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| Cleveland officials hail bravery of missing women | Cleveland officials hail bravery of missing women |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Officials have praised the bravery of three women who have been found alive in a house in Cleveland, Ohio, after vanishing about a decade ago. | |
| Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 in 2003, Gina DeJesus went missing aged 14 a year later, and Michelle Knight vanished in 2002 aged around 19. | Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 in 2003, Gina DeJesus went missing aged 14 a year later, and Michelle Knight vanished in 2002 aged around 19. |
| A school bus driver and his two brothers have been arrested. | A school bus driver and his two brothers have been arrested. |
| Police told a news conference that they had been called to the alleged captor's home twice - in 2000 and 2004. | Police told a news conference that they had been called to the alleged captor's home twice - in 2000 and 2004. |
| The three women, who had been taken to hospital for a check-up and to meet their relatives, were released on Tuesday morning. | |
| 'Weight of justice' | 'Weight of justice' |
| In the news briefing, law enforcement officials said a six-year-old girl also rescued from the home was believed to be the daughter of Amanda Berry. | In the news briefing, law enforcement officials said a six-year-old girl also rescued from the home was believed to be the daughter of Amanda Berry. |
| FBI Special Agent Stephen Anthony said: "The nightmare is over. These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival and perseverance. The healing can now begin." | FBI Special Agent Stephen Anthony said: "The nightmare is over. These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival and perseverance. The healing can now begin." |
| "Yes, law enforcement professionals do cry," he added. | "Yes, law enforcement professionals do cry," he added. |
| He vowed that prosecutors would "bring the full weight of justice" against their alleged captor. | He vowed that prosecutors would "bring the full weight of justice" against their alleged captor. |
| Cleveland police chief Michael McGrath told the news conference: "Thankfully, thankfully, due to Amanda's brave actions these three women are alive today." | Cleveland police chief Michael McGrath told the news conference: "Thankfully, thankfully, due to Amanda's brave actions these three women are alive today." |
| He added the women are believed to have been tied up and held at the house since they were teenagers or in their early 20s. | |
| Officials said they may also want to investigate other properties. | |
| They did not make any comment on the case of a fourth missing girl, Ashley Summers, who disappeared in the same area in July 2007 when she was 14 years old. | |
| According to the Charley Project website, her case was investigated as possibly linked to the disappearance of Ms Berry and Ms DeJesus. | |
| 'Home seemed vacant' | |
| Ms Berry, now 27, escaped on Monday evening when a neighbour heard her screaming and kicking a door, while her alleged captor was out of the house at 2207 Seymour Ave. | |
| Rescuer Charles Ramsey said he had helped kick in a metal door so that Ms Berry could climb outside. | |
| In a frantic call to police on Monday, Ms Berry said: "I'm Amanda Berry. I've been on the news for the last 10 years." | |
| In a recording of the call released to news media, Ms Berry can be heard begging the authorities to come to the house before her alleged captor returned. | |
| Meanwhile, neighbour Ana Tejeda said she was sitting outside her house with friends when they heard someone kicking the door and screaming. | |
| Ms Tejeda refused to believe the young woman at first. "You're not Amanda Berry. Amanda Berry is dead," she said, according to the Associated Press. | |
| But other neighbours say they did not realise anybody was living at the house. | |
| Juan Perez, speaking to NBC's Today show, said: "I thought the home was vacant. I thought he probably had another property and he would just come and check and see if everything is OK. | |
| "I didn't even know anybody lived there." | |
| School bus driver Ariel Castro, 52, and his two brothers, Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50, have been taken into custody. | School bus driver Ariel Castro, 52, and his two brothers, Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50, have been taken into custody. |
| During the news conference, Public Safety Director Martin Flask said that in March 2000, Mr Castro had called the authorities to report a fight on his street, but no arrest was made. | During the news conference, Public Safety Director Martin Flask said that in March 2000, Mr Castro had called the authorities to report a fight on his street, but no arrest was made. |
| In January 2004, police called at Mr Castro's home but no-one answered. They were alerted by children's services after a child was left at a depot on a school bus that Mr Castro had been driving. Authorities concluded there had been no criminal intent. | In January 2004, police called at Mr Castro's home but no-one answered. They were alerted by children's services after a child was left at a depot on a school bus that Mr Castro had been driving. Authorities concluded there had been no criminal intent. |
| Ms Berry had last been heard from aged 16 when she called her sister on 21 April 2003 to say she would get a lift home from her job at a Burger King restaurant. | Ms Berry had last been heard from aged 16 when she called her sister on 21 April 2003 to say she would get a lift home from her job at a Burger King restaurant. |
| In 2004, Ms DeJesus - who is now 23 years old - was believed to have been on her way home from school when she went missing. | |
| Their disappearances had made local headlines in Cleveland, and many assumed the girls were dead. | Their disappearances had made local headlines in Cleveland, and many assumed the girls were dead. |
| The case of Michelle Knight, who was older than the other women when she disappeared, was less widely publicised. | The case of Michelle Knight, who was older than the other women when she disappeared, was less widely publicised. |
| Her grandmother, Deborah Knight, was quoted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper on Monday as saying that the authorities concluded she had run away. | Her grandmother, Deborah Knight, was quoted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper on Monday as saying that the authorities concluded she had run away. |
| The relatives of the victims have responded with shock and delight. Sylvia Colon, a relative of Gina DeJesus, said the family had never given up hope, holding vigils every year and keeping memorials outside the house. | The relatives of the victims have responded with shock and delight. Sylvia Colon, a relative of Gina DeJesus, said the family had never given up hope, holding vigils every year and keeping memorials outside the house. |
| But Ms Berry's mother, Louwana, died in March 2006 after spending months in hospital with pancreatitis and other medical issues, three years after her daughter went missing. | |
| In an extraordinary twist, it emerged that Ariel Castro's son - also called Ariel, although he goes by his middle name Anthony - wrote an article about the disappearance of Gina DeJesus for his local newspaper in 2004. | In an extraordinary twist, it emerged that Ariel Castro's son - also called Ariel, although he goes by his middle name Anthony - wrote an article about the disappearance of Gina DeJesus for his local newspaper in 2004. |
| He has told US media that he is stunned by Monday's developments. | He has told US media that he is stunned by Monday's developments. |