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{{Short description|2002–2004 kidnappings in Cleveland, Ohio, US}}
{{pp-move-indef}} {{Pp-move}}
{{short description|21st-century kidnappings}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox civilian attack {{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Ariel Castro kidnappings | title = Ariel Castro kidnappings
| image = Cleveland Kidnapping Victims.jpg | image = Cleveland Kidnapping Victims.jpg
| caption= Berry, DeJesus, and Knight prior to their abductions | caption = From left to right: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight
| location = 2207 Seymour Avenue, ], ], ], ] | location = 2207 Seymour Avenue, ], Ohio, U.S.
| date = August 23, 2002 – May 6, 2013 | date = August 23, 2002 – May 6, 2013
| time = | time =
| timezone = | timezone =
| coordinates = {{coord|41|28|21|N|81|41|53|W|display=inline,title|region:US-OH_type:event|name=2207 Seymour Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio}} | coordinates = {{Coord|41|28|21|N|81|41|53|W|display=inline,title|region:US-OH_type:event|name=2207 Seymour Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio}}
| type = Kidnapping, rape,<ref name= "plain-dealer-charges" /> aggravated murder, attempted murder, assault<ref name="pd090513">{{Cite news |last1=Blackwell |first1=Brandon |last2=Krouse |first2=Peter |last3=Ewinger |first3=James |last4=Farkas |first4=Karen |last5=Miller |first5=Donna J. |last6=Galbincea |first6=Pat |date=May 12, 2013 |title=Prosecutor to seek aggravated murder charges against Ariel Castro, citing what he said were terminated pregnancies among captive women |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, OH |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/prosecutor_to_seek_aggravated.html |access-date=May 16, 2013 |format=news article posted to Cleveland.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512131526/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/prosecutor_to_seek_aggravated.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| type = Kidnapping, rape,<ref name= "plain-dealer-charges" /> aggravated murder, attempted murder, assault<ref name="pd090513">
| victims = {{Plain list|
{{Cite news | last1 = Blackwell | first1 = Brandon | last2 = Krouse | first2 = Peter | last3 = Ewinger | first3 = James | last4 = Farkas | first4 = Karen | last5 = Miller | first5 = Donna J. | last6 = Galbincea | first6 = Pat | date = May 12, 2013 | title = Prosecutor to seek aggravated murder charges against Ariel Castro, citing what he said were terminated pregnancies among captive women | newspaper = The Plain Dealer | location = Cleveland, OH | url = http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/prosecutor_to_seek_aggravated.html | access-date = May 16, 2013 | format = news article posted to Cleveland.com | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130512131526/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/prosecutor_to_seek_aggravated.html | archive-date = May 12, 2013 | df = mdy-all }}</ref>
| victims = {{Plainlist|
* Michelle Knight * Michelle Knight
* Amanda Berry * Amanda Berry
* Georgina "Gina" DeJesus * Gina DeJesus
}} }}
| perp = {{Plainlist| | perp = {{Plain list|
* Ariel Castro * Ariel Castro
}} }}
}} }}


The '''Ariel Castro kidnappings''' took place between 2002 and 2004, when Ariel Castro kidnapped Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Georgina "Gina" DeJesus and held them captive in his home in the ] neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The three girls were imprisoned until May 6, 2013, when Berry escaped with her six-year-old daughter, to whom she had given birth while imprisoned, and contacted the police.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/frantic-911-call-leads-3-missing-women-ohio |title=Police Facing Questions in 3 Women's Ohio Rescue |last1=Sheeran |first1=Thomas |last2=Coyne |first2=John |date=May 7, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130515170424/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/frantic-911-call-leads-3-missing-women-ohio |archive-date=May 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22430145 |title=Three US women missing for years rescued in Ohio |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=BBC |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512163039/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22430145 |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=cnn050713>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/06/us/ohio-missing-women-found/ |title=911 call – 'I've been kidnapped!' – cops find three women missing for year |last1=Almasy |first1=Steve |last2=Smith |first2=Matt |date=May 7, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6ZebQK?url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/06/us/ohio-missing-women-found/ |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | last = Sherwell | first = Philip | date = May 7, 2013 | title = Ohio abductions: friendship between Ariel Castro's daughter and Gina DeJesus | newspaper = ] | location = London, England | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10042659/Ohio-abductions-friendship-between-Ariel-Castros-daughter-and-Gina-DeJesus.html | access-date = May 16, 2013 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130508025936/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10042659/Ohio-abductions-friendship-between-Ariel-Castros-daughter-and-Gina-DeJesus.html | archive-date = May 8, 2013 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Police rescued Knight and DeJesus, and arrested Castro within hours. Between 2002 and 2004, Ariel Castro abducted Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus from the roads of ], Ohio, and later held them captive in his home at 2207 Seymour Avenue in the city's ] neighborhood. All three women were imprisoned at Castro's home until 2013, when Berry successfully escaped with her six-year-old daughter, to whom she had given birth while captive, and contacted the police.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/frantic-911-call-leads-3-missing-women-ohio |title=Police Facing Questions in 3 Women's Ohio Rescue |last1=Sheeran |first1=Thomas |last2=Coyne |first2=John |date=May 7, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130515170424/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/frantic-911-call-leads-3-missing-women-ohio |archive-date=May 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22430145 |title=Three US women missing for years rescued in Ohio |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=BBC |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512163039/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22430145 |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=cnn050713>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/06/us/ohio-missing-women-found/ |title=911 call – 'I've been kidnapped!' – cops find three women missing for year |last1=Almasy |first1=Steve |last2=Smith |first2=Matt |date=May 7, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513074151/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/06/us/ohio-missing-women-found |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sherwell |first=Philip |date=May 7, 2013 |title=Ohio abductions: friendship between Ariel Castro's daughter and Gina DeJesus |newspaper=] |location=London, England |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10042659/Ohio-abductions-friendship-between-Ariel-Castros-daughter-and-Gina-DeJesus.html |access-date=May 16, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508025936/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10042659/Ohio-abductions-friendship-between-Ariel-Castros-daughter-and-Gina-DeJesus.html |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Police rescued Knight and DeJesus, and arrested Castro hours later.


On May 8, 2013, Castro was charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape.<ref name="plain-dealer-charges">{{Cite news | last1 = Caniglia | first1 = John | last2 = Blackwell | first2 = Brandon | date = May 9, 2013 | title = Cleveland city prosecutors charge Ariel Castro with kidnapping, rape in case of missing women | newspaper = ] | location = Cleveland, OH | url = http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/cleveland_city_prosecutors_cha.html#incart_river#incart_maj-story-1 | access-date = May 16, 2013 | format = news article posted to Cleveland.com | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130510123113/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/cleveland_city_prosecutors_cha.html#incart_river | archive-date = May 10, 2013 | df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-ariel-castro-hid-dark-side/story?id=19122845 |title=Cleveland Kidnapping Suspect Ariel Castro Hid a Dark Side, His Uncle Says |last1=Perez |first1=Alex |date=May 7, 2013 |work=ABC News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508090308/http://abcnews.go.com/US/cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-ariel-castro-hid-dark-side/story?id=19122845 |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He pleaded guilty to 937 criminal counts of rape, kidnapping, and aggravated murder, as part of a plea bargain. He was sentenced to life plus 1,000 years in prison without the possibility of parole.<ref name=usat072613>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/26/ariel-castro-cleveland-abduction-plea-deal-death-penalty/2589039/ |title=Ariel Castro pleads guilty in Ohio abductions |last1=Stanglin |first1=Doug |newspaper=USA Today |date=July 26, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726170640/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/26/ariel-castro-cleveland-abduction-plea-deal-death-penalty/2589039/ |archive-date=July 26, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-michelle-knight-20130801,0,2844274.story |last=Muskal |first=Michael |title=Ariel Castro gets life, no parole; victim says his hell awaits |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911223531/http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-michelle-knight-20130801,0,2844274.story |archive-date=September 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all |date=August 2013 }}</ref> On September 3, 2013, one month into his sentence, Castro died by suicide, hanging himself with bed sheets in his prison cell.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2013/09/04/Pickaway_Castro_Death.html |date=September 4, 2013 |publisher=10TV.com |title=Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro Dead After Found Hanging in Prison Cell |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6JNhWbTEq?url=http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2013/09/04/Pickaway_Castro_Death.html |archive-date=September 4, 2013 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |df=mdy }}</ref><ref name="suiciderpt"/> Castro was charged with four counts of ] and three counts of ].<ref name="plain-dealer-charges">{{Cite news |last1=Caniglia |first1=John |last2=Blackwell |first2=Brandon |date=May 9, 2013 |title=Cleveland city prosecutors charge Ariel Castro with kidnapping, rape in case of missing women |newspaper=] |location=Cleveland, OH |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/cleveland_city_prosecutors_cha.html#incart_river#incart_maj-story-1 |access-date=May 16, 2013 |format=news article posted to Cleveland.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510123113/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/cleveland_city_prosecutors_cha.html#incart_river |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-ariel-castro-hid-dark-side/story?id=19122845 |title=Cleveland Kidnapping Suspect Ariel Castro Hid a Dark Side, His Uncle Says |last1=Perez |first1=Alex |date=May 7, 2013 |work=ABC News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508090308/http://abcnews.go.com/US/cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-ariel-castro-hid-dark-side/story?id=19122845 |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He pled guilty to 937 criminal counts of rape, kidnapping, and ] as part of a ]. He was sentenced to ] plus 1,000 years in prison without the possibility of parole.<ref name=usat072613>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/26/ariel-castro-cleveland-abduction-plea-deal-death-penalty/2589039/ |title=Ariel Castro pleads guilty in Ohio abductions |last1=Stanglin |first1=Doug |newspaper=USA Today |date=July 26, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726170640/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/26/ariel-castro-cleveland-abduction-plea-deal-death-penalty/2589039/ |archive-date=July 26, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-michelle-knight-20130801,0,2844274.story |last=Muskal |first=Michael |title=Ariel Castro gets life, no parole; victim says his hell awaits |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911223531/http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-michelle-knight-20130801,0,2844274.story |archive-date=September 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all |date=August 2013}}</ref> One month into his life sentence, Castro died by suicide by hanging himself with bedsheets in his prison cell.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.biography.com/crime/ariel-castro | title=Ariel Castro - Victims, Death & Children | date=October 26, 2021 | access-date=November 13, 2023 | archive-date=November 13, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113184839/https://www.biography.com/crime/ariel-castro | url-status=live }}</ref>


==Perpetrator background== ==Kidnapper background==
'''Ariel Castro''' (July 10, 1960 September 3, 2013) was born in ], the son of Pedro Castro and Lillian Rodriguez.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/745320-ariel-castro-sentencing-memo/745320-ariel-castro-sentencing-memo_djvu.txt |title=Ariel Castro Sentencing Memo |date=August 2013}}</ref> His parents divorced when he was a child, and he moved to the ] with his mother and three biological siblings. The family first lived in ], before settling in ], Ohio, where Castro's father and several other family members were living.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latintimes.com/articles/4018/20130515/ariel-castro-relatives-puerto-rico-evil-demon-reading-cleveland.htm |title=Ariel Castro Relatives in Puerto Rico Say He Is 'Evil' And There Is 'Demon' Inside Him |last1=Creitz |first1=Charlie |date=May 15, 2013 |newspaper=Latin Times |access-date=September 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021044804/http://www.latintimes.com/articles/4018/20130515/ariel-castro-relatives-puerto-rico-evil-demon-reading-cleveland.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mcall.com/2013/05/10/cleveland-kidnap-suspects-berks-county-cousins-this-animal-shocked-us/ |title=Cleveland kidnap suspect's Berks County cousins: 'This animal' shocked us |last1=Kelly |first1=Dan |last2=Urban |first2=Mike |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=The Morning Call |access-date=September 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130909145938/http://articles.mcall.com/2013-05-10/news/mc-cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-pa-cousins-react-20130510_1_berks-county-berks-woman-brother |archive-date=September 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He had nine siblings (both full and half).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/discovery_of_amanda_berry_gina_1.html |title=Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight in Cleveland: Frequently asked questions |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510100357/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/discovery_of_amanda_berry_gina_1.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro was a devout Catholic.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rochat |first1=Philippe |title=Moral Acrobatics: How We Avoid Ethical Ambiguity by Thinking in Black and White |date=2021 |page=32 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-005765-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3xQOEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22ariel+castro%22+%22fervent%22+google+books&pg=PA32 |quote=Castro was a fervent Catholic, going to mass every Sunday at a local church.}}</ref>
{{Infobox criminal

|name=Ariel Castro
Castro was sexually and physically abused throughout his childhood. He was molested starting at the age of five by a neighbor in Puerto Rico and was also raped by an uncle. His mother had physically abused him by striking him with "belts, sticks and an open hand."<ref>{{cite web |title=Ariel Castro files: Kidnapper and rapist tells of abuse as a child, says never suicidal (document) |url=https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2014/05/ariel_castro_files_kidnapper_a.html |website=Cleveland |date=May 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=In note, Ariel Castro claimed he was sexually abused as a child |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/in-note-ariel-castro-claimed-he-was-sexually-abused-as-a-child/ |website=CBS News |date=May 9, 2013}}</ref> Castro attended ] in Cleveland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/13/castro-kidnapping-rape-cleveland/2155187/ |title=Details emerge on Cleveland kidnap suspect's history |last1=Leger |first1=Donna Leinwand |date=May 13, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 15, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514084034/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/13/castro-kidnapping-rape-cleveland/2155187/ |archive-date=May 14, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/who-are-the-castro-brothers/article11780057/ |title=Who are the Castro brothers? |last1=Hui |first1=Ann |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510111225/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/who-are-the-castro-brothers/article11780057/ |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
|image=Ariel Castro FBI interrogation (cropped).png
|birth_date = {{birth date|1960|7|10}}
|birth_place = ]
|death_date = {{death date and age|2013|9|3|1960|7|10}}
|death_place = ], ], U.S.
|death_cause = ]
|criminal_charge = 977 in total, including multiple charges of kidnapping, rape, and aggravated murder
|criminal_penalty = Life in prison without parole plus 1,000 years
|apprehended = {{birth date|2013|5|6}}
}}
Ariel Castro (July 10, 1960 &ndash; September 3, 2013) was born in ], ], the son of Pedro Castro (1938–2004) and Lillian Rodriguez (born 1942).<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://archive.org/stream/745320-ariel-castro-sentencing-memo/745320-ariel-castro-sentencing-memo_djvu.txt |title = Ariel Castro Sentencing Memo|date = August 2013}}</ref> Castro's parents divorced when he was a child, and he moved to mainland United States with his mother and three full siblings. They settled in ], and then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where Castro's father and other family members were living.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latintimes.com/articles/4018/20130515/ariel-castro-relatives-puerto-rico-evil-demon-reading-cleveland.htm |title=Ariel Castro Relatives in Puerto Rico Say He Is 'Evil' And There Is 'Demon' Inside Him |last1=Creitz |first1=Charlie |date=May 15, 2013 |newspaper=Latin Times |access-date=September 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021044804/http://www.latintimes.com/articles/4018/20130515/ariel-castro-relatives-puerto-rico-evil-demon-reading-cleveland.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.mcall.com/2013-05-10/news/mc-cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-pa-cousins-react-20130510_1_berks-county-berks-woman-brother |title=Cleveland kidnap suspect's Berks County cousins: 'This animal' shocked us |last1=Kelly |first1=Dan |last2=Urban |first2=Mike |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=The Morning Call |access-date=September 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130909145938/http://articles.mcall.com/2013-05-10/news/mc-cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-pa-cousins-react-20130510_1_berks-county-berks-woman-brother |archive-date=September 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://latino.foxnews.com/2013/05/08/relatives-cleveland-suspected-kidnappers-pioneered-city-latino-community/ |title=Relatives of Cleveland's Suspected Kidnappers Pioneered The City's Latino Community |date=May 8, 2013 |publisher=Fox News Latino |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615085125/http://latino.foxnews.com/2013/05/08/relatives-cleveland-suspected-kidnappers-pioneered-city-latino-community/ |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/castro_family_among_first_hisp.html |title=Castro family among first Hispanics to settle in Cleveland, coming from Puerto Rico just after World War II |last1=O'Malley |first1=Michael |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=September 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808225836/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/castro_family_among_first_hisp.html |archive-date=August 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro had nine siblings (both full and half)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/discovery_of_amanda_berry_gina_1.html |title=Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight in Cleveland: Frequently asked questions |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510100357/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/discovery_of_amanda_berry_gina_1.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and graduated from Cleveland's ] in 1979.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/13/castro-kidnapping-rape-cleveland/2155187/ |title=Details emerge on Cleveland kidnap suspect's history |last1=Leger |first1=Donna Leinwand |date=May 13, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 15, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514084034/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/13/castro-kidnapping-rape-cleveland/2155187/ |archive-date=May 14, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/who-are-the-castro-brothers/article11780057/ |title=Who are the Castro brothers? |last1=Hui |first1=Ann |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510111225/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/who-are-the-castro-brothers/article11780057/ |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>


