Any parent grieving a missing loved one, who has turned to a psychic only to hear the fateful words their beloved has crossed over, may now rest assured. Psychics can be wrong.
Take the case of psychic Sylvia Browne who falsely predicted that Amanda Berry was deceased, and even boldly told her mother the dreadful news on the
Louwanna Miller and her daughter Amanda Berry
Montel Williams show in 2004.
Personally, I always thought that if Sylvia Browne was a great psychic, she could have warned Montel about his show cancellation, and though I wasn't a huge fan of his program (often turning it off once Browne began her spiel), I do recall her saying that Sarah Jessica Parker and hubby Matthew Broderick would get divorced. The couple has been married since 1997. It wasn't just a blanket prediction either, she had specified the divorce would happen "that year."
The news that Amanda Berry's mother went to her grave in 2006, after being told her daughter was no longer alive brings a sad aspect to an already tragic tale. If there is anything to be learned from the story; however, it is that parents of missing children should never give up hope.
They should also stay away from gloom and doom psychics.
You can view Sylvia Browne's predictions here. They include numerous false predictions such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt breaking up, but also contain predictions for the next 100 years. One interesting prediction is that in the year 2010, aliens will reveal themselves to humanity.
Here is the quote, "Aliens will begin to show themselves in the year 2010, they will not harm us, they simply want to see what we are doing to this planet. They will teach us how to use anti-gravity devices again, such as they did for the pyramids."
Sylvia Browne released a statement through her website regarding the flub, as well as a statement from Amanda Berry's cousin Sherry Cole. It reads as follows, "For nearly six decades, Sylvia Browne has dedicated her life to helping others as a spiritual psychic and guide. She has been called upon to assist individuals, families, and law enforcement agencies across the U.S. and Canada on hundreds of high profile criminal investigations. She has received numerous commendations for the positive impact her contributions have provided, resulting in important information and leads that have ultimately led to the closure of major investigations.
"For more than 50 years as a spiritual psychic and guide, when called upon to either help authorities with missing person cases or to help families with questions about their loved ones, I have been more right than wrong. If ever there was a time to be grateful and relieved for being mistaken, this is that time. Only God is right all the time. My heart goes out to Amanda Berry, her family, the other victims and their families. I wish you a peaceful recovery." - Sylvia Browne
Sherry Cole, Amanda Berry's cousin reached out to Sylvia this morning to let her know that she supports her, loves her, knows Sylvia never claims to be 100% right, but wanted to let her know that she was accurate in her description of the perpetrators at the time.
"Our family in no way blames Sylvia. This doesn't change anything. We still love her and believe in her." Sherry Cole."
As America celebrates the miraculous return of three missing Ohio women, more details are emerging of the terrible experiences they went through. Meanwhile, many are questioning whether the Cleveland Police department is being open regarding previous reports and calls made that might have resulted in the rescue of Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus earlier. A new report by ABC 5 has stated that the kidnapped women were held against their will with chains and locks.
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight
Other information coming forward is about the primary suspect expected to be charged today, Ariel Castro. Reports show that in 2005, Castro's ex-wife had filed numerous domestic violence complaints about Castro including that he had threatened her life and the lives of their children. Did Castro's family know more about his activities? Were they aware that he was holding young girls against their will?
Ariel Castro's daughter actually spoke to America's Most Wanted following DeJesus' disappearance. Did she know the horrible truth?
You can see the video below where an expert states the women were most likely brainwashed as well.
Click the video player to the left for the latest news and updates in the Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus case.
Ohio Suspects to be Charged Today; Ohio Neighbors Saw Suspicious Activity; Interview with Hero Neighbor Charles Ramsey; Escape from Captivity
Aired May 8, 2013 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Three women, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michele Knight, enduring a decade of terror. This morning their families stunned and shocked.
FERN GENTRY, AMANDA BERRY'S GRANDMOTHER: Amanda.
AMANDA BERRY, KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR: Yes, Grandma.
GENTRY: Yes, how are you? I thought you were gone.
COSTELLO: Breaking overnight, exclusive new details on what happened on Cleveland's Seymour Street.
TORY DUNNAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You saw the tarps from where?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can see it from my bedroom window.
COSTELLO: Neighbors telling CNN what they saw in the suspect's backyard.
Also a CNN exclusive.
ANDERSON COOPER, ANCHOR, AC 360: Because you moved in about a year ago. You'd seen Ariel Castro around.
COSTELLO: The hero neighbor, Charles Ramsey one-on-one.
CHARLES RAMSEY, NEIGHBOR: She's like, I've been trapped in here. He won't let me out. Me and my baby.
COSTELLO: A minute-by-minute account.
