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Ohio women were held with ropes and chains, police say | Ohio women were held with ropes and chains, police say |
(35 minutes later) | |
Cleveland's police chief has said the three women held captive in an Ohio house for about a decade were restrained with ropes and chains. | Cleveland's police chief has said the three women held captive in an Ohio house for about a decade were restrained with ropes and chains. |
Michael McGrath told US broadcaster NBC that investigators believe the victims were allowed out in the backyard occasionally. | |
He added Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were in good condition "considering the circumstances". | He added Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were in good condition "considering the circumstances". |
Chief McGrath said a charging decision would come later on Wednesday. | Chief McGrath said a charging decision would come later on Wednesday. |
Former school bus driver Ariel Castro, 52, who owns the house where the women were found, has been arrested along with his two brothers, Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50. | Former school bus driver Ariel Castro, 52, who owns the house where the women were found, has been arrested along with his two brothers, Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50. |
Meanwhile, Cleveland public safety director Martin Flask said in a statement that no human remains had been found at the home, after "a thorough search". Police have said they are also searching other properties. | |
'Multiple-pregnancy reports' | 'Multiple-pregnancy reports' |
Standing near the scene, Chief McGrath told NBC's Today Show: "Currently, today, we are interviewing the suspects that were arrested here the night before last. They are talking." | |
He disputed claims by neighbours that police did not fully investigate reports of suspicious activity at 2207 Seymour Avenue, which is in a working-class district. | |
Chief McGrath said he was "absolutely" sure police did not miss any opportunities to find the women over the years. | Chief McGrath said he was "absolutely" sure police did not miss any opportunities to find the women over the years. |
Neighbours have told news organisations they had made multiple calls to police about the house to report women crying for help and the noise of pounding on doors. | |
Chief McGrath said he could not confirm reports that the captives had had multiple pregnancies. | Chief McGrath said he could not confirm reports that the captives had had multiple pregnancies. |
Police have confirmed a six-year-old girl, Jocelyn, who was discovered along with the women, is Ms Berry's daughter. | Police have confirmed a six-year-old girl, Jocelyn, who was discovered along with the women, is Ms Berry's daughter. |
Twenty-seven-year-old Ms Berry, who disappeared in 2003 aged 16, escaped with the help of a neighbour who heard her screaming while her alleged captor was out of the house. | |
When police arrived they also found Ms DeJesus, 23, and Ms Knight, 32, in the house. Ms DeJesus had gone missing in 2004, while Ms Knight had disappeared in 2002. | |
Ariel Castro reportedly fled the neighbourhood, and was arrested at a nearby McDonald's restaurant, according to local media. It is unclear when his brothers were detained. | Ariel Castro reportedly fled the neighbourhood, and was arrested at a nearby McDonald's restaurant, according to local media. It is unclear when his brothers were detained. |
A neighbour, Israel Lugo, told the Associated Press that Ariel Castro had identified Jocelyn as "his girlfriend's daughter" when they went to a nearby park to play last week. | |
Residents of the mostly Puerto Rican district said the former bus driver, a family friend of Ms DeJesus, had attended a candlelight vigil for her last year. | |
Ariel Castro's son, Anthony, had written a news article about Ms DeJesus' disappearance. On Tuesday, he was quoted as saying that it was "unspeakable" to discover the suspected perpetrators were members of his own family. | |
Cleveland's police were pilloried in 2009 after the discovery of a home in a poor district where Anthony Sowell had killed 11 women. | |
Victims' families allege that police had not taken neighbours' reported suspicions seriously enough. |