Imagine being chained to the wall of a dirty room that wasn’t your own, being mentally tormented by a man who is widely considered to be a positive influence in the community. Imagine being impregnated by your captor, then giving birth in a kiddie-pool in the basement of the house that has become your worst nightmare. Three young women were held captive by Ariel Castro, a local school bus driver and band bassist, for over ten years.1
Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Georgina DeJesus were the three strong and inspiring young women that survived this nightmare. In Cleveland, Ohio, Ariel Castro captured his first victim, Michelle Knight, as she was walking home from her cousin’s home in 2002. He held her in his basement to torment and rape her, which allowed him to develop power over her. Castro then moved her upstairs in his home, where the abuses continued. Some of the early abuse that Knight endured ended in pregnancies, but Castro would beat her until she miscarried.2
The second victim, Amanda Berry, was last seen by her co-workers at Burger King the day before her seventeenth birthday in 2003. On her way home from work, she accepted a ride home from community member, Ariel Castro. However, the ultimate destination was not what she had expected. Within the time Castro held Berry captive, he impregnated her. She gave birth to her daughter, Jocelyn, in the basement of Castro’s home in a kiddie-pool with the assistance of Knight. Castro had threatened Michelle Knight’s life, insisting that if the baby didn’t survive, neither would she. So when Berry’s daughter wasn’t breathing at birth, Knight successfully performed CPR on the infant, saving her life.3
Georgina DeJesus was a friend of Castro’s daughter, a fact he used to lure her into his car. In 2004, DeJesus was walking home from school when Castro approached her and offered her a ride home. The fourteen-year-old girl recognized him and accepted the offer, little did she know that she wouldn’t be returning to her home for another nine years. The three women only had each other from 2002 until they were rescued in 2013.4
Each woman’s nightmare began similarly as Castro had a system of abuse that he used to overpower them. This system made them fear him so much that they wouldn’t fight back or attempt to escape. One of the tactics Castro used to prevent his victim’s from escaping was that he intentionally left their doors unlocked, and then he patiently waited by the front door for them. When Castro discovered that one of them trying to escape, he violently beat them, using it as an example to the other captives as to what would happen if they chose to flee.5
Castro successfully hid his monstrosities from the community he lived in for the eleven years he held the women captive. His friends and family noticed that he didn’t have people over often, but that wasn’t abnormal for Castro. After his wife divorced him, Castro spent most of his time outside of his home, attending local concerts with bands as the bassist, and even attending searches and vigils for the women he held captive in his own home. The community had no reason to suspect that he had anything to do with the women’s disappearances. Roughly two weeks before the rescue of the women, Castro had an individual over because he was interested in purchasing their bass guitar. The man said he had no idea that there was anyone in the home other than Castro, hearing only a sound like a dog upstairs.6
The community will never forget the day Castro made a simple mistake. On May 6, 2013, Castro left a door unlocked. The women upstairs, contemplating whether it was another one of Castro’s wicked tricks or an honest mistake, remained in their rooms. Eventually, however, Amanda Berry built up the courage to try to escape. When she discovered that it was a mistake on Castro’s end, she and her daughter headed for the door. It was the middle of the day when Berry had opened the front door and started yelling for help, her daughter at her side. Castro’s neighbors noticed the strange scene and immediately came to Berry’s aid.7
The screen door was locked from the outside so the neighbor’s kicked in a corner to free Berry and her daughter, Jocelyn. Berry then immediately called the police to get the other girls rescued from their real life nightmare. Upon the girls’ escape, the neighborhood was stunned. Throughout those eleven years, none of Castro’s surrounding neighbors had any indication or idea that three women were being held captive just a few yards away.8
Nobody knew what to think. The community felt like they had failed these three women. Ultimately, Ariel Castro plead guilty to 937 counts of kidnapping, rape, and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to life plus 1,000 years in prison without the possibility of parole. After a month in prison Castro hung himself with his bed sheets in his cell. While kidnapping is a horrific crime, it is not uncommon in the United States. In 1999, it was estimated that 11.4 children per 1,000 in the United States are reported missing. So, how well do you know your neighbors?9
- Phillip J. Resnick M.D. and George W. Schmedlen Ph.D., “Competency Report,” Court Psychiatric Clinic, (2013); 2-3. ↵
- Biography.com Editors, “Ariel Castro Biography”, The Biography.com Website, (2014) https://www.biography.com/people/ariel-castro-21311121. ↵
- Corky Siemaszko, “Michelle Knight still recovering five years after being freed from Ariel Castro,” ABC News, (2018), https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michelle-knight-still-recovering-5-years-after-being-freed-ariel-n870906. ↵
