California Yogurt Store Owner Allegedly Locks Diaper-Clad Employee in Box
The woman escaped from the soundproof box and fled to call authorities.
Aug. 29, 2011 — -- A California yogurt shop owner is in custody after allegedly attacking an employee and trapping her in a soundproof box, wearing only an adult diaper, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
"It was definitely a very horrible situation for this victim," said Lt. Carrie Mazelin a spokeswoman for the police department in Monterey Park, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles. "She had an incredible will to survive and was able to save her own life by keeping her emotions together and escaping."
Robert Yachen Lee, 37, the owner of O My Yogurt in Monterey Park, was arrested and charged with kidnapping to commit rape and attempted first degree murder on Wednesday.
According to the district attorney, Lee lured the victim to a storage room above the shop where the woman's "clothes were removed and she was dressed in an adult diaper with a collar around her neck."
"It was a complete blitz attack," Mazelin said. "She couldn't have known that that was going to happen."
Authorities said the storage room appeared to be recently padded and soundproofed. "The victim blacked out and when she awoke, she was bound with tape and lying face down," said the district attorney's press release.
"As soon as she was conscious and able to start figuring out what she was going to do, she immediately began her effort to escape," Mazelin said.
The woman, whose name was not made public, managed to free herself and flee to a nearby optometry office for help. The Monterey Park police responded and said they found "an adult female who had been assaulted," according to a police report.
By noon, police had tracked down Lee's car and arrested him after a traffic stop.
Lee briefly appeared in Alhambra Superior Court on Friday afternoon, but his arraignment was postponed until Sept. He is being held on $10 million bail.
"Something like this is unusual for any community," said Sgt. Dave Elliott of the Monterey Park police department. He said the small police department "responded heavily" to the call.
"She did need immediate medical care, but her injuries were not life-threatening. She is in stable condition and was able to talk to us," Mazelin said. "She'll be able to heal from this, but I think it will be a long road."