Showing posts with label ariel castro. Show all posts

Friday, June 7, 2013

Ariel Castro indicted on 329 charges including murder and multiple counts of rape, gross sexual imposition and felonious assault

Cleveland kidnapping suspect Ariel Castro indicted on 329 charges including murder and multiple counts of rape, gross sexual imposition and felonious assault

Castro's indictment covers the period August 2002 to Feb 2007
The murder charge relates to the unlawful termination of a pregnancy
He will be arraigned next week and a trial judge will be assigned
His attorneys have said he will plead not guilty

PUBLISHED: 17:52 EST, 7 June 2013 | UPDATED: 18:04 EST, 7 June 2013

Ariel Castro, the man accused of kidnapping three women and holding them captive and sexually abusing them for a decade, was indicted on 329 charges on Friday including kidnapping and rape.

The indictment covers the period from August of 2002, when the first of the three women discovered in his Cleveland home last month disappeared, until February of 2007.

Castro, 52, was indicted for one act of aggravated murder - for purposely and with prior calculation and design causing the unlawful termination of another's pregnancy.

Locked up: Ariel Castro, pictured at his arraignment on May 9, has been taken off suicide watch in jail

Locked up: Ariel Castro, pictured at his arraignment on May 9, has been indicted on 329 charges including murder, plus multiple counts of rape, gross sexual imposition and felonious assault

He was also indicted on 139 counts of rape, 177 counts of kidnapping, seven counts of gross sexual imposition, three counts of felonious assault and one count of possession of criminal tools.

He will be arraigned on those charges next week and a trial judge will then be assigned.

‘Today's indictments represent a first major step in the criminal justice process,’ said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty.

When the indictment process is complete, the County Prosecutor's Capital Review Committee will consider whether this case is appropriate to attach the death penalty.

Castro is accused of kidnapping Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight and holding them captive along with a 6-year-old girl he fathered with Berry.

His attorneys have said he will plead not guilty to any indictment.

Held captive: Amanda Berry, left, and Gina DeJesus, right, were found living in appalling conditions

Tragic: Michelle Knight was allegedly brutalized by Ariel Castro and beaten so badly that she needs facial reconstruction surgery

Castro has been in the Cuyahoga County Jail since his arrest on May 6. He was charged on May 8 and was jailed on $8 million bond.

He was taken off 'suicide prevention' watch on Wednesday after being monitored for the past month.

Jail logs released on Wednesday also show Castro has been visited multiple times by relatives, but did not list which family members paid a visit to the suspect, News Channel 5 reported.

They also reveal that he watched a lot of television, spent a lot of time running in place and has met with his defense attorneys. He has refused time out of his cell on at least two occasions.

They show his cells being checked for contraband items - and none being found.

Jail logs last month noted that Castro spends most of his time in his cell resting or asleep, with breaks for pacing, showers and cell cleaning.

Scene: Deputies sit outside the Cleveland home where Castro allegedly kept the women for years

The logs, made every 10 minutes while he was on suicide watch, documented his movements at the Cuyahoga County jail.

Castro's attorney, Craig Weintraub, described Castro's cell as a 9-by-9-foot cell containing a metal bed with a thin mattress covered in plastic, a metal sink, and some kind of mirror.

Previous logs said Castro walked around the cell naked early in his confinement, though he later covered up.

The logs show Castro periodically asks for the time, looks out the window and stares at the ceiling. Other entries show him thanking guards for bringing his breakfast and wishing them a good day.

Castro, a former school bus driver, was arrested May 6 after one of the women, Amanda Berry, kicked out part of a locked door of his house and yelled to neighbors to help her and call police.

Police quickly arrived and found Berry in the street before racing through the house, freeing Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight. The women were admitted to a hospital but have been released.

The three disappeared between 2002 and 2004, when they were in their teens or early 20s, authorities said.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Amanda Berry is living in a waking 'nightmare'

Amanda Berry is living in a waking 'nightmare' according to her father - living in fear that accused Cleveland captor Ariel Castro is 'coming after her' despite lawyers claim kidnapping victims are fine

Johnny Berry, 52, is full of rage at Ariel Castro and says if he could kill him - he would
Wants him to rot in jail where he says he can arrange for him to be beaten
Revealed his daughter, Amanda, 27, has not recovered from her traumatic ordeal

The father of Amanda Berry has revealed how his daughter is struggling to recover after ten years in captivity in Cleveland and is petrified that her accused kidnapper Ariel Castro is coming back for her.

