Return of the lost
This seems to be the week for the return of the disappeared, presumed dead.
First it was Brenda Heist, whose disappearance was voluntary; she ran away and stayed away till now. Now comes the story of three Cleveland girls, ages 16 (almost 17), 14, and 20 when abducted in 2003, 2004, and 2001, who have now been liberated. The story’s details are unclear, but they appear to have been held prisoner by their kidnapper a la Jaycee Dugard or Elizabeth Smart.
The guy on this video is quite the character. But he’s a hero nevertheless:
A 52-year old man named Ariel Castro has been arrested.
I can see how a young person might be held captive by a couple, but I don’t see how three young people can be held captive for many years by one person. This guy never slept? He never left the house?
Steve: First of all, it depends how he modified the physical plant. He had lived in the house since before the kidnappings, so he had plenty of time to plan and get it ready. In most of these situations the person has prepared a room that is like a prison (or worse—not a room but an underground bunker). He kidnapped first one, and probably placed her in the space alone. Then slowly over time he added the others. If you have read other accounts of similar crimes you’d see how it could be done.
I also have read that two other people (his brothers) have also been arrested. My guess is that Ariel Castro wasn’t the only person involved.
Charles Ramsey, the funny fellow in the video who broke them out, said the porch door was rigged so it would only open enough to get a hand through; they had to kick the door and break it.
Loved his comment at the end: too funny!
Your mention of Jaycee Dugard brought back memories of my Grand Jury ‘stint.’
We were impaneled because the defense attorney was stalling in every imaginable way — so the District Attorney had to begin to seek an indictment via (our) Grand Jury.
We were no sooner seated and sworn in but the Deputy District Attorney received a phone call. The defense had caved: responding to the DA in court — initiating the indictment phase of proceedings under law — the first step towards judgment.
As a consequence of being on that Grand Jury I heard stuff that has not yet been made public (SFAIK) that’d curl your hair. The really damning crimes have not reached print.
IIRC, the defense avoided a jury trial — probably because any sitting jury would leave their seats to strangle the defendant.
===========
That California officialdom couldn’t find the perp — is right up there with the underwear bomber and the Boston terrorists.
Web pages and personal license plates — drug distribution incomes — sabbaticals in the ‘Stans… letters from KSA… notifications from the FSB….
So…
Giving this fallible government MORE power is going to help… exactly HOW?
That guy was pumped.
I am not surprised he has accomplices and they are members of his family. That seems to be a pattern in other long-term kidnappings of girls (usually by a husband and wife). It will be interesting to know the immigration status of Castro and his brothers.
Similar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritzl_case
Ray milan
Lost weekend
Steve, if you haven’t seen it, they were supposedly originally from Puerto Rico, so here legally.