Hannah Anderson, the teen who was rescued in Idaho following a manhunt for her and her kidnapper, made her first public appearance at a fundraiser in Lakeside, California being hosted by her family.
Anderson, 16, was found alive in Idaho Saturday. She had allegedly been kidnapped by James DiMaggio, a family friend. DiMaggio was killed by an FBI agent during a brief shootout. They were discovered after a horseback rider reported seeing them hiking last Friday.
The manhunt began after Anderson’s mother, Christina Anderson, and her eight-year-old brother Ethan were killed on Aug. 4 when their house went up in flames. Police believe DiMaggio started the fire. Authorities believe that DiMaggio was infatuated with Anderson, who did write that it made her uncomfortable to be with him.
CBS News reports that Anderson was seen publicly for the first time Thursday afternoon to attend a fundraiser in Lakeside, near San Diego. She walked past cameras, wearing sunglasses and didn’t say a word.
“This is a small community that we are a part of,” her father, Brett, told reporters. “The community came together putting on this great fundraiser for Hannah... and this is how Lakeside rolls. So I just wanted to say how much we appreciate it from everybody, the community, family, friends for being here ... and local sheriffs and law enforcement.”
The fundraiser was set up to help pay funeral costs for her mother and brother.
Meanwhile, ABC News reports that the San Diego County Sheriff's Office has unsealed warrants, showing that a handwritten note was found in the rubble of the burned house. The contents were not revealed. The warrants showed that DiMaggio possibly “tortured and killed” Christian and Ethan before he set two fires with incendiary devices.
Although this was Anderson’s first public appearance, CBS News notes that she did post statements social media. When asked if she preferred to see DiMaggio go to prison, she wrote “He deserved what he got.” CBS said that the San Diego Sheriff's Department and her family didn’t deny that the social media profile was her’s.