Johnny Berry, 52, who is dying from a deadly pulmonary disease, told the National Enquirer that 'Amanda's having a terrible time. She's having nightmares every night, waking up screaming and crying, terrified that Castro is coming after her, or that she's still a prisoner.

'She's told me she's afraid her freedom is a dream and she's going to wake up to the horror of finding out she is still a prisoner.'

But as Amanda Berry recovers from her decade-long prison ordeal, her father has spoken of his anger to declare that he would like to kill her accused kidnapper Ariel Castro.

'If I could get my hands on that monster Castro, I'd kill him myself!' said Berry from his death bed in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

Near paralyzed from recent back surgery, Berry, who is covered in tattoos and wears an uncomfortable neck brace, explained that if he can't kill Castro, then he wants him to rot in jail for the rest of his life.

Father's Anger: Johnny Berry - the father of Amanda Berry - has spoken of his rage at her accused kidnapper Ariel Castro and his desire to kill him

If I can't kill him, I don't want the state to execute him,' said Berry to the National Enquirer. 'That would be too easy for him.'

John Berry poses with a photo of his daughter, Amanda Berry, outside his home in Elizabethton, Tennessee, on Wednesday, May 8, 2013

'I want him in prison for the rest of his life. I know people in there who can make his life a living hell for what he did to Amanda. I want them to beat the s**t out of him every single day.'

Amanda Berry was dramatically rescued from Ariel Castro's Cleveland, Ohio, home along with Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight and her own six year old child by Castro, Jocelyn on May 6th.

The three women had been kept prisoner by Castro for almost ten years and suffered systematic rapes, beatings and induced abortions at the hands of the 52-year-old former school bus driver.

It has been claimed that the three dogs who lived in the home with the girls were kept in better condition that they were - and the girls still have to decide whether they want to take them back.

The last time that Johnny Berry saw his daughter, she was working as a 16-year-old in the local Burger King, enjoying her time at school where she was doing well.

Amanda Berry (center) and her daughter Jocelyn (right) reunited with her sister Beth (left) on May 6, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio after Berry and two other women who had been missing for a decade were found alive in a house

A view outside the house where Ariel Castro allegedly held captive Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight in Cleveland, Ohio

Now, Johnny, who has served time himself in jail for sexual battery and aggravated assault, has expressed his fears that he may never see his daughter again or the grand-daughter he has never met.

However, he told the National Enquirer that he has at least spoken to Amanda twice since her lucky escape earlier this month.

'When she called me, her voice was the most beautiful sound I ever heard,' said Johnny.

'She said, 'Hi daddy. I'm still alive. I love you, love you, love you!' We were both crying...it was the happiest day of my life.'

Amanda, who is now 27 is living currently with her sister Beth Serrano in Cleveland and is said to be suffering from the horrifying memories of her ordeal at the hands of Castro.

Accused: Ariel Castro stands with his head down during his arraignment on kidnapping and rape charges on May 9, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio

This is one of the dogs that the three women held captive in Cleveland, Ohio now have to decide if they want to take back

The other two dogs rescued from the Cleveland house of horrors are pictured here

Johnny was married to Amanda's mother, Louwana Miller up until one month before Amanda's disappearance. She died in 2005.

'I can't say I was the best dad in the world,' admitted Johnny. 'I feel a lot of guilt that I wasn't there for Amanda when she needed me.

'If I had known where she was, I would have gotten a gun and gone over there and gotten her out myself, but we had no idea. It was like she just disappeared off the face of the earth.'

These undated file handout photos provided by the FBI show Amanda Berry, (left), and Georgina 'Gina' Dejesus

Severe beatings: Michelle Knight, pictured, the longest-held Cleveland kidnap victim, suffered such severe beatings while locked inside the house of horrors that she may need facial reconstruction surgery, her family said Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2323336/Ohio-kidnap-victim-Michelle-Knight-need-facial-reconstruction-surgery-years-brutal-beatings.html#ixzz2TPxzTLKq Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Despite his confirmation that his daughter is struggling, the three women rescued after being held captive in a Cleveland house for about a decade want the community to know they are doing fine and appreciate offers of help.

The message was relayed in a letter released Tuesday by their attorneys.