RAMSEY: What I do was tell her, go across the street and use their phone. Now we both calling 911.
COSTELLO: This morning, Cleveland attempts to heal. Yellow ribbons and a heavy heart.
NEWSROOM starts now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And good morning. Thank you so much for being with me. I'm Carol Costello.
We begin in Cleveland where investigators could get their first glimpse into the deep, dark secrets of what locals are calling a house of horrors. Local and federal authorities are due to question the suspects today for the first time. Cleveland's police chief said they expected charges to be filed today against homeowner Ariel Castro and his two brothers. They could also appear in court today.
We're also hearing more about conditions of the rescued women. It turns out authorities were wrong when they said all were released from the hospital yesterday. While Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus are said to be in good health, Michele Knight apparently remains in the hospital this morning. She had been missing the longest. She is described as weak and thin, and not so eager to talk to her family. We'll hear from Michele Knight's mother in just a minute.
But we want to share something first with you that caused eyes to well up here in the NEWSROOM. For the first time in 10 years, Amanda Berry was able to talk to her grandmother in Tennessee. Here's part of the call from WJHF.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERRY: Hello?
GENTRY: Amanda.
BERRY: Yes, Grandma.
GENTRY: Yes, how are you?
BERRY: I'm fine.
GENTRY: I'm glad to have you back.
BERRY: Well, it's good to be back.
GENTRY: I thought you were gone.
BERRY: Nope, I'm here.
GENTRY: Yes. We're happy down here for you.
BERRY: Thank you so much. I miss everybody. I love you guys so much.
GENTRY: The little girl is your baby?
BERRY: Yes, she's my daughter. Born on Christmas.
GENTRY: We have to get together soon.
BERRY: I know it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a little girl named Christina, and she wants to meet you. GENTRY: But I love you, honey, thank god.
BERRY: I love you, too.
GENTRY: I thought about you all this time. I never forgot you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: You may have caught it. Berry confirms in that phone call that the 6-year-old child who escaped along with her and is seen in this hospital bed is indeed, her daughter. Amanda says she was born on Christmas Day, several years into her alleged imprisonment.
Michele Knight's mother hopes to see her daughter soon. Michele is 32 years old now, but was 21 when she disappeared in 2002, and she had a rocky relationship with her mother. Police thought she might have been a runaway. Knight's mother spoke to NBC's Savannah Guthrie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC NEWS: Do you feel that your daughter wants to see you?
BARBARA KNIGHT, MOTHER OF MICHELE KNIGHT: Yes. I know she's probably angry at the world because she thought that she would never be found. But thank God that somebody did. I had my doubts, but then I looked on the bright side. I did go to God and I prayed for, you know, some kind of thing to tell me at least if she is alive or not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And we want to update you on an issue we first raised yesterday. We questioned how a dispatcher handled Amanda Berry's frantic call to 911. That 911 operator is now under fire for sending police, quote, "as soon as we can get a car open," and then hanging up before that police arrived.
The Cleveland Police Department is looking into it and says the handling of that call is now under review. According to a statement, quote, "We have noted some concerns which will be the focus of our review, including the call taker's failure to remain on the line with Miss Berry until police arrived on the scene."
It also credits the dispatcher with acting swiftly and efficiently, saying, quote, "As a result of the call taker's actions, police were dispatched and on the scene in less than two minutes."
Last night, a police spokeswoman talked with Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DET. JENNIFER CIACCIA, CLEVELAND POLICE SPOKESWOMAN: That is something that the division is looking into at this time. But really the bottom line in that call, the call taker was able to get the information that was needed. A car was dispatched within 18 seconds and then the car arrived on scene in under two minutes. So really time wasn't a factor and what needed to be done was done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: But the investigation into that 911 call goes on.
I want to take you now to Cleveland and check in with CNN's Martin Savidge.
Martin, we'll a little confused, will charges be filed against these men this morning, later in the afternoon, in the days to come?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Carol. It's pretty much got to be today. I mean, the judge or judges that had been consulted in this case say 48 hours after a time of arrest, you've got to come up with some sort of charges if you intend to.
If you look at the clock, then it goes back to 6:30, 7:00 on Monday when these suspects were taken into custody. So time frame, probably around that time tonight. City of Cleveland says it's going to announce a --with a press conference when that happens.
Elsewhere, I should talk about questioning. That actually began last night, just had a conversation with the FBI. They say that federal and local authorities began questioning the men last night. And that it is continuing again today. They say that in these interrogations you have a local officer and you have the FBI, and the suspects are brought in one at a time. That's how it's going so far.
