Yesterday Cleveland police charged Ariel Castro with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape, setting his bail at $8 million–$2 million per case. Castro was arrested after Amanda Berry escaped from his house after ten years in captivity along with Georgina “Gina” DeJesus and Michelle Knight. Castro’s two brothers were also arrested though will not have charges filed against them. Berry was able to escape with her 6-year old daughter (born in confinement) after Charles Ramsey aided her escape from Castro’s imprisonment.
In a disturbing twist in the case, 19 Action News reporter Scott Taylor of Cleveland, wrote on his Twitter feed that he obtained a copy of a suicide letter written by Castro in an attempt to seemingly make sense of his own sick addictions.
The letter in question has yet to be published, though Taylor released excerpts on his Twitter feed.
I just got a copy of a letter written by Ariel Castro in 2004. Cops found it in his house. He says “I am a sexual predator. I need help”
— Scott Taylor (@ScottTaylor19) May 9, 2013
Castro writes “They are here against their will because they made a mistake of getting in a car with a total stranger.”
— Scott Taylor (@ScottTaylor19) May 9, 2013
Castro continues “I don’t know why I kept looking for another. I already had 2 in my possession.”
— Scott Taylor (@ScottTaylor19) May 9, 2013
Castro writes about wanting to kill himself and “give all the money I saved to my victims.”
— Scott Taylor (@ScottTaylor19) May 9, 2013
Castro writes he was surprised how young Gina Dejesus really is cause he thought she was a lotolder.
— Scott Taylor (@ScottTaylor19) May 9, 2013
Photos also emerged of Castro, who appeared normal by many neighborhood dwellers, depicting padlocks on both the basement door and garage doors, though nobody in his inner-circle ever seemed to question them after 10-years. It was reported that all three women were chained initially in the basement but allowed up the second floor of Castro’s home. The women were allowed outside in the backyard on rare circumstances under the guise of wigs and sunglasses.
According to the police report released yesterday, Michelle Knight delivered Berry’s now 6-year old daughter in a blow up swimming pool inside Castro’s home. Castro is assumed to be the father. The report states that Castro impregnated Knight five times, and each time she was forced to undergo an utterly horrific abortion. Castro reportedly starved Knight “for at least two weeks, then he repeatedly punched her in the stomach until she miscarried.”
Castro likely will face additional charges after a grand jury hearing. He was represented today by a public defender. Knight remains in the hospital but both Berry and DeJesus went home to their families on yesterday, each declining, understandably, to speak with the slew out media camped outside their respective homes.
