CLEVELAND — How did Ariel Castro allegedly get away with three abductions on a busy Cleveland street, and keep his diabolical crimes a secret for so long?
A copy of a Cleveland police report obtained by the FOX 8 I-Team reveals that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight told police that each of them was walking in the same five block area of Lorain Avenue, when they were offered a ride by Castro.
Cleveland City Councilman Brian Cummins, who was briefed on the investigation, told FOX 8, “We believe that the daughter of Ariel Castro was involved in some way, shape or form in indicating this was her father and you know, we’re going to give you a ride.”
According to the report, the victims say that once Castro got them to his home on Seymour Avenue, he tied them up in the basement with ropes and chains and assaulted them numerous times.
Home on Seymour Ave. where Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were held hostage
Eventually they were allowed to live on the second floor, but only left the house twice when he disguised the women and put them in his garage for a short periods of time.
“He’s the best actor in the world,” said Ricky Sanchez, who has been visiting Castro’s house since 2001, and was there just last Thursday. He says Castro kept him in a small area of the home and played music very loudly. “I feel really bad, you know why, like I feel sorry for those girls. If I would have known something; if I would have heard somebody screaming or something, I would have helped.”
According to the report, Ariel Castro threatened to kill Michelle Knight if she didn’t assist in the delivery of Amanda Berry’s daughter six years ago in a small plastic pool. The report also indicates that Castro used brutal methods to end other pregnancies over the ten years the women were in captivity. Councilman Cummins said, “Not giving them food and water, starving, and then beatings to potentially abort the birth.”
According to the police report, Amanda Berry told investigators that her chance to escape came on Monday, when Ariel Castro went to McDonald’s and forget to lock the inner door in the house. “She was able to get it open at least to be able to indicate at least to someone on the outside, Charles Ramsey, that she was there,” said Councilman Cummins.
