Cold Case Files – "I SURVIVED: I Had To Do Things That Would Make Somebody's Skin Crawl"

Podcast: Cold Case Files
Host: Paula Barros
Date: November 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Cold Case Files (in collaboration with I Survived) shares the first-person stories of three individuals—Tanya Cash, Andy, and Denise—each of whom encountered life-threatening violence or terror and survived against the odds. Their candid, visceral narratives recount not just the facts but the long-term emotional scars and the slow journey from victimhood to survival. The episode weaves themes of isolation, psychological control, resilience, and the crucial role others played in their eventual survival.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Tanya Cash: A Decade in Captivity

Background & Grooming ([02:54])

• After her parents' divorce at age 13, Tanya finds herself isolated and vulnerable in her new living situation.
• School security guard Tom Hose begins grooming her. At first, she feels flattered by his attention:

  "I had a huge crush on him... him having, you know, was paying all this attention to me and me being vulnerable and young and going through such a very hard time at home. I felt very loved. I felt like somebody cared." ([04:09])

Abduction and Captivity ([04:53])

• At 14, Tom convinces Tanya to run away and live in secret in his room at his parents' house.
• Tanya describes being locked in and forced to hide from Tom's parents, often confined for hours—using a bucket as a toilet, eating Tom’s leftovers, and rarely allowed to bathe.
• Tom enforces total psychological domination:

  "When you hear day in and day out, you know that nobody cares that he's my everything, that he saved my life, that I'm stupid, that I'm only a pretty face, that I need to be taken care of. When you hear that, day in and day out, every day, you believe it." ([06:14])

Abuse and Control Tactics ([06:14])

• Tom exerts relentless abuse—physically, sexually, and emotionally—turning Tanya into what she calls his “slave” and “Barbie doll.”

  "He would threaten to kill me. He would smother me in my sleep. He said, you know, throw my body in the river, that he has connections." ([06:14]) "I had to do things to him, and he did things to me that would make somebody's skin crawl that I will never in my life ever do again." ([01:59])

Near Rescue and Further Alienation ([09:03])

• Police search the house, but Tom artfully hides Tanya in the basement inside a box.
• Tanya’s sense of brainwashing is so complete she feels compelled to leave a will under the carpet for when he eventually kills her.

Gradual Re-entry to Society ([11:17])

• After four years, Tom allows Tanya, now 18, limited trips outside, closely monitored.
• Six more years pass before Tanya develops tentative contact with the outside world via a store owner, Joe.

Escape and Rescue ([13:22])

• Breaking down emotionally, Tanya reveals her real identity to Joe, who calls the police and finally ends her decade-long captivity.

  “He looked at me, and he said, ‘Are you Tanya Nicole Cash?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ And he went, ‘Oh, my gosh. ... We’ve been looking for you for 10 years.’” ([14:05])

Aftermath and Reflection ([15:28])

• In court, Tanya faces Tom for the first time, firmly reclaiming her voice.

  "He kept leaning over, saying, 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry.' And I said to him, 'Shut up, because I'm talking now.'" ([15:30])

• Tom Hose is convicted, serves his sentence, and is released in 2022.
• Tanya rebuilds her life: college, marriage, owning a house, and faith in God fueling her recovery.

  "I survived because God got me through it. God was my strength. And because of that, I'm a strong person now." ([16:26])

2. Andy: Mountain Lion Attack Survivor

Backstory & The Attack ([18:25])

• Andy, seeking a new start and adventure in Colorado, regularly hikes alone.
• One day, he encounters a mountain lion up close.

  “The power that came through these eyes that locked onto you... was so intense, so incredible and powerful... we stood there and stared at each other for about seven, seven plus minutes.” ([21:27])

The Struggle for Life ([22:09])

• Andy is mauled by the mountain lion, suffering deep wounds and fearing for his life.

  "You could see the tooth right in front of your eye. The smell from the breath was just horrid, like just rotten flesh. Just death. ... I realized that this is the most real moment of my life." ([22:09])

• He manages to gouge the lion's eye with his thumb, causing it to release him.
• Even after severe injury, Andy is stalked again by the lion until a sense of calm—interpreted as a vision of Jesus—gives him the strength to continue.

