On 31 December 1956, Colleen Stan was born in Eugene, Oregon. When she turned 20, her life took a horrifying turn. On 19 May 1977, while hitchhiking to attend a friend’s birthday party in Northern California, she made a decision that would haunt her for years—accepting a ride from a couple named Cameron and Janice Hooker who were traveling with their infant. The presence of the baby gave Colleen a false sense of security.
About half an hour into the journey, Cameron suddenly pulled off the main road. He held a knife to Colleen’s throat and trapped her head in a homemade wooden box, beginning a horrifying period of captivity that would last for seven long years.
“I thought I was going to die,” Colleen recalled in a 2016 interview, as reported by People.
After being taken to the Hookers’ home in Red Bluff, California, Colleen was subjected to relentless abuse. She was kept in a coffin-sized box for up to 23 hours daily. When let out, it was either to be tortured, beaten or raped. The living conditions were brutal—hot temperatures inside the box during summer could exceed 100°F (38°C), cutting her off from fresh air, light and sound.
Cameron controlled Colleen using extreme psychological tactics. According to the Daily News, he convinced her that a secret and powerful group called “The Company” was monitoring her every move. He told her that any attempt to escape would result in severe punishment—not just for her but for her family too. This fear made her comply with his commands even when given rare opportunities to be around others.
“Anytime I was taken out of the box, I never knew what to expect,” she later shared.
The “Slave Contract” and Complete Control
In January 1978, Colleen was forced to sign a document Cameron called a “slave contract.” This paper stated that she was now his personal property. He renamed her “K” and insisted she call him “Master” and Janice “Ma’am.” This act was part of Cameron’s plan to break her spirit and identity.
“I was so scared of Cameron and The Company that even when I was alone with my parents, I didn’t tell them where I’d been for three years,” Colleen told IUnverse.
In 1981, Cameron allowed her to visit her family in Oregon. She introduced him as her fiancé. Her family sensed something was off—they noticed her strange behavior and worn-out appearance. Still, they didn’t confront her directly, fearing she might vanish again. As Naija News reports, Colleen’s belief in “The Company” was so deeply rooted that she kept silent.
“They were convinced I’d joined a cult,” she said.
Life Trapped in Darkness
For most of her captivity, Colleen lived in a wooden box placed under the Hookers’ bed. She was let out for household chores but was always under threat. The box itself was a chamber of horror—designed to limit air, light and noise. It played a key role in breaking her mentally and emotionally.
Over time, Janice began to regret what she had become part of. In August 1984, she finally revealed the truth to Colleen—that “The Company” was a complete fabrication. Janice helped Colleen escape and later turned Cameron in to the police, Wikipedia stated.
“I don’t know why she waited so long, and really until this day I don’t know exactly why,” Colleen reflected on Janice’s sudden decision.
The Courtroom and the Verdict
After being arrested, Cameron Hooker faced numerous charges including kidnapping and sexual assault. In 1985, he was convicted and given a 104-year prison sentence, as reported by The Mercury News. Janice, in return for her cooperation and testimony was granted immunity.
During the trial, officials from the FBI described Colleen’s case as one of the most unique and disturbing in their records.
After escaping, Colleen chose to lead a quiet and private life. She worked as a secretary and focused on healing. Over time, her story became widely known through books, films and documentaries that shed light on the psychological grip captors can have over their victims.
“Your life is just kinda in limbo when you’re in captivity, and once you get that freedom back and you have that choice again, it’s just like the gates open,” she shared in People.
Her experience was chronicled in the book Perfect Victim: The True Story of the Girl in the Box by Christine McGuire and Carla Norton. In 2016, Lifetime dramatized her story in a film titled Girl in the Box. Colleen’s trauma also inspired fictional stories, including the 2007 horror-thriller The Poughkeepsie Tapes, which drew on the psychological themes of her ordeal.
