On May 6, 2013, the city of Cleveland experienced a miracle when Amanda Berry dialed 911 from a nearby resident’s telephone.
“I’ve been abducted and been absent for 10 years. I’m here. I’m liberated now,” Berry, now 33, informed the 911 operator.
Ariel Castro abducted all of the women during the years of 2002 to 2004. Berry, along with Gina DeJesus, who is currently 29 years old, and Michelle Knight, who is currently 38 years old, were kept as prisoners for over 9 years.
Over the course of many years, the women suffered unspeakable mistreatment, being confined, deprived of food, and subjected to torture by Castro.
The three ladies never lost hope, and since their getaway, they have endeavored to assist and mend others.
“20/20.” With interviews new in trauma their over triumphed they’ve and horror of years their of details new shared DeJesus and Berry.
Catch the complete narrative on “20/20” Friday, January 3rd, at 9 p.M. Eastern Time on ABC.
April 21, 2003: Amanda Berry is kidnapped
Just one day prior to her 17th birthday, Amanda Berry woke up and prepared for her job.
Berry said, “What if I had been given the day off? You know, because it was almost my birthday, the next day after that work called me off.”
She asked the man inside if she could get a ride home, and started following the street down Berry in a vehicle, as she had been walking from work.
Ariel Castro, the individual, worked as a school bus operator for an elementary school and additionally served as the father of Berry’s companion and fellow student from their time in middle school.
Castro’s former spouse, who resided in a different locality alongside her mother, Castro mentioned regarding his daughter, ‘Well, she is currently present at my residence. Would you be interested in paying her a visit?'” He is similar in demeanor.
“I replied, ‘Yes, of course,'” Berry stated.
She mentioned that Castro informed Berry that his daughter could possibly be bathing after they stepped into the white, two-storey residence on Seymour Avenue.
“So he said, ‘We’ll just wait,'” Berry said. “So he started showing me around the house. And I never got back out.”.
The memories of what happened next to Berry are still raw. He had been held by Castro for almost a year, and later she learned that Michelle Knight, the woman who was abducted by Castro at 21, was also held by him. On television, a mystery showed a woman sleeping in a bedroom, and upstairs Berry took Castro.
Berry expressed, “And at that moment, I realized that this situation was not going to turn out well.” Subsequently, he escorted me to the aforementioned location and instructed me to lower my trousers. “Furthermore, he guided me into the adjacent bedroom, which was exceedingly dim as he neglected to illuminate the space. Additionally, there was a small area, resembling a spacious closet, connected to the larger bedroom.”
She became the second captive of Castro.
“Berry stated,” And I will transport you to your residence.” ‘Simply remain silent and refrain from producing any sounds. And he uttered, ‘Simply remain silent and refrain from producing any sounds. And he placed a protective headgear over my head, and he fastened a strap around my ankles over the adhesive,” Berry expressed. “He secured my wrists with tape and he secured my ankles with tape and he escorted me to the lower level and he escorted me to the lower level.”
Berry said Castro chained her to a pole, shut off the lights and left her in the dark with a television on.
She exclaimed, “No one arrived, absolutely no one. And you know, ‘Someone please assist me,’ I began to cry and scream.” I never thought that going back home would ever be possible. I was so frightened that I thought I was going to die.”
April 24, 2003: Day 4 of Amanda Berry’s Imprisonment
While Berry’s kidnapping became a major news story, she observed her mother and sister on the television in the basement.
Berry stated, “I will persevere for as long as you persevere. I am determined to reach home to you, do you understand? And that motivated me to keep moving forward.”
On April 24, 2003, Berry stated that Castro relocated her to an upper-level bedroom and secured her to a radiator during the fourth day of her kidnapping.
“Berry mentioned that initially, the chain was wrapped around my abdomen because it was extremely challenging. According to Berry, it was impossible to simply throw it onto your back. Instead, you had to shift the entire chain to the front of your stomach to avoid lying on the large lock on your back. Berry also mentioned the difficulty of sleeping at night.”
Seven days following Amanda Berry’s kidnapping, Castro contacts her relatives.
Berry was missing for a week when her family received a late-night call from Castro, who taunted them using Berry’s cell phone.
Sister Berry’s, Serrano Beth mentioned, “She wants me to be with her.” “She knew everyone, but nobody called her Mandy,” to which he replied, “I have called her Mandy.”
In 2003, the FBI was just starting to develop technology that could track the location of a cell phone if they were able to narrow down the area within a forty to thirty block where her phone had been used.
FBI agent Tim Kolonik mentioned, “However, Castro did not utilize Berry’s phone subsequent to that. We dedicated approximately a week, working non-stop, in that vicinity, with the expectation that this device would be employed once more.”
“That was the final information we received,” Serrano stated.
In the meantime, Berry’s dim and dirty chamber at Castro’s residence was approximately the dimensions of a wardrobe.
Berry exclaimed, “The smell was terrible, and we had to use a bucket as a bathroom. It was absolutely disgusting, and the mattress was both nasty and old.”
Everything came at a cost, including her regular shower, but Castro provided her with a bag of chips, crackers, or other food to consume, according to Berry’s statement.
