Tanya Kach was 14 when school security guard Thomas 'Tom' Hose groomed and abducted her on Feb. 10, 1996, holding her captive for more than a decade. Confined to a single bedroom for the first four years and repeatedly sexually assaulted, she was later given an alias and limited freedom before escaping in March 2006 after confiding in a coworker. Hose was convicted on multiple sexual-offense charges, served a 15-year sentence and was released in February 2022. Tanya has endured lasting physical and psychological effects, wrote a memoir, and now speaks publicly about her survival and recovery.
Held Captive for a Decade: How Tanya Kach Escaped Her School Security Guard and Rebuilt Her Life
Tanya Kach missing poster ; Tanya Kach arrives at the Allegheny County Courthouse on June 26, 2007 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.National Center for Missing and Exploited Children ; Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo
Tanya Nicole Kach was 14 when a school security guard she trusted, Thomas 'Tom' Hose, lured her from home on Feb. 10, 1996, and kept her under his control for more than a decade. What began as grooming at school became years of captivity, sexual abuse, threats and deprivation before she finally escaped in 2006.
Tanya Nicole Kach (center) is accompanied by Joelle Sparico and Geraldine Massey as she arrives in the Allegheny County Courthouse Tuesday, June 26, 2007 in Pittsburgh.AP
Background
Born Oct. 14, 1981, in a Pittsburgh suburb, Tanya moved with her father, Jerry Kach, to live with his girlfriend, JoAnn, in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, after her parents separated in 1995. Struggling to adjust at a new middle school and coping with conflict at home, Tanya was vulnerable to an adult who offered her attention and protection.
Thomas Hose stands outside the courtroom after a preliminary hearing in Pittsburgh in this April, 6, 2006.AP
Grooming and Abduction
At school, 38-year-old security guard Thomas Hose befriended Tanya, gradually testing boundaries until he convinced her to leave home. On Feb. 10, 1996, she did not return. Hose had arranged for Tanya to go to a friend’s house where her hair was dyed and she was reportedly intoxicated and sexually assaulted. He then moved her into the house he shared with his elderly parents and adult son.
Tanya Nicole Kach, who disappeared as a teen 10 years ago, is reunited with her father, Jerry Kach, in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania on March 22, 2006AP
Captivity
Tanya says Hose immediately asserted strict control. For roughly the first four years she was confined to a single bedroom, forced to use a bucket instead of the bathroom, and threatened with death if she tried to escape. Hose documented the assaults in a calendar and frequently raped her, sometimes multiple times a day. In 2000 he gave her the name Nikki Diane Allen and presented her to his family as his girlfriend. Over time he allowed limited movement but kept her isolated and under his authority.
A mugshot of Thomas Hose in 2006.
Escape and Arrest
By 2005 Tanya found work at a local convenience store, JJ’s Deli Mart, where observing the store owners’ healthy relationship helped her recognize the abuse she had endured. On March 20, 2006, she told co-worker Joe Sparico her true name and that Hose had been holding her captive. Sparico contacted police; officers went to Hose’s home and escorted Tanya away. She was reunited with her father at the police station in an emotional reunion.
Tanya Nicole Kach (L) leaves a courtroom in Pittsburgh on April, 6, 2006.AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
Legal Outcome
Hose was arrested and charged with multiple sexual offenses, including counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of a minor and related charges. Prosecutors did not pursue kidnapping charges because Tanya initially left home voluntarily with Hose. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Aiding participant Judy Sokol pleaded guilty to charges related to disguising Tanya and facilitating abuse and received a jail term of months, per reporting.
Aftermath and Recovery
Tanya has described lasting physical and psychological injuries from her captivity. She underwent a hysterectomy and temporarily required a colostomy bag as a result of the repeated sexual assaults. She also reports chronic back pain, migraines and nightmares. After her escape she reconnected with her mother, Sherri, who helped with practical needs such as getting a driver’s license and attending college.
In 2011 Tanya published a memoir, Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid: The Tanya Nicole Kach Story, to offer hope and to share what she endured. She later married Karl McCrum, whom she met while working in 2008, and the couple wed in September 2018. Tanya now speaks publicly at schools and organizations about surviving abuse and recovery. Her case has been profiled in media, including a PEOPLE Magazine Investigates episode and inspired the Lifetime film The Girl Locked Upstairs.
Current Context
Hose was released from prison in February 2022 after serving his sentence and remains a registered sex offender. Tanya has said she lives about 15 minutes away from him and fears an accidental encounter. Reflecting on her experience, she said the damage remains, but she has worked to reclaim her life:
'It was incredibly difficult to find myself again and become the person that I am today. I will always be psychologically damaged. But it doesn't mean I'm not strong.'
If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual abuse and needs immediate help, text STRENGTH to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to reach a certified crisis counselor.
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