Rescue and Recovery ([25:54])

• Andy manages to find four women he passed earlier, who help him get to safety.

  "Two of those ladies that I couldn't even say hi, how's your day—were now dragging me... that last half mile." ([25:58])

New Purpose ([26:44])

• The traumatic experience reorders his life priorities, strengthening his faith and commitment to helping others.

  “I survived this mountain lion attack simply because of the grace of God and I have learned now to live for him.” ([26:44])

3. Denise: Subway Stalker and Assault

Escalating Danger ([28:11])

• Denise, a Brooklyn night shift worker, is stalked on the subway by a man for several nights.
• On the third night, he follows her home and confronts her in her building’s vestibule.

Assault and Threats ([29:32])

• The attacker brandishes a large knife and forces Denise to comply with a sexual assault.

  "The feeling of loss of control is just indescribable... that I had to consent to this stranger violating me in the most brutal way." ([29:32])

Hope for Survival ([33:40])

• Denise tries to delay, hoping for someone to enter; eventually, her neighbor and his daughter do, interrupting the assault and causing the attacker to flee.

Justice and Reflection ([35:43])

• The police apprehend her attacker after he assaults another victim nearby.
• Denise reflects on survival and attributes her rescue to divine intervention.

  "I survived because God intervened and he sent someone to upset the attack because there was nothing else I could have done to save myself." ([36:20])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Tanya Cash

• "He did things to me that would make somebody's skin crawl that I will never in my life ever do again." ([01:59])
• "You're not missing a father... I'm your everything now. You have no father. You have no mother. You have no family. You only have me." ([05:08])
• “He kept leaning over, saying, ‘I'm sorry. I'm sorry.’ And I said to him, ‘Shut up, because I'm talking now.’” ([15:30])
• “I survived because God got me through it. God was my strength. And because of that, I'm a strong person now.” ([16:26])

Andy

• “...the power that came through these eyes that locked onto you were so intense, was so incredible and powerful...” ([21:27])
• “I realized that this is the most real moment of my life. There's nobody around. I gotta do something to get out of here or this is real, this is it. I don't want to die.” ([22:09])
• “I survived this mountain lion attack simply because of the grace of God and I have learned now to live for him.” ([26:44])

Denise

• “The feeling of loss of control, it's just indescribable that I had to consent to this stranger violating me in the most brutal way.” ([29:32])
• “I survived because God intervened and he sent someone to upset the attack because there was nothing else I could have done to save myself.” ([36:20])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:59] Tanya Cash begins recounting captivity

• [04:53] Abduction and beginning of concealed captivity

• [06:14] Details of abuse, psychological manipulation

• [11:17] Tanya's gradual reentry to limited freedom

• [13:22] Tanya reveals her identity, Joe calls police

• [15:30] Tanya’s confrontation in court

• [16:26] Tanya reflects on survival and faith

• [18:25] Andy’s story: Mountain lion attack begins

• [22:09] The fight for survival

• [25:54] Andy meets rescuers, is rushed for help

• [26:44] Andy reflects on new life and faith

• [28:11] Denise’s narrative: initial subway encounters

• [29:32] Assault in the vestibule; compliance to survive

• [35:43] Attacker is apprehended; Denise’s reflection

Episode Tone & Style

The episode’s tone is deeply empathetic, raw, and survivor-focused. The narrators (and survivors themselves) speak directly and truthfully about trauma, carefully balancing the darkness of the events with reflections on inner strength, faith, and eventual healing. Quotes are delivered with emotional weight, not sensationalism, faithfully conveying the survivors’ pain, resilience, and hope.

Summary Takeaway

This Cold Case Files episode does more than recount extraordinary, harrowing events; it captures the psychological complexity of surviving trauma and the decades-long scars it leaves behind. The stories are a testament to endurance, breaking the silence of abduction, assault, and animal attack—not just through escape, but by reclaiming identity, seeking justice, and finding meaning and faith in life after survival.