Castro met his girlfriend Grimilda Figueroa when his family moved into a house across the street from hers in the 1980s. They lived with both sets of parents, but moved into their own home at 2207 Seymour Avenue in 1992.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/us/ohio-missing-women-found/ |title=Ohio kidnapping case: Amanda Berry's baby delivered by another captive |last1=Botelho |first1=Greg |last2=Smith |first2=Matt |last3=Brown |first3=Pamela |date=May 9, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512191127/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/us/ohio-missing-women-found |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=nationalpost1>{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/09/ariel-castros-ex-wifes-family-allege-two-decade-campaign-of-violence/ |title=Ariel Castro's ex-wife's family allege two-decade campaign of violence |date=May 13, 2013 |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20130510170255/http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/09/ariel-castros-ex-wifes-family-allege-two-decade-campaign-of-violence/ |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Their home was a two-story, {{convert|1400|ft2|adj=on}}, four-bedroom, one-bathroom house with a {{convert|760|ft2|adj=on}} unfinished basement built in 1890 and remodeled in 1956.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/missing-women-cleveland-brothers-arrested/2140359/ |title=Reports of sex abuse, beatings inside Cleveland house |last1=Alcindor |first1=Yamiche |last2=Leger |first2=Donna Leinwand |last3=Johnson |first3=Kevin |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512203429/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/missing-women-cleveland-brothers-arrested/2140359/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=csm>{{cite web |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2013/0508/Three-brothers-arrested-what-s-known-so-far-about-alleged-Cleveland-captors |title=Three brothers arrested: what's known so far about alleged Cleveland captors |last1=Terry |first1=Allison |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508170911/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2013/0508/Three-brothers-arrested-what-s-known-so-far-about-alleged-Cleveland-captors |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/floor-plans-detail-inside-of-seymour-avenue-home-where-3-cleveland-women-held-captive-for-10-years |title=Floor plans detail inside of Seymour Avenue home where 3 Cleveland women held captive for 10+ years |last1=Regan |first1=Ron |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510110619/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/floor-plans-detail-inside-of-seymour-avenue-home-where-3-cleveland-women-held-captive-for-10-years |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Figueroa's sister Elida Caraballo said that "all hell started breaking loose" when the couple moved into their new home. Caraballo and her husband Frank claim that Castro beat Figueroa, breaking her nose, ribs, and arms and causing a ] on her brain that resulted in an inoperable ].<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-ariel-castro-remained-at-liberty-in-cleveland-all-these-years |title = How Ariel Castro Remained at Liberty in Cleveland All These Years|newspaper = The Daily Beast|date = May 9, 2013|last1 = Daly|first1 = Michael}}</ref> He also threw her down a flight of stairs, cracking her skull.<ref name="nationalpost1"/> In 1993, Castro was arrested for ] but was not indicted by a grand jury.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/tv_station_reports_berry_dejes.html |title=Berry, DeJesus, Knight found alive, police source confirms |last1=Atassi |first1=Leila |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6GyIyu?url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/tv_station_reports_berry_dejes.html |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro met his girlfriend, Grimilda Figueroa, when his family moved into a house across the street from hers in the 1980s. Castro and Figueroa lived with both sets of their parents until they moved into their own home at 2207 Seymour Avenue, located in Cleveland's ] neighborhood,<ref name=newsnet5-found>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/Cleveland-police-dispatch-Missing-teens-Amanda-Berry-and-Gina-DeJesus-found-alive |title=Cleveland police: Missing teens Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus found alive, appear to be OK |last1=Steer |first1=Jen |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512030233/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/Cleveland-police-dispatch-Missing-teens-Amanda-Berry-and-Gina-DeJesus-found-alive |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/key-events-ohio-missing-women-case |title=Key events in Ohio missing women case |date=May 7, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625172701/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/key-events-ohio-missing-women-case |archive-date=June 25, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/06/missing-women-ohio-found/2139873/ |title=3 brothers arrested as missing women found in Ohio |last1=Welch |first1=William |date=May 6, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507080950/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/06/missing-women-ohio-found/2139873/ |archive-date=May 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2013/05/06/reports-amanda-berry-found-alive/ |title=Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus & Michele Knight Recovered From Tremont Home, Multiple People Arrested |last1=Harp |first1=Carl |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=CBS Cleveland |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517071209/http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2013/05/06/reports-amanda-berry-found-alive/ |archive-date=May 17, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> in 1992.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/us/ohio-missing-women-found/ |title=Ohio kidnapping case: Amanda Berry's baby delivered by another captive |last1=Botelho |first1=Greg |last2=Smith |first2=Matt |last3=Brown |first3=Pamela |date=May 9, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512191127/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/us/ohio-missing-women-found |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=nationalpost1>{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/09/ariel-castros-ex-wifes-family-allege-two-decade-campaign-of-violence/ |title=Ariel Castro's ex-wife's family allege two-decade campaign of violence |date=May 13, 2013 |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20130510170255/http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/09/ariel-castros-ex-wifes-family-allege-two-decade-campaign-of-violence/ |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Their home was a two-story, {{convert|1400|ft2|adj=on}}, four-bedroom, one-bathroom house with a {{convert|760|ft2|adj=on}} unfinished basement built in 1890 and remodeled in 1956.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/missing-women-cleveland-brothers-arrested/2140359/ |title=Reports of sex abuse, beatings inside Cleveland house |last1=Alcindor |first1=Yamiche |last2=Leger |first2=Donna Leinwand |last3=Johnson |first3=Kevin |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512203429/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/missing-women-cleveland-brothers-arrested/2140359/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=csm>{{cite web |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2013/0508/Three-brothers-arrested-what-s-known-so-far-about-alleged-Cleveland-captors |title=Three brothers arrested: what's known so far about alleged Cleveland captors |last1=Terry |first1=Allison |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508170911/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2013/0508/Three-brothers-arrested-what-s-known-so-far-about-alleged-Cleveland-captors |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/floor-plans-detail-inside-of-seymour-avenue-home-where-3-cleveland-women-held-captive-for-10-years |title=Floor plans detail inside of Seymour Avenue home where 3 Cleveland women held captive for 10+ years |last1=Regan |first1=Ron |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510110619/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/floor-plans-detail-inside-of-seymour-avenue-home-where-3-cleveland-women-held-captive-for-10-years |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Figueroa moved out of the home in 1996 and secured ] of her four children. Police assisted in the move and detained Castro, but they did not press charges.<ref name="nationalpost1" /> Castro continued to threaten and attack Figueroa after she left him, according to Caraballo. Figueroa filed charges in 2005 in ] Domestic Relations Court accusing him of inflicting multiple severe injuries on her and of "frequently" abducting their daughters. The court granted her a temporary ] against Castro, but it was dismissed a few months later.<ref name="nationalpost1" /> Figueroa died in April 2012 due to complications from her brain tumor.<ref name="nationalpost1" /> Friends and relatives gathered on Denison Avenue on April 29, 2012, for memorial services in her honor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://obits.cleveland.com/obituaries/cleveland/obituary.aspx?n=grimilda-figueroa&pid=157307387&fhid=4364|title=Grimilda Figueroa - Obituary|date=April 29, 2012}}</ref> According to Figueroa's sister, Elida Caraballo, she said that "all hell started breaking loose" after the couple moved into their new home. Caraballo claimed that Castro beat Figueroa, breaking her nose, ribs, and arms and causing a ] on her brain that resulted in an inoperable ].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-ariel-castro-remained-at-liberty-in-cleveland-all-these-years |title=How Ariel Castro Remained at Liberty in Cleveland All These Years |newspaper=The Daily Beast |date=May 9, 2013 |last1=Daly |first1=Michael |access-date=May 7, 2024 |archive-date=September 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923195041/http://www.thedailybeast.com/how-ariel-castro-remained-at-liberty-in-cleveland-all-these-years |url-status=live }}</ref> He also threw her down a flight of stairs, cracking her skull.<ref name="nationalpost1"/> In 1993, Castro was arrested for ], but was not ] by a grand jury.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/tv_station_reports_berry_dejes.html |title=Berry, DeJesus, Knight found alive, police source confirms |last1=Atassi |first1=Leila |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514191643/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/tv_station_reports_berry_dejes.html |archive-date=May 14, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 1996, Figueroa moved out of the house and secured ] of their four children. Police assisted in the move and detained Castro, but they did not press charges.<ref name="nationalpost1" /> Castro continued to threaten and attack Figueroa after she left him. Figueroa filed charges in 2005 in ] Domestic Relations Court, which accused Castro of inflicting multiple severe injuries on her and of "frequently" abducting their daughters. The court granted her a temporary ] against Castro, but it was dismissed a few months later.<ref name="nationalpost1" /> Figueroa died in 2012 due to complications from her brain tumor.<ref name="nationalpost1" />


Before his arrest at age 52,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://localtvwjw.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/documents.pdf|title=Request for High Bond|date=May 8, 2013|publisher=Cleveland Municipal Court Clerk of Courts Office|access-date=May 13, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616082637/http://localtvwjw.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/documents.pdf|archive-date=June 16, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro worked as a bus driver for the ] until he was fired for "bad judgment", including making an illegal U-turn with children on his bus,<ref name = autogenerated4 /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/20833 |title=Ariel Castro Arrested as Suspect in Abduction and Disappearance of Three Cleveland Women |last1=Kent |first1=Julie |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=The Cleveland Leader |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606212018/http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/20833 |archive-date=June 6, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> using his bus to go grocery shopping, leaving a child on the bus while he went for lunch, and leaving the bus unattended while he took a nap at home.<ref name=csm/> He was earning $18.91 per hour when he was discharged.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/ariel_castro_bus_driver_clevel.html |title=Ariel Castro fired as Cleveland school bus driver for leaving bus and going home "to rest" |last1=Starzyk |first1=Edith |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510122816/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/ariel_castro_bus_driver_clevel.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> At the time of his arrest, Castro's home was in foreclosure after three years of unpaid real estate taxes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/house_where_woman_held_captive.html |title=Cleveland house where missing women held captive is in foreclosure |last1=Sangiacomo |first1=Michael |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510123339/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/house_where_woman_held_captive.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Before his arrest at age 52,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://localtvwjw.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/documents.pdf |title=Request for High Bond |date=May 8, 2013 |publisher=Cleveland Municipal Court Clerk of Courts Office |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616082637/http://localtvwjw.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/documents.pdf |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro worked as a bus driver for the ] until he was fired in November 2012 for "bad judgment", including making an illegal U-turn with infants and toddlers on his bus,<ref name = autogenerated4 /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/20833 |title=Ariel Castro Arrested as Suspect in Abduction and Disappearance of Three Cleveland Women |last1=Kent |first1=Julie |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=The Cleveland Leader |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606212018/http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/20833 |archive-date=June 6, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> using his bus to go grocery shopping, leaving a child on the bus while he went for lunch at ], and leaving the bus unattended while he took a nap at home.<ref name=csm/> He was earning $18.91 per hour when he was discharged.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/ariel_castro_bus_driver_clevel.html |title=Ariel Castro fired as Cleveland school bus driver for leaving bus and going home "to rest" |last1=Starzyk |first1=Edith |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510122816/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/ariel_castro_bus_driver_clevel.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> At the time of his arrest, Castro's home was in ] after three years of unpaid real estate taxes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/house_where_woman_held_captive.html |title=Cleveland house where missing women held captive is in foreclosure |last1=Sangiacomo |first1=Michael |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510123339/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/house_where_woman_held_captive.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


==Kidnappings== ==Kidnappings==
] ]
Castro kidnapped his victims by offering them a ride; he drove each to his home, lured them inside, took them to the basement, and restrained them<ref name=cnn080213/><ref name="cleveland1">{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/initial_police_report_castro_t.html |title=Initial police report: Castro tempted women with rides, then abducted, beat and raped them |last1=Blackwell |first1=Brandon |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512214522/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/initial_police_report_castro_t.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=trib>{{cite news |author1=Palmer, Kim |author2=Gray, Kevin |name-list-style=amp|url=https://reuters.com/article/ariel-castro-amanda-berry-gina-dejesus-idINDEE9470J620130509 |title=Cleveland kidnapping victims endured decade of isolation, rape, beatings |date=May 8, 2013 |work=Reuters |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005000346/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/09/ariel-castro-amanda-berry-gina-dejesus-idINDEE9470J620130509 |archive-date=October 5, 2013 |df=mdy-all }} Also published by the ''Chicago Tribune'' as{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-cleveland-kidnappings-20130508,0,4207182,full.story |title=Cleveland kidnappings: Victims endured years of rape, isolation, beatings |website=] |access-date=October 4, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509094000/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-cleveland-kidnappings-20130508%2C0%2C4207182%2Cfull.story |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy }} .</ref> in his house at 2207 Seymour Avenue, located in Cleveland's residential Tremont neighborhood.<ref name=newsnet5-found>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/Cleveland-police-dispatch-Missing-teens-Amanda-Berry-and-Gina-DeJesus-found-alive |title=Cleveland police: Missing teens Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus found alive, appear to be OK |last1=Steer |first1=Jen |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512030233/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/Cleveland-police-dispatch-Missing-teens-Amanda-Berry-and-Gina-DeJesus-found-alive |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/key-events-ohio-missing-women-case |title=Key events in Ohio missing women case |date=May 7, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625172701/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/key-events-ohio-missing-women-case |archive-date=June 25, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/06/missing-women-ohio-found/2139873/ |title=3 brothers arrested as missing women found in Ohio |last1=Welch |first1=William |date=May 6, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507080950/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/06/missing-women-ohio-found/2139873/ |archive-date=May 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2013/05/06/reports-amanda-berry-found-alive/ |title=Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus & Michele Knight Recovered From Tremont Home, Multiple People Arrested |last1=Harp |first1=Carl |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=CBS Cleveland |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517071209/http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2013/05/06/reports-amanda-berry-found-alive/ |archive-date=May 17, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The house has since been demolished.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/cleveland-kidnapper-ariel-castros-house-destroyed-19891976 |title=Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro |date=August 7, 2013 |work=ABC News |access-date=August 7, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807152705/http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/cleveland-kidnapper-ariel-castros-house-destroyed-19891976 |archive-date=August 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro ] his victims by offering them a ride; he drove each to his home at 2207 Seymour Avenue, lured them inside, took them to the basement, and restrained them.<ref name=cnn080213/><ref name="cleveland1">{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/initial_police_report_castro_t.html |title=Initial police report: Castro tempted women with rides, then abducted, beat and raped them |last1=Blackwell |first1=Brandon |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512214522/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/initial_police_report_castro_t.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=trib>{{cite news |author1=Palmer, Kim |author2=Gray, Kevin |name-list-style=amp |url=https://reuters.com/article/ariel-castro-amanda-berry-gina-dejesus-idINDEE9470J620130509 |title=Cleveland kidnapping victims endured decade of isolation, rape, beatings |date=May 8, 2013 |work=Reuters |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005000346/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/09/ariel-castro-amanda-berry-gina-dejesus-idINDEE9470J620130509 |archive-date=October 5, 2013 |df=mdy-all}} Also published by the ''Chicago Tribune'' as{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-cleveland-kidnappings-20130508,0,4207182,full.story |title=Cleveland kidnappings: Victims endured years of rape, isolation, beatings |website=] |access-date=October 4, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509094000/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-cleveland-kidnappings-20130508%2C0%2C4207182%2Cfull.story |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy}} .</ref>


===Michelle Knight=== === Michelle Knight ===
'''Michelle Knight''' (born April 23, 1981) disappeared on August 23, 2002, after leaving a cousin's house.<ref name=pd050713>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/michelle_knight_plagued_by_tro.html |title=Michelle Knight's 'normal teenage life,' plagued by troubles in years before disappearance |last1=Atassi |first1=Leila |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6Bph5C?url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/michelle_knight_plagued_by_tro.html |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> She was 21 years old at the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kpho.com/story/22184761/questions-still-remain-about-michelle-knights-disappearance |title=Questions still remain about Michelle Knight's disappearance |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=KPHO |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6DDqHI?url=http://www.kpho.com/story/22184761/questions-still-remain-about-michelle-knights-disappearance |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> On the day of her disappearance, she was scheduled to appear in court for a child custody case involving her son Joey, who was in the custody of the state.<ref name=pd050713/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/michelle-knight-cleveland-abduction/2149003/ |title=Reports: Knight lived troubled life before abduction |last1=Eversley |first1=Melanie |last2=Alcindor |first2=Yamiche |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6EBJwz?url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/michelle-knight-cleveland-abduction/2149003/ |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> '''Michelle Knight''' (born April 23, 1981) disappeared on August 23, 2002, after leaving a cousin's house.<ref name="pd050713">{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/michelle_knight_plagued_by_tro.html |title=Michelle Knight's 'normal teenage life,' plagued by troubles in years before disappearance |last1=Atassi |first1=Leila |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607043314/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/michelle_knight_plagued_by_tro.html |archive-date=June 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> She was 21 years old at the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kpho.com/story/22184761/questions-still-remain-about-michelle-knights-disappearance |title=Questions still remain about Michelle Knight's disappearance |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=KPHO |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022836/http://www.kpho.com/story/22184761/questions-still-remain-about-michelle-knights-disappearance |archive-date=October 5, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> On the day of her disappearance, she was scheduled to appear in court for a child custody case involving her son Joey, who was in the custody of the state.<ref name="pd050713" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/michelle-knight-cleveland-abduction/2149003/ |title=Reports: Knight lived troubled life before abduction |last1=Eversley |first1=Melanie |last2=Alcindor |first2=Yamiche |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510195036/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/michelle-knight-cleveland-abduction/2149003/ |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Following Knight's rescue, police acknowledged that limited resources had been spent on investigating her disappearance, in part because she was an adult. Authorities believed that she had run away voluntarily due to anger over losing custody of her son. According to Cleveland Deputy Police Chief Ed Tomba, she was "the focus of very few tips".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/07/18108362-police-acknowledge-little-focus-on-finding-michelle-knight-the-third-missing-cleveland-woman?lite |title=Police acknowledge little focus on finding Michelle Knight, the third missing Cleveland woman |last1=Johnson |first1=M. Alex |date=May 7, 2013 |work=NBC News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6F13gS?url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/07/18108362-police-acknowledge-little-focus-on-finding-michelle-knight-the-third-missing-cleveland-woman?lite |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Some have criticized her removal from the ] database. This event happened 15 months after she disappeared, so she was largely unknown prior to her rescue. Cleveland Police and the FBI maintain that her inclusion or exclusion had no bearing on her rescue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/michelle_knight_held_captive_f.html |title=Michelle Knight, held captive since 2002, removed by Cleveland police from FBI database 15 months after her disappearance |last1=Atassi |first1=Leila |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6GBBzy?url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/michelle_knight_held_captive_f.html |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Following Knight's rescue, police acknowledged that limited resources had been spent on investigating her disappearance, in part because she was an adult. Authorities believed that she had ] voluntarily due to anger over losing custody of her son. According to Cleveland Deputy Police Chief Ed Tomba, she was "the focus of very few tips".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/07/18108362-police-acknowledge-little-focus-on-finding-michelle-knight-the-third-missing-cleveland-woman?lite |title=Police acknowledge little focus on finding Michelle Knight, the third missing Cleveland woman |last1=Johnson |first1=M. Alex |date=May 7, 2013 |work=NBC News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514191831/http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/07/18108362-police-acknowledge-little-focus-on-finding-michelle-knight-the-third-missing-cleveland-woman?lite |archive-date=May 14, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Some criticized her subsequent removal from the ] database fifteen months after she disappeared, which made her largely unknown prior to her rescue. The ] (CDP) and the ] (FBI) maintain that her inclusion or exclusion had no bearing on her rescue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/michelle_knight_held_captive_f.html |title=Michelle Knight, held captive since 2002, removed by Cleveland police from FBI database 15 months after her disappearance |last1=Atassi |first1=Leila |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521140803/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/michelle_knight_held_captive_f.html |archive-date=May 21, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