The letter said Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight are happy and safe. A charity fund to help the women has raised more than $650,000 from more than 6,800 donors.

Berry broke through a locked door on May 6, yelled to neighbors for help and enabled Knight and DeJesus to escape.

'These three brave women have asked us to give this message to everyone who has expressed concern and support,' said the attorneys, who are representing the women for free.

Beth Serrano, sister of Amanda Berry, speaks to the media after the arrival of Berry at Serrano's home Wednesday, May 8, 2013, in Cleveland

'Amanda, Gina and Michelle want you to know they are doing well. They are happy and safe and continue to heal, a process that requires time and privacy.

'To have complete strangers offer loving support in the form of money, goods and services, reaching out to help like a family member, is appreciated in ways that are impossible to put into words.'

Ariel Castro, a 52-year-old former school bus driver, has been charged with three counts of rape and four counts of kidnapping, one for each of the three women and one for Berry's 6-year-old daughter fathered by Castro.

His defense team says he will plead not guilty. The case is pending before a Cuyahoga County grand jury.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Innocent or Guilty Time will tell or Was this Hell on earth

'It was like they were prisoners of war:' Gina DeJesus cannot move her head after being chained up with Michelle Knight in basement for years, say medics

The basement where the women were held had chains coming from the wall, and dog leashes attached to the ceiling, according to police sources
Description comes as lawyers for Castro announce that he will plead not guilty to kidnapping and rape charges
The women were restrained with them and duct tape in 'stress positions' for long periods that left them with bed sores and other injuries
Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were in worse condition than Amanda Berry with the source saying: 'There is a reason why you have only seen a picture of Amanda
Abductor would duct tape the women over all parts of their faces, even their eyes, only leaving an opening so they could breathe
Former daughter-in-law Monica Stephens says Castro always gave her 'the heebie-jeebies'
The women, especially DeJesus and Knight, were now exhibiting signs of malnutrition as Ariel Castro used food as a means to torment them

By REUTERS REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 23:22 EST, 14 May 2013 | UPDATED: 10:22 EST, 15 May 2013

Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, two of the women imprisoned in a Cleveland house in conditions described as similar to a prisoner of war camp, have suffered from severe malnutrition.

The women will require long-term therapy for injuries such as hearing loss and joint and muscle damage, two sources with direct knowledge said.

The harrowing details come as Castro's attorneys claim he's not the 'monster' depicted in news reports - and he will plead not guilty to kidnapping and rape charges.

Survivors: Michelle Knight, left, and Gina DeJesus, right, were in worse condition then Amanda Berry when they emerged from at least nine years in captivity at the home of Ariel Castro

Freedom: Amanda Berry, right, hugs her sister Beth Serrano after being reunited in a Cleveland hospital after she was freed from captivity

Castro's lawyer, Craig Weintraub, told WKYC-TV: 'The initial portrayal by the media has been one of a 'monster' and that's not the impression that I got when I talked to him for three hours.

'I know that family members who have been interviewed by the media have expressed that as well.'

The basement where the women were held had chains coming from the wall, and dog leashes attached to the ceiling, the sources said.

Man of 'monster'?: A report says that Castro had no interest in having children with Michelle Knight, because she was only 4-foot-7 and believed her to be 'mentally disabled'

The women were restrained with them and duct tape in 'stress positions' for long periods that left them with bed sores and other injuries, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the investigation, who asked not to be identified.

Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were in worse condition than Amanda Berry when they emerged from at least nine years in captivity at the home of Ariel Castro, accused of kidnapping and raping the women.

Castro appeared to treat Berry - his 'favorite' - better than the other two, the sources said.

'There is a reason why you have only seen a picture of Amanda,' said one of the sources, referring to the condition of DeJesus and Knight.

Knight told investigators she fell pregnant five times, but lost the baby each time. She said that Castro starved and repeatedly punched her in the stomach to force her to miscarry.

Police sources told the National Enquirer that Castro had no interest in having children with Knight, because she was only 4-foot-7 and believed her to be 'mentally disabled.'

The magazine's source added that he was grooming his 6-year-old daughter with Amanda, Joselyn, as another sex slave because the other captives 'were getting to old for him.'

Berry, who broke down a door to freedom a week ago with the help of a neighbor, and then told police of the other women, was photographed smiling immediately after the dramatic rescue. Berry has a six-year-old daughter fathered by Castro in captivity.