But the other focus on the home where this all happened.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Investigators scour the home on Seymour Avenue, searching for evidence in this house of horrors. Throughout the day and late into the night, FBI agents meticulously search. Removing the front door, searching the crawl space, carting away a red pickup and a jeep. At one point, bringing in a cadaver dog. It's not known what, if anything, the dog found. The FBI taking the lead in the search.
CIACCIA: This is just the tip of the iceberg. This investigation will take a very long time.
SAVIDGE: The three suspects, 52-year-old Ariel Castro, his brothers Pedro and Onil, behind bars. They'll face more interrogation today. Authorities have 48 hours to file charges and that window closes later tonight.
In the neighborhood, residents are still celebrating, the jubilance tempered with shock and disbelief.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unreal.
TITO DEJESUS, NEIGHBOR: And I know who lived there and they panned the camera to his house, I was like, turned white and my wife told me, what's wrong, are you OK? I was like, that was -- I was dumbfounded. SAVIDGE: Away from the cameras, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight, the three women who endured a decade of captivity trying to piece their shattered lives back together.
SANDRA RUIZ, GINA DEJESUS' AUNT: This is a miracle. A very, very large miracle. And we're all excited.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: And I've just been told by the FBI, Carol, that they are done with their investigation at the home. At least for the time being. They said that they have finished gathering all the evidence they need to do so that's complete. They are continuing to question people in the neighborhood.
One other thing, the city of Cleveland issued a statement today. They're saying that they're hearing all these reports from people in the neighborhood who said they've reported suspicious activity, very specific stuff going on at that home, that address, the authorities are maintaining that is false. They claim they did not get any calls from anyone in that neighbors specifically reporting suspicious activity at that address.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
SAVIDGE: They've been very emphatic and pushing back.
COSTELLO: Interesting. Martin Savidge, stay right there. I have more questions for you but I want to bring in a "Cleveland Plain Dealer" reporter whose name is Peter Krouse because there is new disturbing information about the main suspect in the case, Ariel Castro. According to the "Plain Dealer," Castro severely beat his then wife in 2005. This apparently in addition to Castro's arrest for domestic violence in 1993. That charge later was dropped.
This is the mug shot of what he looked like in 1993. But the "Plain Dealer" has more about what happened in 2005. The paper says court documents show, quote, "Castro fought with his former wife over the custody of their children. Castro's wife twice suffered a broken nose, as well as broken ribs, a knocked-out tooth, a blood clot on the brain and two dislocated shoulders."
Come on back, Peter Krouse. He's a reporter for the "Cleveland Plain Dealer."
Did Castro serve any time for this crime?
PETER KROUSE, REPORTER, CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER: No, he did not serve any time. In fact, I don't believe there were -- we've got no record of any charges being brought against them in 2005 in connection with -- with those accusations of domestic violence.
COSTELLO: Isn't that unusual?
KROUSE: So --
COSTELLO: If you break a woman's ribs, wouldn't you be charged with assault?
KROUSE: Well, one would think so. You know, it was a custody battle, it was in domestic relations court and you know a lot of things are said in domestic relations court and they have to, you know, be proven before charges are brought. I'm not suggesting that these things didn't happen, obviously. Clearly it looks like Ariel Castro was capable of violence.
COSTELLO: And, Martin Savidge, I want to bring you back in because you talked a lot to Ariel Castro's family members. Did they mention this alleged domestic abuse?
SAVIDGE: No, they don't mention that specific incident that you're describing. They do talk about the fact that there were problems with the two other brothers. They knew of alcohol problems. You know, there have been talk of problems between husband and wife. Ariel, however, they say they were shocked when they have now read, you know, these violent assaults. They said they weren't aware of it.
It's really difficult to understand, is this the public front they're putting for their family, or was there a clear understanding that hey, there was a problem between husband and wife? And you can't discern that just yet in talking to them?
COSTELLO: All right, Martin Savidge, Pete Krouse of the "Cleveland Plain Dealer," thank you so much.
It's difficult to wrap your head around the fact that one man could have held three women captive in the same house for 10 years. Well, it turns out neighbors say they did see suspicious behavior, like a naked woman in the backyard.
CNN's Tory Dunnan is live in Cleveland with that part of the story.
Tory, what did this neighbor tell you?
DUNNAN: So, Carol, we talked to this neighbor who lives about three houses down. She's 20 years old, and she said ultimately, you know, at first she thought that he was a pretty normal guy, she used to ride on his ATV, and then she says all of a sudden about two years ago, she saw something pretty unusual coming from his house. Here's what she said in her own words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NINA SAMOYLICZ, CASTRO'S NEIGHBOR: Well, me and my friends and my sister were across the street at a house, like spending the night, and we seen a naked lady in the backyard. And we like didn't know nothing about it so we said -- we said something to her. He told her to get down and we said something to him, he told -- he told her to get in the house and he ran behind the cars and got in the house.
