Amanda Berry: Three captive women chained up in grim dungeon for a decade gave birth to five babies

Mirror ^ | 5-7-2013 | Chris Bucktin, Ben Rossington

[bimboeruption]

Gina DeJesus, 23, Michelle Knight, 30, and Amanda Berry, 26 , and her six-year-old daughter fled the house in Cleveland, Ohio.

Ariel Castro, 52, and his two brothers have been arrested.

Frantic Amanda choked back tears as she told police “I’m free” after she escaped the dungeon.

Amanda fled the hell-hole thanks to a hero neighbour before her dramatic 911 call ended the victims’ ordeal .

It had been feared that Amanda and the other captives – Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight – had been murdered.

After escaping the house on Monday just three miles from where they each went missing between 2002 and 2004, they named their captor as 52-year-old Ariel Castro, who tonight was in custody with his two brothers.

The women, aged between 14 and 22 when they disappeared, spent today in hospital before being given the all-clear by doctors and returning to their overwhelmed families.

Amanda, now 26, was joined by her six-year-old daughter – who she gave birth to during the years in the dungeon – as she hugged her weeping relatives.

Chilling details began to emerge tonight of how the victims were held captive in a basement dungeon.

Police sources said suspect Ariel Castro kept Michelle, Amanda and Gina tied up with chains and tape at the home in Cleveland, Ohio.

The insider said they were kept in different rooms and were possibly untied at different times.

Officers also revealed the three women had “multiple” pregnancies.

There was evidence of as many as five children being born while the women were held hostage.

One of the victims suffered as many as three miscarriages because she was so malnourished.

Reports also told how the women were beaten so badly they lost other babies.

Police were today seen examining dug up areas in the back garden.

[presently no screen name]

fight their execution

?? They are from Puerto Rico.

[leapfrog0202]

I didn’t realize that thanks.

[DJlaysitup]

Also, only the owner of the home is now in custody. Their isn't any proof that the two other brothers had anything to do with the kidnappings. They have been released due to lack of evidence.

Yeah - they may just be dumb old drunks.

A bit off topic but one of the sad things is seeing those big old row houses from the 40s/50s in such disrepair and (some) boarded up. I can just see how decades ago they were solid middle-class family homes - nice porches that were likely decorated with Christmas lights around the holidays and a pumpkin with a candle on Halloween with dressed up trick-or-treaters coming and going.

Now they are just old and dilapidated. One rep for the cops said on CNN that drug users and Ho's would break in and set up shop for a night or two in the abandoned ones - then move on...possibly why the cops didn't take the call about a naked lady in the back yard very seriously.

[presently no screen name]

I should have read the responses first before I replied.

[Jim from C-Town]

None of those reports have been substantiated. Their is no record of the police ever being called to the residence at all. There are NO credible reports that they have ever been to the house beyond ONE time when they where following up with the owner Mr. Castro about a problem with his job driving a bus for the City Schools.

I have spoken to one of the district commanders at the CPD and he confirms that they have never had a call about the residence.

So many reports are incorrect about this case.

[AmusedBystander]

I’ve read that 5 babies were born, but only one little girl escaped. Anyone hear about the others?

[DJlaysitup]

None of those reports have been substantiated. Their is no record of the police ever being called to the residence at all. There are NO credible reports that they have ever been to the house beyond ONE time when they where following up with the owner Mr. Castro about a problem with his job driving a bus for the City Schools. I have spoken to one of the district commanders at the CPD and he confirms that they have never had a call about the residence. So many reports are incorrect about this case.

Yeah...this is certainly looks like a neighborhood where something like this could happen though...and people wouldn't notice (or pay attention).

Angel Cordero on CNN now - apparently he did most of the stuff "Crazy Charlie" took credit for.

[Veto!]

Police don’t keep good records. I reported prowlers to police, went to station the next day to follow up, and they had “no record” of my call. Nor did they send anyone to investigate.

I find it hard to get my mind around this. How hard is it for three women to escape? How could brothers (who lived there?) not know what was going on?

[Veto!]

No doubt plenty of these cases go unreported. Scary.

