Naman Shrestha
In ‘The Basement: A Vanishing in Apple Valley,’ the primary focus is on the horrific triple homicide of a single mother named Tina Herrmann, her son, Kody Maynard, and her neighbor Stephanie Sprang, in Tina’s residence in Knox County, Ohio. However, after committing the triple homicide, the killer, Matthew Hoffman, abducted Tina’s 13-year-old daughter, Sarah Maynard, and held her hostage in his house near Mount Vernon. Luckily, the teenager managed to survive the ordeal and share her traumatic experiences with the world.
Sarah Maynard Was Held Hostage For Four Days by the Killer of Her Mother and Brother
Born in the late 1990s to Larry Maynard and Tina Herrmann, Sarah Maynard had a difficult childhood. Growing up, she and her brother, Kody, lived with their mother in Knox County, Ohio. Her life turned upside down on the fateful afternoon of November 10, 2010, when she returned home from school and got abducted by Matthew Hoffman, who killed her mother, Tina, her brother, Kody, and a neighbor named Stephanie Sprang. For the next few days, Sarah was held captive in the basement of the killer’s house just outside Mount Vernon, bound with duct tape and rope on top of a bed of leaves.
After the police rescued her on November 14, she was admitted to a hospital for treatment of the physical and mental trauma she endured during her captivity. Meanwhile, Matthew was arrested and charged with the kidnapping. Soon, she was released from the hospital and returned to her family members, while they grieved the loss of Tina and Kody. She moved in with her father, her stepmother, Tracy Maynard, and two half-brothers in Hamilton Township in Franklin County. In the following months, Sarah made new friends in her new school and formed aspirations of becoming a pediatrician one day.
During the court hearing of Matthew Hoffman on January 6, 2011, Sarah’s words were read out loud by the prosecutor: “I’m not scared of you, Matthew. I’m going to stand up for myself and live my life.” She was relieved to learn that the killer of his mother and brother was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The surviving teenager also helped with the Healing Hearts Memorial Fund, an initiative established in memory of Tina and Kody to provide help for families affected by violence. On December 31, 2012, ‘The Girl in the Leaves,’ a book she co-authored with Robert Scott and her father, Larry Maynard, was published.
Sarah Began Living With Her Grandmother After Alleging Physical Assault by Her Father and Stepmother
In the years following the murders, Sarah Maynard and her father, Larry, appeared publicly and spoke about the tragedy. For instance, they made an appearance on the Dr. Phil show in March 2012, where she opened up about her trauma and said that she still had nightmares about the ordeal. “It’s been painful inside, but I haven’t really shown any emotion. I don’t really cry that much,” she added. Sarah also admitted to visiting a therapist for her mental well-being. A few months down the line, in May 2013, she allegedly went through another traumatic ordeal in her house.
Sarah alleged that she was physically assaulted in two different instances by her father and stepmother in the Hamilton Township home at 4976 Fishburn Street. As per reports, on May 3, 2013, Larry allegedly punched Sarah in the back, while Tracy kicked her down the staircase a few days later. Following the alleged incidents, the court issued a protection order instructing Larry and Tracy to stay away from Sarah, while keeping them in custody for domestic violence and assault charges. However, four months later, in September, the charges against Larry were dropped by the prosecution and Sarah after he completed court-ordered parenting classes, counseling, and a psychological assessment.
As part of the deal, Larry also agreed to the transfer of Sarah’s custody to her maternal grandmother, Barbara Herrmann. Thus, she reportedly moved into Barbara’s house, where she was living under the care of her grandmother. From what we can tell, she has now graduated and is moving forward with resilience and strength. In 2016, she made an appearance on an ABC Nightline special driven by Elizabeth Smart, sharing her ordeal alongside other survivors of violence. While the trauma can never completely go away, Sarah remains determined to be happy and build a fulfilling life, while keeping the beautiful spirit of her mother and brother alive in her memories.
Read More: Matthew Hoffman: Where is the Killer Now?