Horrific crimes: Ariel Castro, 52, is charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape

In contrast, DeJesus wore a hooded sweat-shirt covering her head when she first went home last week, and Knight was hospitalized for days, and has stayed out of public view.

The sources said DeJesus and Knight were gaunt and had closely cropped hair when they were freed.

One of the sources, who has been in the house, said the basement had chains coming from the walls and 'dog leashes attached to the ceiling,' Knight and DeJesus told police they spent extensive time in the basement.

A second source corroborated the details.

'One of the girls has difficulty moving her head around from being chained up,' said one of the sources. The second source identified DeJesus as the woman suffering this injury.

Scene: A 10-foot fence has been erected around Ariel Castro's now-boarded up house on Seymour Avenue

'It was like they were POWs (prisoners of war). They had bed sores from being left in positions for extended lengths of time,' a source said.

The details are the latest startling picture to emerge of Castro, whose own family has come forward to describe patterns of abuse and bizarre behavior.

Monica Stephens - who was at one point married to Castro's son, Anthony - told CNN's Piers Morgan that she once visited the home on Seymour Avenue, and was struck by how Castro would 'obsessively' keep things locked up.

She told Morgan: 'Ariel Castro always gave me the heebie-jeebies.'

All the bedroom doors in the house had padlocks on the outside and the rooms were spare with only a mattress on the floor.

Their movement through the house was very restricted, the women have told authorities.

Discomfort: Ariel Castro's ex-daughter-in-law Monica Stephens says that the jailed kidnapping suspect always gave me the heebie-jeebies'

'If he left for long periods of time he would sometimes duct tape-up the women over all parts of their faces, even their eyes, only leaving an opening so they could breathe. Then he would just rip it off pulling off skin and hair,' one of the sources said.

A police report said Knight was starved for weeks at a time and punched in the stomach to induce several miscarriages. A county prosecutor intends to file fetal homicide charges against Castro in connection with the miscarriages.

The women, especially DeJesus and Knight, were now exhibiting signs of malnutrition as Castro used food as a means to torment them, one of the sources said.

'He would bring food to one or two of the girls and made the others watch as they or he would eat in front of them,' the source said.

Knight and DeJesus would sneak food to each other, this source said.

Castro generally kept one woman upstairs and the other two - usually Knight and DeJesus - in the basement, the source said.

Wasteland: Photos show the heaping pile of random items left in Ariel Castro's backyard

Blocked off: Police boarded up the door with the new piece of plywood but the older gray planks of wood were added to block the window panes by Castro himself

Despite their ordeal, a Cleveland city council member stressed that the women are reveling in their freedom.

'They are doing well, doing very well. They are thriving and enjoying their freedom,' City Councilman Brian Cummins said on Monday.

The sources asked to be anonymous because they were not authorized to speak on the record. They were discussing some of the details of the captivity because they felt tight information control had left the impression that authorities ignored calls and reports about Castro's house that could have freed the women sooner.

Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath on Monday issued a statement defending the police department's policy of restricting information on the crimes.

'The disclosure of sensitive information and details of these horrendous crimes only further victimize three young women. The criticism of law enforcement efforts is disheartening. The dissemination of misinformation erodes the critical relationship between law enforcement and community,' McGrath said.

Little is known about the relationship among the three women. Knight, who is now 32, Berry, 27 and DeJesus, 23, have not spoken publicly.

Home: The DeJesus family celebrates the homecoming of their daughter Gina

Recovery: The family of Amanda Berry celebrates the homecoming of their daughter after her painful captivity

Psychologists say the women, who did not know each other before they were abducted, likely formed a bond that may have been strengthened by the young girl born during their captivity.

Knight delivered Berry's daughter in a plastic children's swimming pool and gave the baby mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the police report said.

'The closest parallel would be prisoners of war,' Sherry Hamby, a psychology professor at the University of South, Sewanee, said of the girl's possible relationship.

Berry and DeJesus, along with Berry's daughter, have since been reunited with their families. Knight, who is estranged from some of her family members, according to her grandmother, has gone into seclusion.

Terri Weaver, a professor of psychology at the St. Louis University, said although it remains unclear how regularly they interacted, the girls were likely helped by each other's presence.

'Having someone who has been a witness to those intimate details can really forge a powerful bond because there is a shared understanding,' she said.