DUNNAN: So -- what was she doing? She was --
SAMOYLICZ: She was just walking around.
DUNNAN: And naked?
SAMOYLICZ: Yes. And we thought that was weird.
DUNNAN: Yes. I mean, what sort of came to your mind?
SAMOYLICZ: We thought it was funny at first, and then we like -- we just thought that was weird so we called the cops.
DUNNAN: And then what happened?
SAMOYLICZ: They thought that we were playing and joking. And they didn't believe us. When we seen -- the lady, like the backyard was open and then like after that, like a week or two after, he put tarps up, he like totally secluded himself.
DUNNAN: And you saw the tarps from where?
SAMOYLICZ: I could see them from my bedroom window. If we would like stand up on a log or something we could --
DUNNAN: We could actually see it?
SAMOYLICZ: Yes. But I think the police might have took them down. I don't know. Like he would open the window for maybe like an hour or two, and she would just sit there and look out the window, and then he would come back, close the window and then we don't know what happened to her the rest of the day. And then like he just had the windows boarded up, everything was closed down.
One time he led us up to the front door to go get popsicles or candy or something like that. He didn't let us in the house ever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DUNNAN: So, Carol, obviously that neighbor is saying that there was some suspicious activity that she and her friend had called it into police, so police at this point, Carol, are saying that that is false. That they have now -- it looked through all their databases and that they have not found this in there.
COSTELLO: Yes. They haven't received any call from this neighborhood according to police since 2006.
Tory Dunnan, thanks so much.
Late word from the FBI, as you heard Martin Savidge say the FBI -- they're done searching that the house of horrors. At least for now. Charges are expected to be filed later today. The FBI also telling us the name of Amanda Berry's 6-year-old daughter, her name is Jocelyn. They're still not naming who the father might be.
Charles Ramsey, the man who kicked in the door and freed Amanda Berry, has become -- well, there's no other way to put it, he's become a sensation. Here he is one-on-one with Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: So you moved in about a year ago? You've seen Ariel Castro around, right?
RAMSEY: I moved here, he was my neighborhood.
COOPER: Right.
RAMSEY: You know what I mean?
COOPER: What was he like?
RAMSEY: Cool. He wasn't no freak of nature. He was like me and you. Because he talked about the same thing you talked about.
COOPER: Right.
RAMSEY: He talked about you, you know what I mean? You know, regular stuff, bro.
COOPER: So yesterday what happened?
RAMSEY: You will love this. I am going to tell it all. Around 3:00, I was on my porch and the mailman put his mail in my mail. I looked at it like here's his mail when he come home. Couple of minutes later, he pulled up. He checked the mailbox, grabbed his paper. Before he went in the house, I said Ariel, here goes your mail. We just had the same conversation when I hand him the mail. He said, they can't get it right. I said, damn postal service. That's it.
He left. I jumped on my bike, went to McDonald's. Came back home, I'm in my house, but I'm in the living room and I'm right by the front door, because I'm looking out the front door, and man, this girl screamed like a car had hit a kid, which made me, you know, stop eating, what the hell was that?
You know, so when I got up, I saw this -- my neighbor across the street, he run across the street and I'm, like -- I'm thinking, where you going, because ain't nobody next door because I just saw Ariel leave.
And I know ain't nobody over there. Heard that girl scream and saw him run across the street, and I went outside and wondered what he was doing, and -- Amanda said, I'm stuck in here, help get me out. So, he -- guy don't know English that well or panicked, he just looked at me and it's a girl. And that's all he did.
So here I come with my, you know, half eaten Big Mac and I looked and I said well, what's up? And she's like I've been trapped in here, he won't let me out, me and my baby.
I said, well, we ain't going to talk no more, come on. I'm trying to get the door open, I can't, because he torture chambered it some kind of way and locked it up, right?
So I did what I had to do and kicked the bottom of the door, and she crawled out of it. She grabs her baby, which threw me off, all right, so fine. I got some girl and her kid.
COOPER: What did she look like? I mean, what was she wearing?
RAMSEY: Jumpsuit. She had a white tank top on, rings on, mascara. You know, she was well groomed.
She didn't look like she was kidnapped. That's what I'm saying. That's what threw me off. She was like I'm in here trapped. I'm like, well, you don't look kidnapped so maybe you got a boyfriend problem.
But I'm thinking I know who lives here and he's 50-something. You can't be the boyfriend problem. You know? It can't be him. Maybe you're dating his son.
COOPER: And you'd never seen her before?
RAMSEY: Bro --
COOPER: In the year that you had been there?
