BREAKING NEWS: Missing Cleveland Teens Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus And Michelle Knight Found Alive After 10 Years With Their Children- Suspect Ariel Castro and Brothers In Custody
Cleveland, OH Missing since 2003 ns 2004 respectively - Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were found alive this afternoon. A suspect who has not been identified is said to be interviewing with police.
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@Mom 3.0 re: juvenile sex offenders. I read something interesting in my Juvenile Law class about them that may inform your position as to how the CJ system should treat them. Apparently, numerous studies have shown that about 10 percent of them will be rearrested for another sex crime—a lower recidivism rate than for most other juvenile crimes and for adult sex offenders. So one might question whether we are having a knee-jerk reaction to their crimes, or making judgments about their cases based on actual research and evidence. There is also a lot of new and interesting research coming out about adolescent brain development and the implication this has for their culpability and thus punishment. I’m actually planning on focusing a research paper on this very topic, if I come up with anything applicable here I will post.
If the neighbor reporting on TV was correct, the five or six year old was at a neighborhood park on a Sunday afternoon. She was passed off to the neighbor as the child of Castro’s girlfriend.
This tells me that the family of Castro was aware of some of his activities and may know a lot more. If any of them knew the real situation and did not turn him in to the police, they should be charged as accessories.
How moving.
snip>
There is, however, a family who is hoping to adopt Michelle. Fellow victim Gina DeJesus was like a sister to Michelle in captivity and her family is insisting that Michelle come live with them. A neighbor told the Daily Mail that the DeJesuses are a loving family who want to make sure Michelle gets the help she needs.
http://www.cafemom.com/articles/in_the_news/155437/cleveland_kidnap_victim_shuns_family?utm_medium=sem2&utm_campaign=prism&utm_source=outbrain&utm_content=0&non_us=
Patricia says:
May 13, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Blink, in hindsight I am wondering what the profile for the wanted abudctor of Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus was, and if it matched the now known accused Ariel Castro. I know that Ms. Knight was treated more as a run away, so that profile would be different.
. . .
———
Until more investigative information is released, there is no way to know what the LE profile was originally except to say to my knowledge it did not produce the right suspect although he was POINTED OUT to them in 2004. I do NOT believe the FBI statements so far that they were never told Castro might be involved. Even if they had not- the stepfather of Castro’s daughter was a POI at one time and I can tell you as a point of fact if that was true- than the FBI will draw that imaginary drag net around him to exclude known persons. There is more we do not know than we do at the moment.
B
—————————-
Two things to reinforce your “do NOT believe.” First, the sketch artist image of the possible kidnapper. (Still haven’t heard whose description provided that.) Second, Castro was the one who pointed the finger at the stepfather in the first place.
If they did not have Castro on their radar, they were completely incompetent at their jobs. And, if they did have him on their radar, and did not inadequately investigate and continue to monitor, they were completely incompetent at their jobs. Ergo . . .
Yes ma’am. Both agencies, period. So there was a witness to something that provided a sketch, which was held and no origin provided. Was their an additional attempt? Does this have to do with Ashley Summers? I do not believe the FBI likes to be called out on their case involvement and I say that as I huge proponent of the organization overall.
I am familiar with the strategy of letting things blow over and fall out of the press eye- that would be a fat error on their part, imo.
B
Who provided the info for this FBI sketch?
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
The linked source says they held it for 7 years. That would place it from 2006?
Sorry, read more carefully now, the sketch was released in November 2005. No one saw the resemblance to Castro then–not his family, the DeJesus family, etc?? While there are certainly differences, the facial hair and even hat are spot on.
Wow Lizzy. That composite is so similar it is hard to believe that the families didn’t see it, and even more astounding that LE did not investigate him on appearance alone. He abused his wife multiple times, and severely. He was violent. His wife’s family knew it. The children’s stepfather knew it. I have to think these people saw the drawing, and suspected, but were not listened to.
How he maintained the image of a quiet musician that drove kids back and forth to school is a case of denial, IMO. Maybe people should not have leapt to the conclusion that he had hostages in his home, but his appearance coupled with his behaviors should have put him on somebodies suspect list.
@erose. I thought the FBI sat on the composite and didn’t publicize it.
No one publicized it–right?!
They were hieing after his rival for ex-wife,Colon, on another matter.
Didn’t want to discredit their only or chief witness against Colon.