It is unclear how the women's relationship may develop as they put their lives back together.

Psychologists said that as people who have suffered traumatic experiences rebuild their lives, the bond is frequently maintained

Investigator: Castro loves daughter, will plead 'not guilty'

9:13 PM, May 14, 2013

Tom Meyer

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Tom Meyer

CLEVELAND -- Attorneys for Ariel Castro say he will plead "not guilty to all charges" if a Cuyahoga County grand jury indicts Castro on kidnapping and rape charges in connection with the decade-long disappearance of three women.

Speaking exclusively to the Investigator Tom Meyer, attorneys Craig Weintraub and Jaye Schlachet say that Castro has been wrongly depicted in news accounts.

The initial portrayal by the media has been one of a 'monster' and that's not the impression that I got when I talked to him for three hours," Weintraub said. "I know that family members who have been interviewed by the media have expressed that as well."

Castro, 52, is currently in the Cuyahoga County Jail on charges of kidnapping and raping Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus in his Seymour Avenue house on Cleveland's near west side. Knight was reported missing in 2002, Berry in 2003 and DeJesus in 2004.

Police sources told Channel 3 News last week that Castro led detectives with exacting detail through the abductions, from how he met them to what they were wearing that day.

Castro also told police he was addicted to sex and could not control his impulses, the sources said.

Weintraub said that Castro has not admitted anything to him, including the kidnappings.

When asked how the three women ended up in Castro's home, Weintraub said: "That fact will be disclosed as the case progresses. I am aware of how he came into contact with them."

DNA tests have also confirmed that Castro fathered a child with Berry, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has said.

"I can tell you that Mr. Castro is extremely committed to the well being and positive future for his daughter, who he loves dearly," said Schlachet. "And if people find that to be a disconnect from what he's alleged to have done, then the people will just have to deal with it. We just know how he feels about his little girl."

The attorneys say they plan to mount the "best defense we can."

"I know the media wants to jump to conclusions and all the people in the community want to say terrible things about the person who's accused," Schlachet said. "We are not even at the beginning of the process. If this was a marathon race, we're not even at the starting line yet."

They may also seek a change of venue in an effort to make sure Castro gets a fair trial, given that "this happened in Cuyahoga County, (and) it's on the heels of the (Anthony) Sowell case," said Weintraub. Sowell was convicted of murdering 11 women whose bodies were found inside his house in 2009.

Both attorneys say they have taken the case to make sure Castro gets a fair trial.

"We're here to make sure that people can exercise their constitutional rights to have an attorney and a fair trial," Weintraub said. "This is simply to ensure the integrity of the process, and if that means that you have to take on difficult or hard cases then so be it, and I've elected to do that."

In the meantime, Castro is currently being held in isolation under suicide watch.

"He's watched completely," said Schlachet said. "He has a window through his door. He doesn't have a television, doesn't have radio, doesn't have magazines, no access to newspapers. He's completely isolated from society."

WKYC-TV

Friday, May 10, 2013

Castro's Mother On The Run

Come on folks lets be reasonable. This Castro stole the lives of 3 women. With the raping, confinement and the torture, these young ladies will never be normal. They are like those who lived in the Concentration Camps that the Nazis set up. The beatings the chains the S and M desire for this demented man will cause these ladies years and years of recovery worse then drug addiction.
What show admission of guilt is the mother of Castro fleeing when she had the rapist Grand Daughter over. I know as a mother if a child suddenly appeared on my step with my son questions would come out of my mouth such as who is the mother and why haven't I met her ? I would question my son then the child where do you live , Is daddy around and what is your mommy's name.
I believe by running away Castro's mother is as guilty as her son for leaving. There is no difference between Castro's mom and the Bombers wife Katherine with guilt, They both had a hand in the crime one way or another. This may not be in your crime books here in America but it is in the crime history of the Middle East where Muslims capture women hold them as sex slaves beat them and then at the end of the day kill them after they get old. I suggest the Criminologist should look into the Koran for these answers.