RAMSEY: Bro, that man, listen, never. That woman didn't come out the house. The only kids that came out the house were two little girls. They played in the backyard. He had two dogs and my -- where I live naturally is next door, my bedroom was upstairs so when I hear kids playing, I know it's them. They did the same thing, play in the backyard for a couple of hours, go back in the house. Same thing every day.
The neighborhood knows them as his grandchildren. So no big deal. He had his grandkids over all the time, I thought.
COOPER: Amanda Berry then, what, asked to call 911?
RAMSEY: Mm-hmm. And I took her to my house. Now I'm nervous as hell so I'm fumbling with my phone, so I finally get it right. She can't wait and I don't blame her. So what I do was tell her go across the street and use their phone.
Now we're both calling 911. Now she gets through and I get through. She deal with a moron, me, too.
COOPER: You said there -- what do you mean, a moron?
RAMSEY: Idiot.
COOPER: I heard the 911 call for her --
RAMSEY: Imbecile.
COOPER: And the woman kept --
RAMSEY: Shouldn't have a damn job.
COOPER: The woman was like hang up and wait for the police.
RAMSEY: Really. How about stay on and I will talk to you until they get there?
COOPER: Right.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Charles Ramsey talking with Anderson Cooper.
Just ahead of THE NEWSROOM: more of the one-on-one with Charles Ramsey as our special coverage from Ohio continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Our special coverage from Ohio continues now.
Charles Ramsey, you know him by now. Many call him a hero, but Ramsey, himself -- no. More of Anderson's one-on-one with the man who rescued Amanda Berry.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: So you call 911.
RAMSEY: Sure did.
COOPER: How quickly did the police get there?
RAMSEY: You know what, they got there so fast because I said moron. Because I said hey, Amanda Berry is right in front of me right now. Here's what she got on and I told him white tank top, blue sweatpants, nice tennis shoes, nice ponytail.
What else? Oh, right. She's panicking, idiot. Put yourself in her shoes. Like I said, Amanda Berry, that don't ring no damn bells, you being a cop and all?
COOPER: But you -- when you first saw her and she said the name Amanda Berry, did it --
RAMSEY: It didn't -- I didn't know. Because I forgot. Bro, this is Cleveland. Since they haven't found that girl.
COOPER: Right.
RAMSEY: And I guess stopped looking for that girl, we figured that girl was -- met her demise.
COOPER: Right.
RAMSEY: So Berry didn't register with me until I was on the phone like, wait a minute, I thought this girl was dead.
COOPER: What does it -- what does it feel like to have been living next to this for a year?
RAMSEY: See, that's why now I'm having trouble sleeping. See, up until yesterday, the only thing that kept me from losing sleep was the lack of money. See what I'm saying?
So now that that's going on, and I could have done this last year, not this hero stuff, just do the right thing --
COOPER: Do you feel like a hero?
RAMSEY: No.
COOPER: Because there's a lot of people, they're saying you're a hero.
(CROSSTALK)
RAMSEY: No, no, no. Bro, I'm a Christian, an American, and just like you. We bleed same blood, put our pants on the same way. It's just that you got to put that -- being a coward, and I don't want to get in nobody's business. You got to put that away for a minute.
COOPER: Because you know how it is. There's a lot of people who turn away.
(CROSSTALK)
RAMSEY: You have to have cojones, bro.
COOPER: Keep walking down on the street.
RAMSEY: That's all what it's about. It's about cojones on this planet.
COOPER: Has the FBI said anything about a reward or anything? Because there was that -- there was a reward for finding her.
RAMSEY: I tell you what you do, give it to them. Because if folks been following this case since last night, you been following me since last night, you know I got a job anyway. Just went picked it up, paycheck. What that address say? That say?
COOPER: I don't have my glasses. I'm blind as a bat.
RAMSEY: 2203 Seymour. Where are them girls living? Right next door to this paycheck.
So yes, take that reward and give it to -- that little girl came out the house and she was crying. And I'm looking at her, right, I'm like your mama trying to help you, girl, shut up. I don't know, right.
And she's like I want my daddy. And I said, who's her daddy? She said Ariel.
COOPER: She said that.
RAMSEY: Yes. I said well, how's that possible? Because you wouldn't -- if you got kidnapped, he was having sex with you? Oh, Jesus. That little girl is his? Now, we want to hurt you.
COOPER: You felt that?
RAMSEY: Bro, this will be a different interview, I told you that, if we had known that. Man, I would be facing triple life.
COOPER: Wow. I'm glad it turned out this way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Oh, aren't we all? Besides whatever law enforcement reward Charles Ramsey may get, donations pouring in online. By all accounts, a Great Samaritan.
Still ahead, reaction from Michele Knight's family. They thought she was a runaway and police say Michele Knight was abducted and held captive for 11 years.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. It's just about 30 minutes past the hour.
