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| FBI remove chains and ropes from Cleveland house | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| FBI agents have removed chains and ropes from the house in Cleveland, Ohio where three women were kept locked up for a decade, as charges were expected to be laid against the three suspects. | FBI agents have removed chains and ropes from the house in Cleveland, Ohio where three women were kept locked up for a decade, as charges were expected to be laid against the three suspects. |
| Michael McGrath, Cleveland police chief, has revealed that the ropes and chains were among several hundred items removed from 2207 Seymour Avenue in west Cleveland. He also told NBC that the three victims, held captive for between nine and 11 years, were only "very rarely" allowed outside the house for short walks in the backyard. | Michael McGrath, Cleveland police chief, has revealed that the ropes and chains were among several hundred items removed from 2207 Seymour Avenue in west Cleveland. He also told NBC that the three victims, held captive for between nine and 11 years, were only "very rarely" allowed outside the house for short walks in the backyard. |
| The authorities have until 6pm local time on Wednesday to charge the owner of the house, Ariel Castro, 52, and his brothers, Pedro, 54 and Onil, 50. The routine 36-hour time limit has been extended to 48 hours to allow additional questioning of the victims and suspects. | The authorities have until 6pm local time on Wednesday to charge the owner of the house, Ariel Castro, 52, and his brothers, Pedro, 54 and Onil, 50. The routine 36-hour time limit has been extended to 48 hours to allow additional questioning of the victims and suspects. |
| Amanda Berry, 27, escaped from the house on Monday evening with her six-year-old daughter. Two other women, Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 30, were also rescued. When they went missing, Berry was 16, DeJesus 14 and Knight 21. | Amanda Berry, 27, escaped from the house on Monday evening with her six-year-old daughter. Two other women, Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 30, were also rescued. When they went missing, Berry was 16, DeJesus 14 and Knight 21. |
| Federal investigators dressed in white jumpsuits to avoid contaminating evidence have spent the past 24 hours combing through the house and yard and have begun to recover the first clues to how the women were treated over their prolonged imprisonment. Several vehicles have been taken away for laboratory examination, as well as dozens of items wrapped in black plastic sheets. | Federal investigators dressed in white jumpsuits to avoid contaminating evidence have spent the past 24 hours combing through the house and yard and have begun to recover the first clues to how the women were treated over their prolonged imprisonment. Several vehicles have been taken away for laboratory examination, as well as dozens of items wrapped in black plastic sheets. |
| Cadaver dogs have also been brought to the crime scene, suggesting that the FBI want to rule out the possibility of human remains being buried in the house or yard. | Cadaver dogs have also been brought to the crime scene, suggesting that the FBI want to rule out the possibility of human remains being buried in the house or yard. |
| Local authorities have been attempting to dampen down frenzied speculation that has been swirling around Seymour Avenue by pushing back against reports from Castro's neighbours that over the years they reported unusual goings-on at the house that the police failed to act upon. In the most lurid accounts, neighbours said that a naked woman in chains had been seen crawling on her hands and knees in the back yard of the house. | Local authorities have been attempting to dampen down frenzied speculation that has been swirling around Seymour Avenue by pushing back against reports from Castro's neighbours that over the years they reported unusual goings-on at the house that the police failed to act upon. In the most lurid accounts, neighbours said that a naked woman in chains had been seen crawling on her hands and knees in the back yard of the house. |
| But Cleveland city hall released out a statement that read: "Media reports of multiple calls to the Cleveland police reporting suspicious activity and the mistreatment of women at 2207 Seymour are false." | But Cleveland city hall released out a statement that read: "Media reports of multiple calls to the Cleveland police reporting suspicious activity and the mistreatment of women at 2207 Seymour are false." |
| Police chief McGrath also disputed the reports, saying that they had checked their records and found only two interactions with Castro. The first was in 2000 when officers responded to a call by the suspect regarding a fight outside his house, the second in 2004 in relation to an incident in which he left an unattended boy on the school bus he was driving. | Police chief McGrath also disputed the reports, saying that they had checked their records and found only two interactions with Castro. The first was in 2000 when officers responded to a call by the suspect regarding a fight outside his house, the second in 2004 in relation to an incident in which he left an unattended boy on the school bus he was driving. |
| "If officers in this district had any indication there was a problem, they would have been here, as we have been all over these missing cases," McGrath told Fox News. | "If officers in this district had any indication there was a problem, they would have been here, as we have been all over these missing cases," McGrath told Fox News. |
| Investigators are continuing to gently interview the three victims, treading carefully to avoid causing additional trauma. Barbara Knight, mother of Michelle Knight, the first victim to be abducted, has arrived in Cleveland from her home in Florida. | Investigators are continuing to gently interview the three victims, treading carefully to avoid causing additional trauma. Barbara Knight, mother of Michelle Knight, the first victim to be abducted, has arrived in Cleveland from her home in Florida. |
| Circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Michelle Knight remain unclear. Shortly before she went missing, Knight was taken away from her mother by social services and police suspected at the time that she had run away in distress. | Circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Michelle Knight remain unclear. Shortly before she went missing, Knight was taken away from her mother by social services and police suspected at the time that she had run away in distress. |
| In an NBC interview, Barbara Knight indicated that a possible rift with her daughter might still be preventing them being reunited 11 years after Michelle disappeared. | In an NBC interview, Barbara Knight indicated that a possible rift with her daughter might still be preventing them being reunited 11 years after Michelle disappeared. |
| "The way I understand it from certain people, maybe she didn't want nothing to do with me," she said. The mother added: "I love you and I missed you all this time. Hopefully whatever happened between us – if something did – I hope it heals." | "The way I understand it from certain people, maybe she didn't want nothing to do with me," she said. The mother added: "I love you and I missed you all this time. Hopefully whatever happened between us – if something did – I hope it heals." |
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