GLENDALE, ARIZONA: The case of Alicia Navarro, who reportedly disappeared from her home in Glendale in 2019 before coming back earlier this week, has left many stunned. The 18-year-old was 15 when she went missing four years ago but on Sunday, July 23, she suddenly appeared at a Montana police department. Though many details regarding her case are yet to be discovered, a former FBI agent has said she’s probably suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.
Jim Egleston’s statement came as Navarro reportedly told a Glendale detective that “no, no one hurt me.” She also added, “Thank you for offering help to me,” without apparently revealing what happened with her in the past few years. Egleston told AZ Family, “One of the keys to unraveling what happened to her and holding whoever may have been with her responsible, the investigators are going to have to spend time and develop trust and rapport with her over a series of contacts and interviews.”
Is Alicia Navarro suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?
The ex-detective also stated, “Regardless of whether or not she’s been diagnosed with autism, what strikes me is what I saw in many of the victims that I helped recover when I was working those cases. And that is they often don’t recognize that they are a victim.”
“It used to be referred to as Stockholm Syndrome. Now it’s referred to as trauma bonding. I don’t see how this is likely without some other person being involved, and if another person was involved, you have to question their motives, of course,” Egleston added.
‘She is not in any kind of trouble’
Meanwhile, as per the Glendale Police Department’s spokesperson, Jose Santiago, “She [Navarro] is by all accounts safe, she is by all accounts healthy and she is by all accounts happy. She showed up at a police department. She identified herself as Alicia Navarro. She basically asked for help to clear her off of a missing juvenile list. She is not in any kind of trouble. She is not facing any kind of charges.”
Besides, a statement was also issued by the teen’s family that reportedly read, “We want to start by saying how happy we are that Alicia has been found alive and safe. It is a blessing that after being missing for so long Alicia can come back home. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families of missing loved ones that have not yet returned home. If there is anything that Alicia’s story has taught us is that you can never give up hope.”
“We would also like to thank the Glendale Police Department for their hard work and dedication to bringing Alicia home. Thank you to the entire Anti-Predator Project team not only for their hard work and dedication to bringing Alicia home but also for their commitment to supporting our family through these hard times. The local and national media has been so important the last several years in keeping Alicia's story alive,” the family added.