===Amanda Berry=== ===Amanda Berry===
'''Amanda Marie Berry''' (born April 22, 1986) disappeared on April 21, 2003, the day before her 17th birthday.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22433057 |title=Profile: Amanda Berry, Georgina DeJesus and Michele Knight |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=BBC |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6J4MVu?url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22433057 |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> She was last heard from around 8:00{{nbs}}p.m. when she called her sister to tell her that she was getting a ride home from her job at a ] at West 110th Street and Lorain Avenue.<ref name= newsnet5-found /> The FBI initially considered her a runaway until a week after her disappearance, when an unidentified male used her cell phone to call her mother. He said: "I have Amanda. She's fine and will be coming home in a couple of days".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berrys_cell_phone_used.html |title=Amanda Berry's cell phone used a week after she went missing |last1=Guevara |first1=Damian |last2=Caniglia |first2=John |date=November 15, 2003 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6KYstD?url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berrys_cell_phone_used.html |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/07/found-timeline-of-ohio-women-missing-since-2002/ |title=Found: Timeline of Ohio Women Missing Since 2002 |last1=Gray |first1=Madison |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=Time |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6LIBXd?url=http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/07/found-timeline-of-ohio-women-missing-since-2002/ |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> '''Amanda Marie Berry''' (born April 22, 1986) disappeared on April 21, 2003, the day before her 17th birthday.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22433057 |title=Profile: Amanda Berry, Georgina DeJesus and Michele Knight |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=BBC |access-date=May 17, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513085853/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22433057 |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> She was last heard from around 8:00{{spaces}}p.m. when she called her sister to tell her that she was getting a ride home from her job at a ] at the corner of Lorain Ave & W. 110th St.<ref name= newsnet5-found /> The FBI initially considered her a runaway until a week after her disappearance, when an unidentified male used her cell phone to call her mother. He said: "I have Amanda. She's fine and will be coming home in a couple of days".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berrys_cell_phone_used.html |title=Amanda Berry's cell phone used a week after she went missing |last1=Guevara |first1=Damian |last2=Caniglia |first2=John |date=November 15, 2003 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615103902/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berrys_cell_phone_used.html |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/07/found-timeline-of-ohio-women-missing-since-2002/ |title=Found: Timeline of Ohio Women Missing Since 2002 |last1=Gray |first1=Madison |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=Time |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606185146/http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/07/found-timeline-of-ohio-women-missing-since-2002/ |archive-date=June 6, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Berry was featured in a 2004 segment of Fox's '']'' (re-aired in 2005 and 2006), which linked her to Gina DeJesus, who by that point had also gone missing in Cleveland.<ref name=autogenerated3 /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=25773 |title=Amanda Berry |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=America's Most Wanted |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510102825/http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=25773 |archive-date=May 10, 2013 }}</ref> Berry and DeJesus were profiled on '']'' and '']'', where self-proclaimed psychic ] told Berry's mother Louwana Miller in 2004 that her daughter was dead and that she was "in water".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=26501 |title=Amanda Berry's mother asks Psychic Sylvia Browne 'Is she out there' |date=November 18, 2004 |publisher=WKYC |access-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/daughter-found-women-missing-decade/story?id=19122795 |title=Kidnap Victim Amanda Berry Hailed as 'Real Hero' in Rescue of Three Women |last1=Goldman |first1=Russell |last2=Dolak |first2=Kevin |last3=Muir |first3=David |last4=Castellano |first4=Anthony |date=May 7, 2013 |work=ABC News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508083940/http://abcnews.go.com/US/daughter-found-women-missing-decade/story?id=19122795 |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.macleans.ca/2013/05/07/psychic-on-the-montel-williams-show-said-amanda-berry-was-dead/ |title=Psychic on The Montel Williams Show said Amanda Berry was dead. She wasn't. |last1=Senger |first1=Emily |date=May 7, 2013 |publisher=Maclean's |access-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Abductions-of-Amanda-Berry-Gina-DeJesus-and-Ashley-Summers-Video |title=The Abductions of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus & Ashley Summers |date=October 12, 2009 |publisher=Oprah.com |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509012716/http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Abductions-of-Amanda-Berry-Gina-DeJesus-and-Ashley-Summers-Video |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> This pronouncement devastated her mother, causing her to take down pictures and give away Berry's computer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berry_is_dead_psychic_t.html |title=Amanda Berry is dead, psychic tells her mother on Montel Williams' show |last1=Hudak |first1=Stephen |date=November 18, 2004 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510122659/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berry_is_dead_psychic_t.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> However, Miller continued to search for Berry before dying from heart failure in early March 2006.<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/07/search_continues_for_amanda_be.html |title=Search continues for Amanda Berry's body on West Side of Cleveland |last1=Brown |first1=Doug |date=July 19, 2012 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6Mpq8D?url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/07/search_continues_for_amanda_be.html |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berrys_mother_louwana_m.html |title=Amanda Berry's mother, Louwana Miller, dies without the answers she's sought for 3 years |last1=Guevara |first1=Damian G. |date=March 3, 2006 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510122710/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berrys_mother_louwana_m.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Later that year, on December 25, 2006, Berry gave birth to a daughter.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10047663/Ohio-kidnappings-Michelle-Knight-forced-to-deliver-Amanda-Berrys-baby-on-Christmas-Day.html |title=Ohio kidnappings: Michelle Knight forced to deliver Amanda Berry's baby on Christmas Day |last1=Swaine |first1=Jon |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511210935/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10047663/Ohio-kidnappings-Michelle-Knight-forced-to-deliver-Amanda-Berrys-baby-on-Christmas-Day.html |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> DNA evidence has confirmed that Castro was the father of the child.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/ariel_castro_is_father_of_aman.html |title=Ariel Castro is the father of Amanda Berry's child, state DNA results say |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607110711/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/ariel_castro_is_father_of_aman.html |archive-date=June 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/298935/45/Investigator-Ariel-Castro-says-hes-cold-blooded |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615084817/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/298935/45/Investigator-Ariel-Castro-says-hes-cold-blooded |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |title=Investigator: Ariel Castro says he's "cold blooded" |last1=Meyer |first1=Tom |date=May 10, 2013 |publisher=WKYC |access-date=May 13, 2013 }}</ref> Berry was featured in a 2004 segment of ]'s '']'' (re-aired in 2005 and 2006), which linked her to Gina DeJesus, who by that point had also gone missing in Cleveland.<ref name=autogenerated3 /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=25773 |title=Amanda Berry |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=America's Most Wanted |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510102825/http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=25773 |archive-date=May 10, 2013}}</ref> Berry and DeJesus were profiled on '']'' and '']'', where self-proclaimed psychic ] told Berry's mother Louwana Miller in November 2004 that her daughter was dead and that she was "in water".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=26501 |title=Amanda Berry's mother asks Psychic Sylvia Browne 'Is she out there' |date=November 18, 2004 |publisher=WKYC |access-date=May 13, 2013 |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615084838/http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=26501 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/daughter-found-women-missing-decade/story?id=19122795 |title=Kidnap Victim Amanda Berry Hailed as 'Real Hero' in Rescue of Three Exton Women |last1=Goldman |first1=Russell |last2=Dolak |first2=Kevin |last3=Muir |first3=David |last4=Castellano |first4=Anthony |date=May 7, 2013 |work=ABC News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508083940/http://abcnews.go.com/US/daughter-found-women-missing-decade/story?id=19122795 |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.macleans.ca/2013/05/07/psychic-on-the-montel-williams-show-said-amanda-berry-was-dead/ |title=Psychic on The Montel Williams Show said Amanda Berry was dead. She wasn't. |last1=Senger |first1=Emily |date=May 7, 2013 |work=Maclean's |access-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513043608/http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/07/psychic-on-the-montel-williams-show-said-amanda-berry-was-dead/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Abductions-of-Amanda-Berry-Gina-DeJesus-and-Ashley-Summers-Video |title=The Abductions of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus & Ashley Summers |date=October 12, 2009 |publisher=Oprah.com |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509012716/http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Abductions-of-Amanda-Berry-Gina-DeJesus-and-Ashley-Summers-Video |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> This pronouncement devastated her mother, causing her to take down pictures and give away Berry's computer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berry_is_dead_psychic_t.html |title=Amanda Berry is dead, psychic tells her mother on Montel Williams' show |last1=Hudak |first1=Stephen |date=November 18, 2004 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510122659/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berry_is_dead_psychic_t.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> However, Miller continued to search for Berry before dying from heart failure in early March 2006.<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/07/search_continues_for_amanda_be.html |title=Search continues for Amanda Berry's body on West Side of Cleveland |last1=Brown |first1=Doug |date=July 19, 2012 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051553/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/07/search_continues_for_amanda_be.html |archive-date=October 17, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berrys_mother_louwana_m.html |title=Amanda Berry's mother, Louwana Miller, dies without the answers she's sought for 3 years |last1=Guevara |first1=Damian G. |date=March 3, 2006 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510122710/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amanda_berrys_mother_louwana_m.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Later that year, on December 25, 2006, Berry gave birth to a daughter.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10047663/Ohio-kidnappings-Michelle-Knight-forced-to-deliver-Amanda-Berrys-baby-on-Christmas-Day.html |title=Ohio kidnappings: Michelle Knight forced to deliver Amanda Berry's baby on Christmas Day |last1=Swaine |first1=Jon |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511210935/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10047663/Ohio-kidnappings-Michelle-Knight-forced-to-deliver-Amanda-Berrys-baby-on-Christmas-Day.html |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> DNA evidence has confirmed that Castro was the father of the child.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/ariel_castro_is_father_of_aman.html |title=Ariel Castro is the father of Amanda Berry's child, state DNA results say |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607110711/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/ariel_castro_is_father_of_aman.html |archive-date=June 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/298935/45/Investigator-Ariel-Castro-says-hes-cold-blooded |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615084817/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/298935/45/Investigator-Ariel-Castro-says-hes-cold-blooded |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |title=Investigator: Ariel Castro says he's "cold blooded" |last1=Meyer |first1=Tom |date=May 10, 2013 |publisher=WKYC |access-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref>


Robert Wolford was a prison inmate who had lived in Tremont, and he claimed in July 2012 that he had information about the location of Berry's body. He led police to an empty lot on Cleveland's West Side, where they conducted a fruitless search.<ref name=autogenerated3 /><ref name="3 missing women found">{{cite news |author1=Sheeran, Thomas J. |author2=Coyne, John |name-list-style=amp|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2-women-missing-decade-found-alive-ohio |title=3 missing women found in Ohio, 3 brothers arrested |agency=Associated Press |date=May 7, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6azULh?url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2-women-missing-decade-found-alive-ohio |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He was sentenced in January 2013 to 4½ years in prison for obstruction of justice, making a false report, and making a false alarm.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/ohio-inmate-robert-wolford-gets-4-years-in-false-amanda-berry-search-tip |title=Ohio inmate Robert Wolford gets 4 years in false Amanda Berry search tip |date=January 16, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507132144/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/ohio-inmate-robert-wolford-gets-4-years-in-false-amanda-berry-search-tip |archive-date=May 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Robert Wolford was a prison inmate who had lived in Tremont, and he claimed in July 2012 that he had information about the location of Berry's body. He led police to an empty lot on Cleveland's West Side, where they conducted a fruitless search.<ref name=autogenerated3 /><ref name="3 missing women found">{{cite news |author1=Sheeran, Thomas J. |author2=Coyne, John |name-list-style=amp |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2-women-missing-decade-found-alive-ohio |title=3 missing women found in Ohio, 3 brothers arrested |agency=Associated Press |date=May 7, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508175007/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2-women-missing-decade-found-alive-ohio |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He was sentenced in January 2013 to {{frac|4|1|2}} years in prison for ], making a ], and making a false alarm.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/ohio-inmate-robert-wolford-gets-4-years-in-false-amanda-berry-search-tip |title=Ohio inmate Robert Wolford gets 4 years in false Amanda Berry search tip |date=January 16, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507132144/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/ohio-inmate-robert-wolford-gets-4-years-in-false-amanda-berry-search-tip |archive-date=May 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


===Gina DeJesus=== ===Gina DeJesus===
] ]
'''Georgina "Gina" Lynn DeJesus''' (born February 13, 1990) went missing at age 14.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/04/six_long_days_gina_still_missi.html |title=Six long days, Gina still missing Parents, police, city officials focus on case at community meeting |last1=Zicari |first1=Peter |date=April 1, 2008 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130517194140/http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/04/six_long_days_gina_still_missi.html |archive-date=May 17, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> She was last seen at a payphone around 3:00{{nbs}}p.m. on April 2, 2004, while on the way home from her middle school at West 105th Street and Lorain Avenue. At the time, she was friends with Ariel Castro's daughter, Arlene Castro. Shortly before Gina disappeared, she and Arlene had called Arlene's mother, Grimilda Figueroa, for permission to have a sleepover at DeJesus's house, but Figueroa replied that they could not and the two girls parted ways.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/suspects_daughter_said_in_2004.html |title=Suspect's daughter said in 2004 she was the last to see Gina DeJesus |last1=Dissell |first1=Rachel |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6Vrz5i?url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/suspects_daughter_said_in_2004.html |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Arlene was the last person to see DeJesus before her disappearance.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cleveland-kidnapping-latest-police-twice-visited-house-in-ohio--but-missed-three-women-held-captive-for-a-decade-8605381.html |title=Cleveland kidnapping: Son reveals his father padlocked doors to basement because 'we weren't allowed to go there' |last1=Kumar |first1=Nikhil |last2=Usborne |first2=David |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508011422/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cleveland-kidnapping-latest-police-twice-visited-house-in-ohio--but-missed-three-women-held-captive-for-a-decade-8605381.html |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> '''Georgina Lynn DeJesus''' (born February 13, 1990) went missing on April 2, 2004, at age 14.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/04/six_long_days_gina_still_missi.html |title=Six long days, Gina still missing Parents, police, city officials focus on case at community meeting |last1=Zicari |first1=Peter |date=April 1, 2008 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130517194140/http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/04/six_long_days_gina_still_missi.html |archive-date=May 17, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> She was last seen at a ] around 3:00{{spaces}}p.m. while on the way home from her middle school at West 105th Street and Lorain Avenue. At the time, she was friends with Castro's daughter Arlene. Shortly before Gina disappeared, she and Arlene had called Arlene's mother, Grimilda Figueroa, for permission to have a sleepover at DeJesus's house, but Figueroa replied that they could not and the two girls parted ways.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/suspects_daughter_said_in_2004.html |title=Suspect's daughter said in 2004 she was the last to see Gina DeJesus |last1=Dissell |first1=Rachel |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509040649/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/suspects_daughter_said_in_2004.html |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Arlene was the last person to see DeJesus before her disappearance.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cleveland-kidnapping-latest-police-twice-visited-house-in-ohio--but-missed-three-women-held-captive-for-a-decade-8605381.html |title=Cleveland kidnapping: Son reveals his father padlocked doors to basement because 'we weren't allowed to go there' |last1=Kumar |first1=Nikhil |last2=Usborne |first2=David |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508011422/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cleveland-kidnapping-latest-police-twice-visited-house-in-ohio--but-missed-three-women-held-captive-for-a-decade-8605381.html |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


DeJesus was under the impression that Castro was picking her up to drop her off at home, and she trusted Castro because she was friends with his teenage daughter. No one witnessed her abduction, and an ] was not issued, which angered her father. He said in 2006, "The Amber Alert should work for any missing child.&nbsp;... Whether it's an abduction or a runaway, a child needs to be found. We need to change this law".<ref name="3 missing women found"/> DeJesus was under the impression that Castro was picking her up to drop her off at home, and she trusted Castro because she was friends with his teenage daughter. No one witnessed her abduction and an ] was not issued, which angered her father. He said in 2006, "The Amber Alert should work for any missing child.&nbsp;... Whether it's an abduction or a runaway, a child needs to be found. We need to change this law".<ref name="3 missing women found"/>


A year after her disappearance, the FBI released a composite sketch and description of a male suspect, described as "Latino, 25 to 35 years of age, {{convert|5|ft|10|in}}, {{convert|165|to|185|lb}}, with green eyes, a goatee, and possibly a pencil-thin beard".<ref>{{cite news |last=Swaine |first=Jon |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10045464/Ohio-abductions-FBI-photofit-with-likeness-to-suspect-Ariel-Castro-held-for-seven-years-as-police-say-he-acted-alone.html |title=Ohio abductions: FBI photofit with likeness to suspect Ariel Castro held for seven years as police say he acted alone |publisher=Telegraph.co.uk |date=May 9, 2013 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608063305/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10045464/Ohio-abductions-FBI-photofit-with-likeness-to-suspect-Ariel-Castro-held-for-seven-years-as-police-say-he-acted-alone.html |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> According to court records, Castro was {{convert|5|ft|7|in}}, {{convert|179|lb}}, with brown eyes and a goatee.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=33093 |title=Printout: FBI releases sketch of Gina DeJesus' alleged kidnapper |date=April 15, 2005 |publisher=WKYC |access-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10882714 |title=FBI had sketch of suspect but missed the connection |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref> A year after DeJesus's disappearance, the FBI released a ] and description of a male suspect, described as, "Latino, 25 to 35 years of age, {{convert|5|ft|10|in}}, {{convert|165|to|185|lb}}, with green eyes, a goatee, and possibly a pencil-thin beard".<ref>{{cite news |last=Swaine |first=Jon |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10045464/Ohio-abductions-FBI-photofit-with-likeness-to-suspect-Ariel-Castro-held-for-seven-years-as-police-say-he-acted-alone.html |title=Ohio abductions: FBI photofit with likeness to suspect Ariel Castro held for seven years as police say he acted alone |publisher=Telegraph.co.uk |date=May 9, 2013 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608063305/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10045464/Ohio-abductions-FBI-photofit-with-likeness-to-suspect-Ariel-Castro-held-for-seven-years-as-police-say-he-acted-alone.html |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> According to court records, Castro was {{convert|5|ft|7|in}}, {{convert|179|lb}}, with brown eyes and a goatee.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=33093 |title=Printout: FBI releases sketch of Gina DeJesus' alleged kidnapper |date=April 15, 2005 |publisher=WKYC |access-date=May 13, 2013 |archive-date=February 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227044719/https://www.wkyc.com/error/404?storyid=33093 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10882714 |title=FBI had sketch of suspect but missed the connection |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=May 13, 2013 |archive-date=April 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403071541/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10882714 |url-status=live }}</ref>


DeJesus was featured in the ''America's Most Wanted'' segment which linked her to Berry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=26744 |title=Gina DeJesus |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=America's Most Wanted |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609014439/http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=26744 |archive-date=June 9, 2013 }}</ref> The disappearances received regular media attention into 2012, while the families held public vigils. Castro attended at least two of these vigils,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://globalnews.ca/video/542366/extended-interview-with-family-of-kidnapping-victim-gina-dejesus/ |title=Extended: Interview with Family of kidnapping victim Gina DeJesus |date=May 8, 2013 |publisher=Global News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509064743/http://globalnews.ca/video/542366/extended-interview-with-family-of-kidnapping-victim-gina-dejesus |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.waff.com/story/22180697/dejesus-family-gina-knew-suspected-kidnapper-ariel-castro |title=Charges against Castro brothers expected soon |date=May 8, 2013 |publisher=WOIO |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615043413/http://www.waff.com/story/22180697/dejesus-family-gina-knew-suspected-kidnapper-ariel-castro |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> reportedly participated in a search party, and tried to get close to the DeJesus family.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/castro_family_connections_to_g.html |title=Castro family connections to Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry investigations go back years |last1=Gomez |first1=Henry J. |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607041714/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/castro_family_connections_to_g.html |archive-date=June 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro's son Anthony was a journalism student in 2004, and he interviewed DeJesus's mother for an article about the disappearances in the ''Plain Press''.<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhlink.net/plainpress/html/stories/2004-06/dejesusdisappearancechangesneighborhood.htm |title=Gina DeJesus' disappearance has changed her neighborhood |last1=Castro |first1=Ariel |date=June 2004 |publisher=Plain Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515003552/http://www.nhlink.net/plainpress/html/stories/2004-06/dejesusdisappearancechangesneighborhood.htm |archive-date=May 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/castro-son-berry-dejesus/2140721/ |title=Suspect's son wrote article about missing Ohio teen |last1=Shookman |first1=Sara |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512212758/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/castro-son-berry-dejesus/2140721/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Police kept the investigation open and offered a $25,000 reward for information.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/04/new_search_for_gina_dejesus_co.html |title=New search for Gina DeJesus comes up empty Family's day is filled with anxiety, relief |last1=Baird |first1=Gabriel |date=April 1, 2008 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130508180459/http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/04/new_search_for_gina_dejesus_co.html |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/04/vigil_today_for_gina_dejesus_m.html |title=Vigil today for Gina DeJesus, missing for eight years |last1=Miller |first1=Donna J. |date=April 2, 2012 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203032139/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/04/vigil_today_for_gina_dejesus_m.html |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> DeJesus was featured in the ''America's Most Wanted'' segment which linked her to Berry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=26744 |title=Gina DeJesus |date=May 6, 2013 |publisher=America's Most Wanted |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609014439/http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=26744 |archive-date=June 9, 2013}}</ref> The disappearances received regular media attention into 2012, while the families held public ]s. Castro attended at least two of these vigils,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://globalnews.ca/video/542366/extended-interview-with-family-of-kidnapping-victim-gina-dejesus/ |title=Extended: Interview with Family of kidnapping victim Gina DeJesus |date=May 8, 2013 |publisher=Global News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509064743/http://globalnews.ca/video/542366/extended-interview-with-family-of-kidnapping-victim-gina-dejesus |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.waff.com/story/22180697/dejesus-family-gina-knew-suspected-kidnapper-ariel-castro |title=Charges against Castro brothers expected soon |date=May 8, 2013 |publisher=WOIO |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615043413/http://www.waff.com/story/22180697/dejesus-family-gina-knew-suspected-kidnapper-ariel-castro |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> reportedly participated in a search party, and tried to get close to the DeJesus family.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/castro_family_connections_to_g.html |title=Castro family connections to Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry investigations go back years |last1=Gomez |first1=Henry J. |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607041714/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/castro_family_connections_to_g.html |archive-date=June 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro's son Anthony was a journalism student in 2004, and he interviewed DeJesus's mother for an article about the disappearances in the ''Plain Press'' newspaper.<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhlink.net/plainpress/html/stories/2004-06/dejesusdisappearancechangesneighborhood.htm |title=Gina DeJesus' disappearance has changed her neighborhood |last1=Castro |first1=Ariel |date=June 2004 |publisher=Plain Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515003552/http://www.nhlink.net/plainpress/html/stories/2004-06/dejesusdisappearancechangesneighborhood.htm |archive-date=May 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/castro-son-berry-dejesus/2140721/ |title=Suspect's son wrote article about missing Ohio teen |last1=Shookman |first1=Sara |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512212758/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/castro-son-berry-dejesus/2140721/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Police kept the investigation open and offered a $25,000 ] for information.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/04/new_search_for_gina_dejesus_co.html |title=New search for Gina DeJesus comes up empty Family's day is filled with anxiety, relief |last1=Baird |first1=Gabriel |date=April 1, 2008 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130508180459/http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/04/new_search_for_gina_dejesus_co.html |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/04/vigil_today_for_gina_dejesus_m.html |title=Vigil today for Gina DeJesus, missing for eight years |last1=Miller |first1=Donna J. |date=April 2, 2012 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203032139/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/04/vigil_today_for_gina_dejesus_m.html |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


