In August 2013, nine-year-old Nada Itrab boarded an overnight coach in Barcelona, excited for a trip to Bolivia with a neighbour, Grover Morales. The daughter of undocumented Moroccan immigrants, Nada had been promised the journey as a reward for her excellent schoolwork. Her parents signed a notarised document allowing her to travel with Morales, who had a reputation as a kind and helpful neighbour.
However, Nada had reservations about Morales. She had seen a video of him entering a trance in his place of worship and had experienced unsettling behaviour when left alone with him. Despite her unease, she trusted her parents' approval. Security footage from Barajas airport shows the pair boarding their flight to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.
Upon arrival, Morales claimed Nada's passport was lost and blamed her, insisting they would need to stay longer to obtain a new one. This marked the beginning of a nine-month ordeal during which Nada was effectively kidnapped and taken into the rainforest. Authorities feared the worst, but she was eventually found alive.
Now 21, Nada is a law student at Barcelona University. She has chosen to speak publicly about her experience to confront stigma and campaign against child trafficking. 'I don't want to just be the girl who got kidnapped,' she said. Her survival is described as miraculous, with few people having asked her about the full details of her ordeal until recently.