Berry said, “I had to take a shower and, maybe you need to go take a shower, well, he’s trying to act nice but I mean.”
Berry mentioned that she had to “desensitize” herself in order to deal with the sexual abuse.
Berry stated, “If you are not present in the vicinity, you lack the knowledge to speak on the matter. If you are absent, kindly refrain from expressing your opinions or seek an alternative place to store them, such as your own thoughts.”
In her diary, Berry utilized a cipher to document the frequency of his sexual assaults on her on a daily basis.
Berry said, “Will he be punished for what he did, and maybe one day the authorities will get to read it, you know, because I always felt like writing these numbers at the top of the pages.”
“There was plenty of times when I just never knew,” Berry said, adding that she thought, “Why is he keeping me here?”.
Berry said, “He wanted more girls in the house, and if we didn’t know, he was going to murder us on the first day.”
Berry was captured by him after nearly a year, Castro resumed his search just five blocks from the location where he abducted Berry.
April 2, 2004: Gina DeJesus is kidnapped
DeJesus and Arlene took different paths as they were going home from school on the day she was abducted. DeJesus’ father was also acquainted with Castro. Arlene had a strong bond with Castro’s daughter, Gina DeJesus, who was 14 years old at the time.
While DeJesus continued her journey back home, a maroon car pulled up to the side of the road with Arlene’s dad driving.
DeJesus responded affirmatively, and I inquired, “Could you assist me in locating her?” To which he replied, “Indeed, she is just nearby.” I then asked, “Have you spotted my daughter?” He questioned me…
According to her, DeJesus was disturbed by his strange conduct after they entered, during which he requested her assistance in relocating a stereo. However, instead of fulfilling his request, Castro transported Gina to his residence.
“He was, similar to, fixing his eyebrows and, similar to, trimming his mustache and, similar to, cutting his nose hairs,” DeJesus said.
“He mentioned that you cannot enter through the identical entrance you used earlier. He responded, ‘Alright, we have to, you have to return home now.’ Suddenly, he changes his tune and says, ‘Why are you behaving this way? You might end up in prison.’ And then I’m thinking, like, he tries to approach me and all of a sudden he starts to act differently.”
Castro took DeJesus to his basement, where she stated that he seized her and bound her.
DeJesus expressed, “I didn’t secure it firmly, so I tossed it aside, and subsequently I attempted to flee, but he positioned himself on my back.” “Then, I initiated a series of kicks towards him. I kicked him vigorously, resulting in severe bruising.”
DeJesus exclaimed, “The radio in his cellar and the radio in the lounge were excessively noisy,” as Castro overwhelmed her, DeJesus shrieked for assistance.
She exclaimed, “It was repulsive, yet I can’t comprehend his motive. … He would insert it into his mouth and inexplicably pull on my hair.”
DeJesus stated that on May 7, 2004, she experienced the first instance of sexual assault by Castro. Although she chose not to delve into the specifics of the incident, DeJesus recollects the precise date.
Life in confinement
Initially, DeJesus became Castro’s newfound favorite.
“He appears to treat me more favorably than the other girls. I have the more pleasant room,” DeJesus stated.
I desire that. I don’t know why, ‘Well, as if you’re anything, but when you don’t have things, it was just simple “jealousy that made the girls feel slighted,” said Berry, referring to the favoritism gestures.
She mentioned that initially, Castro took extra precautions to keep the girls separated and did not allow them to communicate.
“He was constantly present, observing every action; it felt as though he possessed an uncanny awareness of our every move,” expressed DeJesus.
The girls were sometimes permitted to leave their rooms to perform tasks, but had to follow strict regulations.
“We had to utilize, such as, a small amount of, dish detergent to clean like a complete basin of dishes,” Berry stated.
“We had to place the pan in the middle on the stove,” DeJesus added.
“It couldn’t be slightly to the left, slightly to the right,” Berry said.
The monochrome television served as their sole portal to the external realm. To occupy the vacant time, Berry maintained a journal in notebooks, on napkins, and even on fast food containers.
March 2006: Amanda Berry’s mother passes away during her period of captivity
She mentioned that she planned to observe the Montel Williams Show starring the psychic Sylvia Browne. Berry, who was in great need of her mother’s presence on the show, expressed her desire for Browne to inform her mother that she was alive and doing well.
In 2004, Berry’s mother Louwana Miller made an appearance on the show. Browne conveyed to her, “I am sorry to let you know… She is no longer with us.”
Berry expressed, “the pain was even more intense.” “Consequently, it caused even greater distress.” “Moreover, my mother burst into tears,” “I was in disbelief by her words,” “resulting in me breaking down in tears as well because”
Miller never had the opportunity to witness her daughter’s release. She passed away from heart failure three years after Berry vanished.
Exclaimed Berry, “I believe that was the most challenging aspect of being inside. Similar to this, she was constantly battling. Additionally, she was determined to never abandon me. I was unable to assist her during her illness.” The fact that she became ill and I was unable to provide my presence by her side…
Christmas 2006: Amanda Berry Welcomes a Baby
Berry came to the realization that she might be expecting a baby on her twentieth birthday.