According to Castro's uncle, his family knew the DeJesus family and had lived in the same West Cleveland neighborhood.<ref name=autogenerated4>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/07/us/ohio-missing-women-found/ |title='I never forgot about you': Families reunite with women held captive for years |last1=Smith |first1=Matt |last2=Botelho |first2=Greg |last3=Savidge |first3=Martin |date=May 7, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512190405/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/07/us/ohio-missing-women-found |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro eventually claimed that he was not aware that DeJesus was a member of that family when he abducted her.<ref name="WKYC">{{cite web|url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/308810/45/STATEMENT--Read-Ariel-Castros-final-remarks-in-court |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130806234708/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/308810/45/STATEMENT--Read-Ariel-Castros-final-remarks-in-court |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 6, 2013 |title=Ariel Castro spoke for 20 minutes in court, read what he said here |date=August 1, 2013 |publisher=WKYC |access-date=August 6, 2013 }}</ref> According to Castro's uncle, his family knew the DeJesus family and had lived in the same neighborhood.<ref name=autogenerated4>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/07/us/ohio-missing-women-found/ |title='I never forgot about you': Families reunite with women held captive for years |last1=Smith |first1=Matt |last2=Botelho |first2=Greg |last3=Savidge |first3=Martin |date=May 7, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512190405/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/07/us/ohio-missing-women-found |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro falsely claimed that he was not aware that DeJesus was a member of that family when he abducted her.<ref name="WKYC">{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/308810/45/STATEMENT--Read-Ariel-Castros-final-remarks-in-court |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130806234708/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/308810/45/STATEMENT--Read-Ariel-Castros-final-remarks-in-court |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 6, 2013 |title=Ariel Castro spoke for 20 minutes in court, read what he said here |date=August 1, 2013 |publisher=WKYC |access-date=August 6, 2013}}</ref>


==Captivity== ==Captivity==
Castro kidnapped Knight, took her upstairs, tied her hands and feet together, and pulled her up using her hands, feet, and neck. He left her there for three days without food. Prosecutors at Castro's sentencing wrote that diaries kept by the women "speak of forced sexual conduct, of being locked in a dark room, of anticipating the next session of abuse, of the dreams of someday escaping and being reunited with family, of being chained to a wall, of being held like a prisoner of war, of missing the lives they once enjoyed, of emotional abuse, of his threats to kill, of being treated like an animal, of continuous abuse, and of desiring freedom". The women were kept in locked upstairs bedrooms, where they were forced to use plastic toilets that were "emptied infrequently".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/ariel_castro_sentencing_memo_r.html |title=Ariel Castro sentencing memorandum filed by prosecutors |last1=Krouse |first1=Peter |date=July 31, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=August 6, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804045034/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/ariel_castro_sentencing_memo_r.html |archive-date=August 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> They were fed one meal a day and allowed to shower twice a week at most.<ref name=cnn080213>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/01/justice/ohio-cleveland-castro-home |title=Deception, threats and abuse: Captives' hellish life inside Castro's home |last1=Botelho |first1=Greg |date=August 2, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=August 6, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805195802/http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/01/justice/ohio-cleveland-castro-home |archive-date=August 5, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Upon kidnapping Michelle Knight, Castro took her to the upper floor of his house, tied her hands and feet together, and pulled her up using her hands, feet, and neck. He left her there for three days without food. Prosecutors at Castro's sentencing wrote that diaries kept by his victims "speak of ], being locked in a dark room, anticipating the next session of abuse, dreams of someday escaping and being reunited with family, being chained to a wall, being held like a ], missing the lives they once enjoyed, ], Castro's threats to kill them, being treated like an animal, continuous abuse, and desiring freedom". The women were kept in locked bedrooms, where they were forced to use plastic toilets that were "emptied infrequently".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/ariel_castro_sentencing_memo_r.html |title=Ariel Castro sentencing memorandum filed by prosecutors |last1=Krouse |first1=Peter |date=July 31, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=August 6, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804045034/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/ariel_castro_sentencing_memo_r.html |archive-date=August 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> They were fed one meal a day and allowed to shower twice a week at most.<ref name=cnn080213>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/01/justice/ohio-cleveland-castro-home |title=Deception, threats and abuse: Captives' hellish life inside Castro's home |last1=Botelho |first1=Greg |date=August 2, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=August 6, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805195802/http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/01/justice/ohio-cleveland-castro-home |archive-date=August 5, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Knight told police that Castro had impregnated her at least five times and had induced miscarriages each time through beatings, hitting her with dumbbells, punching her, and slamming her against walls. He also starved her.<ref name=trib/><ref name=cbs>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583620/michelle-knight-told-cops-ariel-castro-threatened-to-kill-her-if-amanda-berrys-baby-died/ |title=Michelle Knight told cops Ariel Castro threatened to kill her if Amanda Berry's baby died |date=May 9, 2013 |work=CBS News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513001627/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583620/michelle-knight-told-cops-ariel-castro-threatened-to-kill-her-if-amanda-berrys-baby-died/ |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Knight's grandmother told reporters that she would require facial reconstruction surgery due to the beatings that she endured, and she lost hearing in one ear.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583875/michelle-knight-needs-facial-reconstruction-after-cleveland-rescue-grandmother-says/ |title=Michelle Knight needs "facial reconstruction" after Cleveland rescue, grandmother says |date=May 10, 2013 |work=CBS News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6I10LA?url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583875/michelle-knight-needs-facial-reconstruction-after-cleveland-rescue-grandmother-says/ |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> At one point, she had a pet dog while in captivity, but Castro killed it by snapping its neck after it bit him while trying to protect Knight.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/michelle-knight-dr-phil_n_4221776.html|title=Ariel Castro Used Barbell To Force Miscarriage: Michelle Knight|work=The Huffington Post|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109060020/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/michelle-knight-dr-phil_n_4221776.html|archive-date=November 9, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> DeJesus told law enforcement that she was raped but did not believe that she was ever impregnated.<ref name=cbs /> Knight told police that Castro had impregnated her at least five times and had induced ]s each time through beatings, hitting her with dumbbells, punching her, and slamming her against walls. He also starved her.<ref name=trib/><ref name=cbs>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-knight-told-cops-ariel-castro-threatened-to-kill-her-if-amanda-berrys-baby-died/ |title=Michelle Knight told cops Ariel Castro threatened to kill her if Amanda Berry's baby died |date=May 9, 2013 |work=CBS News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513001627/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583620/michelle-knight-told-cops-ariel-castro-threatened-to-kill-her-if-amanda-berrys-baby-died/ |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Knight's grandmother told reporters that she would require ] surgery due to the beatings that she endured, and had lost hearing in one ear.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-knight-needs-facial-reconstruction-after-cleveland-rescue-grandmother-says/ |title=Michelle Knight needs "facial reconstruction" after Cleveland rescue, grandmother says |date=May 10, 2013 |work=CBS News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516184031/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583875/michelle-knight-needs-facial-reconstruction-after-cleveland-rescue-grandmother-says/ |archive-date=May 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> At one point, Knight had a pet dog while in captivity, but Castro killed it by snapping its neck after it bit him while trying to protect Knight.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nypost.com/2013/11/06/ariel-castro-lured-me-in-with-a-puppy-michelle-knight/ |title=Ariel Castro lured Michelle Knight with a puppy |work=] |agency=Associated Press |date=November 6, 2013 |access-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301063650/https://nypost.com/2013/11/06/ariel-castro-lured-me-in-with-a-puppy-michelle-knight/ |url-status=live }}</ref> DeJesus told law enforcement that she was raped, but did not believe that she was ever impregnated.<ref name=cbs />


On Christmas Day 2006, Castro allegedly ordered Knight to assist in the birth of Berry's child, which took place in a small inflatable swimming pool, and he threatened to kill her if the baby did not survive. At one point, the baby stopped breathing, but Knight was able to resuscitate her.<ref name=clbaby>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/authorities_say_daughter_of_am.html |title=Authorities say daughter of Amanda Berry born in inflatable pool |last1=Caniglia |first1=John |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510122911/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/authorities_say_daughter_of_am.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/police_report_michelle_knight.html |title=Police report: Michelle Knight revived Amanda Berry's baby just after birth |last1=Blackwell |first1=Brandon |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510100442/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/police_report_michelle_knight.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro occasionally took Berry's daughter out of the house, including to visit his mother; she called him "daddy" and Castro's mother "grandmother".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/ohio-missing-berry-dejesus-knight-castro/2143919/ |title=Latest revelations in Ohio captivity case |last1=Webb |first1=Robin |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512220227/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/ohio-missing-berry-dejesus-knight-castro/2143919/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/30_minutes_that_ended_a_decade.html |title=The rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight: 30 minutes that ended a decade of nightmares |last1=Gomez |first1=Henry J. |date=May 13, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6Uwrmv?url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/30_minutes_that_ended_a_decade.html |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In 2013, he showed one of his adult daughters a picture of her and said that she was his girlfriend's daughter from a previous relationship. He had told others that she was his granddaughter.<ref name=clbaby/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/09/us/ohio-suspect-daughter/ |title='He is dead to me,' daughter of Ohio suspect says in CNN exclusive |last1=Segall |first1=Laura |last2=Fink |first2=Erica |last3=Brumfield |first3=Ben |date=May 10, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512205909/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/09/us/ohio-suspect-daughter |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Berry taught her daughter how to read and write. On Christmas Day 2006, Castro allegedly ordered Knight to assist in the birth of Berry's child, which took place in a small inflatable swimming pool, and threatened to kill her if the baby did not survive. At one point, the baby stopped breathing, but Knight was able to ] her.<ref name=clbaby>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/authorities_say_daughter_of_am.html |title=Authorities say daughter of Amanda Berry born in inflatable pool |last1=Caniglia |first1=John |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510122911/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/authorities_say_daughter_of_am.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/police_report_michelle_knight.html |title=Police report: Michelle Knight revived Amanda Berry's baby just after birth |last1=Blackwell |first1=Brandon |date=May 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510100442/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/police_report_michelle_knight.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro occasionally took Berry's daughter out of the house, including to visit his mother; she called him "daddy" and Castro's mother "grandmother".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/ohio-missing-berry-dejesus-knight-castro/2143919/ |title=Latest revelations in Ohio captivity case |last1=Webb |first1=Robin |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512220227/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/ohio-missing-berry-dejesus-knight-castro/2143919/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/30_minutes_that_ended_a_decade.html |title=The rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight: 30 minutes that ended a decade of nightmares |last1=Gomez |first1=Henry J. |date=May 13, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515134715/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/30_minutes_that_ended_a_decade.html |archive-date=May 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2013, he showed one of his adult daughters a picture of the child and said that she was his girlfriend's daughter from a previous relationship; he had told others that she was his granddaughter.<ref name=clbaby/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/09/us/ohio-suspect-daughter/ |title='He is dead to me,' daughter of Ohio suspect says in CNN exclusive |last1=Segall |first1=Laura |last2=Fink |first2=Erica |last3=Brumfield |first3=Ben |date=May 10, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512205909/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/09/us/ohio-suspect-daughter |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Berry taught her daughter how to read and write.


According to a statement from Cleveland Police, officers visited Castro's home only once following the kidnappings to discuss an unrelated incident. Castro did not appear to be home at the time and was later interviewed elsewhere. Neighbors claimed to have called the police about suspicious activity observed at the home, but police have said that they have no record of any such calls.<ref name="Police deny neighbors called about suspicious activity">{{cite web |author=Levs, Josh |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/justice/ohio-police-investigation/index.html |title=Police deny neighbors called about suspicious activity at Castro home |date=May 8, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510040233/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/justice/ohio-police-investigation/index.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }} Also published by WHNT as " {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510155443/http://whnt.com/2013/05/08/ariel-castro-charged-with-kidnapping-rape-brothers-pedro-and-onil-released/ |date=May 10, 2013 }}".</ref> Castro's son Anthony reported that there were certain areas of the house that were inaccessible due to being locked.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/homeowner-where-3-women-were-found-was-no-stranger |title=In Ohio neighborhood, suspect was familiar figure |last1=Washington |first1=Jesse |date=May 7, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625072717/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/homeowner-where-3-women-were-found-was-no-stranger |archive-date=June 25, 2013 |df=mdy-all }} Also published by NewsNet5.com (WEWS-TV) as " {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510004908/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/family-friend-kidnapping-suspect-ariel-castro-was-friends-with-gina-dejesus-father-helped-search |date=May 10, 2013 }}"</ref> He also mentioned an occasion three weeks before the women's escape when Castro asked him if Berry would ever be found. Anthony said that he told Castro that Berry was likely dead, to which Castro responded: "Really? You think so?"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/kidnap-suspect-bizarre-question-son-article-1.1337753 |title=Main Cleveland kidnapping suspect's son says dad recently asked him whether one of the victims would be found |last1=Hutchinson |first1=Bill |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=New York Daily News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509234228/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/kidnap-suspect-bizarre-question-son-article-1.1337753 |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> According to a statement from the CDP, officers visited Castro's home only once following the kidnappings to discuss an unrelated incident. Castro did not appear to be home at the time and was later interviewed elsewhere. Neighbors have said that they called the police about suspicious activity observed at the home, but police claim that they have no record of any such calls.<ref name="Police deny neighbors called about suspicious activity">{{cite web |author=Levs, Josh |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/justice/ohio-police-investigation/index.html |title=Police deny neighbors called about suspicious activity at Castro home |date=May 8, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510040233/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/justice/ohio-police-investigation/index.html |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}} Also published by WHNT as " {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510155443/http://whnt.com/2013/05/08/ariel-castro-charged-with-kidnapping-rape-brothers-pedro-and-onil-released/ |date=May 10, 2013 }}".</ref> Castro's son Anthony reported that there were certain areas of the house that were locked and inaccessible.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/homeowner-where-3-women-were-found-was-no-stranger |title=In Ohio neighborhood, suspect was familiar figure |last1=Washington |first1=Jesse |date=May 7, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625072717/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/homeowner-where-3-women-were-found-was-no-stranger |archive-date=June 25, 2013 |df=mdy-all}} Also published by NewsNet5.com (WEWS-TV) as " {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510004908/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/family-friend-kidnapping-suspect-ariel-castro-was-friends-with-gina-dejesus-father-helped-search |date=May 10, 2013 }}"</ref> He also mentioned an occasion three weeks before the women's escape when Castro asked him if Berry would ever be found. Anthony said that he told Castro that Berry was likely dead, to which Castro responded: "Really? You think so?"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/kidnap-suspect-bizarre-question-son-article-1.1337753 |title=Main Cleveland kidnapping suspect's son says dad recently asked him whether one of the victims would be found |last1=Hutchinson |first1=Bill |date=May 7, 2013 |newspaper=New York Daily News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509234228/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/kidnap-suspect-bizarre-question-son-article-1.1337753 |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


NBC affiliate ] reported that Castro recalled each of the three abductions in great detail during his interrogation and indicated that they were unplanned crimes of opportunity. According to WKYC's sources, Castro did not have an "exit plan" and believed that he would eventually be caught. He referred to himself as "coldblooded" and a ].<ref name="USA Today 20130510">{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/10/ariel-castro-cleveland-abduction-cold-blood-kidnap/2149831/ |title=Ariel Castro to cops: 'I'm coldblooded' |last1=Meyer |first1=Tom |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512231813/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/10/ariel-castro-cleveland-abduction-cold-blood-kidnap/2149831/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=2369153756001 |title=Investigator: Inside Ariel Castro's interrogation |publisher=WKYC |access-date=September 4, 2013}}</ref> Police found a suicide note in his home in which he discussed the abductions and wrote that his money and possessions should be given to the kidnapped women if he were caught.<ref name="USA Today 20130510"/> ] affiliate ] reported that Castro recalled each of the three abductions in great detail during his ] and indicated that they were unplanned crimes of opportunity. According to WKYC's sources, Castro did not have an "exit plan" and believed that he would eventually be caught. He referred to himself as "coldblooded" and a ].<ref name="USA Today 20130510">{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/10/ariel-castro-cleveland-abduction-cold-blood-kidnap/2149831/ |title=Ariel Castro to cops: 'I'm coldblooded' |last1=Meyer |first1=Tom |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512231813/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/10/ariel-castro-cleveland-abduction-cold-blood-kidnap/2149831/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=2369153756001 |title=Investigator: Inside Ariel Castro's interrogation |publisher=WKYC |access-date=September 4, 2013 |archive-date=February 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227044734/https://www.wkyc.com/error/404?bctid=2369153756001 |url-status=live }}</ref> Police found a ] in the house in which he discussed the abductions and wrote that his money and possessions should be given to the kidnapped women if he were caught.<ref name="USA Today 20130510"/>


==Escape and rescue== ==Escape and rescue==
On May 6, 2013, Berry was finally able to make contact with Castro's neighbors, leading to her escape with her 6-year-old daughter<!-- Again, do not add the daughter's name, see talk page. --> and the rescue of DeJesus and Knight by authorities.<ref name= newsnet5-found/> According to police, Castro left the house that day and Berry realized that he failed to lock the "big inside door", although the exterior storm door was bolted.<ref name="BBC Cleveland rescue">{{cite web|title=Cleveland rescue: The mystery of 2207 Seymour Avenue|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22446157|access-date=May 14, 2013|publisher=BBC|date=May 10, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510102101/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22446157|archive-date=May 10, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=McClam|first=Erin|title=Cleveland man charged with kidnapping, rape; no charges for 2 brothers|url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/08/18123601-cleveland-man-charged-with-kidnapping-rape-no-charges-for-2-brothers?lite|access-date=May 13, 2013|work=NBC News|date=May 9, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513185729/http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/08/18123601-cleveland-man-charged-with-kidnapping-rape-no-charges-for-2-brothers?lite|archive-date=May 13, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Martinez|first=Michael|title=As Ohio women remained in captivity, alleged abductor's life crumbled|url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/12/us/cleveland-abductions-narrative/index.html|access-date=May 14, 2013|publisher=CNN|date=May 13, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513104357/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/12/us/cleveland-abductions-narrative/index.html|archive-date=May 13, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Alcindor|first1=Yamiche|title=Ariel Castro charged with kidnapping, rape of 3 Cleveland women|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/cleveland-kidnap-captured-chains-ropes/2143885/|access-date=May 14, 2013|newspaper=USA Today|date=May 9, 2013|last2=Leger|first2=Donna Leinwand|last3=Strauss|first3=Gary|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513160304/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/cleveland-kidnap-captured-chains-ropes/2143885/|archive-date=May 13, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> She did not attempt to break through the outer door because she thought that Castro "was testing her", according to the police report. Previously, Castro had tested the women by leaving the house partially unlocked and exits unsecured. If they attempted to escape, he beat them. Instead, Berry screamed for help when she saw neighbors through the screen.<ref name="BBC Cleveland rescue"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Mahoney|first=Jill|title=Death penalty possible for alleged Cleveland kidnapper, prosecutor says |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/kidnap-suspect-ariel-castro-due-in-cleveland-court/article11810618/|access-date=May 14, 2013|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=May 10, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615115016/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/kidnap-suspect-ariel-castro-due-in-cleveland-court/article11810618/|archive-date=June 15, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Dolan|first1=Matthew|title=Charges Filed in Abduction of Ohio Women|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324059704578470750534634028|access-date=May 14, 2013|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=May 9, 2013|last2=Barrett|first2=Joe|last3=El-Ghobashy|first3=Tamer|last4=Maher|first4=Kris|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015195936/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324059704578470750534634028|archive-date=October 15, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Meyer |first=Tom |title=Investigator: Amanda Berry delivered baby in plastic pool |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/298772/45/Investigator-Read-details-of-captives-lives-escape |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615114910/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/298772/45/Investigator-Read-details-of-captives-lives-escape |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2013 |publisher=WKYC |date=May 9, 2013 }}</ref> On the morning of May 6, 2013, Berry was finally able to make contact with Castro's neighbors, leading to her escape with her 6-year-old daughter<!-- Again, do not add the daughter's name, see talk page. --> and the rescue of DeJesus and Knight by authorities.<ref name= newsnet5-found/> According to police, Castro had left the house that day and Berry realized that he had failed to lock the "big inside door", although the exterior storm door was bolted.<ref name="BBC Cleveland rescue">{{cite web |title=Cleveland rescue: The mystery of 2207 Seymour Avenue |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22446157 |access-date=May 14, 2013 |publisher=BBC |date=May 10, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510102101/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22446157 |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=McClam |first=Erin |title=Cleveland man charged with kidnapping, rape; no charges for 2 brothers |url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/08/18123601-cleveland-man-charged-with-kidnapping-rape-no-charges-for-2-brothers?lite |access-date=May 13, 2013 |work=NBC News |date=May 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513185729/http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/08/18123601-cleveland-man-charged-with-kidnapping-rape-no-charges-for-2-brothers?lite |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Martinez |first=Michael |title=As Ohio women remained in captivity, alleged abductor's life crumbled |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/12/us/cleveland-abductions-narrative/index.html |access-date=May 14, 2013 |publisher=CNN |date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513104357/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/12/us/cleveland-abductions-narrative/index.html |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Alcindor |first1=Yamiche |title=Ariel Castro charged with kidnapping, rape of 3 Cleveland women |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/cleveland-kidnap-captured-chains-ropes/2143885/ |access-date=May 14, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |date=May 9, 2013 |last2=Leger |first2=Donna Leinwand |last3=Strauss |first3=Gary |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513160304/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/cleveland-kidnap-captured-chains-ropes/2143885/ |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> She did not attempt to break through the outer door because she thought that Castro "was testing her", according to the police report. Previously, Castro had tested the women by leaving the house partially unlocked and exits unsecured. If they attempted to escape, he beat them. Instead, Berry screamed for help when she saw neighbors through the screen.<ref name="BBC Cleveland rescue"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Mahoney |first=Jill |title=Death penalty possible for alleged Cleveland kidnapper, prosecutor says |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/kidnap-suspect-ariel-castro-due-in-cleveland-court/article11810618/ |access-date=May 14, 2013 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=May 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615115016/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/kidnap-suspect-ariel-castro-due-in-cleveland-court/article11810618/ |archive-date=June 15, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dolan |first1=Matthew |title=Charges Filed in Abduction of Ohio Women |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324059704578470750534634028 |access-date=May 14, 2013 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 9, 2013 |last2=Barrett |first2=Joe |last3=El-Ghobashy |first3=Tamer |last4=Maher |first4=Kris |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015195936/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324059704578470750534634028 |archive-date=October 15, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Meyer |first=Tom |title=Investigator: Amanda Berry delivered baby in plastic pool |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/298772/45/Investigator-Read-details-of-captives-lives-escape |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615114910/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/298772/45/Investigator-Read-details-of-captives-lives-escape |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2013 |publisher=WKYC |date=May 9, 2013}}</ref>