Here are the latest developments out of Ohio, where the three women were rescued after years of captivity. Cleveland's police chief tells us he expects charges to be filed today against homeowner Ariel Castro and his two brothers, local and federal investigators began questioning them last night, one at a time.
In the meantime, the FBI is now done searching the house for now. Evidence technicians searched the house from the scrawl space to the attic, even the screen door that became the passage to freedom.
Also today, an update on how the women are doing. It turns out authorities were wrong when they said all three were released from the hospital yesterday. Amanda berry and Gina DeJesus are said to be in good health. Michele Knight, the oldest victim, remains hospitalized today. She had been missing the longest being weak, thin, and not so eager to talk to her family.
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight are -- well, they are finally being reunited with their family. Where are we going here?
There we go. We're going to Zoraida.
Michele Knight, let's talk more about here. She's been missing since 2002. Unlike the other women, a number of her family members thought she was a runaway and we understand that today she is not so eager to reunite with even her mother.
Zoraida Sambolin is live in Cleveland. She spoke with members of Knight's family. What did they say?
ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR: You know, they said a lot, Carol.
The heroic actions of Amanda Berry have set off a firestorm of joy nationwide. There is nothing better than to hear America's missing children have come home and from Jaycee Dugard and Elizabeth Smart to Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus, these stories create hope for other families of missing children and adults that their loved ones may miraculously come home.
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight
Here is a transcript from this morning's Early Start on CNN that provided the latest updates on Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus. Additionally, there was a media reporting error earlier that suggested Michelle Knight has been released from the hospital. As of May 8, 2013, that is not true. Latest updates say that the trauma of the captivity has weighed heavily on Michelle Knight and though DeJesus and Berry have been released, Michelle Knight remains hospitalized. She has been described as very frail.
Please continue to keep these brave women in your prayers as they prepare for the hurdles ahead of them.
EARLY START WITH JOHN BERMAN AND ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN
Escape from Captivity; Body Politics; Sanford's Spectacular Comeback
Aired May 8, 2013 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR: Three women missing for a decade found alive. Police continue their investigation into a Cleveland house of horrors. Three suspects behind bars and now, their families are speaking out.
Charles Ramsey says he is no hero. The neighbor who helped save the three kidnapped women will tell you how all of this went down and what is haunting him right now.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And new developments in the dilemma over what to do with the body of suspected Boston marathon bomber as protesters line the streets in front of the funeral home that holds his remains.
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to this special edition of EARLY START. I'm John Berman.
SAMBOLIN: I'm Zoraida Sambolin live in Cleveland, Ohio. It is Wednesday, May 8th, 5:00 a.m. in the East.
So, let's get started here. We are waiting to find out this morning what kind of horror these three women endured during a decade of captivity in this home right behind me on Seymour Avenue here on Cleveland's west side.
FBI agents have been combing through the house ever since Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight's dramatic escape on Monday. It's not yet clear what they have found inside.
Later today, FBI will interview kidnapping suspects Pedro, Onil and Ariel Castro for the very first time. The brothers could also be charged today.
And Amanda Berry's whose chilling 911 call brought an end to this unimaginable ordeal getting a chance to reconnect by phone with her grandmother and other family members in Tennessee.
BERRY: Thank you so much. I miss everybody. I love you guys so much.
GENTRY: The little girl is your baby?
BERRY: Yes, she's my daughter, born on Christmas (ph).
GENTRY: I thought about you all this time. I never forgot you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: Oh, my gosh.
And now to the investigation. A lot of questions this morning about what went on inside this home for the last 10 years.
Martin Savidge is live from the county justice center where the suspects are being held.
And, Martin, what we want to know really is, are we going to be seeing charges today in connection to this?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Zoraida. Boy, how moving was that phone call.
Talking about the charges on the three brothers that now stand in custody in the justice center behind us here. I talked to FBI agents about this. This is a joint investigation. So, it is both federal and local.
The FBI is saying that normally, it would be about 36 hours they were anticipating charges, could be a little bit longer due to the, quote- unquote, "special nature" of this investigation. They wouldn't go for the details.
If the charges come today, it is likely it will happen in the building behind us here. It's also anticipated more interrogations of those three brothers will take place. But the focus right now still on that home, and fan FBI forensic team going through it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): The investigators scour the home on Seymour Avenue, searching for evidence in this house of horrors. Throughout the day and late into the night, FBI agents meticulously search, removing the front door, searching the crawl space, carting away a red pickup and a jeep.
At one point, bringing in a cadaver dog. It's not known what if anything the dog found, the FBI taking the lead in the search.
