High School Student Kidnapped for 10 Years Escapes Captivity
In a shocking turn of events, Tanya Kach, a high school student from McKeesport, Pennsylvania, went missing for 10 years after being kidnapped from her family’s home. The perpetrator behind her abduction was Thomas Hose, a school security guard who befriended Tanya when she was a student at Cornell Middle School. Hose lured Tanya to his parents’ home on February 10, 1996, where he locked her in his bedroom and sexually assaulted her, keeping her in captivity for a decade.
Tanya’s harrowing ordeal finally came to an end on March 21, 2006, when she managed to escape with the help of her co-workers at a local convenience store where she had secretly begun working. The store’s owners, Joe and Janet Sparico, played a crucial role in her escape by recognizing that something was wrong and contacting the police.
After her escape, Hose pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including statutory sexual assault and corruption of a minor, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was released on February 9, 2022, much to the dismay of Tanya and her supporters.
Following her escape, Tanya married Karl McCrum and attempted to rebuild her life. However, she has since admitted that she is estranged from her parents, Jerald and Joann Kach. Tanya’s story will be relived in the upcoming Lifetime movie, “The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story,” and she has also shared her experiences in a documentary and a book titled “Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid.”
Tanya’s courage and resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity serve as a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Her story serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and support for those who have experienced trauma and abuse.