Neighbor Angel Cordero responded to the screaming<ref name="slates">{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/05/08/_angel_cordero_cleveland_kidnapping_nobody_s_praising_the_less_flamboyant.html |title=Nobody's Praising Angel Cordero, the Less-Flamboyant Neighbor Who Also Helped Free Amanda Berry |last1=Levin |first1=Josh |date=May 8, 2013 |publisher=Slate |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Gk6Y2tgc?url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/05/08/_angel_cordero_cleveland_kidnapping_nobody_s_praising_the_less_flamboyant.html |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> but was unable to communicate with Berry because he spoke little English. Neighbor Charles Ramsey joined Cordero at the house's front door during the rescue.<ref>{{cite web|title=Charles Ramsey interview, rescuer of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight in Cleveland|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axCn04iXkBg|website=YouTube|publisher=News 5 Cleveland|access-date=January 26, 2018|date=May 6, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221202653/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axCn04iXkBg|archive-date=February 21, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> They kicked a hole through the bottom of the storm door and Berry crawled through, carrying her daughter. Ramsey said that Berry told him that she and her child were being kept inside the house against her will. Upon being freed, she went to the house of another Spanish-speaking neighbor<ref name="slates"/> and, with Ramsey's assistance, called ], saying "Help me, I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for ten years. And I'm here. I'm free now!"<ref name=cnn050713/><ref name="autogenerated8">{{cite web |url=http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/07/transcript-video-charles-ramsey-ac360-exclusive-invu/ |title=Anderson Cooper interview with Charles Ramsey |date=May 7, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=May 8, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608160414/http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/07/transcript-video-charles-ramsey-ac360-exclusive-invu/ |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Neighbors have offered differing views of the escape. According to Berry in her memoir, "Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland," neighbor Angel Cordero responded to the screaming, but left as he was unable to communicate with Berry because he was a Spanish-speaker who spoke little English.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Berry |title=Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland |date=2015 |page=249 |url=https://archive.org/details/hopememoirofsurv0000berr_a0n7/page/248/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=%22why+is+this+guy+leaving%22 |quote=Why is leaving? Why won't he help?}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Who Got to Amanda Berry First? Neighbors Dispute Rescue Details |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/amanda-berry-neighbors-dispute-rescue-details/story?id=19143927 |website=ABC News |date=May 9, 2013 }}</ref> Neighbor Charles Ramsey arrived at the scene and suggested kicking out the storm door's bottom panel. Together, Ramsey and Berry kicked a hole through the bottom of the door and Berry crawled through with her daughter.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Berry |title=Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland |date=2015 |page=249 |url=https://archive.org/details/hopememoirofsurv0000berr_a0n7/page/248/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=%22now+another+guy%22 |quote=Now has walked in front of the house, a tall black guy. . . He looks closely at the door from top to bottom and then, noticing something, starts to kick at the bottom panel.}}</ref> Ramsey said that Berry told him that she and her child were being kept inside the house against her will.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charles Ramsey interview, rescuer of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight in Cleveland |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axCn04iXkBg |website=YouTube |publisher=News 5 Cleveland |access-date=January 26, 2018 |date=May 6, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221202653/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axCn04iXkBg |archive-date=February 21, 2018 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Upon being freed, Ramsey called ] from his home while Berry called as well from the home of another neighbor, saying: "Help me, I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for ten years. And I'm here. I'm free now!"<ref name=cnn050713/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Berry |title=Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland |date=2015 |page=250 |url=https://archive.org/details/hopememoirofsurv0000berr_a0n7/page/250/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=%22dials+911%22 |quote= opens his front door, picks up his cell phone, and dials 911.}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated8">{{cite web |url=http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/07/transcript-video-charles-ramsey-ac360-exclusive-invu/ |title=Anderson Cooper interview with Charles Ramsey |date=May 7, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=May 8, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608160414/http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/07/transcript-video-charles-ramsey-ac360-exclusive-invu/ |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Responding police officers entered Castro's house. They walked through an upstairs hallway with guns drawn, announcing themselves as Cleveland Police. After peeking out from a slightly opened bedroom door, Knight entered the hallway and leaped into an officer's arms, repeatedly saying, "You saved me." Soon afterward, DeJesus entered the hallway from another room.<ref name="cleveland1"/> Knight and DeJesus walked out of the home, and all three women, plus the child, were taken to ].<ref name="3 missing women found"/> Berry and DeJesus were released from the hospital the next day,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/cleveland-kidnap-michelle-knight-amanda-berry/2144153/ |title=2 freed women return home; 3rd still in hospital |last1=Alcindor |first1=Yamiche |last2=Bacon |first2=John |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509064633/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/cleveland-kidnap-michelle-knight-amanda-berry/2144153/ |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and Knight was discharged four days later on May 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-captive-knight-avoids-public-family-article-1.1341364 |title=Cleveland captive Michelle Knight leaves hospital without telling family |last1=Walsh |first1=Michael |date=May 11, 2013 |newspaper=New York Daily News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602124538/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-captive-knight-avoids-public-family-article-1.1341364 |archive-date=June 2, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Responding police officers Michael Tracy, Barbara Johnson and Anthony Espada entered Castro's house. They walked through an upstairs hallway with guns drawn, announcing themselves as CPD. After peeking out from a slightly opened bedroom door, Knight entered the hallway and leaped into an officer's arms, repeatedly saying, "You saved me." Soon afterward, DeJesus entered the hallway from another room.<ref name="cleveland1"/> Knight and DeJesus walked out of the house, and all three women, plus the child, were taken to ].<ref name="3 missing women found"/> Berry and DeJesus were released from the hospital the next day,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/cleveland-kidnap-michelle-knight-amanda-berry/2144153/ |title=2 freed women return home; 3rd still in hospital |last1=Alcindor |first1=Yamiche |last2=Bacon |first2=John |date=May 8, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509064633/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/08/cleveland-kidnap-michelle-knight-amanda-berry/2144153/ |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> and Knight was discharged four days later on May 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-captive-knight-avoids-public-family-article-1.1341364 |title=Cleveland captive Michelle Knight leaves hospital without telling family |last1=Walsh |first1=Michael |date=May 11, 2013 |newspaper=New York Daily News |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602124538/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-captive-knight-avoids-public-family-article-1.1341364 |archive-date=June 2, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The rescue of the women also reignited hope for the family of ], another young woman who disappeared in the Cleveland area in early July 2007<ref name="FBI 2010">{{cite web | title=ASHLEY SUMMERS - Federal Bureau of Investigation | website=Federal Bureau of Investigation | date=10 September 2010 | url=https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/ashley-summers | access-date=20 January 2020}}</ref> after leaving her home following a dispute with her parents. Police initially believed that there could be other captives in the Seymour Avenue home, but found none. Summers is still missing as of {{currentmonthname}} {{currentyear}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://memphisrap.com/news/ariel-castros-missing-women-other-than-amanda-berry-michelle-knight-gina-dejesus/|title=Ariel Castro's Missing Women Other Than Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight, and Gina DeJesus?|date=May 11, 2013}}</ref>


==Arrest and legal proceedings== ==Arrest and legal proceedings==
] ]
Castro was arrested on May 6, 2013.<ref name="plain-dealer-charges"/> He was charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape on May 8, which carry ]s of ten years to life in Ohio.<ref name="plain-dealer-charges"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2971.03 |title=2971.03 Sentencing for sexually violent predator specification |publisher=LAWriter – ORC |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513054559/http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2971.03 |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Two of Castro's brothers were also initially taken into custody, but were released on May 9 after police announced that they had no involvement in the kidnappings.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-suspects-brothers-released-custody |title=Ohio suspect's brothers released from custody |date=May 9, 2013 |publisher=Yahoo! |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609021837/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-suspects-brothers-released-custody |archive-date=June 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro was arrested in a McDonald's parking lot shortly after the victims were rescued.<ref name="plain-dealer-charges"/> He was charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape on May 8, which carry ]s of ten years to ] in Ohio.<ref name="plain-dealer-charges"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2971.03 |title=2971.03 Sentencing for sexually violent predator specification |publisher=LAWriter – ORC |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513054559/http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2971.03 |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Two of Castro's brothers, Pedro and Onil, were also initially taken into custody, but were released on May 9 after police announced that they had no involvement in the kidnappings. The charges against the two brothers were dropped.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-suspects-brothers-released-custody |title=Ohio suspect's brothers released from custody |date=May 9, 2013 |publisher=Yahoo! |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609021837/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-suspects-brothers-released-custody |archive-date=June 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Castro made his first court appearance at the Cleveland ] on May 9, where ] was set at $2&nbsp;million per kidnapping charge, adding to a total of $8&nbsp;million. Prosecutors intended to seek the death penalty against Castro.<ref name="LA Times bail">{{cite news|last=Muskal|first=Michael|title=Ariel Castro's bail set at $8&nbsp;million in Cleveland abduction case|url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-bail-set-cleveland-20130509,0,6364727.story|access-date=May 15, 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=May 9, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516120848/http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-bail-set-cleveland-20130509,0,6364727.story|archive-date=May 16, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Washington Post man accused">{{cite news|last1=Markon|first1=Jerry|title=Cleveland man accused of kidnapping, raping 3 women held on $8&nbsp;million bond|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/man-accused-of-kidnapping-raping-3-women-held-on-8-million-bond/2013/05/09/3a7656b0-b8e7-11e2-92f3-f291801936b8_story.html|access-date=May 15, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 9, 2013|last2=Wilgoren|first2=Debbi|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512141934/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/man-accused-of-kidnapping-raping-3-women-held-on-8-million-bond/2013/05/09/3a7656b0-b8e7-11e2-92f3-f291801936b8_story.html|archive-date=May 12, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/cleveland-ariel-castro-amanda-berry-arraignment-kidnap-rape/2146289/ |title=Prosecutor: Ariel Castro could face death penalty |last1=Leger |first1=Donna Leinwand |last2=Strauss |first2=Gary |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511091619/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/cleveland-ariel-castro-amanda-berry-arraignment-kidnap-rape/2146289/ |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Additional charges were reported to be pending, including ] (for intentional induction of miscarriages), ], ], a charge for each instance of rape, and a kidnapping charge for each day each captive was held.<ref name="pd090513"/> On May 14, Castro's attorneys said he would plead "not guilty" to all charges if indicted for kidnapping and rape.<ref name="WKYC Investigator">{{cite news|last=Meyer |first=Tom |title=Investigator: Castro loves daughter, will plead 'not guilty' |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/299605/45/Investigator-Castro-loves-daughter-will-plead-not-guilty |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615114847/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/299605/45/Investigator-Castro-loves-daughter-will-plead-not-guilty |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2013 |publisher=WKYC |date=May 14, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="BBC to plead innocent">{{cite news|title=Cleveland kidnap accused Castro to plead innocent – lawyers|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22543247|access-date=May 15, 2012|publisher=BBC|date=May 15, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516014858/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22543247|archive-date=May 16, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Reuters to plead not guilty">{{cite news|author=Palmer, Kim|title=Accused Cleveland kidnapper plans to plead not guilty: lawyer|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE94E0LT20130515|access-date=May 15, 2013|work=Reuters|date=May 15, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515220240/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/15/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE94E0LT20130515|archive-date=May 15, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro made his first court appearance at the Cleveland ] on May 9, where ] was set at $2&nbsp;million per kidnapping charge, adding to a total of $8&nbsp;million. Prosecutors intended to seek the ] against Castro.<ref name="LA Times bail">{{cite news |last=Muskal |first=Michael |title=Ariel Castro's bail set at $8&nbsp;million in Cleveland abduction case |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-bail-set-cleveland-20130509,0,6364727.story |access-date=May 15, 2013 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516120848/http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-bail-set-cleveland-20130509,0,6364727.story |archive-date=May 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Washington Post man accused">{{cite news |last1=Markon |first1=Jerry |title=Cleveland man accused of kidnapping, raping 3 women held on $8&nbsp;million bond |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/man-accused-of-kidnapping-raping-3-women-held-on-8-million-bond/2013/05/09/3a7656b0-b8e7-11e2-92f3-f291801936b8_story.html |access-date=May 15, 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 9, 2013 |last2=Wilgoren |first2=Debbi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512141934/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/man-accused-of-kidnapping-raping-3-women-held-on-8-million-bond/2013/05/09/3a7656b0-b8e7-11e2-92f3-f291801936b8_story.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/cleveland-ariel-castro-amanda-berry-arraignment-kidnap-rape/2146289/ |title=Prosecutor: Ariel Castro could face death penalty |last1=Leger |first1=Donna Leinwand |last2=Strauss |first2=Gary |date=May 10, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511091619/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/cleveland-ariel-castro-amanda-berry-arraignment-kidnap-rape/2146289/ |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Additional charges were reported to be pending, including ] (for intentional induction of miscarriages), ], ], a charge for each instance of rape, and a kidnapping charge for each day each captive was held.<ref name="pd090513"/> On May 14, Castro's attorneys said he would plead "not guilty" to all charges if indicted for kidnapping and rape.<ref name="WKYC Investigator">{{cite news |last=Meyer |first=Tom |title=Investigator: Castro loves daughter, will plead 'not guilty' |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/299605/45/Investigator-Castro-loves-daughter-will-plead-not-guilty |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615114847/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/299605/45/Investigator-Castro-loves-daughter-will-plead-not-guilty |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2013 |publisher=WKYC |date=May 14, 2013}}</ref><ref name="BBC to plead innocent">{{cite news |title=Cleveland kidnap accused Castro to plead innocent – lawyers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22543247 |access-date=May 15, 2012 |publisher=BBC |date=May 15, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516014858/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22543247 |archive-date=May 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Reuters to plead not guilty">{{cite news |author=Palmer, Kim |title=Accused Cleveland kidnapper plans to plead not guilty: lawyer |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE94E0LT20130515 |access-date=May 15, 2013 |work=Reuters |date=May 15, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515220240/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/15/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE94E0LT20130515 |archive-date=May 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


A Cuyahoga County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against Castro on June 7. It contained 329 counts, including two counts of aggravated murder (under different sections of the Ohio criminal code) for his role in the termination of one of the women's pregnancies. The indictments covered only the period from August 2002 to February 2007. The county prosecutor, Timothy J. McGinty, stated that the investigation was ongoing, and that any further findings would be presented to the grand jury. McGinty said that pursuing a death penalty specification would be considered following completion of indictment proceedings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/06/ariel_castro_indicted_on_charg.html |title=Ariel Castro indicted on aggravated murder, rape, kidnapping charges |last=McCarty |first=James F. |date=June 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907111035/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/06/ariel_castro_indicted_on_charg.html |archive-date=September 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ohio grand jury indicts man accused of kidnapping Cleveland women |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE95619F20130608?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&dlvrit=992637 |last1=Palmer |first=Kim |date=June 8, 2013 |work=Reuters |access-date=June 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608025533/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/08/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE95619F20130608?feedType=RSS |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> A Cuyahoga County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against Castro on June 7. It contained 329 counts, including 2 counts of aggravated murder (under different sections of the Ohio criminal code) for his role in the termination of one of the women's pregnancies. The indictments covered only the period from August 2002 to February 2007. The county prosecutor, Timothy J. McGinty, stated that the investigation was ongoing, and that any further findings would be presented to the grand jury. McGinty said that pursuing a death penalty specification would be considered following completion of indictment proceedings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/06/ariel_castro_indicted_on_charg.html |title=Ariel Castro indicted on aggravated murder, rape, kidnapping charges |last=McCarty |first=James F. |date=June 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907111035/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/06/ariel_castro_indicted_on_charg.html |archive-date=September 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ohio grand jury indicts man accused of kidnapping Cleveland women |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE95619F20130608?dlvrit=992637 |last1=Palmer |first1=Kim |date=June 8, 2013 |work=Reuters |access-date=June 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608025533/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/08/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE95619F20130608 |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


After entering a not guilty plea for Castro on June 12, one of his attorneys, Craig Weintraub, said that although some of the charges against Castro were indisputable, "it is our hope that we can continue to work toward a resolution to avoid having an unnecessary trial about aggravated murder and the death penalty". He noted, "We are very sensitive to the emotional strain and impact that a trial would have on the women, their families and this community".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-plea-20130612,0,6763994.story |title=Ariel Castro's lawyer: Some kidnap charges 'cannot be disputed' |last=Pearce |first=Matt |date=June 12, 2013 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=June 19, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615022557/http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-plea-20130612,0,6763994.story |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro was found competent to stand trial on July 3.<ref>{{cite news |title=Accused Cleveland kidnapper ruled capable of standing trial |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/03/justice/ohio-castro-hearing/index.html |date=July 3, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907063712/http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/03/justice/ohio-castro-hearing/index.html |archive-date=September 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> After entering a not guilty plea for Castro on June 12, one of his attorneys, Craig Weintraub, said that although some of the charges against Castro were indisputable, "it is our hope that we can continue to work toward a resolution to avoid having an unnecessary trial about aggravated murder and the death penalty". He noted, "We are very sensitive to the emotional strain and impact that a trial would have on the women, their families and this community".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-plea-20130612,0,6763994.story |title=Ariel Castro's lawyer: Some kidnap charges 'cannot be disputed' |last=Pearce |first=Matt |date=June 12, 2013 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=June 19, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615022557/http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ariel-castro-plea-20130612,0,6763994.story |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro was found competent to stand trial on July 3.<ref>{{cite news |title=Accused Cleveland kidnapper ruled capable of standing trial |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/03/justice/ohio-castro-hearing/index.html |date=July 3, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907063712/http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/03/justice/ohio-castro-hearing/index.html |archive-date=September 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


On July 12, a Cuyahoga County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment for the remainder of the period after February 2007. It brought the total to 977 counts: 512 counts of kidnapping, 446 of rape, seven of gross sexual imposition, six of felonious assault, three of child endangerment, two of aggravated murder, and one of possession of criminal tools.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/12/justice/ohio-castro-indictment/index.html |title=Cleveland kidnapping suspect now faces 977 counts |date=July 13, 2013 |work=CNN|access-date=July 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713162930/http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/12/justice/ohio-castro-indictment/index.html |archive-date=July 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> On July 17, Castro pleaded not guilty to the expanded indictment.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sheeran|first=Thomas J.|title=Ohio kidnapping, rape suspect pleads not guilty|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2nd-arraignment-set-ohio-kidnap-suspect|publisher=Associated Press|access-date=October 4, 2013|date=July 17, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20131004225023/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2nd-arraignment-set-ohio-kidnap-suspect|archive-date=October 4, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He faced death by lethal injection if convicted on all of the charges. On July 12, a Cuyahoga County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment for the remainder of the period after February 2007. It brought the total to 977 counts: 512 counts of kidnapping, 446 of rape, seven of gross sexual imposition, six of felonious assault, three of ], two of aggravated murder, and one of possession of criminal tools.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/12/justice/ohio-castro-indictment/index.html |title=Cleveland kidnapping suspect now faces 977 counts |date=July 13, 2013 |work=CNN |access-date=July 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713162930/http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/12/justice/ohio-castro-indictment/index.html |archive-date=July 13, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> On July 17, Castro pleaded not guilty to the expanded indictment.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sheeran |first=Thomas J. |title=Ohio kidnapping, rape suspect pleads not guilty |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2nd-arraignment-set-ohio-kidnap-suspect |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=October 4, 2013 |date=July 17, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20131004225023/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2nd-arraignment-set-ohio-kidnap-suspect |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He faced death by ] if convicted on all of the charges.