DET. JENNIFER CIACCIA, CLEVELAND P.D.: This is just the tip of the iceberg this investigation will take a very long time.
SAVIDGE: The three suspects, 52-year-old Ariel Castro, his brothers Pedro and Onil behind bars. They will face more interrogation today.
Authorities have 48 hours to file charges, and that window closes later tonight.
In the neighborhood, residents are still celebrating the jubilance tempered with shock and disbelief.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unreal.
TITO DEJESUS, FRIEND OF ARIEL CASTRO: I know who lived there. They panned the camera to his house. It's like I turned white. My wife told me, what was wrong? Are you OK? I was like, I was dumbfounded.
SAVIDGE: Away from the cameras, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, the three women who endured a decade of captivity trying to piece their shattered lives back together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a miracle, a very, very large miracle. And we're all excited.
SAVIDGE: And in Tennessee -- Amanda Berry's grandmother got a very important phone call from the granddaughter she hasn't seen in years.
BERRY: Hello?
GENTRY: Amanda?
BERRY: Yes, grandma.
GENTRY: Yes, how are you?
SAVIDGE: A giant step in trying to close the door on this house of horrors.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Right, at that moment is when the lights went out here. As far as the interrogation of the three men, I was asking how exactly or who will conduct it, they say it's a combination of FBI, and also the local sex crimes unit. As we adjust the lights here.
And the reason we're told is that it gives you an indication of where this investigation may be going, Zoraida. If it's a local sex crimes unit, it's clear that they are looking at these women as possibly being held for that time as sex slaves.
Zoraida, back to you.
SAMBOLIN: All right. Martin Savidge, reporting live for us. We're going to try to fix those lights and check back in with you. Thank you.
And Cleveland dishwasher Charles Ramsey is being called a hero for his role in rescuing the three women and child who were held captive for years. He's quite a character. He's become a viral video star for his colorful description of everything that happened.
In an exclusive interview, Ramsey tells CNN's Anderson Cooper he's had a hard time sleeping after helping to set the captives free.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: What does it feel like to have been living next to this for a year?
CHARLES RAMSEY, HELPED FREE MISSING WOMEN: See, that's why now I'm having trouble sleep. See, up until yesterday, the only thing that kept me from losing sleep was the lack of money. Do you understand what I'm saying?
COOPER: Yes.
RAMSEY: So now that that's going on, and I could have done this last year, not this hero stuff, just do the right thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: So, we're going to hear more of what Charles Ramsey had to say to Anderson Cooper. That is coming up at the bottom of the hour.
And Jaycee Dugard who herself was held captive for a year says the women who were abducted in Cleveland can't let that experience define them. Dugard says she was 11 years old back in 1991 when convicted rapist Phillip Garrido and his wife Nancy shocked her with a stun gun and held her captive for years in Antioch, California.
She appeared in Washington last night to accept an award from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAYCE DUGARD, HELD CAPTIVE FOR 18 YEARS: Thank you for tonight and I want to say what an amazing time to be talking about hope with everything that's happening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBLIN: Dugard also says the women rescued in Cleveland need the opportunity to heal and connect back into the world.
And, John, I've got to tell you, I had an opportunity to speak with Michele's family yesterday. And they, too, are going through this healing process. But they are so overjoyed that this girl has reappeared. They said for a while they had no idea that she had been kidnapped. They thought she had gone to live with somebody else.
And all of these developments, as they were happening, all they're looking forward to is bringing her back home.
BERMAN: Zoraida, the mixture of emotions in Cleveland simply has to be overwhelming. Thanks so much for that. We'll come back to you in just a moment.
SAMBOLIN: It is.
BERMAN: A lot of other news to talk about this morning.
New this morning, while you were sleeping, a Southwest Airlines flight diverted because of several unruly passengers on board. The flight took off from Orlando, Florida, and was headed to Providence, Rhode Island, but late last night, it diverted to Charleston International Airport. Three passengers were disruption, unruly and failed to follow instructions from the flight crew. They are in FBI custody.
Also new this morning, at least three people killed when a container ship rammed a control power in the northern port city of Genoa, Italy. Seven people were reported missing right now. Rescue crews on the scene searching the water for them.
There's fear that some people are trapped inside the elevator of the control tower. That tower is huge. It stands 160 feet tall and was just destroyed by the impact. No word on what caused the injuries or the ship to crash.
We're also following new developments in the Boston marathon bombings. The dilemma over what to do with the remains of Tamerlan Tsarnaev continues this morning. Protesters have been demonstrating outside the funeral home where his body has been taken. Tsarnaev's uncle is asking the government to help find a solution.
CNN's Paula Newton live in Boston this morning.
Good morning, Paula.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, good morning, John.
