North Texas woman shares story of childhood kidnapping and rescue from Jordan in new book

In 1987, a little girl from Richardson was kidnapped by her own father and taken to the Middle East. The story received national attention and was even turned into a movie. Now the woman behind the experience is telling her story in a new book.

"It was actually Halloween weekend 1987," said Laura Burns. "My father decided to kidnap me and take me to Jordan instead of taking me trick-or-treating, and that is when this tragedy hit."

Laura Burns recalls 1987 kidnapping to Jordan

Burns is opening up about the ordeal she lived through when her father, who'd been divorced from her mother, abducted her. She's outlining it all in her new book called "Stolen: A True Story — Kidnapped, Rescued, Redeemed". 

Her father took her to Jordan, attempting to cut off all ties with her mother and their life in North Texas.

"When I started going to school and wearing the uniform and learning the language, how to read and write Arabic... my father would not let me talk to my mom on the phone," Burns said. "I knew something was drastically wrong."

A mother's desperate fight to bring her daughter home 

For three months, Burns' mother tried everything to get her back. 

Eventually, she was referred to a group of retired Army Delta Force operators who stepped in to help.

"They are the ones that said yes to put together a rescue mission with my mom," said Burns. "She went with them into Jordan to find me, find my father's home and figure out a way to get me out of the country."

Eventually, they found her and brought her home. 

The whole story was first depicted in a 1993 movie. Now, Burns says it's her turn to tell it in "Stolen".

"People say, 'Lauren, why now, almost 40 years later?' Because I couldn't share this story 20 years ago. I couldn't share it 10 years ago. I've walked a long journey," said Burns.

Nearly 40 years later, Laura Burns tells her story and journey of healing

While the book offers plenty of detail of her kidnapping and rescue, it also offers her take on healing through forgiveness.

"I would not be able to write this book if I was still angry at my dad," she said. "If I was still holding on to these father wounds, I would not be able to speak."

She says she doesn't have a current relationship with her father, but she is open to it.

She is a mother herself, a wife and a healthcare professional who is hoping her story may help others.

"So, forgiveness is so hard," said Burns. "It takes a long time, but there is so much freedom when we can walk it out."

"Stolen" was released in September.