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May 8th, 2013
11:42 PM ET

How Castro allegedly instilled fear

Ariel Castro, charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape, would allegedly pretend to leave his Cleveland house and then punish his captives if they tried to escape. He trained them, through fear, to stop trying to break free.

CNN's Pamela Brown reports that sources say Monday was the first opportunity Amanda Berry had to try to escape. She hit a breaking point and somehow knew Castro was gone from the house. She screamed for help, drawing the attention of neighbors who ran to the commotion and helped break through the front door so she could get out with her 6-year-old daughter.

 

Law enforcement sources also say that Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, the other two women in the house who has been missing for years, could have left with Berry but chose to stay behind. They had succumbed to their reality as prisoners.

 

soundoff (13 Responses)
  1. Pooja Sahgal

    Let's not forget that Michelle Knight delivered Amanda Berry's child-and gave her CRP, after enduring five miscarriages... If that is not bravery I don’t know what is… All three of them are heroes are in their own right-

    May 19, 2013 at 1:14 pm |
  2. ALLEN

    No trial, no appeals, Just give Castro a lethal injection. Case Closed!

    May 15, 2013 at 3:07 pm |
  3. Mo P

    The level of oppression these girls suffered through is more than what majority of us can comprehend, we are fortunate for never having been victimized to that extreme level of depravity and cruelty that they suffered & what that would do to your mind. Why Amanda tried to escape is because she saw the glimmer of opportunity, deep inside she still had hope. It would seem that Michelle & Gina had long since given up any hope, whether it had been beaten or tortured or by whatever unimaginable means, that monster had taken all hope from them. My heart goes out to them, all three of them. Scars are not just physical, I wish them healing, strength & replenishing of hope.

    May 15, 2013 at 12:46 am |
  4. annier

    I listened to an interview with John Douglas, former head of FBI profiling, who has devoted his life to the apprehension of these types of people. He said it was probably a matter of time before his attention would turn to the 6.y.o., after waiting for her to become a little older. Horrifying. What is even more horrifying is that there's no doubt many more similar situations going on RIGHT NOW across the country. I am so happy for these young women, and wish them healing and happiness.

    May 13, 2013 at 11:35 am |
  5. Caroline Karanja

    Amanda Berry is the real Hero. If she hadn't garnered enough courage to go look for help, all the women would still be trapped in that house today. she should be honored!!

    May 13, 2013 at 10:07 am |
  6. Maree

    I also agree with Angel that Amanda's child may have helped give her the strength to break out of that house. She probably knew her captor had killed Michelle's unborn babies and knew the only way to protect her own child was to find a way out.

    May 12, 2013 at 1:29 pm |
  7. josette

    Anderson, thanks for the program this evening on the fact that people must speak when detecting something unusual and the plight of these three women kidnapped in Ohio. I was kidnapped in Haiti in 2006 at one in the morning in my house. While the kidnappers were taking me to the car, another was going down the street and DID NOT STOP. I understand how someone must feel in captivity with no hope to escape, I was then much older than these girls, could have been their mother, but loosing one's freedom even for three days it seems like an uncertainty. Through this Ohio event, I am reliving my own kidnapping and really have much compassion for the girls now women and their families. Anderson, thanks for showing much humanity in all of your programs. Thanks for being.

    May 10, 2013 at 9:20 pm |
  8. Tina

    Not one single person that has not gone through something like this can even begin to imagine what was going through those womens' minds at the time. Maybe he did threaten the little one and Amanda took action. Maybe he just looked at her funny, and Amanda didn't want to take that chance – or maybe she made sure he was gone, watched him or whatever – unless Amanda or one of the others tells us why she took the chance, we may never know. The important thing is that her bravery, in the face of what could have happened to her if he hadn't really left, saved her and the others.

    May 9, 2013 at 6:32 pm |
  9. Bertin Evina-Ze

    Just wondering how many more prisoners are in houses throughout the US. My suggestion, before insuring the house or during the census bureau activities, someone must visit the house. There must be a way to randomly enter people's houses. Some kind of loophole has to be found. For instance when someone disappears, police should be allowed to search houses without obtaining a search warrant. Something has to be really done here.

    May 9, 2013 at 6:29 pm |
    • Mo

      Although there many be more places like this house in our country, the LAST thing we need or want is for government to think they can just make random checks in our homes. We have enough government intrusion in our lives. You may be good with people searching your home with out a warrant, but this is America and we are not a police state. What you are proposing sounds like garbage that Nanci Pelosi would come up with.

      May 10, 2013 at 5:01 pm |
  10. linda m

    Those two woman, Georgina and Michelle, may have tried a million times to escape. They were beaten and brainwashed to believe their life was a normal one. Having a child has little to do with anything, I have seen woman allow their children alone with a pedophile that's not love, and if you think he/she wont hurt my child, wrong. Our brains don't work right after something like this. We think its normal life, abuse is never ever ok. I wish all three women and the young child lots of love and peace.

    May 9, 2013 at 4:10 pm |
  11. David LeMoyne Jones

    I agree with Angel wholeheartedly. A parent's will to protect their child can overcome any fear. That's why you'll see parents risk their lives everyday by running into burning buildings, fighting dogs, diving into a pool and accepting abuse in order to keep their children safe. I know I would do it without hesitation. As the police said, she had reached her 'breaking point'. She had to protect her child by getting her out of that place.

    May 9, 2013 at 1:17 pm |
  12. Angel Watson

    People need to realize Amanda had a child, a little girl, who was now 6 years old. Her mother instinct kicked in. Maybe her captor told her that her daughter would be his next victim as she was coming of age. This in itself would make her break out and yes make her breaking point. The other two girls didn't have this to fight for.

    May 9, 2013 at 1:49 am |