Shades of Horman case.
need an independent investigation of
1) origin & publicity of sketch suspect
2) investigation, charging & conviction of Colon on his rival Castro’s testimony
imo verdicts should likely be set aside
(and no doubt exculpatory evidence will be in prosecution’s files)
I have a few random thoughts and questions. (again)
How in the blue hell could the stepfather have been convicted of molesting two of Castro’s daughters just on Castro’s word? The media is reporting this, repeatedly, as if it was fact. The girls must have confirmed or denied any impropriety. My BS meter is pegged.
A friend of Amanda’s mom is often quoted as saying she died of a broken heart. The flagitious psychic is credited with helping her heart to break. The truth is, her lack of dietary restrictions wounded her heart and pancreas, making her early demise inevitable. I am not one to blame a victim and I do feel this crime victimized her so please take me pointing that out as informational only. Her unearned burden was staggering.
They keep throwing it out that Castro hitting his wife caused her brain tumor. Is this medically possible?
The Dejesus family and support structure effing rock! I hope they are heavily rewarded for offering to take in Michelle Knight. They are special people to consider others during such a turbulent time in their own lives.
Most news on this is rehashed. I hear crickets from both LE and the criminals respective camps. I don’t want to threaten y’all but if things don’t pick up soon I am going to start singing….
RedRanger- no way you are prepared to deliver that threat.
But yes, more questions than answers
B
Rose, fwiw, the article that I linked above says “Agents searching the city for Georgina DeJesus, who this week escaped from Mr Castro’s house, released a drawing of a “person of interest” to her disappearance in November 2005.”
It appears that Castro was able to fully compartmentalize his life into at least two parts. The evil kidnapper and the trusted bus driver/musician.
Having stated the compartment theory, I find that he would only be able to do that if people were not paying attention. He has fallen through the cracks regarding the efforts of LE. Every once in a while one of these people manage to get totally overlooked through no effort of their making.
A house to house search in the area years ago would have turned up the victim and the perp.
@Rose, You’re right. Even worse. Definite shades of Horman case. Makes me wonder what thought was going on.
The sketch was definitely released. Here it is on a web page last updated in 2009. http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/d/dejesus_georgina.html
The page also has the context for the sketch.
@Red Ranger
This makes more sense. He beat her after her brain surgery.
snip>
Stephens said she had been told Castro’s alleged abuse of Anthony Castro began when he was a child and that he even beat his wife, Grimilda Figueroa, after she had brain surgery.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/15/us/ohio-missing-women-found-relative/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
@Lizzy, Thank you for clearing up the sketch. On your link it says that Gina’s parents told her not to even accept rides with her own uncles. (WOW). Also, on the Ashley Summers link it states that LE thought one of the three girls was forced in to prostitution. What would make them say that?
Just seems there is more to this.
Now if you adopted the moniker TexasRanger, that would really open doors!
I expect posters here didn’t comment on the pancreas & the tumor stories
knowing they were local folklore embellishments.
TY lizzy:
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/d/dejesus_georgina.html
“He was seen near Wilbur Wright Middle school before Georgina vanished, and was asking for her”
That right there should’ve told LE he knew her in daily life & he was drawn to schools.
I don’t think that pic on that page stands out, & they acknowledged the possibility of linked
neighborhood disappearances. Should’ve printed them out & had them in
public places–post offices, local libraries, etc. More fliers were likely put up on local phone poles
for lost pets than this. Funny how groups disseminate kidnapped vics images all over but not
sketches of possible perps. I suppose responsive tips might overwhelm LEs capacity to run them
down.
Rose — how do you know people didn’t print out the sketch and put them in public places?
For some reason, I can’t cut and paste from that article, but there is a lot of detail about the person in the sketch. That may have been one of those instances where too much detail hurt rather than helped as the additional detail may have excluded castro from coming to mind — for example if he did not have green eyes, was the wrong age, did not have that type of car with that unique bumper sticker. Of course, it is possible, even likely, that castro was not the person in the sketch at all.
erose — on the forced into prostitution bit. My assumption is that some witness or witnesses told police that they had seen one of the three girls mentioned working as a prostitute but police were not able to confirm it.
@redly. Don’t know.
If disseminated, I agree
the detail buried the pic.
@Rose, So unless they meant Ashley Summers, there is more to what these girls were put through. If it was Ashley, then it could have been that she was a runaway, vulnerable, then forced into prostitution.
Anyone else can’t believe he’s going to plead NG?
I read an article that said the girls were put in positions for extended periods of time; and will more than likely have long term injuries.
It is miraculous that these girls were able to endure the torture for so many years. I pray that they are in a place with a lot of love and support and that allows them the opportunity to heal.
