Amanda Berry, Gina de Jesus, Michelle Knight Kidnapping: Horrible Truths Revealed
Gina de Jesus, one of the girls who were rescued after 10 years of being captive inside a Cleveland home admits to local reporter Lydia Esparra of 19 Action news that she was acquainted to her kidnapper Ariel Castro years before the kidnapping.
She said that Ariel Castro, one of the three brothers accused of the kidnapping, was in fact the father of one of her best friends.
According to relatives of Gina de Jesus, Ariel Castro had even joined two vigils for the girls within the time that they were missing.
WKYC, a local news portal in Cleveland, made the most shocking report that De Jesus, Knight and Berry were all raped by their kidnappers. The rape in the span of ten years had caused each of the girls pregnant for at least five times. According to reports, kidnappers used violence and beat the pregnant women until miscarriage happens. Lucky for Berry's daughter Jocelyn, 6 years old, she survived and was able to come during the escape.
WOIO, a local station in Cleveland reported that a witness testified that the women were being held in the basement. There were times where they were also asked to come up to the room upstairs were there chains hanging from the ceiling.
To make matters more awful, Ariel Castro's son, also named Ariel, had a story written about the Cleveland kidnapping published in the Plain Press which tackles the effect of the abduction of these three girls in the community. The story was publicized in 2004 and the article surfaced because of people searching for his father's name in the database. No reports of the son's participation to the crime were reported as of now.
Neighbors of the Castro family were put into shame when international media put emphasis on the fact that no one near the vicinity was able to be aware of the crime happening for the past ten years. The community was questioned for their lack of togetherness and reluctance of working closely together.
Those who knew Ariel Castro said that there was no strikingly strange about the men. He acted normal around people that there were no suspicions at all about his hideous crime. His Facebook information had him associated to a local band Grupo Fuego though the group had immediately dismissed their connection to Ariel Castro.
It was to be recalled that upon escaped Amanda Berry immediately called 911 to report that, "I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for ten years and I'm here. I'm free now."
What happened next was a dramatic moment as police officers came minutes after the call and admitted to shed some tears upon seeing the girls.
According to FBI Special Agent Stephen Anthony, "Words cannot describe the emotions. Prayers have been answered and the nightmare is finally over and the healing can begin."
Deputy Chief Ed Tomba said that "Amanda Berry is the real hero. She is the one that got this rolling. Without her, none of us would be here today."
Latest reports show the mug shots of the Castro brothers being circulated around media today.