Katie was treated appallingly and sexual abuse at the hands of Linda’s husband, Sal Inghilleri, began when she was just a toddler.
Katie gravitated to John Esposito’s house. ‘Big John’ always had lollies and video games in his garage for neighbourhood kids to play.
On December 28, 1992, two days before Katie’s 10th birthday, John took her to a video arcade.
It was from there that he told police Katie disappeared, but really he’d taken her back to a hidden underground bunker at his home, specifically built to keep her hostage.
Katie was chained inside the 1.8 by 2 metre prison for 17 days and repeatedly sexually assaulted by John.
Knowing he was the prime suspect, John eventually led police to Katie’s prison and she was rescued.
As Katie was questioned by police, the abuse she’d suffered at the hands of Sal was also revealed.
John Esposito was jailed for kidnapping, and Sal Inghilleri for two counts of sexual abuse. They both died behind bars.
Placed in the home of wonderful foster parents, Katie, now a mum herself, says they gave her the love to heal.
‘If it all hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be with my foster parents, I wouldn’t have my kids,’ Katie told ABC News.
‘Being abducted was probably one of the best things that could have happened to me in my life.’