@erose. The announcement this a.m. from two defense attorney’s that his plea will be not guilty made me so sad and angry. If these poor suffering victims have to defend themselves in court against a pile of lies by the defense it will turn this country, which is full of victim’s advocates, into a lynch mob to be certain. How can he possibly think he can undo what has been done. Guilty until proven innocent in this evidence filled case. AJMOO
I pray that he leaves these girls in peace.
erose,
OJ plead NG, too. I believe it.
@ RedRanger-
“A friend of Amanda’s mom is often quoted as saying she died of a broken heart. The flagitious psychic is credited with helping her heart to break. The truth is, her lack of dietary restrictions wounded her heart and pancreas, making her early demise inevitable. I am not one to blame a victim and I do feel this crime victimized her so please take me pointing that out as informational only. Her unearned burden was staggering.”
I take issue with the dismissiveness of the impact of the loss of a child on one’s health. I have many, many friends through two child loss support groups, where members, as I have, experienced the loss of a child. Such a traumatic loss contributes to poor health, and early death, in many cases. A “broken heart”, or more directly put, such a devastating traumatic loss as the loss of a child often causes severe depression, vitamin (including d) deficiency, PTSD, increased stress, increased blood pressure, just to name a few. Of course, when people have underlying conditions, they become exacerbated by such horrific stress. It is unimaginable. And, yes, Slyvia Brown contributed to Amanda’s mother’s stress. And I, as a parent who buried my 14-year-old, and has been involved with previously mentioned child loss groups as a member, steering committee member, and leadership member, firmly believe that Amanda Berry’s abduction, and the proclamation by said previously mentioned psychic were contributing factors to her mother’s early demise. No offense, we’re all entitled to an opinion.
—
On another topic, Arlene Castro’s claims in her recent interview to be unbelievable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eutWXIpu6OQ
She states that she never observed DV in the home (I believe the interviewer was asking about her childhood home). This is in direct contradiction to police reports and statements from many family members. She also states that she was never close with her father (paraphrasing here), yet lived with him rather than her mother when she was a teen. She states in the AMW interview (previously posted many times on this thread) , years earlier, the circumstances under which she last saw Gina, yet that is in direct conflict with Gina’s report to the police. I only found the link below, but another claims that Gina initially saw Castro & Arlene together, then he came back and offered Gina a ride to his place, where he claimed Arlene was. It would be a reasonable assumption that if she just saw Arlene with the guy, and then Arlene’s dad, who Gina was now acquainted with, offered her a ride back there and said Arlene was at the house, she might well accept the ride. This is in conflict with the, “she loaned me 50 cents of her bus money” story.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/05/07/arlene_castro_gina_dejesus_ariel_castro_s_daughter_told_america_s_most_wanted.html
http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/law-enforcement-source-details-how-amanda-berry-gina-dejesus-michelle-knight-abducted
There is not enough information available to make a determination, but it certainly causes the hairs on the back of my neck to rise.
This- On another topic, Arlene Castro’s claims in her recent interview to be unbelievable.
should read-
On another topic, Arlene Castro’s claims in her recent interview are not believable to me.
@MackiezMom, I agree with everything you said wrt Amanda’s Mom and Arlene Castro. I am so glad Amanda has her sister.
Hi Mackiezmom,
I was not intending to be dismissive. Amanda’s mom was overweight. I do not know if she had changed physically after Amanda disappeared. I can guarantee that it changed her psychologically. I do agree with you.
There is no victim’s advocate that appears and forces the families of missing children to eat a proper diet and partake in a regular exercise regimen. In her case it probably would have been helpful. Her frantic mental state and new list of things to do probably did not accommodate spare time to take care of herself. I get it.
I am sorry for the loss of your 14 year old. I have one of those myself. I cannot begin to imagine your path. My wife spent 7 weeks in the hospital beginning Aug. 7th of last year. She endured 45 rounds of plasmapheresis and the devastating effects of steroids. She almost died the first night. Believe me when I tell you that I see the changes, mental and physical. A cherry on top is when a valet parker stole her car from the hospital valet lot. The extra to do list sometimes made convenience foods necessary. We endure.
I do get it and agree with you, mostly. I think our lack of taking care of ourselves during traumatic times is directly responsible for our physical well being. Anyway, I am starting to wail on the deceased equine……
Hey Red Ranger,
So sorry to hear about your wife’s struggles, and hope she is doing well now. Trying times, for sure. The valet parker, wow!