- Melanie Eversley and Doug Stranglin, “Autopsy: Ariel Castro hanged himself in prison cell,” USA Today, (2013), https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-hung-prison/2761177/. ↵
- Biography.com Editors, “Ariel Castro Biography”, The Biography.com Website, (2014) https://www.biography.com/people/ariel-castro-21311121. ↵
- Corky Siemaszko, “Michelle Knight still recovering five years after being freed from Ariel Castro,” ABC News, (2018), https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michelle-knight-still-recovering-5-years-after-being-freed-ariel-n870906. ↵
- Melanie Eversley and Doug Stranglin, “Autopsy: Ariel Castro hanged himself in prison cell,” USA Today, (2013), https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/04/ariel-castro-hung-prison/2761177/. ↵
- Corky Siemaszko, “Michelle Knight still recovering five years after being freed from Ariel Castro,” ABC News, (2018), https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michelle-knight-still-recovering-5-years-after-being-freed-ariel-n870906. ↵
- Andrea Sedlak, David Finkelhor, Heather Hammer, and Dana Schultz, “National Estimates of Missing Children: An Overview,” NISMART, (2002): 5-10. ↵
124 comments
Aracely Ortiz Soriano
This article reminded me of the movie “The Lovely Bones”. It is scary to know that there are people as rotten as Castro with the power to conceal their monstrosities so well. Even if I did “know” my neighbors, this article just made me wary of who I give my trust to, because one can never be too careful. I also cannot imagine all the trauma and aftermath these women went through. I’m glad that in the end, Castro got what he deserved.
Ruben Basaldu
This article really makes me think how well do I really know the people that are around. Not just neighbors but people I hang out with. This was a very scary event that took place and I am glad that the girls were able to escape but it is so disturbing to know that someone who was well trusted in the community was capable of doing such things.
Priscilla Reyes
I do not know my neighbors well at all. We have been living there for 15 years now and I spent more time with them outside when I was younger. Now, it is my younger brother and sister who spend time outside and I would hate tot think about the many things possible. After reading the article along with Armin’s, the cannibal story, I feel a little bit sick. The worst thing with this article, however, is how the man did not complete his sentence.
Victoria Salazar
The fact that these three young girls were kidnapped by a “trusted member of society” and hid for nine years goes to show that “stranger danger” is not the only precaution that we should be teaching children. Society is starting to raise awareness that it isn’t only the lonely, strangers to watch out for but really anyone. It is unfortunate that children always have to be looking over their shoulder, because we never truly know who we can trust these days.
Avery Mascorro
It’s a terrifying prospect to be completely blindsided by such a terrible crime. Anyone around you could be just like Castro, and they could pick up someone any minute. This article is a perfect example of why you shouldn’t walk places on your own and you shouldn’t get in the car with someone unless your parents know where you are first. I feel bad for these women who had so much of their lives taken from them.
Mia Morales
This article is so important because sadly many instances like this occur and there are so many people that are unaware of it. This situation is so disturbing to read about, the fact that no one knew these women were there for eleven years is every woman’s biggest fear. I cannot even imagine what these women had to go through but I am glad to see that they were able to escape.
Rebeca Escobar
I remember seeing their story headlining on the news. I was so shocked and saddened by the ordeal but also relieved that they finally broke free. How each of them got kidnapped is such a huge reminder to always be careful who you accept car rides from and who you listen to. It’s scary to think that anyone in my neighborhood is capable of this and it’s scary to think there’s more people out there being held in captivity and missing out on their life.
Andres Cano
This article gave me some Breaking Bad sort of vibes. The fact that someone as dangerous could be living right by you gives me goosebumps, but I cannot help but feel like this man was in much need of mental help. The craziest part is that he was able to hide it by attending ceremonies for these missing people.
Mariah Garcia
I remember when this was on the news a few years back. It is truly appalling to make the realization that monsters do not wear masks or lurk around dilapidated amusement parks, but rather that they look like us. It is similar to how serial killers can have prolific streaks due to not looking like a “killer.” It is frustrating to know that his victim and his children as a result of his evil had to suffer for so long.
Leonardo Gallegos
This Article really emphasizes the fact you really cannot judge a book by its cover, it saddens me that people like Castro who seems like a very positive person for the community turn out to be monsters. To me it is insane that he was living there for 11 years and nobody really ever questioned him and also plead guilty to 937 counts of kidnapping, rape, and aggravated assault, the life that Castro lived was that of a monster. Interesting Article.