Castro pleaded guilty on July 26 to 937 of the 977 charges against him, including charges of kidnapping, rape, and aggravated murder, as part of a ] which called for consecutive sentences of ] plus 1,000 years, all without ].<ref name=usat072613/> Under the plea deal, Castro forfeited his right to ], and could not profit in any way due to his crimes. He also forfeited his assets, including his home, which prosecutors said would be demolished.<ref name=cl072613>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/ariel_castro_agrees_to_plea_de.html |title=Ariel Castro agrees to plea deal: Life in prison, no parole, plus 1,000 years for abduction, rapes of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight |last1=Krouse |first1=Peter |date=July 26, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=July 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730041818/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/ariel_castro_agrees_to_plea_de.html |archive-date=July 30, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro was told by Cuyahoga County ] Judge Michael Russo, "You will not be getting out. Is that clear?" to which Castro responded, "I do understand that, your honor."<ref name="BBC-plea">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23468222 |title=Ariel Castro to serve life in prison under plea deal |work=BBC News |date=July 26, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727013327/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23468222 |archive-date=July 27, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Castro also made comments about his "addiction to ]" and "sexual problem", but was cut off by Judge Russo, who said such issues could be discussed at the August 1 sentencing hearing.<ref name=cl072613/> A law firm representing Berry, DeJesus, and Knight released a statement that the three women were "relieved by today's plea. They are satisfied by this resolution to the case, and are looking forward to having these legal proceedings draw to a final close in the near future".<ref name=cl072613/> Castro pleaded guilty on July 26 to 937 of the 977 charges against him, including charges of kidnapping, rape, and aggravated murder, as part of a ] which called for consecutive sentences of life in prison plus 1,000 years, all without ].<ref name=usat072613/> Under the plea deal, Castro forfeited his right to ], and could not profit in any way due to his crimes. He also forfeited his assets, including his Seymour Avenue house, which prosecutors said would be demolished.<ref name=cl072613>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/ariel_castro_agrees_to_plea_de.html |title=Ariel Castro agrees to plea deal: Life in prison, no parole, plus 1,000 years for abduction, rapes of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight |last1=Krouse |first1=Peter |date=July 26, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=July 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730041818/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/ariel_castro_agrees_to_plea_de.html |archive-date=July 30, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro was told by Cuyahoga County ] Judge Michael Russo, "You will not be getting out. Is that clear?" to which Castro responded, "I do understand that, your honor."<ref name="BBC-plea">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23468222 |title=Ariel Castro to serve life in prison under plea deal |work=BBC News |date=July 26, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727013327/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23468222 |archive-date=July 27, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro also made comments about his "addiction to ]" and "sexual problem", but was cut off by Judge Russo, who said such issues could be discussed at the August 1 sentencing hearing.<ref name=cl072613/> A law firm representing Berry, DeJesus, and Knight released a statement that the three women were "relieved by today's plea. They are satisfied by this resolution to the case, and are looking forward to having these legal proceedings draw to a final close in the near future".<ref name=cl072613/>


At the sentencing hearing on August 1, Castro was sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison, plus 1,000 years, all without any possibility of parole. He was also fined $100,000. The court forfeited all of his property and assets to the Cuyahoga County government.<ref name=pd130801>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/08/judge_sends_ariel_castro_to_pr.html |title=Judge sends Ariel Castro to prison for abduction, rape of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight (slideshow) |date=August 1, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=August 6, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804045059/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/08/judge_sends_ariel_castro_to_pr.html |archive-date=August 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Before his sentencing, Castro addressed the court for nearly 20 minutes, in which he said he was "a good person" and "not a monster", but that he was addicted to sex and ], and had "practiced the art of ]" from a young age. He claimed that he had never beaten or tortured the women, and insisted that "most" of the sex he had with them "was consensual". He shifted between apologizing and blaming the FBI for failing to catch him, as well as blaming his victims themselves for getting in a car with a stranger, along with insisting to the court that when he had sex with them he discovered they were not virgins. He would alternately shift back into apologetic comments, saying: "I hope they can find in their hearts to forgive me because we had a lot of harmony going on in that home".<ref name="WKYC"/> At the sentencing hearing on August 1, Castro was sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison, plus 1,000 years, all without any possibility of parole. He was also fined $100,000. The court forfeited all of his property and assets to the Cuyahoga County government.<ref name=pd130801>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/08/judge_sends_ariel_castro_to_pr.html |title=Judge sends Ariel Castro to prison for abduction, rape of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight (slideshow) |date=August 1, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=August 6, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804045059/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/08/judge_sends_ariel_castro_to_pr.html |archive-date=August 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Before his sentencing, Castro addressed the court for nearly twenty minutes, in which he said he was "a good person" and "not a monster", but that he was addicted to sex and pornography and had "practiced the art of ]" from a young age. He claimed that he had never beaten or tortured the women, and insisted that "most" of the sex he had with them "was consensual". He shifted between apologizing and blaming the FBI for failing to catch him, as well as blaming his victims themselves for getting in a car with a stranger, along with insisting to the court that when he had sex with them he discovered they were not virgins. He would alternately shift back into apologetic comments, saying: "I hope they can find in their hearts to forgive me because we had a lot of harmony going on in that home".<ref name="WKYC"/>


The sentencing judge also heard from Knight and family members of Berry and DeJesus. Knight told Castro: "You took eleven years of my life away. I spent eleven years in hell; now your hell is just beginning. I will overcome all that has happened, but you will face hell for eternity. I will live on, you will die a little every day as you think of the eleven years of atrocities that you inflicted on us&nbsp;... I can forgive you, but I will never forget."<ref name=pd130801/> The sentencing judge also heard from Knight and family members of Berry and DeJesus. Knight told Castro: "You took eleven years of my life away. I spent eleven years in hell; now your hell is just beginning. I will overcome all that has happened, but you will face hell for eternity. I will live on, you will die a little every day as you think of the eleven years of atrocities that you inflicted on us&nbsp;... I can forgive you, but I will never forget."<ref name=pd130801/>
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==Aftermath== ==Aftermath==
===Survivors=== ===Survivors===
Knight, Berry, and DeJesus released a video statement on July 9, 2013, thanking the public for their support. An attorney for Berry and DeJesus said that the women "still have a strong desire for privacy" and did not wish to speak to the media about their ordeal.<ref name=pd070913>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/amanda_berry_gina_dejesus_and_2.html |title=New video: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, Cleveland's 3 missing women, thank you for your support |last1=Caniglia |first1=John |date=July 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=July 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710092111/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/amanda_berry_gina_dejesus_and_2.html |archive-date=July 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/transcript-cleveland-kidnapping-victims-say-thank-for-support |title=TRANSCRIPT: Cleveland kidnapping victims say thank you for support |last1=Steer |first1=Jen |date=July 9, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |access-date=July 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130711210648/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/transcript-cleveland-kidnapping-victims-say-thank-for-support |archive-date=July 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The Cleveland Courage Fund is a bank account set up to help the women in their transition to independent life which had collected approximately $1.05&nbsp;million at the time of the video's release.<ref name=pd070913/> Before Berry's disappearance, her grandfather had promised to give her a classic ], built in the year when she was born. He kept the car after her kidnapping in case she was still found alive. He still had it for her when she was released,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/amanda-berrys-grandfather-keeps-1986-monte-carlo-he-promised-before-she-went-missing |title=Amanda Berry's grandfather keeps 1986 Monte Carlo he promised before she went missing |last1=Kiesel |first1=Connor |publisher=Newsnet5.com |date=May 13, 2013 |access-date=July 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710181505/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/amanda-berrys-grandfather-keeps-1986-monte-carlo-he-promised-before-she-went-missing |archive-date=July 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> although it was in need of restoration from having been unused. Several automotive shops offered to perform the restoration for free.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wjhl.com/story/22285475/amanda-berry-and-grandfather-reunite |title=Amanda Berry and grandfather reunite |last1=Morabito |first1=Nate |publisher=WJHL |date=April 17, 2013 |access-date=July 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801005123/http://www.wjhl.com/story/22285475/amanda-berry-and-grandfather-reunite|archive-date=August 1, 2013}}</ref> Knight, Berry, and DeJesus released a video statement on July 9, 2013, thanking the public for their support. An attorney for Berry and DeJesus said that the women "still have a strong desire for privacy" and did not wish to speak to the media about their ordeal.<ref name=pd070913>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/amanda_berry_gina_dejesus_and_2.html |title=New video: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, Cleveland's 3 missing women, thank you for your support |last1=Caniglia |first1=John |date=July 9, 2013 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=July 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710092111/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/amanda_berry_gina_dejesus_and_2.html |archive-date=July 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/transcript-cleveland-kidnapping-victims-say-thank-for-support |title=TRANSCRIPT: Cleveland kidnapping victims say thank you for support |last1=Steer |first1=Jen |date=July 9, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |access-date=July 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130711210648/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/transcript-cleveland-kidnapping-victims-say-thank-for-support |archive-date=July 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The Cleveland Courage Fund is a bank account set up to help the women in their transition to independent life which had collected approximately $1.05&nbsp;million at the time of the video's release.<ref name=pd070913/> Before Berry's disappearance, her grandfather had promised to give her a classic ], built in the year when she was born. He kept the car after her kidnapping in case she was still found alive. He still had it for her when she was released,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/amanda-berrys-grandfather-keeps-1986-monte-carlo-he-promised-before-she-went-missing |title=Amanda Berry's grandfather keeps 1986 Monte Carlo he promised before she went missing |last1=Kiesel |first1=Connor |publisher=Newsnet5.com |date=May 13, 2013 |access-date=July 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710181505/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/amanda-berrys-grandfather-keeps-1986-monte-carlo-he-promised-before-she-went-missing |archive-date=July 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> although it was in need of restoration from having been unused. Several automotive shops offered to perform the restoration for free.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wjhl.com/story/22285475/amanda-berry-and-grandfather-reunite |title=Amanda Berry and grandfather reunite |last1=Morabito |first1=Nate |publisher=WJHL |date=April 17, 2013 |access-date=July 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801005123/http://www.wjhl.com/story/22285475/amanda-berry-and-grandfather-reunite |archive-date=August 1, 2013}}</ref>


Knight discussed some of her ordeals in an interview with ''People'' Magazine one year after her release, as well as her life leading up to her abduction. Since her rescue, she legally changed her name<ref>{{cite news|last=Feran|first=Tom|title=Michelle Knight conquers her fears after 'dangling in the wind'|url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/03/michelle_knight_1.html|access-date=March 16, 2015|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|date=March 14, 2015|quote=Knight has changed her own name legally to Lilybut she uses her better-known birth name in public appearances.|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316233918/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/03/michelle_knight_1.html|archive-date=March 16, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and began to get several tattoos as her way of coping with the healing process. She also revealed that her son was adopted by his foster parents while she was in captivity and that she wanted to see him, but she does not want to bring him into the ordeal which she has had to deal with, and planned to see him after he becomes an adult. She planned to open a restaurant and dreamed of getting married, which she did in 2016,<ref>{{cite news|title=Michelle Knight, kept in captivity for over 10 years, reveals her marriage on "Dr. Phil"|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-knight-kept-in-captivity-for-over-10-years-reveals-her-marriage-on-dr-phil/|work=]|date=April 10, 2018|access-date=April 11, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411102025/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-knight-kept-in-captivity-for-over-10-years-reveals-her-marriage-on-dr-phil/|archive-date=April 11, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and hopes to adopt children, as her years of abuse and torture have made it unlikely for her to ever be able to give birth again. She also planned to reunite with Berry and DeJesus in the future, but began focusing on getting her own life back on track.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/article/michelle-knight-cleveland-kidnapping-book-excerpt|title=Cleveland Kidnapping Victim Michelle Knight Tells Her Story of Torture and Triumph|publisher=People.com|date=May 9, 2014|access-date=November 9, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108191416/http://www.people.com/article/michelle-knight-cleveland-kidnapping-book-excerpt|archive-date=November 8, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Knight discussed some of her ordeals in an interview with ] one year after her release, as well as her life leading up to her abduction. Since her rescue, she legally changed her name<ref>{{cite news |last=Feran |first=Tom |title=Michelle Knight conquers her fears after 'dangling in the wind' |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/03/michelle_knight_1.html |access-date=March 16, 2015 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |date=March 14, 2015 |quote=Knight has changed her own name legally to Lilybut she uses her better-known birth name in public appearances. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316233918/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/03/michelle_knight_1.html |archive-date=March 16, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> and began to get several tattoos as her way of coping with the healing process. She also revealed that her son was adopted by his foster parents while she was in captivity and that she wanted to see him, but she does not want to bring him into the ordeal which she has had to deal with, and planned to see him after he becomes an adult. She planned to open a restaurant and dreamed of getting married, which she did in 2016,<ref>{{cite news |title=Michelle Knight, kept in captivity for over 10 years, reveals her marriage on "Dr. Phil" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-knight-kept-in-captivity-for-over-10-years-reveals-her-marriage-on-dr-phil/ |work=] |date=April 10, 2018 |access-date=April 11, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411102025/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-knight-kept-in-captivity-for-over-10-years-reveals-her-marriage-on-dr-phil/ |archive-date=April 11, 2018 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> and hopes to adopt children, as her years of abuse and torture have made it unlikely for her to ever be able to give birth again. She also planned to reunite with Berry and DeJesus in the future, but began focusing on getting her own life back on track.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.people.com/article/michelle-knight-cleveland-kidnapping-book-excerpt |title=Cleveland Kidnapping Victim Michelle Knight Tells Her Story of Torture and Triumph |publisher=People.com |date=May 9, 2014 |access-date=November 9, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108191416/http://www.people.com/article/michelle-knight-cleveland-kidnapping-book-excerpt |archive-date=November 8, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Berry and DeJesus received honorary diplomas from John Marshall High School in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/05/amanda_berry_gina_dejesus_real.html|title=Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus realize high school graduation dream with John Marshall Class of 2015|newspaper=cleveland.com|access-date=January 4, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018015223/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/05/amanda_berry_gina_dejesus_real.html|archive-date=October 18, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Berry and DeJesus received honorary diplomas from ] in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/05/amanda_berry_gina_dejesus_real.html |title=Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus realize high school graduation dream with John Marshall Class of 2015 |newspaper=cleveland.com |access-date=January 4, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018015223/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/05/amanda_berry_gina_dejesus_real.html |archive-date=October 18, 2016 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In an interview with ], DeJesus says that she is currently volunteering for the Amber Alert committee, offering comfort to families of abducted children. She remains in touch with Berry and her family.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Sara Shookman |title=Gina DeJesus speaks out as the five-year anniversary of her escape nears |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cleveland/gina-dejesus-speaks-out-as-the-five-year-anniversary-of-her-escape-nears/95-548652594 |website=wkyc.com}}</ref> In February 2017, Berry joined the staff of ] (Fox 8) in Cleveland, where she hosts short recurring segments in which she reports missing person cases. She does this to help families reunite with missing family members.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fox8.com/2018/02/06/one-year-later-amanda-berrys-mission-to-find-the-missing/|title=One year later: Amanda Berry's mission to find the missing|date=2018-02-06|website=fox8.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref> In April 2019, Berry reunited with Charles Ramsey, six years since her rescue, at an interview that was broadcast by Fox 8.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fox8.com/2019/04/25/emotional-reunion-amanda-berry-charles-ramsey-face-to-face-for-first-time-in-6-years/|title=Emotional reunion: Amanda Berry, Charles Ramsey face to face for first time in 6 years|date=2019-04-25|website=fox8.com|language=en|access-date=2019-04-26}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=FOX 8 News Cleveland|title=Amanda Berry and Charles Ramsey reunited for the first time|date=2019-04-25|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgownXvnbs4|access-date=2019-04-26}}</ref> In an interview with WKYC, DeJesus says that she was volunteering for the Amber Alert committee, offering comfort to families of abducted children. She remains in touch with Berry and her family.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Sara Shookman |title=Gina DeJesus speaks out as the five-year anniversary of her escape nears |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cleveland/gina-dejesus-speaks-out-as-the-five-year-anniversary-of-her-escape-nears/95-548652594 |website=wkyc.com |date=May 3, 2018 |access-date=May 7, 2024 |archive-date=February 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227044750/https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cleveland/gina-dejesus-speaks-out-as-the-five-year-anniversary-of-her-escape-nears/95-548652594 |url-status=live }}</ref> In February 2017, Berry joined the staff of Fox affiliate ] in Cleveland, where she hosts short recurring segments in which she reports ] cases in order to help families reunite with missing family members.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://fox8.com/2018/02/06/one-year-later-amanda-berrys-mission-to-find-the-missing/ |title=One year later: Amanda Berry's mission to find the missing |date=2018-02-06 |website=fox8.com |language=en |access-date=2019-03-05 |archive-date=March 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044022/https://fox8.com/2018/02/06/one-year-later-amanda-berrys-mission-to-find-the-missing/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2019, Berry reunited with Charles Ramsey, six years since her rescue, at an interview that was broadcast on WJW.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://fox8.com/2019/04/25/emotional-reunion-amanda-berry-charles-ramsey-face-to-face-for-first-time-in-6-years/ |title=Emotional reunion: Amanda Berry, Charles Ramsey face to face for first time in 6 years |date=2019-04-25 |website=fox8.com |language=en |access-date=2019-04-26 |archive-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426133252/https://fox8.com/2019/04/25/emotional-reunion-amanda-berry-charles-ramsey-face-to-face-for-first-time-in-6-years/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |publisher=FOX 8 News Cleveland |title=Amanda Berry and Charles Ramsey reunited for the first time |date=2019-04-25 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgownXvnbs4 |access-date=2019-04-26 |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115093259/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgownXvnbs4&gl=US&hl=en&has_verified=1&bpctr=9999999999 |url-status=live }}</ref>