Ohio kidnap suspect’s family 'pack their bags and flee' as mother apologizes 'for what my son has done'

Marisol Alicea believed to be Ariel Castro's sister was seen with packed bags
She was picked up by their mother Lillian Rodriguez from Cleveland home
Pair dropped the family dog off with a friend before speeding away
Apology from Lillian Rodriguez who calls herself 'a mother in a lot of pain'
His brother, Pedro and Onil, do not face charges in the case

By JILL REILLY

PUBLISHED: 03:56 EST, 10 May 2013 | UPDATED: 04:40 EST, 10 May 2013

Carrying bags with their heads down, Ariel Castro's family looked frantic as they hurriedly sped off in a car today.

Marisol Alicea, believed to be alleged kidnapper Castro's sister, was picked up by their mother, Lillian Rodriguez, from her home in Cleveland, Ohio.

It is unclear where the family are headed - their quick exit has fuelled rumors they are fleeing town to escape the media frenzy.

Leaving town: Marisol Alicea, believed to be kidnapper Ariel Castro's sister, gets picked up by their mother, Lillian Rodriguez, from her home in Cleveland, Ohio today

Frantic: Talking animatedly on her mobile phone Marisol Alicea was seen with two bags as she climbed into her mother's awaiting red 4x4

Talking animatedly on her mobile phone Marisol Alicea was seen with two bags as she climbed into her mother's awaiting red 4x4.

Police officers stood guard near the car and Marisol Alicea put her hand up to cover her face as the car sped away.

More...

A friend was seen holding the family dog suggesting the pair will be away for a some time.

Yesterday Lillian Rodriguez tearfully apologized for her son's actions and said she is 'in a lot of pain'.

She spoke to reporters from the window of her car as she left her home, which she shares with her son Pedro, who was also arrested in connection with the kidnappings but who has not been charged.

'I am a mother in a lot of pain,' she said in Spanish. 'I am sorry for what my son has done.'

Bags packed: Lillian Rodriguez sped away with her daughter in the front seat of the car

Loose ends: The pair dropped the family dog off with a friend before leaving town

Leaving: Two police officers are seen next to Lillian Rodriguez's car. Police are believed to have questioned Rodriguez earlier this week, but there is no indication she knew of her son's allegedly heinous crimes

She added that she is sorry for the mothers of the three women - Amanda Berry, 26, Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32 - whom her son allegedly raped and beat while holding them captive.

Police are believed to have questioned Rodriguez earlier this week, but there is no indication she knew of her son's allegedly heinous crimes.

She did, however, know the six-year-old girl, Jocelyn, who was born to Berry while she was held captive.

Authorities said it is likely the suspect is the father but are carrying out paternity DNA tests.

The young girl was the only victim to ever leave the fortified home on Seymour Avenue and is believed to have called Rodriguez 'grandmother'.

Apology: Lillian Rodriguez spoke to reporters as she left her home to says she was sorry for her son's actions

In court: Ariel Castro was formally charged with kidnapping and raping the three women on Thursday

Locked up: Castro talks with his public defender, Kathleen DeMetz, during his arraignment on the charges

Released: Brothers Onil (left) and Pedro (right) were not charged in connection with the kidnappings

Today MailOnline revealed that one of the Castro's daughters Arlene Castro said that her father Ariel should be executed for what he did to the women.

The revelations of her father's alleged involvement in Gina DeJesus' disappearance were particularly devastating, as Arlene and Gina were classmates and close friends before she vanished.

Ms Castro had been the last person to see DeJesus, then 14, before she was allegedly snatched by her father in 2004 and imprisoned in his Cleveland home.

She feels that only the death penalty can make him 'suffer the consequences' for allegedly keeping Gina, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight in captivity for a decade.

MailOnline can also reveal that Ariel's five children have vowed never to visit him in prison because they are so disgusted by him.

Emotional: Ariel Castro's daughter Arlene burst into tears as she apologized to her best friend Gina DeJesus, who was kidnapped by her father and held captive for nearly 10 years

Emotional: Ariel Castro's daughter Arlene pictured during a Good Morning America interview on Thursday, has called on her father to receive the death penalty

Best of friends: Arlene Castro (right) was the last person to see Gina DeJesus (left) in 2004. Arlene's father Ariel has been charged in her abduction

Best of friends: Arlene Castro (right) was the last person to see Gina DeJesus (left) before she vanished in 2004. Arlene's father Ariel has been charged in her abduction

They also look away from the TV whenever he comes on because they are outraged that he 'used' them to find his prey.

That the call for Ariel to face the death penalty comes from Arlene is a clear sign of the rage she feels towards her father - but also the guilt at being an unwitting part of his twisted scheme.

