Washington Woman Kidnapped, Buried Alive by Her Husband After Talking About Divorce and Money
A Washington woman faced a harrowing ordeal when her estranged husband tried to kill her and buried her alive. However, the 42-year-old Young An escaped her near-death situation after she dug herself out of the shallow grave where her husband buried her.
According to People, she managed to get some help by running to a nearby home and pounding on its door. The Lacey Police Department (LPD) said the Washington woman then asked the residents for help as her husband "was trying to kill her."
How the Washington Woman Buried Alive by Her Husband Escaped
Thurston County police responded to a call at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday and went to the home where the Washington woman asked residents for help. Young An was then transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The woman allegedly told LPD investigators that her husband kidnapped her from her home and drove her into the woods, where her husband stabbed her before he buried her alive.
According to NBC News, court documents filed Wednesday at the Thurston County Superior Court said that after she was put on the ground, her husband walked around the hole he had dug and piled dirt on top of her.
Young An believed she was inside the shallow grave for hours and managed to survive by wiggling her face around to create some air pockets.
She then waited for it to get dark before she tried to escape. She claimed she had to walk for about 20 to 30 minutes until she found help.
"She had duct tape still wrapped around her neck, lower face, and ankles... There was extensive bruising to her legs, arms, and head, and her clothing and hair were covered in dirt," according to the court document.
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Husband Arrested For Multiple Charges, No Bail Set
The LPD said that several hours after the Washington woman was rescued, her 53-year-old husband, Chae Kyong An, was arrested. A hiker spotted his 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan on a nearby trail.
According to Thurston County Correction Facility's inmate data, Kyong An was charged with first-degree attempted murder, domestic violence, kidnapping, assault, and felony harassment. He was booked into the said county jail on Tuesday.
According to The Olympian, Court Commissioner Nathan Kortokrax set no bail on Wednesday after finding probable cause for the alleged crimes. He also prohibited Chae An from contacting his wife and some witnesses.
It was Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elizabeth McMullen who asked the court to set no bail. She said the suspect may commit a violent crime or even interfere with the case.
Chae An's public defense attorney Ahmed Jenkins said his client was a veteran who served for 30 years with no prior criminal convictions or a history of not appearing in court. Jenkins said it is highly likely that Chae An has some service-related mental health conditions.
The Washington State Patrol previously identified Young An in a widely shared missing person alert on Sunday. She was reported missing after police responded to her home Sunday afternoon after receiving a 911 call of a woman "screaming."
Young An later told detectives that she was attacked in her home after talking to Chae An about their ongoing divorce and money.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Washington Woman Buried Alive Escapes Shallow Grave - From NBC News
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