===House demolition=== ===House demolition===
] ]

As part of the plea bargain, the house where Castro had lived and held the women captive was demolished on August 7, 2013. Knight was present and handed out yellow balloons to spectators, which she said represented missing children. The balloons were released before DeJesus's aunt began the demolition with a swing of a crane.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-house-horrors-destroyed-demolition-crews-tear-ariel-castro-home-article-1.1419792 |title=Cleveland house of horrors destroyed – demolition crews tear down Ariel Castro's home |last1=Kemp |first1=Joe |date=August 7, 2013 |newspaper=NY Daily News |access-date=August 7, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810195725/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-house-horrors-destroyed-demolition-crews-tear-ariel-castro-home-article-1.1419792 |archive-date=August 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/cleveland-kidnapper-ariel-castros-house-horrors-demolished/story?id=19890927 |title=Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro's 'House of Horrors' Demolished |last1=Ng |first1=Christina |date=August 7, 2013 |work=ABC News |access-date=August 7, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810182609/http://abcnews.go.com/US/cleveland-kidnapper-ariel-castros-house-horrors-demolished/story?id=19890927 |archive-date=August 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/oh_cuyahoga/michelle-knight-held-captive-for-decade-by-ariel-castro-hands-out-yellow-balloons-on-seymour-avenue |title=Michelle Knight held captive for decade by Ariel Castro hands out yellow balloons on Seymour Avenue |last1=Seitz |first1=Colleen |date=August 7, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |access-date=August 7, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810222225/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/oh_cuyahoga/michelle-knight-held-captive-for-decade-by-ariel-castro-hands-out-yellow-balloons-on-seymour-avenue |archive-date=August 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The house has been completely blurred out on the street view of ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ladbible.com/technology/latest-why-has-google-maps-blurred-out-this-house-of-horrors-20190701|title=Why Has Google Maps Blurred Out This 'House Of Horrors' on Street View?|website=www.ladbible.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/2013/08/06/ariel-castro-google/|title=Ariel Castro's House Blurred Out on Google Street View|last=Berkman|first=Fran|website=Mashable|date=August 6, 2013|language=en|access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref> As part of the plea bargain, the house where Castro had lived and held the women captive was demolished on August 7, 2013. Knight was present and handed out yellow balloons to spectators, which she said represented missing children. The balloons were released before DeJesus's aunt began the demolition with a swing of a crane.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-house-horrors-destroyed-demolition-crews-tear-ariel-castro-home-article-1.1419792 |title=Cleveland house of horrors destroyed – demolition crews tear down Ariel Castro's home |last1=Kemp |first1=Joe |date=August 7, 2013 |newspaper=NY Daily News |access-date=August 7, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810195725/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-house-horrors-destroyed-demolition-crews-tear-ariel-castro-home-article-1.1419792 |archive-date=August 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/cleveland-kidnapper-ariel-castros-house-horrors-demolished/story?id=19890927 |title=Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro's 'House of Horrors' Demolished |last1=Ng |first1=Christina |date=August 7, 2013 |work=ABC News |access-date=August 7, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810182609/http://abcnews.go.com/US/cleveland-kidnapper-ariel-castros-house-horrors-demolished/story?id=19890927 |archive-date=August 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/oh_cuyahoga/michelle-knight-held-captive-for-decade-by-ariel-castro-hands-out-yellow-balloons-on-seymour-avenue |title=Michelle Knight held captive for decade by Ariel Castro hands out yellow balloons on Seymour Avenue |last1=Seitz |first1=Colleen |date=August 7, 2013 |publisher=newsnet5.com |access-date=August 7, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810222225/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/oh_cuyahoga/michelle-knight-held-captive-for-decade-by-ariel-castro-hands-out-yellow-balloons-on-seymour-avenue |archive-date=August 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The house has been completely blurred out on the street view of ]. A park and garden now sits in the spot formerly occupied by Castro's house.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mashable.com/2013/08/06/ariel-castro-google/ |title=Ariel Castro's House Blurred Out on Google Street View |last=Berkman |first=Fran |website=Mashable |date=August 6, 2013 |language=en |access-date=2020-03-07 |archive-date=June 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628221717/https://mashable.com/2013/08/06/ariel-castro-google/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


=== Castro's death === === Castro's death ===
Castro was found hanging from a bed sheet in his detention cell at the ] in ], on the evening of September 3, 2013, one month into his life sentence. He was 53 at the time of his death.<ref name="AP suicide">{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-man-who-held-3-women-captive-found-dead |title=Cleveland man's suicide brings little sympathy |last1=Sheeran |first1=Thomas J. |last2=Welsh-Huggins |first2=Andrew |date=September 4, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=October 3, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20131004072333/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-man-who-held-3-women-captive-found-dead |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Prison staff performed CPR on him before he was taken to the ] in ], where he was pronounced dead shortly after.<ref name="AP suicide"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Woods|first=Jim|title=Ariel Castro dies in apparent suicide|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-commits-suicide-in-prison.html|newspaper=The Columbus Dispatch|date=September 4, 2013|access-date=September 4, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906090516/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-commits-suicide-in-prison.html|archive-date=September 6, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated9">{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/04/justice/ariel-castro-cleveland-kidnapper-death/?hpt=hp_t1 |last1=Mungin |first1=Lateef |last2=Alsup |first2=Dave |work=CNN|date=September 4, 2013 |title=Ariel Castro, Cleveland kidnapper, found hanged in prison cell |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6JNhFIjnY?url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/04/justice/ariel-castro-cleveland-kidnapper-death/?hpt=hp_t1 |archive-date=September 4, 2013 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |df=mdy }}</ref> The following day, ] coroner Jan Gorniak announced that a preliminary autopsy had found the cause of Castro's death to be suicide by hanging.<ref name="usatoday-Eversley">{{cite news|last=Eversley|first=Melanie|title=The Ohio kidnapper was not on suicide watch, but was checked on every 30 minutes by guards.|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-hung-prison/2761177/|access-date=September 4, 2013|newspaper=USA Today|date=September 4, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130904195004/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-hung-prison/2761177/|archive-date=September 4, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro was found hanging from a bed sheet in his detention cell at the ] in ], on the evening of September 3, 2013, one month into his life sentence. He was 53 at the time of his death.<ref name="AP suicide">{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-man-who-held-3-women-captive-found-dead |title=Cleveland man's suicide brings little sympathy |last1=Sheeran |first1=Thomas J. |last2=Welsh-Huggins |first2=Andrew |date=September 4, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=October 3, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20131004072333/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-man-who-held-3-women-captive-found-dead |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Prison staff performed CPR on him before he was taken to the ] in ], where he was pronounced dead shortly after.<ref name="AP suicide"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Woods |first=Jim |title=Ariel Castro dies in apparent suicide |url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-commits-suicide-in-prison.html |newspaper=The Columbus Dispatch |date=September 4, 2013 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906090516/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-commits-suicide-in-prison.html |archive-date=September 6, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated9">{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/04/justice/ariel-castro-cleveland-kidnapper-death/?hpt=hp_t1 |last1=Mungin |first1=Lateef |last2=Alsup |first2=Dave |work=CNN |date=September 4, 2013 |title=Ariel Castro, Cleveland kidnapper, found hanged in prison cell |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907044231/http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/04/justice/ariel-castro-cleveland-kidnapper-death/?hpt=hp_t1 |archive-date=September 7, 2013 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |df=mdy}}</ref> The following day, ] coroner Jan Gorniak announced that a preliminary autopsy had found the cause of Castro's death to be ]. He was later ].<ref name="usatoday-Eversley">{{cite news |last=Eversley |first=Melanie |title=The Ohio kidnapper was not on suicide watch, but was checked on every 30 minutes by guards. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-hung-prison/2761177/ |access-date=September 4, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130904195004/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-hung-prison/2761177/ |archive-date=September 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


On October 10, 2013, the ] released a report which suggested that Castro may have died accidentally from auto-] rather than suicide. Gorniak rejected the possibility, standing by her ruling of suicide. The report also said that two prison guards had falsified logs documenting their observation of Castro hours before he was found dead.<ref>{{cite web|title=Castro suicide report: Officers falsified reports|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/10/Ariel-Castro-suicide-report.html|publisher=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=October 10, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010150554/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/10/Ariel-Castro-suicide-report.html|archive-date=October 10, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Castro was not on suicide watch at the time of his death but had been subjected to routine checks every 30 minutes due to his notoriety.<ref name="AP suicide"/> On October 10, 2013, the ] released a report which suggested that Castro may have died accidentally from auto-] rather than suicide. Gorniak rejected the possibility, standing by her ruling of suicide. The report also said that two prison guards had falsified logs documenting their observation of Castro hours before he was found dead.<ref>{{cite web |title=Castro suicide report: Officers falsified reports |url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/10/Ariel-Castro-suicide-report.html |publisher=The Columbus Dispatch |access-date=October 10, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010150554/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/10/Ariel-Castro-suicide-report.html |archive-date=October 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He was not on ] at the time of his death but had been subjected to routine checks every thirty minutes due to his notoriety.<ref name="AP suicide"/>


A consultant's report was released on December 3, and officially concluded that "all available evidence pointed to suicide, including a shrine-like arrangement of family pictures and a Bible in Castro's cell, an increasing tone of frustration in his prison journal and the reality of spending the rest of his life in prison while subject to constant harassment." The ] also reviewed the case and reached the same conclusion.<ref name="suiciderpt">{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/03/consultants-ariel-castro-death-suicide/3850515/ |title=Consultants: Kidnapper Ariel Castro's death a suicide |last1=Welsh-Huggins |first1=Andrew |date=December 3, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=October 3, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206061146/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/03/consultants-ariel-castro-death-suicide/3850515/ |archive-date=December 6, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> A consultant's report was released on December 3, and officially concluded that "all available evidence pointed to suicide, including a shrine-like arrangement of family pictures and a Bible in Castro's cell, an increasing tone of frustration in his prison journal and the reality of spending the rest of his life in prison while subject to constant harassment." The ] also reviewed the case and reached the same conclusion.<ref name="suiciderpt">{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/03/consultants-ariel-castro-death-suicide/3850515/ |title=Consultants: Kidnapper Ariel Castro's death a suicide |last1=Welsh-Huggins |first1=Andrew |date=December 3, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=October 3, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206061146/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/03/consultants-ariel-castro-death-suicide/3850515/ |archive-date=December 6, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


=== Castro's family ===
=={{Anchor|Media}}Media depictions==
Some of Castro's immediate family members disowned him, denounced his actions, and apologized to the victims and their families.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/mother-cleveland-kidnap-victim-not-hate-ariel-castro-article-1.1341605 | title=Mother of Cleveland kidnap victim Gina DeJesus: 'I did not hate' Ariel Castro | website=] | date=May 12, 2013 | access-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507002224/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/mother-cleveland-kidnap-victim-not-hate-ariel-castro-article-1.1341605 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://nypost.com/2013/05/10/daddy-is-a-monster-ariel-castros-daughter-blasts-fiend-after-women-freed-from-ohio-hell-house/ | title='Daddy' is a 'monster': Ariel Castro's daughter blasts fiend after women freed from Ohio hell house | date=May 10, 2013 | access-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507002224/https://nypost.com/2013/05/10/daddy-is-a-monster-ariel-castros-daughter-blasts-fiend-after-women-freed-from-ohio-hell-house/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/09/us/ohio-suspect-daughter-dejesus/index.html | title='So, so sorry': Woman crushed by news her father allegedly abducted her friend | website=] | date=May 10, 2013 | access-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507002224/https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/09/us/ohio-suspect-daughter-dejesus/index.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/ariel-castros-daughter-slashed-the-throat-of-her-11-month-old-baby | title=Ariel Castro's Daughter Slashed the Throat of Her 11-Month-Old Baby | website=] | date=December 18, 2016 | access-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507002224/https://www.foxnews.com/world/ariel-castros-daughter-slashed-the-throat-of-her-11-month-old-baby | url-status=live }}</ref> Members of Castro's extended family in Puerto Rico alleged that "a demon inside him made him lose his mind."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-monster-kin-shame-anger-article-1.1341610 | title=Ariel Castro's relatives in Puerto Rico say 'demon inside made him lose his mind' | website=] | date=May 11, 2013 | access-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507014053/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cleveland-monster-kin-shame-anger-article-1.1341610 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Castro's son, Ariel Anthony Castro, refused to visit his father in prison.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/07/29/justice/castro-son-interview/index.html | title=Ariel Castro's son: I won't visit dad in prison | website=] | date=July 29, 2013 | access-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507002226/https://www.cnn.com/2013/07/29/justice/castro-son-interview/index.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.today.com/news/ariel-castros-son-behind-bars-where-he-belongs-rest-his-6c10780578 | title=Ariel Castro's son: 'Behind bars is where he belongs for the rest of his life' | date=July 29, 2013 | access-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507002224/https://www.today.com/news/ariel-castros-son-behind-bars-where-he-belongs-rest-his-6c10780578 | url-status=live }}</ref> He also struggled with sharing the same name as his father.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ariel Castro's son carries the burden of a name and suffers the sins of his father |url=https://www.cleveland.com/morris/2013/09/ariel_castros_son_carries_the.html|website=Cleveland.com |date=September 20, 2013}}</ref>

Castro's daughter, Emily Castro, was found guilty of attempted murder after she slashed her 11-month-old daughter's throat four times with a knife on April 4, 2007, the day after the baby's father moved out of their home. She was serving her 25-year prison sentence during and after the kidnappings.<ref>{{cite web |title=Daughter of Cleveland abduction suspect slashed her baby's throat |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE9470WV/ |website=Reuters |date=May 8, 2013}}</ref>

In January 2014, Castro's nephew, Jeremi J. Alicea, was arrested for and charged with 22 counts related to child pornography, including 21 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and one count of possessing a criminal tool.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/castro-nephew-jeremi-alicea-charged-with-child-porn-2014-1 | title=Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro's Nephew Charged with Child Porn | website=] | access-date=May 6, 2023 | archive-date=May 6, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506234511/https://www.businessinsider.com/castro-nephew-jeremi-alicea-charged-with-child-porn-2014-1 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/ariel-castros-nephew-charged-with-22-child-porn-counts/95-241877983 | title=Ariel Castro's nephew charged with 22 child porn counts | date=January 30, 2014 | access-date=May 6, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507174448/https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/ariel-castros-nephew-charged-with-22-child-porn-counts/95-241877983 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://fox8.com/news/ariel-castros-nephew-indicted-on-child-porn-charges/ | title=Ariel Castro's Nephew Indicted on Child Porn Charges | date=January 30, 2014 | access-date=May 6, 2023 | archive-date=May 6, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506234511/https://fox8.com/news/ariel-castros-nephew-indicted-on-child-porn-charges/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.al.com/wire/2014/01/ariel_castros_nephew_indicted.html | title=Ariel Castro's nephew indicted on child porn charges | date=January 31, 2014 | access-date=May 6, 2023 | archive-date=May 6, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506234513/https://www.al.com/wire/2014/01/ariel_castros_nephew_indicted.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

== <span class="anchor" id="Media"></span> Media depictions==


===Books=== ===Books===
<!-- Listed chronologically by release date --> <!-- Listed chronologically by release date -->
*{{cite book |title=Dead Giveaway: The Rescue, Hamburgers, White Folks, and Instant Celebrity...What You Saw on TV Doesn't Begin to Tell the Story... |first=Charles |last=Ramsey |date=2014 |publisher=Gray & Company |location=Cleveland |isbn=978-1938441516}} * {{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/deadgiveawayresc0000rams |title=Dead Giveaway: The Rescue, Hamburgers, White Folks, and Instant Celebrity...What You Saw on TV Doesn't Begin to Tell the Story... |first=Charles |last=Ramsey |date=2014 |publisher=Gray & Company |location=Cleveland |url-access=registration |isbn=978-1938441516}}
*{{cite book |title=Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: a Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings |first1=Michelle |last1=Knight |first2=Michelle |last2=Burford |author-link2=Michelle Burford<!-- Leave redlink --> |date=2014 |publisher=]|location=New York |isbn=978-1602862579}} * {{cite book |title=Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: a Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings |first1=Michelle |last1=Knight |first2=Michelle |last2=Burford |author-link2= |date=2014 |publisher=] |location=New York |isbn=978-1602862579}}
*{{cite book|title=Life After Darkness: Finding Healing and Happiness After the Cleveland Kidnappings|first=Michelle|last=Knight|date=2018|publisher=]|location=Paris|isbn=978-1602865754}} * {{cite book |title=Life After Darkness: Finding Healing and Happiness After the Cleveland Kidnappings |first=Michelle |last=Knight |date=2018 |publisher=] |location=Paris |isbn=978-1602865754}}
*{{cite book |title=The Lost Girls: The True Story of the Cleveland Abductions and the Incredible Rescue of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus |first=John |last=Glatt |author-link=John Glatt |date=2015 |publisher=] |location=London |isbn=978-1250036360}} * {{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/lostgirlstruesto0000glat |title=The Lost Girls: The True Story of the Cleveland Abductions and the Incredible Rescue of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus |first=John |last=Glatt |author-link=John Glatt |date=2015 |publisher=] |location=London |url-access=registration |isbn=978-1250036360}}
*{{cite book |title=Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland |first1=Amanda |last1=Berry |first2=Gina |last2=DeJesus |first3=Mary |last3=Jordan |first4=Kevin |last4=Sullivan |author-link3=Mary Jordan (journalist) |author-link4=Kevin Sullivan (journalist) |date=2015 |publisher=]|location=London |isbn=978-0698178953}} * {{cite book |title=Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland |first1=Amanda |last1=Berry |first2=Gina |last2=DeJesus |first3=Mary |last3=Jordan |first4=Kevin |last4=Sullivan |author-link3=Mary Jordan (journalist) |author-link4=Kevin Sullivan (journalist) |date=2015 |publisher=] |location=London |isbn=978-0698178953}}


===Films=== ===Films===
*{{cite AV media |year=2015 |title=]<!-- Leave as redlink to match redlink on Taryn Manning article --> |medium=] |publisher=] }}<ref>{{IMDb title|tt4262142|Cleveland Abduction}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/cleveland-abduction |title=Cleveland Abduction |publisher=Lifetime |access-date=May 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504201044/http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/cleveland-abduction |archive-date=May 4, 2015 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Ed |last=Stockly |title=Saturday's TV Highlights and Weekend Talk: 'Cleveland Abduction' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-saturdays-tv-highlights-and-weekend-talk-cleveland-abduction-20150501-story.html |work=] |date=May 1, 2015 |access-date=May 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504012306/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-saturdays-tv-highlights-and-weekend-talk-cleveland-abduction-20150501-story.html |archive-date=May 4, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> * {{cite AV media |year=2015 |title=]<!-- Leave as redlink to match redlink on Taryn Manning article --> |medium=] |publisher=]}}{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/cleveland-abduction |title=Cleveland Abduction |publisher=Lifetime |access-date=May 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504201044/http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/cleveland-abduction |archive-date=May 4, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Ed |last=Stockly |title=Saturday's TV Highlights and Weekend Talk: 'Cleveland Abduction' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-saturdays-tv-highlights-and-weekend-talk-cleveland-abduction-20150501-story.html |work=] |date=May 1, 2015 |access-date=May 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504012306/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-saturdays-tv-highlights-and-weekend-talk-cleveland-abduction-20150501-story.html |archive-date=May 4, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* ''The Cleveland Kidnappings'' (documentary). ]. 2021.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}


==See also== ==See also==
{{Portal|Ohio}} {{Portal|Ohio|Law|2000s|2010s}}
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==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist}}


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Latest revision as of 00:36, 2 December 2024

2002–2004 kidnappings in Cleveland, Ohio, US

Ariel Castro kidnappings
From left to right: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight
Location2207 Seymour Avenue, Tremont, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Coordinates41°28′21″N 81°41′53″W / 41.47250°N 81.69806°W / 41.47250; -81.69806 (2207 Seymour Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio)
DateAugust 23, 2002 – May 6, 2013
Attack typeKidnapping, rape, aggravated murder, attempted murder, assault
Victims
  • Michelle Knight
  • Amanda Berry
  • Gina DeJesus
Perpetrator
  • Ariel Castro

Between 2002 and 2004, Ariel Castro abducted Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus from the roads of Cleveland, Ohio, and later held them captive in his home at 2207 Seymour Avenue in the city's Tremont neighborhood. All three women were imprisoned at Castro's home until 2013, when Berry successfully escaped with her six-year-old daughter, to whom she had given birth while captive, and contacted the police. Police rescued Knight and DeJesus, and arrested Castro hours later.