In a separate interview, also with The Plain Dealer, Castro's cousin, Maria Castro-Montes, also apologized to the women.

'We are horribly sorry for what the three of you went through,' she said, adding that Castro does not 'define this family and we hope that people don't judge an entire family on one persons actions.'

'We will get through this, our greatest concern is for those three girls,' she said. 'From one family to another, we feel your pain. I feel horrible that their families for their daughters for so many years. Those families always believe.'

With tears in her eyes, she added that she never suspected Ariel's dark secret, calling him a loving cousin, father and son, during a television interview on Thursday.

Castro's daughter, Arlene Castro, also became emotional as she asked for the forgiveness of Gina DeJesus, her best friend.

Locked up: Three missing women were found at this home, owned by Castro, in Cleveland on Monday

Found: Gina DeJesus, left, was just 14 when she vanished in 2004, while another alleged victim Amanda Berry, right, was 16 when she went missing in 2003. Both women were found on Monday

Missing: Michelle Knight, now 32, was also found inside the home, nearly 11 years after she went missing

Their comments came as Castro, 52, was formally charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape after the three women and one of their six-year-old daughters escaped the home.

His brothers, Pedro and Onil, were also arrested on Monday in connection with the crimes but have now been released after authorities found no evidence to charge them.

Instead they faced other charges: Pedro Castro, 54, pleaded no contest to an open container charge from July 2011 and was fined $100. He was released.

Onil Castro, 50, was also released after the judge threw out charges of drug abuse and carrying an open container from November 2001.

After the court appearance on Thursday morning, they went to collect their car at an impound lot but have not yet returned to their homes, the Plain Dealer reported.

Reunited: Amanda Berry (center) is pictured with her sister Beth and her six-year-old daughter Jocelyn

Return: Gina gives a thumbs-up for the crowds as she is escorted toward her home on Wednesday

As media swarmed their houses, one of Onil's neighbors, Dolores Essenburg, told the Plain Dealer that Onil and Pedro were 'real good guys'.

It was echoed by Pedro's neighbor, Mike Jones, who added: 'He's a good guy. He never bothered nobody. He always put [Ariel] down. He didn't like him.'

Castro refused to look up at judge Lauren Moore or face the bank of TV cameras inside the courtroom today. He did not speak or acknowledge the judge when she set bond at $8 million.

Prosecutor Brian Murphy told the court Castro had kidnapped the three women, two of whom were then young teenagers, for his 'self gratifying and self serving ways'.

He said their ordeal lasted more than a decade during which time they were beaten and sexually assaulted by Castro and never allowed to leave the residence where he held them captive.

'As inexplicably as they disappeared they reappeared this week,' Murphy told the hearing. 'Today the situation has turned, your honor. Mr Castro stands before you a captive, in captivity, a prisoner, and the women are free.

House of horrors: In a photograph taken in 2001, suspect Ariel Castro stands with a former girlfriend in front of a padlocked door, which led to the basement where he allegedly kept the girls

This picture above with his hand on her breast If I was her mother and saw this picture I would have had Castro picked up for sexual assault on a minor. Someone took this picture and allowed him to continue. He should have been stopped right then and there,

'Free to resume their lives with the promise that justice will be served to to protect the victims and the community he manipulated and deceived.'

Castro, a former school bus driver, showed no reaction during the prosecutor's statement, staring intently at the floor and trying to hide his face in his jumpsuit.

The arraignment is the first step in the legal process. He will next appear at the Cuyahoga County Court where evidence will be presented to a Grand Jury to decide if the case should proceed.

It was revealed in a police press conference yesterday that Ariel Castro waived his Miranda rights and provided a detailed statement to police. He claimed there are no more victims.

It also emerged that among the 200 items collected from his home was a letter, in which Castro allegedly confesses to his crimes and writes about his desire to kill himself 'and give all the money I saved to my victims'.

Horrible details have begun to emerge about what the girls may have been forced to endure over the last decade at the hands of their captors.

Local police sources revealed that Ariel Castro would use a sick game to 'train' the three girls not to run away by pretending to leave the house, only to beat them if they tried to run free.

This is said to be just one of the manipulative tactics he used to keep the three young women in his house for up to ten years, in addition to rapes, frequent beatings and chains hanging from the ceiling.

Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry returned home to their families on Wednesday.

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