'The Girl Locked Upstairs': The horrifying story of Tanya Kach who was held prisoner for a decade
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,' starring Robert Baker and Jordyn Ashley Olson in pivotal roles, is set to be released on Lifetime on June 8, 2024.
Directed by Simone Stock, the film follows the true story of Tanya Nicole Kach, who was held captive for a decade in a suburban home in Pennsylvania, United States.
The Lifetime movie delves into the tragic circumstances of Tanya's prolonged captivity and her eventual courageous escape. Ahead of the premiere of 'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story,' let's delve into the harrowing true story of Tanya.
Who is Thomas Hose?
In 1995, following her parents' divorce, Tanya moved from her hometown of Monongahela to McKeesport, Pennsylvania. She wanted to live with her father and his then-fiancée. She was 14 years old at that time.
She enrolled at Cornell Middle School but she found herself in a hostile environment where bullying was rampant. This persistent bullying created an environment of fear and anxiety for Tanya, making school a place where she felt unwelcome and unsafe.
She started drinking and smoking cigarettes and marijuana. She met Thomas Hose, a security guard at Cornell Middle School, as reported by ABC News. He would buy her cigarettes and chocolates.
He seemed to offer the attention and understanding that she desperately needed. Feeling secure in her interactions with Hose, Tanya started spending more time with him. One day, he kissed her when he saw her bunking a class.
He used to make a living by working as a security guard at Cornell Middle School for years.
How Thomas Hose kidnapped 14-year-old Tanya Nicole Kach and held her hostage for a decade
As time passed, Thomas gradually isolated her from her family and friends before luring her to his home. Tanya's ordeal began in February 1996 when she went to Hose's house. She was unaware of the horrors that awaited her.
She was abducted by Hose at his place. 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, as reported by People.
Once he lured her to his home, he confined her to his bedroom, a space that became her prison for nearly a decade. Hose used threats to ensure Tanya's compliance, warning her that he would harm her and her family if she attempted to resist or escape.
According to People, Hose sexually abused her every day for 10 years. For the initial four years of her captivity, Tanya was confined entirely within Hose's house. Despite living with his parents and son, Hose managed to hide Tanya from them.
Hose reportedly deprived her of basic human dignity by forcing her to use a bucket as a toilet. He also forced Tanya to keep a journal detailing her sexual encounters with him.
In 2000, Hose reportedly 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 restrictions.
How did Tanya Nicole Kach escape?
In 2006, Tanya started a part-time job at a local store. She was determined to escape and start a new life. However, she was afraid of Hose.
After nearly a decade of captivity, she found the courage to confide in a local store owner, revealing her true identity and the details of her harrowing ordeal.
She reportedly asked him to send police to the house. Later on, the police arrived to arrest Hose and free Tanya, as reported by A&E. 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.
Hose was sentenced to a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. However, he was never charged with kidnapping. He was released in 2022 after completing his sentence.
After escaping the ordeal, she reunited with her family. However, her father and step-mother blamed her for the whole incident. They said she was partly responsible for what happened to her, as reported by People.
She got married in 2018. Currently, she has a stepdaughter and stepson and is a grandmother to her stepson's young 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 from June 8, 2024.
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'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story' trailer
A trailer for 'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story' is currently not available. However, stay tuned for further updates.
