Lacey Police Department
After being kidnapped, stabbed, buried and left for dead for 12 hours, the victim made a harrowing escape -- and spoke out against her husband in court, declaring, "Nobody can take away my life."
Chae An -- the Lacey, Washington man who plead guilty to second-degree attempted murder of his estranged wife -- has been sentenced for his "horrific" crime.
On Monday, An was given more than 13 years in prison, as he was sentenced to 165 months behind bars followed by three years probation. Per KING5, he was also slapped with a lifetime no-contact order with the victim.
The victim spoke during the sentencing hearing, retelling her harrowing story of survival after the attempted murder in October 2022.
According to her initial account, the two argued over "their divorce and money" and, after she asked him to leave, he "attacked her," punching her in the head before throwing her to the ground. He then allegedly duct taped her hands behind her back, as well as taped her eyes, thighs and ankles. When he left the room briefly, she made the call 9-1-1 with her Apple watch -- but when he later realized she had it on, he allegedly destroyed it with a hammer.
Listen to the 9-1-1 call below:
She said he then took her by van to the woods, where he "stabbed her breasts with a sharp object" and could be heard digging, before he put her into the ground and placed "a heavy tree" on top of her. Dirt was then placed on top of her as well, with Young saying she believed she was "in the ground for a few hours" as he told her "she was going to die."
"I told him to think about our children, he said, 'I don't need anything, today I'm going to kill you,'" she recalled in court, according to KOMO News. "He dug the ground, and he threw me in the hole, he stabbed me several times with his knife on my chest, and then he buried me alive."
She eventually wriggled free of the tape on her arms, legs and eyes, however, and moved the tree off her to get out of the hole.
Her husband's van was still nearby and she observed its lights were on and the windows "were steaming." She, however, made a run for it, spotted a nearby house and asked them to call police. Authorities later found the location Young described, saying they discovered "a hole consistent with a grave-type design," in which they found duct tape and hair consistent with the victim's.
Lacey Police Department
Terrifying 911 Made from Woman's Apple Watch Before Being Buried Alive Released
View Story"Nobody can take away my life, my precious life, I came out alive," she said, before adding, "After that day, I and my children's life was crushed. I have to live my life with emotional trauma and health issues for the rest of my life."
An's defense attorney argued he was "overmedicated and undertreated" for PTSD at the time of the crime, saying "That caused a break in him at his lowest point, at his point where he's essentially homeless, hasn't slept, isolated from friends and from family."
He also addressed the court, saying, "I wish that I could go back and never enter that house that day and walk away. I'm so sorry, I'm sorry everyone, and for causing terrible pain because of my foolish act."
To his children, he added, "I love you guys with all my heart, you mean everything to me, you two are my most precious gift from the heavens."
Addressing An, the presiding judge said "the crime you pled guilty to was horrific." The judge added, "Preventing somebody from calling for help, assaulting, restraining and burying them alive. With the plea that you offered, you acknowledged responsibility for that."
To the victim, the judge added, "I'm sure there's no words that describe the physical suffering and the fear and anguish over twelve hours of thinking you might lose your life and you might never see your children again. You are strong and you are brave. I am hopeful that today's hearing will be the close of this chapter, and will make it possible to focus on your emotional and mental healing for yourself and your children."