Berry exclaimed, “I find myself shackled to a wall, with only a bucket as my restroom,” and I was filled with fear. How did this happen? I mean, I hardly consume any food.
She delivered Jocelyn on Christmas in 2006.
Berry exclaimed, “She belongs to me. She belongs to me,” and I couldn’t help but notice that she strongly resembled him, which made me observe her closely. And what are my emotions regarding this situation? You know, this is his child.
DeJesus mentioned that having the young girl present with them was a pleasant diversion.
“According to DeJesus, the experience was enjoyable as it provided an opportunity to escape from the circumstances. Jocelyn’s presence helped me to temporarily put aside all my worries and concerns while engaging in play with her.”
Jocelyn observed the restraints on her mother, which Berry mentioned Castro directed her to refer to as “bracelets.”
“Jocelyn finally freed me from the chains that had bound me for almost 3 years, she was about 2 years old.”
As Jocelyn aged, Castro granted her liberties that Berry, DeJesus, and Knight were not afforded.
Jocelyn’s father, accompanied by her, would occasionally be permitted to attend Sunday services or visit the park. However, whenever Castro left the house, his affection for Jocelyn appeared to transform him into an altered individual, despite her being confined indoors with all three of them.
Berry said, “He loved her and she loved him.” “You know, he had problems because he would always think about her. Whenever he would touch her, he would get nervous,” I said.
May 6, 2013: Getaway
The women ultimately managed to flee after being held captive for over nine years.
DeJesus stated that Jocelyn goes down the stairs, and then she dashes back up, and she declares, ‘I am unable to find Daddy. Daddy is nowhere to be seen.’
Berry expressed, “My heart instantly began racing.” “Should I take the risk? If I’m going to proceed, I must act promptly,” I pondered.
Berry was still able to squeeze an arm out, but the storm had shut the door and it was padlocked beyond. The front door was open, but wired with an alarm. She found her bedroom door unlocked without Castro around, Berry said, for the first time in 10 years.
Knight refrained from intervening, however, an individual who happened to be passing by outside witnessed her, as mentioned by Berry. DeJesus explained that she believed Berry had been apprehended by Castro and convinced Knight not to rush to Berry’s aid.
That’s when Charles Ramsey, the neighboring resident, arrived.
Berry said, “And thus he, in a way, kicks it, and he’s like, ‘There you go. Complete kicking it out, and you can leave.'” “He sort of, similar to, began attempting to pull on the door, but he couldn’t open it either.”
DeJesus and Knight were saved by law enforcement. A neighbor, who had a phone that they discovered, made a 911 call. Berry contacted Jocelyn to enter through the door after she had escaped.
Berry expressed, “I was filled with fear, and the mere presence of people on the street did not guarantee my safety. I was truly petrified.” “To this day, I remain clueless as to why he departed, leaving the door unlocked. It’s a mystery that will forever elude me.”
DeJesus remembered it took her “a while to come out” of her room because she didn’t believe the police were really there.
“I thought perhaps they were individuals dressed in outfits because I was astonished,” she mentioned. She wasn’t the sole person.
DeJesus remarked, “Their countenance entirely plummeted.” “While I was informing [the initial aides] of my identity, they appeared as though they had witnessed a specter or some sort,”.
The current whereabouts of Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus
He had taken his own life. He was discovered deceased in his jail cell on Sept. 3, 2013. On Aug. 1, 2013, Castro received a life sentence plus an additional 1,000 years in prison after he admitted guilt to 937 charges of abduction and sexual assault.
At that time, the house of Castro had already been torn down. It is currently a garden.
DeJesus, adorned in a stunning white gown, had the opportunity to experience the quinceañera celebration she had never had before. Additionally, she successfully completed her high school education. Two years later, DeJesus and Berry accomplished their goals.
Their memoir, “Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland,” was published in April 2015. It was co-written by Berry and DeJesus, in collaboration with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan, journalists from the Washington Post.
Berry currently collaborates with a nearby news station that focuses on the coverage of lost minors and grown-ups in the Cleveland region.
“That’s the most important thing that I’m doing right now,” Berry said. “I just want to make the world a better place.”.
Berry is also caring for Jocelyn, who is now 13 and flourishing.
“Erin Hennessey, Jocelyn’s previous educator,” stated, “exceptionally insightful for her age, she has always been described as such. I could not find more fitting words to articulate how extraordinary Jocelyn is.”
DeJesus stated, “In 2018, I founded the Family Center for Missing Adults and Children in Cleveland to assist the police station in aiding families and guiding the media in their efforts to help.”
Sylvia Colon, DeJesus’ relative and the co-creator of the facility, expressed, “Whilst they are searching for a relative, no family ought to ever suffer that sort of agony and Gina genuinely believes no family should have to seek assistance for anything and we truly faced difficulties as a family when she vanished.”
Most astonishingly, DeJesus’ organization is situated on the identical street where she was held captive for a lengthy nine years.
She expressed her desire to transform the community, aiming to create a more optimistic atmosphere and contribute to its betterment.