Castro was charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape. He pled guilty to 937 criminal counts of rape, kidnapping, and aggravated murder as part of a plea bargain. He was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 1,000 years in prison without the possibility of parole. One month into his life sentence, Castro died by suicide by hanging himself with bedsheets in his prison cell.

Kidnapper background

Ariel Castro (July 10, 1960 – September 3, 2013) was born in Duey, Yauco, Puerto Rico, the son of Pedro Castro and Lillian Rodriguez. His parents divorced when he was a child, and he moved to the contiguous United States with his mother and three biological siblings. The family first lived in Exton, Pennsylvania, before settling in Cleveland, Ohio, where Castro's father and several other family members were living. He had nine siblings (both full and half). Castro was a devout Catholic.

Castro was sexually and physically abused throughout his childhood. He was molested starting at the age of five by a neighbor in Puerto Rico and was also raped by an uncle. His mother had physically abused him by striking him with "belts, sticks and an open hand." Castro attended Lincoln-West High School in Cleveland.

Castro met his girlfriend, Grimilda Figueroa, when his family moved into a house across the street from hers in the 1980s. Castro and Figueroa lived with both sets of their parents until they moved into their own home at 2207 Seymour Avenue, located in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, in 1992. Their home was a two-story, 1,400-square-foot (130 m), four-bedroom, one-bathroom house with a 760-square-foot (71 m) unfinished basement built in 1890 and remodeled in 1956.

According to Figueroa's sister, Elida Caraballo, she said that "all hell started breaking loose" after the couple moved into their new home. Caraballo claimed that Castro beat Figueroa, breaking her nose, ribs, and arms and causing a blood clot on her brain that resulted in an inoperable tumor. He also threw her down a flight of stairs, cracking her skull. In 1993, Castro was arrested for domestic violence, but was not indicted by a grand jury. In 1996, Figueroa moved out of the house and secured custody of their four children. Police assisted in the move and detained Castro, but they did not press charges. Castro continued to threaten and attack Figueroa after she left him. Figueroa filed charges in 2005 in Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court, which accused Castro of inflicting multiple severe injuries on her and of "frequently" abducting their daughters. The court granted her a temporary restraining order against Castro, but it was dismissed a few months later. Figueroa died in 2012 due to complications from her brain tumor.

Before his arrest at age 52, Castro worked as a bus driver for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District until he was fired in November 2012 for "bad judgment", including making an illegal U-turn with infants and toddlers on his bus, using his bus to go grocery shopping, leaving a child on the bus while he went for lunch at Wendy's, and leaving the bus unattended while he took a nap at home. He was earning $18.91 per hour when he was discharged. At the time of his arrest, Castro's home was in foreclosure after three years of unpaid real estate taxes.

Kidnappings

Castro's home at 2207 Seymour Avenue; it was demolished on August 7, 2013, as part of Castro's plea bargain

Castro kidnapped his victims by offering them a ride; he drove each to his home at 2207 Seymour Avenue, lured them inside, took them to the basement, and restrained them.

Michelle Knight

Michelle Knight (born April 23, 1981) disappeared on August 23, 2002, after leaving a cousin's house. She was 21 years old at the time. On the day of her disappearance, she was scheduled to appear in court for a child custody case involving her son Joey, who was in the custody of the state.

Following Knight's rescue, police acknowledged that limited resources had been spent on investigating her disappearance, in part because she was an adult. Authorities believed that she had run away voluntarily due to anger over losing custody of her son. According to Cleveland Deputy Police Chief Ed Tomba, she was "the focus of very few tips". Some criticized her subsequent removal from the National Crime Information Center database fifteen months after she disappeared, which made her largely unknown prior to her rescue. The Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintain that her inclusion or exclusion had no bearing on her rescue.

Amanda Berry

Amanda Marie Berry (born April 22, 1986) disappeared on April 21, 2003, the day before her 17th birthday. She was last heard from around 8:00 p.m. when she called her sister to tell her that she was getting a ride home from her job at a Burger King at the corner of Lorain Ave & W. 110th St. The FBI initially considered her a runaway until a week after her disappearance, when an unidentified male used her cell phone to call her mother. He said: "I have Amanda. She's fine and will be coming home in a couple of days".

Berry was featured in a 2004 segment of Fox's America's Most Wanted (re-aired in 2005 and 2006), which linked her to Gina DeJesus, who by that point had also gone missing in Cleveland. Berry and DeJesus were profiled on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Montel Williams Show, where self-proclaimed psychic Sylvia Browne told Berry's mother Louwana Miller in November 2004 that her daughter was dead and that she was "in water". This pronouncement devastated her mother, causing her to take down pictures and give away Berry's computer. However, Miller continued to search for Berry before dying from heart failure in early March 2006. Later that year, on December 25, 2006, Berry gave birth to a daughter. DNA evidence has confirmed that Castro was the father of the child.

Robert Wolford was a prison inmate who had lived in Tremont, and he claimed in July 2012 that he had information about the location of Berry's body. He led police to an empty lot on Cleveland's West Side, where they conducted a fruitless search. He was sentenced in January 2013 to 4+1⁄2 years in prison for obstruction of justice, making a false report, and making a false alarm.

Gina DeJesus

2004 FBI sketch of a suspect in DeJesus's disappearance

Georgina Lynn DeJesus (born February 13, 1990) went missing on April 2, 2004, at age 14. She was last seen at a payphone around 3:00 p.m. while on the way home from her middle school at West 105th Street and Lorain Avenue. At the time, she was friends with Castro's daughter Arlene. Shortly before Gina disappeared, she and Arlene had called Arlene's mother, Grimilda Figueroa, for permission to have a sleepover at DeJesus's house, but Figueroa replied that they could not and the two girls parted ways. Arlene was the last person to see DeJesus before her disappearance.

DeJesus was under the impression that Castro was picking her up to drop her off at home, and she trusted Castro because she was friends with his teenage daughter. No one witnessed her abduction and an Amber alert was not issued, which angered her father. He said in 2006, "The Amber Alert should work for any missing child. ... Whether it's an abduction or a runaway, a child needs to be found. We need to change this law".

A year after DeJesus's disappearance, the FBI released a composite sketch and description of a male suspect, described as, "Latino, 25 to 35 years of age, 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m), 165 to 185 pounds (75 to 84 kg), with green eyes, a goatee, and possibly a pencil-thin beard". According to court records, Castro was 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m), 179 pounds (81 kg), with brown eyes and a goatee.

DeJesus was featured in the America's Most Wanted segment which linked her to Berry. The disappearances received regular media attention into 2012, while the families held public vigils. Castro attended at least two of these vigils, reportedly participated in a search party, and tried to get close to the DeJesus family. Castro's son Anthony was a journalism student in 2004, and he interviewed DeJesus's mother for an article about the disappearances in the Plain Press newspaper. Police kept the investigation open and offered a $25,000 reward for information.

According to Castro's uncle, his family knew the DeJesus family and had lived in the same neighborhood. Castro falsely claimed that he was not aware that DeJesus was a member of that family when he abducted her.

Captivity

Upon kidnapping Michelle Knight, Castro took her to the upper floor of his house, tied her hands and feet together, and pulled her up using her hands, feet, and neck. He left her there for three days without food. Prosecutors at Castro's sentencing wrote that diaries kept by his victims "speak of forced sexual conduct, being locked in a dark room, anticipating the next session of abuse, dreams of someday escaping and being reunited with family, being chained to a wall, being held like a prisoner of war, missing the lives they once enjoyed, emotional abuse, Castro's threats to kill them, being treated like an animal, continuous abuse, and desiring freedom". The women were kept in locked bedrooms, where they were forced to use plastic toilets that were "emptied infrequently". They were fed one meal a day and allowed to shower twice a week at most.

Knight told police that Castro had impregnated her at least five times and had induced miscarriages each time through beatings, hitting her with dumbbells, punching her, and slamming her against walls. He also starved her. Knight's grandmother told reporters that she would require facial reconstruction surgery due to the beatings that she endured, and had lost hearing in one ear. At one point, Knight had a pet dog while in captivity, but Castro killed it by snapping its neck after it bit him while trying to protect Knight. DeJesus told law enforcement that she was raped, but did not believe that she was ever impregnated.

On Christmas Day 2006, Castro allegedly ordered Knight to assist in the birth of Berry's child, which took place in a small inflatable swimming pool, and threatened to kill her if the baby did not survive. At one point, the baby stopped breathing, but Knight was able to resuscitate her. Castro occasionally took Berry's daughter out of the house, including to visit his mother; she called him "daddy" and Castro's mother "grandmother". In 2013, he showed one of his adult daughters a picture of the child and said that she was his girlfriend's daughter from a previous relationship; he had told others that she was his granddaughter. Berry taught her daughter how to read and write.

According to a statement from the CDP, officers visited Castro's home only once following the kidnappings to discuss an unrelated incident. Castro did not appear to be home at the time and was later interviewed elsewhere. Neighbors have said that they called the police about suspicious activity observed at the home, but police claim that they have no record of any such calls. Castro's son Anthony reported that there were certain areas of the house that were locked and inaccessible. He also mentioned an occasion three weeks before the women's escape when Castro asked him if Berry would ever be found. Anthony said that he told Castro that Berry was likely dead, to which Castro responded: "Really? You think so?"

NBC affiliate WKYC reported that Castro recalled each of the three abductions in great detail during his interrogation and indicated that they were unplanned crimes of opportunity. According to WKYC's sources, Castro did not have an "exit plan" and believed that he would eventually be caught. He referred to himself as "coldblooded" and a sex addict. Police found a suicide note in the house in which he discussed the abductions and wrote that his money and possessions should be given to the kidnapped women if he were caught.

Escape and rescue

On the morning of May 6, 2013, Berry was finally able to make contact with Castro's neighbors, leading to her escape with her 6-year-old daughter and the rescue of DeJesus and Knight by authorities. According to police, Castro had left the house that day and Berry realized that he had failed to lock the "big inside door", although the exterior storm door was bolted. She did not attempt to break through the outer door because she thought that Castro "was testing her", according to the police report. Previously, Castro had tested the women by leaving the house partially unlocked and exits unsecured. If they attempted to escape, he beat them. Instead, Berry screamed for help when she saw neighbors through the screen.

Neighbors have offered differing views of the escape. According to Berry in her memoir, "Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland," neighbor Angel Cordero responded to the screaming, but left as he was unable to communicate with Berry because he was a Spanish-speaker who spoke little English. Neighbor Charles Ramsey arrived at the scene and suggested kicking out the storm door's bottom panel. Together, Ramsey and Berry kicked a hole through the bottom of the door and Berry crawled through with her daughter. Ramsey said that Berry told him that she and her child were being kept inside the house against her will. Upon being freed, Ramsey called 9-1-1 from his home while Berry called as well from the home of another neighbor, saying: "Help me, I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for ten years. And I'm here. I'm free now!"

Responding police officers Michael Tracy, Barbara Johnson and Anthony Espada entered Castro's house. They walked through an upstairs hallway with guns drawn, announcing themselves as CPD. After peeking out from a slightly opened bedroom door, Knight entered the hallway and leaped into an officer's arms, repeatedly saying, "You saved me." Soon afterward, DeJesus entered the hallway from another room. Knight and DeJesus walked out of the house, and all three women, plus the child, were taken to MetroHealth Medical Center. Berry and DeJesus were released from the hospital the next day, and Knight was discharged four days later on May 10.

Arrest and legal proceedings

Screenshot showing Castro's interrogation by the FBI

Castro was arrested in a McDonald's parking lot shortly after the victims were rescued. He was charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape on May 8, which carry prison sentences of ten years to life in Ohio. Two of Castro's brothers, Pedro and Onil, were also initially taken into custody, but were released on May 9 after police announced that they had no involvement in the kidnappings. The charges against the two brothers were dropped.

Castro made his first court appearance at the Cleveland Municipal Court on May 9, where bail was set at $2 million per kidnapping charge, adding to a total of $8 million. Prosecutors intended to seek the death penalty against Castro. Additional charges were reported to be pending, including aggravated murder (for intentional induction of miscarriages), attempted murder, assault, a charge for each instance of rape, and a kidnapping charge for each day each captive was held. On May 14, Castro's attorneys said he would plead "not guilty" to all charges if indicted for kidnapping and rape.

A Cuyahoga County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against Castro on June 7. It contained 329 counts, including 2 counts of aggravated murder (under different sections of the Ohio criminal code) for his role in the termination of one of the women's pregnancies. The indictments covered only the period from August 2002 to February 2007. The county prosecutor, Timothy J. McGinty, stated that the investigation was ongoing, and that any further findings would be presented to the grand jury. McGinty said that pursuing a death penalty specification would be considered following completion of indictment proceedings.

After entering a not guilty plea for Castro on June 12, one of his attorneys, Craig Weintraub, said that although some of the charges against Castro were indisputable, "it is our hope that we can continue to work toward a resolution to avoid having an unnecessary trial about aggravated murder and the death penalty". He noted, "We are very sensitive to the emotional strain and impact that a trial would have on the women, their families and this community". Castro was found competent to stand trial on July 3.

On July 12, a Cuyahoga County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment for the remainder of the period after February 2007. It brought the total to 977 counts: 512 counts of kidnapping, 446 of rape, seven of gross sexual imposition, six of felonious assault, three of child endangerment, two of aggravated murder, and one of possession of criminal tools. On July 17, Castro pleaded not guilty to the expanded indictment. He faced death by lethal injection if convicted on all of the charges.

Castro pleaded guilty on July 26 to 937 of the 977 charges against him, including charges of kidnapping, rape, and aggravated murder, as part of a plea bargain which called for consecutive sentences of life in prison plus 1,000 years, all without parole. Under the plea deal, Castro forfeited his right to appeal, and could not profit in any way due to his crimes. He also forfeited his assets, including his Seymour Avenue house, which prosecutors said would be demolished. Castro was told by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Russo, "You will not be getting out. Is that clear?" to which Castro responded, "I do understand that, your honor." Castro also made comments about his "addiction to pornography" and "sexual problem", but was cut off by Judge Russo, who said such issues could be discussed at the August 1 sentencing hearing. A law firm representing Berry, DeJesus, and Knight released a statement that the three women were "relieved by today's plea. They are satisfied by this resolution to the case, and are looking forward to having these legal proceedings draw to a final close in the near future".

At the sentencing hearing on August 1, Castro was sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison, plus 1,000 years, all without any possibility of parole. He was also fined $100,000. The court forfeited all of his property and assets to the Cuyahoga County government. Before his sentencing, Castro addressed the court for nearly twenty minutes, in which he said he was "a good person" and "not a monster", but that he was addicted to sex and pornography and had "practiced the art of masturbation" from a young age. He claimed that he had never beaten or tortured the women, and insisted that "most" of the sex he had with them "was consensual". He shifted between apologizing and blaming the FBI for failing to catch him, as well as blaming his victims themselves for getting in a car with a stranger, along with insisting to the court that when he had sex with them he discovered they were not virgins. He would alternately shift back into apologetic comments, saying: "I hope they can find in their hearts to forgive me because we had a lot of harmony going on in that home".

The sentencing judge also heard from Knight and family members of Berry and DeJesus. Knight told Castro: "You took eleven years of my life away. I spent eleven years in hell; now your hell is just beginning. I will overcome all that has happened, but you will face hell for eternity. I will live on, you will die a little every day as you think of the eleven years of atrocities that you inflicted on us ... I can forgive you, but I will never forget."

Aftermath

Survivors

Knight, Berry, and DeJesus released a video statement on July 9, 2013, thanking the public for their support. An attorney for Berry and DeJesus said that the women "still have a strong desire for privacy" and did not wish to speak to the media about their ordeal. The Cleveland Courage Fund is a bank account set up to help the women in their transition to independent life which had collected approximately $1.05 million at the time of the video's release. Before Berry's disappearance, her grandfather had promised to give her a classic Chevrolet Monte Carlo, built in the year when she was born. He kept the car after her kidnapping in case she was still found alive. He still had it for her when she was released, although it was in need of restoration from having been unused. Several automotive shops offered to perform the restoration for free.

Knight discussed some of her ordeals in an interview with People magazine one year after her release, as well as her life leading up to her abduction. Since her rescue, she legally changed her name and began to get several tattoos as her way of coping with the healing process. She also revealed that her son was adopted by his foster parents while she was in captivity and that she wanted to see him, but she does not want to bring him into the ordeal which she has had to deal with, and planned to see him after he becomes an adult. She planned to open a restaurant and dreamed of getting married, which she did in 2016, and hopes to adopt children, as her years of abuse and torture have made it unlikely for her to ever be able to give birth again. She also planned to reunite with Berry and DeJesus in the future, but began focusing on getting her own life back on track.

Berry and DeJesus received honorary diplomas from John Marshall High School in 2015. In an interview with WKYC, DeJesus says that she was volunteering for the Amber Alert committee, offering comfort to families of abducted children. She remains in touch with Berry and her family. In February 2017, Berry joined the staff of Fox affiliate WJW in Cleveland, where she hosts short recurring segments in which she reports missing person cases in order to help families reunite with missing family members. In April 2019, Berry reunited with Charles Ramsey, six years since her rescue, at an interview that was broadcast on WJW.

House demolition

The former site of Castro's home on 2207 Seymour Avenue in June 2014, ten months after the demolition

As part of the plea bargain, the house where Castro had lived and held the women captive was demolished on August 7, 2013. Knight was present and handed out yellow balloons to spectators, which she said represented missing children. The balloons were released before DeJesus's aunt began the demolition with a swing of a crane. The house has been completely blurred out on the street view of Google Maps. A park and garden now sits in the spot formerly occupied by Castro's house.

Castro's death

Castro was found hanging from a bed sheet in his detention cell at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio, on the evening of September 3, 2013, one month into his life sentence. He was 53 at the time of his death. Prison staff performed CPR on him before he was taken to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, where he was pronounced dead shortly after. The following day, Franklin County coroner Jan Gorniak announced that a preliminary autopsy had found the cause of Castro's death to be suicide by hanging. He was later cremated.

On October 10, 2013, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction released a report which suggested that Castro may have died accidentally from auto-erotic asphyxiation rather than suicide. Gorniak rejected the possibility, standing by her ruling of suicide. The report also said that two prison guards had falsified logs documenting their observation of Castro hours before he was found dead. He was not on suicide watch at the time of his death but had been subjected to routine checks every thirty minutes due to his notoriety.

A consultant's report was released on December 3, and officially concluded that "all available evidence pointed to suicide, including a shrine-like arrangement of family pictures and a Bible in Castro's cell, an increasing tone of frustration in his prison journal and the reality of spending the rest of his life in prison while subject to constant harassment." The Ohio State Highway Patrol also reviewed the case and reached the same conclusion.

Castro's family

Some of Castro's immediate family members disowned him, denounced his actions, and apologized to the victims and their families. Members of Castro's extended family in Puerto Rico alleged that "a demon inside him made him lose his mind."

Castro's son, Ariel Anthony Castro, refused to visit his father in prison. He also struggled with sharing the same name as his father.

Castro's daughter, Emily Castro, was found guilty of attempted murder after she slashed her 11-month-old daughter's throat four times with a knife on April 4, 2007, the day after the baby's father moved out of their home. She was serving her 25-year prison sentence during and after the kidnappings.

In January 2014, Castro's nephew, Jeremi J. Alicea, was arrested for and charged with 22 counts related to child pornography, including 21 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and one count of possessing a criminal tool.

Media depictions

Books

Films

See also

References

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