[DJlaysitup]

I find it hard to get my mind around this.

Me too - I think a key point may be that when the girl with a daughter decided she had to go - the other two wouldn't go with her. Apparently he had tricked them into trying to escape before, then punished them brutally.

Lots more to come out on this sad deal IMO.

[Jim from C-Town]

All these homes are well over 100 years old. Most of that neighborhood was built around 1890’s to 1920’s. Just north of this area is Ohio City and it is quite gentrified with many new bars restaurants and numerous Victorian area homes that have been rehabbed.

Also close to the area is Tremont. Tremont is also been in the process of revitalizing itself and is a very desirable location for young professionals and the art set. It is where Lola, Iron Chef Michael Symon's first restaurant is located. It also is loaded with rehabbed Victorian homes.

There where NO CALLS about this home made to the police. It is simply poor reporting on the part of the national media.

[Jim from C-Town]

Just remember that a conspiracy f three can keep a secret if two of the conspirators are dead.

[freeandfreezing]

Of course it has nothing to do with Puerto Rico. But somebody who could cross the police lines at the site of the crimes decided to first put an American flag next to the flag of Puerto Rico, and then they, or someone else removed the Puerto Rican flag leaving only the American flag. Why? What reason would there be to remove the actual flag from the front of the perpetrator's house and replace it with another flag?

Certainly we wouldn't normally expect the police during the course of an investigation at a crime site to change the crime site by replacing something that what was present at the crime site would we?

Somebody was upset with the flag on the house, and instead of just removing it, they replaced it. Who and why would be very interesting to know.

[DJlaysitup]

All these homes are well over 100 years old. Most of that neighborhood was built around 1890’s to 1920’s. Just north of this area is Ohio City and it is quite gentrified with many new bars restaurants and numerous Victorian area homes that have been rehabbed.

Thanks...I had a feeling that they were older but I don't know the area. I guess I'm just sentimental about the old house I grew up in - with a front porch we us neighborhood kids would play Monopoly and Clue and Mom would bring out lemonade in the summer.

I hate to see these structures - which were once pretty decent places - fall to rack and ruin.

[freeandfreezing]

Where is the American flag in the first picture?

[Jim from C-Town]

The City has no record of calls to this house, EVERY CALL to the Police in the City of Cleveland is recorded and catalogued. They have been so for the last twenty plus years.

I am the first to admit that the CPD is a bees hive of incompetent hacks that couldn’t find their asses with both hands tied behind their backs. However, in this instance, they did everything they could to find these girls.

They ripped up an entire back yard and garage just blocks from the house the girls where held in in July of 2012 acting on a tip. The case was actively worked and all leads where followed up on.

As far as not escaping, these where small girls. They where beaten and abused regularly, maybe daily for years. They where tied and chained whenever he was not abusing them. He had them under his control.

[patriot08]

You mean three women in ten years could not figure out how to escape from an old ramshackle house?
Doesn’t make sense.
When he was out, pick up something and knock out a window- scream! (Police said they were not always in the basement but in rooms)
Gang up on him..knock him in the head with something.
Sheesh.

[JohnBovenmyer]

According to the story the 3 captives produced 1 surviving baby, now aged six. But there were five pregnancies with the other four ending when Castro beat up the moms. So really he’s just an abortionist. Nothing more to see here. Case closed.

[DJlaysitup]

You mean three women in ten years could not figure out how to escape from an old ramshackle house? Doesn’t make sense. When he was out, pick up something and knock out a window- scream! (Police said they were not always in the basement but in rooms) Gang up on him..knock him in the head with something. Sheesh.

It is hard to fathom - TEN YEARS - but from what I've picked up on the guy Ariel would play evil games with them - pretend to leave - then catch one trying something and brutalize that one.

Add to that - one of the rescued girls claimed there was a fourth (who he may have killed)...he also probably said that if any of them escaped he would kill the other two.

Who knows - it had to have been terrible...my guess is the only reason Amanda "went for it" was to protect her child...probably reasizing that he would be sexually abusing her too very soon (he may have already started and the little girl told her).

[Mountain Mary]

My comment was deleted for saying similar about mother of Boston bomber...