When Samantha Stites met Christopher Thomas in 2011, his awkward charm quickly spiraled into obsession. Despite rejecting him and even securing a six-year protection order, Thomas’s fixation only grew. By 2022, it reached a terrifying peak: he kidnapped Stites, locking her in a soundproof underground bunker stocked for weeks of captivity. Inspired by the Netflix thriller You, he held her for 13 hours.

Relying on her social work training, Stites stayed calm, appealed to his fear of prison, and pretended to be open to a relationship. He demanded sex in exchange for release. She agreed to survive, then immediately sought medical help and worked with police.

Thomas was arrested within 48 hours and sentenced to 40–60 years for kidnapping, torture, and stalking. Now 33, Stites shares her story in a Hulu documentary, hoping to raise awareness about stalking, resilience, and survival instincts.