Teen kidnapped by serial killer and trapped in box brave act to escape
Teen kidnapped by serial killer and trapped in box brave act to escape
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT A teenage girl was bundled into a plastic box and sexually assaulted for 18 hours but one courageous decision helped her escape.
Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied
Add us as preferred source Comments By Jess Flaherty 07:00, Thu, Jun 18, 2026 
A teenage girl was abducted from her friend's garden by a serial killer and prolific rapist, then forced into a plastic container in the back of his car - but one crucial decision enabled her to flee and identify her captor.
Kara Robinson was only 15-years-old when, on June 24 2002, she was approached by Richard Evonitz, a murderer responsible for the deaths of at least three teenage girls in Virginia, as well as Kara's kidnapping in Lexington County, South Carolina.
Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Kara was at her best friend's house, where she'd stayed the night before. The girls had been planning to visit the lake to see their other friend who lived near the water for a fun, relaxing day.
While her friend showered, Kara offered to water the plants in the front garden. Reflecting on her ordeal in 2024, Kara said: "That was a decision that forever changed my life."
She spotted a car driving around the neighbourhood and "took note of it", so when it circled round and returned, she recognised it was the same vehicle.
As it was "broad daylight" and there were "houses all around", Kara "felt safe" so when an "average looking white male" emerged and approached her, it didn't "set off any alarms".
- Missing pregnant mum found dead at roadside after vanishing with her 7 children
- Donald Trump steps out in public but viewers are distracted by certain body part
He was carrying a folder and informed her he was distributing magazines and pamphlets. She said: "During this whole interchange, he maintained a respectable distance from me. There's no red flags going off at any point during this conversation."
But as he moved closer to pass her the magazines, "things changed".
Kara said: "I immediately felt what I somehow knew to be a weapon pressed to my neck. It was a small caliber handgun and he pressed it in and he said, 'come with me'."
Kara "immediately went into fight or flight" and resisted, yet he "had his right arm around" her neck and forced her to comply.
Due to the handgun being so small, "it could not be seen by an outside observer."
Kara walked alongside Evonitz to his vehicle. The killer instructed her to climb into a plastic box on the back seat.
He "loosely put the lid on" and drove away. Kara explained: "I was lucky. My survival mechanism was to completely dissociate and stay calm. I inherently knew that I was going to survive."
Straight away, she embarked on a "fact-gathering mission" to help identify her abductor, mentally recording as much detail as possible, "from the type of cigarettes he was smoking, the music on the radio, to the serial number" on the interior of the box in which she was trapped.
Following 15 minutes of driving, Evonitz stopped at the roadside, where he bound Kara's wrists, placed a ball gag in her mouth, sealed the box completely and continued his journey to his flat.
Kara said: "For the next 18 hours, I was his captive. I was sexually assaulted multiple times. I was told that we were going to watch the news to see if anyone missed me.
"I was told that he was going to let me go whenever he was done with me. He was going to take me somewhere where I wouldn't know where I was and he was going to let me go, and it was my decision if I went to the police or not and if I was always known as the girl who was raped."
Rather than waiting to be released by Evonitz, Kara was determined to make her own escape. She said: "That was a decision that saved my life."
When bedtime arrived, Kara was given a valium and bound to the bed frame, where she eventually drifted off to sleep.
WARNING: Distressing content
She awoke in the early hours to find Evonitz still sleeping — and recognised this as her "best case to escape".
Kara managed to free herself from her restraints while her attacker lay beside her. Moving "as quietly and quickly" as she could, she got the front door open and ran.
Once outside, she flagged down a passing car carrying two men, who drove her straight to the police station.
There, she was able to relay all the information she had gathered — from the number of animals Evonitz owned, to the name of his dentist, and more.
Evonitz subsequently took his own life during a police chase.
Today, Kara works as a keynote speaker, activist, executive producer and host.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
