Christopher Thomas Knight
Christopher Thomas Knight (born 7 December 1965), also known as the North Pond Hermit, is a former hermit who lived almost without human contact for 27 years in the woods in Maine.[1] He survived by committing approximately 1,000 burglaries against houses in the area,[2] or approximately 40 per year. Apart from the fear and notoriety his many burglaries created in the local area, Knight's unusual life also attracted widespread international media reports upon his capture.
Knight entered the woods in 1986 without saying goodbye to anyone, aged 20, and was captured during a burglary in 2013. His only human contact in that time was exchanging a trivial greeting to a hiker once.[3]
Knight's parents apparently never reported him missing to the police. In an interview, Knight said, "I had good parents", and, "We're not emotionally bleeding all over each other. We're not touchy-feely. Stoicism is expected." The family's next-door neighbor for 14 years hasn't exchanged more than a few words with Knight's mother.[3]
Many have expressed admiration for Knight's outdoor survival skills, especially in the harsh Maine winters. Some also expressed doubt, believing instead that Knight broke into and took refuge in vacant cabins.[2]
Knight was sentenced to 7 months in jail on 28 October 2013, of which he had already served all but a week while awaiting sentencing.[3] In addition to the jail sentence, Knight paid $1500 in restitution to victims, completed a Co-Occurring Disorders Court Program (designed for people with substance abuse problems and mental health disorders), and must complete three years of probation.[4]
Knight has described deep-felt ethical misgivings about the burglaries committed, saying that stealing is wrong. Even the prosecutor said that a longer sentence would have been cruel.[3] Judge Nancy Mills believes that it is very unlikely that Knight will re-offend. [4] After release, Knight also met with the judge every week, avoided alcohol, and secured a job with his brother.
