A Washington woman has survived a terrifying incident after her husband attempted to bury her alive.Young An alleges her husband attacked her after discussions surrounding their ongoing divorce proceedings, and finances therein. Husband Chae Kyong An, bound and gagged his wife, intending to silence her for good. Before she was driven to the burial site, she was able to call 911 on her Apple watch. Her emergency contacts were also notified. The move might have helped save her life, as police were dispatched to her location.
In the recorded 911 call, — be advised, the recording is not for the faint of heart — little else can be heard but Young’s sounds of distress. The dispatcher stays on the line with her until police arrive. Unfortunately, her husband had already driven off with Young in a van, and smashed her watch with a hammer.
Young later told police that her husband had stabbed her in the chest before burying her in a shallow grave out in the woods. She was able to keep dirt out of her mouth and nose by squirming about to keep the dirt from settling. The terrified woman laid in the grave for hours as she struggled to remove duct tape bindings. After freeing herself, Young ran for help for roughly half an hour before finding a house to plead for help.
Her husband has denied any wrongdoing, pleading “not guilty” to the charges against him: first-degree kidnapping, first-degree domestic violence assault, and first-degree attempted murder. Kyonh An is being held in Thurston County Jail without bail. Modern technology is often considered an implement of leisure. An accessory designed to make life easier. But we sometimes forget that its uses can extend to saving a life.
