Victim freed herself

Wife buried alive: 13 years in prison for perpetrator

(Bild: Lacey Police Department, stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

A US veteran attempted to murder his ex-wife in a bestial manner: He abducted the woman and seriously injured her before burying her tied up in a hole in the ground. As if by a miracle, the victim was able to free herself from her grave. The man from the US state of Washington has now been sentenced to 13 years in prison. 

Young Sook An was buried alive in a wooded area in 2022 - the petite woman was only able to free herself from her grave after twelve hours. Fortunately for the woman, the hole into which her separated husband had thrown her was not very deep. Now the accused, Chae Kyong An, had to stand trial. 

Victim still suffers from violence
"After that day, the lives of me and my children were destroyed," explained the victim of violence during the trial. "I have to live with emotional trauma and health problems for the rest of my life." The defendant pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder. The judge ultimately imposed the maximum sentence - the former soldier was sentenced to 165 months in prison followed by three years in community custody. 

It is hard to imagine what Young Sook An had to endure. She had wanted to separate from her husband, who had already physically assaulted her several times. However, during a meeting to discuss the divorce, where she had also taken her children out of the house, Chae Kyong An decided that the mother of two should die because she was not to receive any of his assets. 

After she was attacked in her home, the woman was able to make an emergency call using her smartwatch - but because she was gagged, she was unable to say what had happened. When the police arrived at the scene, the man had already tied the woman's hands behind her back and driven her into a wooded area. 

Woman lay in grave for twelve hours
All her pleas to let her go and to think of their two children were to no avail: after stabbing her several times in the chest, he laid his ex in a shallow pit and covered her with earth, branches and a tree trunk. Over the next twelve hours, the woman finally managed to release her bonds and dig herself out. She ran to a nearby house and asked for help. 

Defendant cited post-traumatic stress disorder
In court, the defense attorney explained that his client had been homeless during the crime and had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. He had been "overmedicated and undertreated", according to the lawyer. He would regret the attack every day. However, the judge showed more sympathy with the victim: there were no words "to describe the physical suffering and the fear and anguish when you have thought for twelve hours that you might lose your life and perhaps never see your children again". He now hopes that the woman can heal emotionally and mentally.