This is beyond awful.
Many expect charges to be filed today against Ariel Castro and his two brothers for kidnapping three Cleveland women, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who were rescued on Monday after a decade of imprisonment.
In the meanwhile though – many new and terrible details have emerged about what life was like for the imprisoned girls during their captivity in Castro’s house – which was only several blocks away from where two of the girls were kidnapped originally.
Police have confirmed that chains and ropes were used to bind the women. Here’s what the Cleveland police chief said:
“We have confirmed that. We have confirmation that they were bound, and there were chains and ropes in the home.”
The police have also ascertained that the girls were almost never allowed outside. The police said:
“They had no ability to leave the home or interact with anyone other than each other and the suspect.”
One neighbor believes they witnessed one of those times, and even said they reported it to the police!
Here’s more from a report:
“A third call (to police) came from neighborhood women who lived in an apartment building. Those women told Lugo they called police because they saw three young girls crawling on all fours naked with dog leashes around their necks. Three men were controlling them in the backyard. The women told Lugo they waited two hours but police never responded to the calls.”
However the mother and sister of the woman who reported this incident recently said they only told their mother about what they saw. The mother did not call police because she “didn’t know what to do.”
What may be the most disturbing aspect of this overall incredibly troubling case is the sexual abuse the suspects put the victims through.
According to sources – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were repeatedly raped and beaten. All of which resulted in five miscarriages between the three of them and one daughter for Ms. Berry, who was one of the victims rescued on Monday.
Berry confirmed that the daughter was hers and said:
“Yeah, she’s my daughter, she was born on Christmas.”
Castro’s neighbors are furious at local police for letting all of this happen right under their noses. Especially about one incident in particular:
“[One neighbor’s] sister saw a woman and baby standing in a window after hearing pounding. The window was partially covered with a plank. Lugo said he was suspicious and called police and again, nothing happened.”
Another neighbor said:
“The Cleveland police should be ashamed of themselves. These girls were five minutes away. They were looking for years and years. They were right under their nose.”
Police say they are currently going over each and every detail in this scary series of unfortunate events, and hope to have the complete story at some point in time.
We hope it is sooner rather than later.
[Image via Cleveland Police Department.]