Jailed Hermit Gets Marriage Proposal From Stranger

The North Pond Hermit has received some unexpected offers since his recent arrest on theft charges made headlines around the world — including a marriage proposal.

Christopher Knight earned the North Pond Hermit nickname by living in a homemade camp in the woods of Maine for nearly 30 years. He allegedly survived his life of seclusion by scavenging countless food and supply items from neighboring campsites. The hermit was taken into custody by police earlier this month on suspicion of numerous thefts.

During his arrest, the North Pond Hermit reportedly claimed he had only spoken to one human being since 1986. Now complete strangers are attempting to forge some sort of bond with the man, offering companionship and money.

Police confirm that Knight received a marriage proposal from an out-of-state female with whom he has no prior relationship. The hermit apparently rejected the offer.

Other strangers have also reached out, although their motives remain unclear. On Saturday, a suspicious male visited the Kennebec County jail where Knight is being detained, offering to pay the $5,000 bond required for the hermit’s release.

“This guy was very elusive and made Mr. Knight nervous,” explained bail commissioner Wayne Michaud. “A total stranger shows up and says, ‘I want to get you out of jail for $5,000,’ and there’s no plan and it was not disclosed. It was very odd.”

Like the marriage proposal, the 47-year-old North Pond Hermit declined the stranger’s unexpected offer. However, Maine authorities have expressed growing concern that these types of incidents may be putting Knight at risk of exploitation.

In an effort to reduce the likelihood of strangers with devious intentions fronting the money to get Christopher Knight out of jail, authorities added two more counts of burglary and theft to the hermit’s growing list of charges. The move effectively increased the bond requirement to $250,000.

According to Maine State Trooper Diane Perkins-Vance, the reasons behind the significant bond increase are two-fold. “The first concern is he might be a flight risk,” she explained. “The second concern is the group of people who are interested in posting bail for Mr. Knight who are not from our state and not members of his family.”

Perkins-Vance also indicated that the North Pond Hermit is adjusting to his new situation, despite his years of solitude. He is continuing to work on his social skills and is now being housed in the jail’s general population section. However, the trooper also added that she will “remain concerned for Mr. Knight until he has an attorney helping him to navigate what is a new world to him.”

What are your thoughts on the North Pond Hermit’s marriage proposal and bail offer?

[Top image via Shutterstock]