit, were born when she was still a young teen, after her kidnapper, Phillip Garrido, raped and impregnated her. After 18 years trapped in a house less than 200 miles away from her family, Jaycee and her girls were rescued in 2009.
Eight years later, they’re all doing well, so it’s probably time we catch up with the girls. Read on for more on Jaycee and her daughters’ lives now.
How old are Angel and Starlit now?
Three years after being taken from outside of her California home, 14-year-old Jaycee gave birth to her first child, daughter Angel. Then, three years later, she had daughter Starlit at age 17. The girls are now 22 and 19, respectively.
Where do they live?
After they were rescued, Jaycee and her daughters moved back to her native Southern California. They’ve lived a secluded life with her mother and stepsister every since.
Did the girls know Jaycee was kidnapped?
While they were still in captivity, neither Angel nor Starlit realized the truth of their situation. According to The Telegraph, they only knew that Phillip was their biological father, and clung to him as they were being rescued.
Did they know Jaycee was their mom?
According to reports, Phillip had told Angel and Starlit that Jaycee was their sister and not their mother. Instead, they thought their dad’s wife, Nancy, was their mother. They only learned the truth after their release.
Have they seen their dad since he was arrested?
After his 2009 arrest, Phillip pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping and 13 counts of sexual assault, and he was sentenced to 431 years in prison. Since then, Jaycee told ABC News her daughters have had no interest in seeing their father. However, if they do want to visit someday, she wouldn’t stop them. “As long as he's behind bars, and they're safe, then I wouldn't hinder their ability to make that choice,” she said.
How are Angel and Starlit doing now?
In 2016, Jaycee gushed that her daughters have been “resilient” and have grown to be “beautiful and loving.” Part of that recovery has to do with their choice to protect their privacy and tell few people about their past. Instead, they turn to one another when they need to discuss what happened.
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