An Apple Watch has been credited with saving the life of a Seattle woman who was allegedly buried alive by her estranged husband. She was able to call for help using her wearable, according to reports.
Those reports say that the woman was able to call 911 and send an emergency notification when her husband briefly left her alone during the attack, just before he dragged her to the garage and broke the watch with a hammer.
Close escape
NBC News reports that the Washington state woman was allegedly buried after discussing an impending divorce and money with the man.
When placing the call to emergency services, the woman was heard to be gagged but was screaming for help. She later told officials that her husband was trying to harm her, according to court documents. She was found with "duct tape still wrapped around her neck, lower face, and ankles" after managing to escape.
The woman's husband, 53-year-old Chae Kyong An, now faces a number of charges including first-degree attempted murder, first-degree kidnapping, and first-degree assault.
This is of course not the first time that an Apple Watch has been credited with helping save a life, but it's rare that such an instance is so violent and part of a case as serious as this. Reports don't mention whether the woman had an iPhone within reach, but with her hands bound the Apple Watch was no doubt the best method for calling for help.
The Apple Watch includes an Emergency SOS feature specifically designed to help people call for help when they might not have an iPhone to hand, or simply can't maneuver enough to use it. A similar lifesaving feature, called Fall Detection, can automatically call for help when an Apple Watch wearer takes a tumble and is unable to call 911.
Kyong An has not been formally charged, but a Judge Wednesday granted the prosecutor's request to hold him without bail.
