Cleveland captives issue video thanking public
Source: Agencies |
July 10, 2013, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THREE women who police say were held captive in a Cleveland home for about a decade have issued a video in which they thanked the public for the encouragement and financial support that are allowing them to restart their lives.
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight broke their public silence in the three-and-a-half-minute video posted on Monday night on YouTube. They said the support and prayers of family, friends and the public are allowing them to rebuild their lives after what Berry called "this entire ordeal."
The women had gone missing separately between 2002 and 2004, when DeJesus was 14, Berry 16, and Knight 20.
In the video, none of the women had any visible scars of the abuse they said they suffered at the hands of Ariel Castro, who has pleaded not guilty to a 329-count indictment alleging he kidnapped them off the streets and held them captive in his home. They were smiling and appeared upbeat.
Castro, a 52-year-old former bus driver, fathered a six -year-old daughter with Berry and is accused of starving and punching Knight, causing her to miscarry. He was arrested May 6, shortly after Berry broke through a door at the home and yelled to neighbors for help.
Berry, the only one of the women whose photographs have appeared since her release, had shorter hair with a streak.
Knight wore glasses, had cropped hair and spoke haltingly. She said that she is building a "brand new life."
"I may have been through hell and back, but I am strong enough to walk through hell with a smile on my face and my head held high," she said, reading from a statement.
"I will not let the situation define who I am. I will define the situation. I don't want to be consumed by hatred."
DeJesus' parents, Felix DeJesus and Nancy Ruiz, thanked the public for donations to a fund set up to help the women. Ruiz encouraged parents with missing loved ones to reach out for assistance. "Count on your neighbors," she said.
Kathy Joseph, Knight's attorney, said in a statement that the three women wanted to "say thank you to people from Cleveland and across the world, now that two months have passed."
James Wooley, an attorney for Berry and DeJesus, said Knight and his clients thank people for the privacy they've been given and do not want to discuss their case.
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight broke their public silence in the three-and-a-half-minute video posted on Monday night on YouTube. They said the support and prayers of family, friends and the public are allowing them to rebuild their lives after what Berry called "this entire ordeal."
The women had gone missing separately between 2002 and 2004, when DeJesus was 14, Berry 16, and Knight 20.
In the video, none of the women had any visible scars of the abuse they said they suffered at the hands of Ariel Castro, who has pleaded not guilty to a 329-count indictment alleging he kidnapped them off the streets and held them captive in his home. They were smiling and appeared upbeat.
Castro, a 52-year-old former bus driver, fathered a six -year-old daughter with Berry and is accused of starving and punching Knight, causing her to miscarry. He was arrested May 6, shortly after Berry broke through a door at the home and yelled to neighbors for help.
Berry, the only one of the women whose photographs have appeared since her release, had shorter hair with a streak.
Knight wore glasses, had cropped hair and spoke haltingly. She said that she is building a "brand new life."
"I may have been through hell and back, but I am strong enough to walk through hell with a smile on my face and my head held high," she said, reading from a statement.
"I will not let the situation define who I am. I will define the situation. I don't want to be consumed by hatred."
DeJesus' parents, Felix DeJesus and Nancy Ruiz, thanked the public for donations to a fund set up to help the women. Ruiz encouraged parents with missing loved ones to reach out for assistance. "Count on your neighbors," she said.
Kathy Joseph, Knight's attorney, said in a statement that the three women wanted to "say thank you to people from Cleveland and across the world, now that two months have passed."
James Wooley, an attorney for Berry and DeJesus, said Knight and his clients thank people for the privacy they've been given and do not want to discuss their case.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
