Where is Tanya Nicole Kach now? Lifetime's 'The Girl Locked Upstairs' delves into decade-long abduction
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story', directed by Simone Stock, is set to be released on Lifetime on June 8, 2024.
This gripping Lifetime film portrays the true story of Tanya Nicole Kach, who was held captive for a decade in a suburban home in Pennsylvania, United States.
Featuring Robert Baker and Jordyn Ashley Olson in key roles, the film follows 14-year-old Tanya as she befriends Thomas Hose, a school security guard who lures her to his home, changing her life forever.
Ahead of the premiere of 'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story', let's delve into the life and true story of Tanya.
Who is Tanya Nicole Kach?
Tanya is an American woman who endured a decade-long captivity at the hands of a security guard employed at the school she attended.
In 1995, following her parents' divorce, Tanya moved from her hometown of Monongahela, Pennsylvania, to McKeesport, located approximately 15 miles to the north. She moved to live with her father and his then-fiancée.
She enrolled at Cornell Intermediate School where she encountered bullying, exacerbating her sense of isolation. Tanya's relationship with her mother, whom she alleges was violent and abusive, further contributed to her feelings of loneliness and alienation, as reported by People.
She started drinking and smoking cigarettes and marijuana. She was an eighth-grade student when she befriended Hose, a security guard at her school.
He would buy her cigarettes and candy, grooming her with gifts and favors. One day, he kissed her when he saw her bunking a class. He gradually isolated her from her family and friends before luring her to his home.
Inside the harrowing ordeal of Tanya Nicole Kach's captivity
Tanya was lured into Hose’s residence in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, under false pretenses, unaware of the horrors that awaited her. Once inside, Hose subjected her to a nightmare of captivity, isolating her from the outside world and subjecting her to manipulation.
During her captivity, Tanya endured immense physical, emotional, and psychological abuse at the hands of Hose. According to People, Hose sexually abused her every day for 10 years.
He confined her to his bedroom, threatening to harm her and her family if she tried to resist or escape. For the initial four years, she was confined within the house, unable to leave. Hose resided with his parents and son, and took extensive measures to hide Tanya from them. Because of him, she had to go to the toilet in a bucket. He also forced her to keep a journal of her sexual encounters with him.
In 2000, Hose fabricated a new identity for Tanya, naming her Nikki Allen, and introduced her to his parents as his girlfriend. Following this, she was occasionally allowed to leave the house but under strict curfew.
She began to recognize the abnormality of her relationship with Hose and started planning her escape. She started a part-time job at a local convenience store.
How did Tanya Nicole Kach escape?
Tanya reportedly escaped from captivity on March 21, 2006, with the help of Joe Sparico, a grocery store owner in her neighborhood. She revealed her true identity to him and asked him to send police to the house.
In 2007, Hose pleaded guilty to three counts of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, statutory sexual assault, interfering with the custody of a child, corruption of a minor and child endangerment, as reported by abc News.
He was sentenced to a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. However, he was never charged with kidnapping. He was released in 2022, subsequently registering as a sex offender.
Where is Tanya Nicole Kach today?
After escaping from Hose's house, she reunited with her family. However, her father and step-mother said she was partly responsible for what happened to her.
According to People, she got married in 2018. In 2023, 'People Magazine Investigates: The Disappearance of Tayna Kach' was released, which shed light on her story.
Currently, she is keeping a low profile, and living with her husband and step children.
How to stream 'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story'?
'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story' will be available to stream on Lifetime on June 8, 2024.
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'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story' trailer
A trailer for the movie is currently not available. However, stay tuned for further updates.