Jessyca Mullenberg now shares her story of survival with others to warn people about the signs of abuse and prevent other children from going through the same situation she suffered.
42-year-old Jessyca Mullenberg was only 13 years old when she was kidnapped on Sept. 16, 1995, by her neighbor, who had been stalking her for a number of years, before eventually tying her up in a hotel room for several months.
She broke her silence about her horrific ordeal in an interview with the Daily Mail recounting what led up to her kidnapping, the abuse she suffered, as well as how she was rescued.
Steven Oliver was a neighbor of Mullenberg and had been stalking the child for six years prior to the kidnapping. Oliver finally made his move on the child when he tricked her into taking a trip with him, telling the 13-year-old that he was taking her to meet a publisher about a short story she had written.
It was shortly after getting in his car she realized that the whole thing was a ruse, there was no book contest, and she was being kidnapped.
Speaking with the Daily Mail, Mullenberg remembered the moment she woke up in Oliver’s car with her hands and legs bound with rope. She would go to spend three months tied up in a hotel room before the popular TV show America’s Most Wanted shined a light on her case and eventually led to her being rescued and Oliver arrested.
Mullenburg is now married with two children of her own and said she fears that her abductor could soon be released from prison and worries what that could mean for her children. “I am terrified for both of my kids,” she told the outlet.
Oliver first came into contact with Mullenburg when she was only 8-years-old when he was a teachers aide at her school. He was so obsessed with her that he went as far as to purchase a house across the street from her father’s home in Eau Claire. In the years leading up to the abduction Oliver also set up a creative writing club at the school and began attempting to become a mentor-type figure to Mullenburg.
Her parents were divorced at the time of the kidnapping and during a visit to her father’s house Mullenburg told the Daily Mail she recalled visiting Oliver’s house along with her two brothers, step-siblings, and other students from her school to meet for the writing club.
“We all thought it was real. There was paperwork we had to fill out. There were checks we were given,” she said. It was shortly after getting in his car she realized that the whole thing was a ruse, there was no book contest, and she was being kidnapped.
The next several months were a living nightmare for Mullenburg as she was transported to three different locations as Oliver attempted to evade authorities.
“I fell asleep at some point. I woke up all tied up in ropes. He told me I am not going home and I have to listen to what he says. He said my name is going to be Cindy Johnson and his name is going to be Dave. You are going to call me Dad and we are moving to start our new life over.”
Mullenburg even tried to jump out of the car at one point while going over a bridge but was quickly caught. She realized at that moment there was no escape, she was trapped. After a nine-hour drive, they arrived in Kansas City, Missouri where Oliver forced her onto a plane to Texas by holding a pocket knife to her back.
The next several months were a living nightmare for Mullenburg as she was transported to three different locations as Oliver attempted to evade authorities. He cut her hair and dyed it dark brown to prevent her from being identified and continuously threatened and insulted her.
“He told me I’m fat, dumb, stupid, and ugly. He told me no one wants me and my parents don’t love me,” she said.
Her miraculous rescue happened when a manager at the motel Oliver was hiding Mullenburg became suspicious of the kidnapper. On the night of Dec. 28, 1995, the woman saw an episode of America’s Most Wanted while at a friend’s house and recognized Oliver’s face. She quickly informed the FBI who descended on the hotel.
Later she realized she had been brainwashed by Oliver during her time held captive. She was reunited with her family soon after being rescued.
Oliver was arrested and eventually sentenced to 40 years in prison for kidnapping and interstate transportation of a minor for illegal sexual purposes. He is serving his sentence at FMC Devens Federal Prison in Massachusetts. He is scheduled to be released on January 26, 2031, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In 2018 Jessyca was given an award from the National Association of Missing and Exploited Children for her work speaking at schools and events about the warning signs of abuse. She now goes by her married name Christianson.
