It was the summer of 1990 when a girl named Jennifer was found lying in a pool of blood in a field in Texas. Jennifer’s kidnappers left her to die. She thought they had silenced the only witness to this heinous crime. But Jennifer regained her voice and turned her story into a testimony of 20 years. This was only possible because Jennifer was able to identify the man who had tried to kill her. When Jennifer was brought to the hospital for treatment and when she recovered, people inspired and supported her in her quest for justice.
Jennifer’s Life before Her Kidnapping
In 1990, Jennifer was 8 years old and lived with her mother. Before she was to enjoy summer vacation, she had just graduated from her second grade at Silbernagel Elementary School, which was a short distance from the apartment where she lived with her mother.
When Jennifer gave her interview to CBS News, she told that Jennifer liked her life. Jennifer loved going to school and learning there.
Jennifer and her mother had a close relationship. Jennifer liked her mother’s room more and found it more comfortable. That is why she spent more time in her mother’s room than in her own room.
Jennifer tells in her interview that she did not like darkness or sleeping alone. Jennifer told that this was the reason why she mostly slept with her mother in her room. Jennifer and her mother were support for each other.
But that night of 9 August 1990 was different. On 10 August Jennifer had to go to work early and she needed a good sleep. That day Jennifer broke her tradition and slept alone in her room. When Jennifer went to her room, after reading some books in the light of the lamp, Jennifer fell asleep. Jennifer did not know that she would wake up that day in the arms of a man she did not know. That night, 21-year-old Dennis Earl Bradford kidnapped her through a window.
How Jennifer survived a brutal attack
First, Bradford took Jennifer out of her mother’s apartment. Bradford took her to a sidewalk and when Jennifer started screaming, he covered her nose and mouth. Bradford put Jennifer in his car and drove off. Bradford told Jennifer that he was an undercover police officer. Bradford told Jennifer this so that she could trust him. But Jennifer had a lot of questions.
Jennifer told in her interview that she was a curious girl at that time. Jennifer asked Bradford a lot of questions. Jennifer asked Bradford that if you are a police officer then where is your gun, where is your badge. If you are a police officer then prove yourself with evidence. Bradford offered candy to Jennifer but she refused to take it. She was taught in school that she should not take anything from strangers. Jennifer was also taught in school that she should trust the police officers, that is why she was being pulled in two different directions at that time. But Jennifer realized that this situation was not completely right. After this Bradford told Jennifer that her mother would come to pick her up soon. After five minutes Bradford started his car and took her somewhere far away and attacked her and kept a knife on her throat. After this Bradford pressed Jennifer’s throat very hard and tried his best to break her neck. Jennifer says that Bradford kept sexually assaulting her in the car due to which Jennifer was repeatedly gaining and losing consciousness. After this Bradford dragged Jennifer to a field. Bradford thought that Jennifer was dead because at that time Jennifer was completely soaked in blood and was not conscious. When Bradford took Jennifer to the field he hit her on the head many times. After this Bradford left from there.
Jennifer saving herself
Despite so many injuries Jennifer kept fighting for her life for 12 to 14 hours. After this some children saw her and told people about it and they took her to the hospital and she was treated thoroughly there. When Jennifer was brought to the hospital her condition was very serious. Her chances of survival were very less. But the doctor tried his best to save Jennifer and he was successful in that. When Jennifer was completely cured, she wanted to punish the man who had done this to her. For this, she gave the full details of the incident to the police and helped them in bringing Bradford’s description to the police. Jennifer took the police to the crime scene from where Bradford kidnapped her and where he left her. Jennifer took the police to both those places and there the police found Bradford’s clothes.
Even after this, it took a long time for the police to catch Bradford. After about 18 years, the police was able to catch Bradford. Then the police matched the DNA found on Bradford’s clothes with his and it matched completely. In this way, Jennifer got justice for the sexual harassment and atrocities that happened to her after 19 years.
After this, the court sentenced Bradford to life imprisonment and gave Jennifer her justice.
