The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story (2024 Lifetime)
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Cast: Jordyn Ashley Olson and Robert Baker
Director: TBA
Writer(s): TBA
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Lifetime)
Tanya Kach (Jordyn Ashley Olson) was fourteen and at risk, struggling with an unhappy home life and the victim of bullying at her new school. Feeling isolated and lonely, she is befriended by Tom Hose (Robert Baker), the school’s security guard, who manages to lure Tanya to his home, where he held her captive and sexually abused her for over a decade. Convinced he had Tanya brainwashed and that she would never attempt escape, Tom eventually allows her to take on a part time job. Out from under Tom’s watchful eye, Tanya finally finds the courage to take a dangerous step toward freedom.
Immediately following the movie’s premiere, Lifetime will debut Beyond the Headlines: The Tanya Kach Story with Elizabeth Smart. The doc will follow executive producer Elizabeth Smart as she meets the real-life Tanya Kach, who at 14-years old vanished from a Pittsburgh suburb.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
It is Christmas Eve, and Tom celebrates the holidays with his parents. Tanya Kach is locked in a closet upstairs. She has been there for 8 years.
Cut to Tanya Kach’s first day at middle school. The girl showing Tanya around warns her of two things. The popular girls, and Tom, the security guard. She manages to avoid the popular girls, but Tom, the security guard is harder to avoid.
Tanya Kach starts confiding in Tom about her mother and foster parents. When Tanya’s only friend turns on her and punches her in the face, Tom is the only person she has to turn to. She tells him that he is her only friend.
Tom offers to give Tanya bus fair and directors to her mother’s place in exchange for a kiss. He has earned her trust and crossed many boundaries. When Tanya sees her mother, she is suprised to see her living with another man. They practically slam the door in Tanya’s face.
Tanya doesn’t have anywhere to go, so she goes to Tom’s house. He takes her in with the stipulation that she tell no one. Not even his parents, who he lives with. It isn’t long before he gives her beer and rapes her while they are at his friend Judy’s house. (I’m like, hello f, call the police!)
Tom sneaks Tanya into his room, and she won’t leave for years. He sells it as he is keeping her safe. She locks herself in his room and stays there all day, not leaving to eat or use the bathroom. He gives her a pot to piss in and a journal to track their sex.
As the days go by, Tanya fills beer cans with water and eats peanut butter sandwiches. She quietly moves around the room to avoid clueing in Tom’s parents. To occupy her time, Tanya listens to Tom’s parents arguing through the vents and fold laundry over and over.
Tanya makes a 1-800 call from Tom’s line to her mother, but she doesn’t accept the call and is more upset about the charges. The police visit the house after about nine months, but Tom charms them out of searching it.
Tanya packs her backpack and tries to tell Tom that she is grateful to him for what he has done, but she is ready to leave. Tom grabs her and tells Tanya that he will kill her if she ever leaves him. Tanya writes out her will and hides it under the carpet closet. (She is 15.)
Tom keeps Tanya up in his room as the years pass. He shows her newspaper clippings about her being missing and tells Tanya no one misses her.
After four years of being locked upstairs, Tom lets Tanya spend the day outside the house for church and buy new clothes at a thrift store. He gives her specific instructions on where and what bus routes to take. Tom tells Tanya if she doesn’t do exactly as he says, he will kill her.
The boutique store owner and her husband are concerned about Tanya and note her strange behavior. Tanya continues to visit the store and gets close to the family. She even is starting to make friends at church.
When Tom’s father gets sick, he gets the idea that Tanya can pretend to be a caretaker/girlfriend named Nikki. He is thrilled by his own plan and promises to marry her. The introduction to his parents goes well, but Tanya feels more trapped than ever. Tom’s parents aren’t really pleasant to be around. Tom’s mom is belittling and rude to Tanya.
2006, Tanya is late coming home, and Tom punishes her and takes away privileges and her money.
Tanya breaks down for the store manager, Tony, who offers her a job. She almost tells him what is going on. She goes back later and tells Tony everything and tells him that she is a missing person. Tony looks her up and is horrified. He gives her a burner phone and tells Tanya to act as normal as possible. The police are on the way.
It is very satisfying when the police bust into the house and arrest Tom. Tanya goes upstairs and gathers her things, realizing there is nothing she wants to bring with her but her backpack.
Tanya is out and on her own; she got her GED, does weekly family therapy with her mother, and even sings in the church choir.
Side Note/Stray Thoughts
Elizabeth Smart produced to give voices to victims. She is awesome.
Is this technically a Lifetime Christmas movie?
Read about the real Tanya Kach Story and find out where she is now.
Overall rating
Number of Kills: None (0 knives)
Enjoyment Level (1-5 scale)
🍷🍷🍷 (3 Glasses of Wine)
Should you watch it?
Pour it up! (Give it a shot)
Put a Cork in It (Skip It)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media @LifetimeUncorked & @patrickmiguel
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*Photo Credit: © 2024 Lifetime® | A+E Networks®
