Hannah Anderson, 16, was kidnapped by family friend James Lee DiMaggio, who killed her mother and brother. (Photo: MISSING PERSONS OF AMERICA)
The new details emerged as Hannah Anderson, the 16-year-old California girl kidnapped by a close family friend after killing her mother and brother, arrived at a fundraiser Thursday — her first public appearance since her abduction.
Anderson arrived at the Boll Weevil restaurant in Lakeside, Calif., shortly after 4 p.m. PT, she made no statement as she walked into the fundraiser, which was closed to the media.
"Hannah sends her love," her father, Brett Anderson, told reporters. "She's doing good day by day. And we'll just keep moving forward from here.
"Right now, we're just looking for her future and [to] get her settled," he added.
The fundraiser was to benefit Hannah Anderson and help pay funeral costs for her mother, Christina Anderson, 44, and younger brother, Ethan, 8.
How Hannah Anderson was found in Idaho's wilderness
Hannah Anderson was kidnapped Aug. 4 by James Lee DiMaggio, 40, her father's best friend who was like an uncle to her and her brother, Ethan. She was taken from Southern California into the Idaho's Frank Church-River of No Return wilderness where FBI agents shot and killed DiMaggio Saturday.
Four campers on horseback came upon the pair in the woods, but did not know at the time that they were the subject of an intense manhunt. After the campers got home, they realized who the pair were and notified police.
Things began to unravel quickly. Last Friday, police found DiMaggio's car, hidden under brush. FBI agents, who were airlifted into the area and then walked for two hours to the campsite, shot and killed DiMaggio.
After her rescue, Hannah was reunited with her father, Brett, and returned to the San Diego area.
Hannah Anderson speaks about kidnapping on social media
Hannah Anderson went online 48 hours after her rescue Saturday and started fielding hundreds of questions through a social media site ask.fm.
According to Anderson, DiMaggio had invited her, her mother and brother to his house in Boulevard, a rural town 65 miles east of San Diego.
"He told us he was losing his house because of money issues so we went up there one last time to support him, and to have fun riding go karts up there but he tricked us," Anderson wrote on ask.fm.
Anderson said DiMaggio tied up his mother and brother in his garage. Their bodies were found after a fire destroyed the home. She said she didn't know they had died until an FBI agent told her at the hospital after rescue Saturday.
In a news release made public Tuesday, the office of San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore emphasized that Hannah "was not a willing participant" in any part of what the statement termed a "horrific crime."
Investigators who searched DiMaggio's home found letters from Hannah, an incendiary device, a handcuff box, camping equipment, a map of Yosemite, two used condoms and a DNA swab kit. The warrant does not elaborate on the letters or nature of the devices.
Search warrants also revealed 13 phone calls between Anderson and DiMaggio before both their phones were turned off around 4pm on Aug. 4.
Police have not revealed a motive for the double slaying and abduction.
