Featured Image Credit: Lacey Police Department / Neil Fraser / Alamy
Topics: US News
Emma Guinness
A woman buried alive in a 19-inch grave allegedly by her husband managed to escape after making a 911 call from her Apple Watch.
Young Sook An, 42, was bound and gagged before being put into the grave by her estranged husband, Chae Kyong An, 53, and spent seven minutes desperately trying to get help.
*Warning: Contains disturbing content*
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Young Sook had been taken around seven miles from her home to a wood in Lacey, Washington on 16 October when she was stabbed in an attempted murder over the former couple's bitter divorce.
As she was being gagged and hogtied by her estranged husband, the woman was able to ring 911 through her Apple Watch, and was also able to alert her daughter and best friend.
The seven-minute call has since been obtained by FOX News, and the 42-year-old can be heard making muffled noises and screams as she tried to alert authorities to her predicament.
While Young Sook was unable to speak, the dispatcher realised the severity of the situation from her sobs and screams.
"I'm gonna get help started for you - hold on for a second," the dispatcher said before reading out her listed address and asking if she needed help.
The 42-year-old can then be heard attempting to say 'yes', prompting the dispatcher to attempt to reassure her.
"I'm still here," she says, before vowing not to end the call until help had arrived.
However, the operator went on to hear what sounded like a struggle before the call ended.
Young Sook eventually managed to crawl out of the grave once her husband had seemingly left the scene and ran for help in the early hours of 17 October.
She found a house in area and frantically banged on the door, to which the residents rushed to her aid and called 911 again, before allowing the distressed woman to take shelter in their garden shed until law enforcement arrived.
"When Young realised the deputy was law enforcement, she sprinted at them, screaming and crying for help," the probable cause statement read.
"She grabbed onto the deputy frantically and said, 'My husband is trying to kill me. Help me.'"
Young Sook explained that she spent 20 minutes running from the woods before stumbling upon the home where she immediately asked for help.
She was taken to hospital for treatment before her husband was found near the shallow grave he allegedly tried to bury her in, which contained duct tape and fragments of the Apple Watch.
He was later charged with attempted murder, domestic violence kidnapping and domestic violence assault and pled not guilty on Tuesday (1 November).
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline Refuge on 0808 2000 247