Katharina Buczek
“I was the one at fault. I was still angry and drunk when the police interviewed me at the station and, besides, they told me she would not be charged.”
After his statement, Sarah was released on bail. But, this was only allowed after she confirmed in writing that she would not attempt to flee Moscow.
Russian media reports have since shared that Russian authorities did inform U.S. Embassy officials about Sarah’s arrest and conditions of release prior to the trial. And, fearing imprisonment, Sarah consulted the Embassy for guidance.
The U.S. Embassy ultimately helped provide Sarah with funds and plane tickets in order to travel back to the United States.
However, according to a U.S. official, the Embassy was not informed of Russian court orders for Sarah to remain in Moscow or even the fact that she was arrested in the first place.
Nonetheless, on December 15, Sarah was escorted to the Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow by American diplomat Luke Davis. And apparently, this was not an unusual practice for Americans leaving Russia.
“U.S. citizens abroad may find themselves in need of a range of consular assistance– including assistance with travel issues, repatriation loans to the United States, lost or stolen passports, etc,” a State Department official told PEOPLE in an interview.
Still, once arriving at customs, Sarah was never allowed to board her plane back to Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Instead, her passport was seized, and Sarah was consequently arrested.
Anita Martinez, a longtime friend of Sarah’s who lives in California, was on Facetime with the schoolteacher when it all happened.
“I saw them take her. We were talking because she was getting ready to leave… I saw a scuffle, and I heard her saying, ‘No! No!’ and then next thing I knew, there was some man looking into her phone, and then it went dead. My heart just dropped,” Anita recalled.
Anita has not heard from Sarah since, but the schoolteacher did write a letter addressed to an unknown recipient on February 7 asking for help.
