Police: Battered woman flees captor, runs naked down street

POTTSVILLE, PA (KTRK) -- A woman is accused of holding another woman captive for three days and beating her. But the alleged captive managed to escape, running naked down a Pennsylvania street to safety.

Holly Ann Rhode, 47, of Pottsville, is now behind bars, accused of holding another woman captive, for three days.

Police say Rhode beat the woman her inside an apartment with chairs, a fire extinguisher, and even a bat, until witnesses say the victim made a run for it Tuesday morning and escaped.

The battered woman escaped from the apartment, and then ran across the street completely naked, screaming 'help me' to people inside a bingo supply business.

Diane Hess, of Atlantic Bingo Supply, said, "Thank God our big garage door was open, that's the way she came in and thank God it was. Because what if it wouldn't have been and maybe she wouldn't have got away. You know it's scary."

Hess had just started her morning when the woman came running in for help.

Hess told WNEP-TV she can't get the image out of her head, remembering there wasn't an inch of the battered and naked woman's body that wasn't bruised.

Hess said, "My heart just broke. She was totally bruised, she had a big gash on her head. She had a little blanket she was holding over her. It was... it was absolutely horrible."

Police are still investigating this case.

They have not released a motive for why Rhode held the other woman captive.

Police say though they found evidence to substantiate the victim's account.