A woman has got engaged to an American prisoner after spending just three hours in his company.
Kim Eichenberger, from the municipality of Gebenstorf, in Aargau Canton, Switzerland, fell in love with her fiancée William McCarty, San Bernardino, California, USA, just weeks after she met him through the 'Write a Prisoner' online platform.
The social networking website based in Florida was set by authorities to hook inmates up with pen pals in the hope that it could stop them reoffending.
Kim said that the two exchanged a couple of messages on the platform before she found out that McCarty - who is a repeated offender - has been jailed for drug dealing.
Kim - who is also a Twitch streamer - said: "I've always found criminals very interesting. That's why I accidentally wrote to William.
"He's been a criminal all his life. He grew up in difficult circumstances and dealt drugs."
Unbothered by his criminal past, Kim continued talking to McCarty - who she admits she became smitten with after several weeks of chatting.
She then filed a request to visit McCarty in prison, although they had to find a way around certain rules.
Kim said: "In order to meet, you have to request a permit that proves you've known each other for two years or more."
But since that wasn't the case, the two found a way to bypass USA authorities.
Kim added: "It sounds stupid and it's not really my style, but you have to sneak your way through it."
After sharing their first kiss and getting engaged during the three hours spent together behind bars, Kim is now eagerly waiting for McCarty's release in October.
Kim revealed that after her fiancée's release the two are planning to start a new life together in Idaho.
Recalling the jail visit she said: "It felt very strange, but it was also very beautiful. But you couldn't put a lot of feeling into it."
Elaborating on how things stand at the moment, she said: "I spend CHF 80 (£71) to CHF 100 (£89) francs a month on the phone and about CHF 30 (£26) for writing.
"I decided to pay for his lawyer even if he didn't want me to.
"He gives me extreme mental support and without him I wouldn't know where I would be now."
Kim revealed that they have already applied for fiancée visas in the USA, and added: "My goal is that by the time he gets out of jail, I'll be there."
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