Yes, there are many overweight people in this country…it’s an epidemic, and many live to old age, even with diabetes, etc… I suppose that the death or abduction, in this case, of a child, could be considered what they call a co-morbidity. I will tell you that dealing with any other issues on top of such a loss is often near impossible. In fact, sometimes just getting out of bed, taking a shower, and eating something are all one can manage to do. You’ll never really know unless you have to live it, which I wish for no one.
Concerning taking care of oneself while battling with such grief as the loss of a child, my grief therapist put it eloquently, when he said, “Dealing with such enormous grief is like being a soldier in a terrible, bloody war. A soldier needs to be in the best shape possible, in order to endure the fight, and to prevail. Think of grief as a war that must be fought, and yourself as the soldier. We don’t send our soldiers into war unfit.” He went on to share that exercise is a very effective treatment for depression and anxiety.
Is Ariel Castro a sociopath? Here’s a lovefraud dot com article about that subject:
http://www.lovefraud.com/2013/05/29/critiquing-expert-views-sociopaths-part-1-cnn-blogger-ariel-castro/
Here is the cnn article the author is referring:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/10/world/opinion-ragan-abuse/index.html?c=&page=1
I just read that the charges against Castro only cover about the first 5 years:
“The charges cover only half of the 10 years the three women allegedly were held captive — from August 2002, when the first of the three disappeared off a Cleveland street, to February 2007.” http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/12/us/ohio-castro-case/index.html?hpt=hp_c2#cnn-disqus-area
Why? Could they come back later on the rest?
I have a feeling the stockholm syndrom issue will be a factor, I am as anxious as you are to learn more.
B
Castro had the nerve to ask in court for visitation with Berry’s daughter. Watching the video, I got the impression that his attorneys wouldn’t ask, so he did it himself.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/03/19267380-ariel-castro-deemed-mentally-fit-to-stand-trial-denied-access-to-6-year-old-daughter?lite
Good read lizzy- absolutely correct, and Castro is bucking to mount a mental defense.
B
Castro found competent to stand trial
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57592136-504083/ariel-castro-update-cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-found-competent-to-stand-trial/
wow
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/09/19363714-i-am-strong-enough-to-walk-through-hell-with-a-smile-ohio-kidnap-victims-say-thanks?lite
The girls say thank you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG0WePdZoxg
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/09/19363714-i-am-strong-enough-to-walk-through-hell-with-a-smile-cleveland-kidnap-victims-say-thanks?lite
“Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight release a thank you video to show their appreciation to all the people who have offered their support.”
Lots of articles out there on the new indictment, which incorporates the original charge, for a total of 977 through the time of their release. Seems that one pregnancy termination is still not included, and that the prosecutor’s office is “holding” that as the potential death penalty stick?
Anyway, I found this video the most informative in terms of the future of this case. (although others of Castro with his eyes closed in court were . . . interesting) http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/07/video_statements_from_ariel_ca.html
Plea deal or trial begins on August 5.
Blink, are you going to comment on the Cleveland case?
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/21/us/ohio-bodies-found/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Any new articles or updates coming?
Taskmaster, I mean WG, lol- yes ma’am. I am trying to meet my commitments for a few cold cases with the limited schedule I have at the moment. Is this your way of asking for updated pics of our precious Harper? LOL
I hear your whip, and I O B E Y.
xoxoxo
B
The perp Castro was in court today for the introduction of evidence. It may be that he wants to do a plea deal. With as many charges against him, this may save the state some time and money.
Castro is deceased. He committed suicide in prison today.
I wish I could say God rest his soul, but I really do not believe he had one. I apologize if that offends anyone, but it is truly my belief.
B
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/04/cleveland-kidnapper-ariel-castro-found-hanging-in-cell/
In Michelle Knight’s famous words “”I spent 11 years in hell. Now your hell is just beginning.”
But His Hell is eternal (without end)
I truly wish he would have lived his life out in a tiny cell. But, I hear the words of his captive Michelle Knight saying “your hell is just beginning”
May he rot there.
Peace to Michelle, Amanda and Gina and thier families today.
Castro commits suicide by hanging.
http://www.wafb.com/story/23331636/convicted-cleveland-kidnapperrapist-found-dead-in-cell
Castro may not have committed suicide; he may have died by accidental erotic auto-asphyxiation.
Either way, he killed himself.
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/State-Cleveland-kidnapper-prison-logs-falsified–227233861.html
And the prison guards apparently weren’t checked him as logged.