You know, we could learn within hours that there is some type of solution to this. The problem is it may fall short of what many here in Boston would like.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON (voice-over): The body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev is still at this funeral home. His resting place has been so contentious Worcester police are now trying to broker a way out, meeting with the funeral director and Tsarnaev's uncle.
But it's clear there is no simple solution in sight. SERGEANT KERRY HAZELHURST, WORCESTER POLICE DEPT.: I don't think he's going to specifically target Massachusetts. I think he's trying to reach out to anybody or anywhere.
NEWTON: The mayor of Boston vows Tsarnaev won't be buried in his city.
MAYOR THOMAS MENINO, BOSTON: It's not dignified to put him in Boston. He's not from Boston. He's from someplace else. He should go back to his homeland.
NEWTON: Ruslan Tsarni, Tsarnaev's uncle, knows his family would like his nephew's remains returned to Russia, but it's unclear if Russia would accept his body for burial.
In the bizarre set of circumstances involving Tsarnaev's remains has been hurtful to some. The family of Brittany Loring says they are trying to put the whole thing out of their minds, concentrating instead of their sister and daughter, a bombing victim trying to recover from leg injuries and a skull fracture. For Brittany, a difficult road ahead, rehabilitation, how to pay for medical bills. They say that's where the attention should be, on the victims.
ALYSSA LORING, SISTER OF BRITTANY LORING: To hear that people are trying to block his remains from being buried, I have mixed feelings about it. I try not to think about it, though, because it's not anything that my energy is going to help.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Such an absurd situation for the family and victims to deal with that at this point. John, we have reached out to Tsarnaev's family in Russia. Still no word from them. We still know their preferred option is that Tamerlan's remains return to Russia. I have no idea if that's possible and neither does the government at this point -- John.
BERMAN: Hopefully, it is something worked out in the next few days. Obviously, as you said, an absurd situation for the families involved.
Paula Newton in Boston, our thanks to you.
Amanda Knox labeled a seductress, an ice queen, a devil, a killer. But she insists she did not murder her roommate, Meredith Kercher during their year abroad in Italy. Knox talks about what she's been through in her new book.
And during last night's CNN special, "Amanda Knox: The Unanswered Questions," our Chris Cuomo asked about Kercher's loved ones and their need for justice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: The bottom line is if they want a retrial, what does it mean about how they feel about you? AMANDA KNOX, FACING MURDER RETRIAL IN ITALY: It means they think I'm guilty. And I know this. And I mean, they are grieving the loss of their family member. They deserve to have every answer.
The idea that someone knows what happened or was a part of what happened and isn't saying anything and isn't being held responsible is maddening. I understand that. But it's not -- I'm not responsible for what happened. I didn't do it. I wasn't there. I don't know anything more about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Knox says the prospect of going back to Italy to face trial again cripples her with.
A political resurrection is complete. Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford returns from scandal and scores a big win. How he pulled this off, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone.
It is a spectacular political comeback. Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, once so badly tarnished by an affair that few ever thought he would recover -- well, he is now headed back to Congress.
Our national political correspondent Jim Acosta breaks down his big win.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARK SANFORD (R), SOUTH CAROLINA CONG.-ELECT: Some guy came up to me the other day and he said, you look a lot like Lazarus.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Once left for dead in the political wilderness, Mark Sanford blazed a comeback trail that will take him all the way to Washington.
SANFORD: I just want to acknowledge a -- a God not just of second chances, but third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eight chances because that is the reality of our shared humanity.
ACOSTA: Sanford captured a vacant South Carolina congressional seat by a decisive margin, overcoming a scandal that nearly destroyed his political career. The extramarital affair with a mistress from Argentina that he once falsely claimed was the hike on the Appalachian Trail may finally be behind them.
(on camera): Is this redemption?
SANFORD: You know, I think we're always on a search for redemption. And I think this is certainly a great political redemption. We'll see where things go from here. It's less about that than there is about the second chance to make an impact in Washington, D.C., where I think impact is desperately needed.
ACOSTA: If Sanford's life has at times seemed like a trashy romance novel, this latest chapter has been a really page-turner. For some voters, all was forgiven.
KAREN DAVIS, VOTER: Ye who is without sin cast the first stone.
ACOSTA: Others not so much.
(on camera): Are you tired of him?
HEIDI MCALLISTER FRANCIS, COLBERT BUSCH: I don't like him. I don't trust him.
ACOSTA (voice-over): But it wasn't enough to help Sanford's opponent, Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, sister of comedian Stephen Colbert in this conservative district.
ELIZABETH COLBERT BUSCH (D), FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: I will continue to fight for all of you in South Carolina.
SANFORD: Thank you as well for being here. Appreciate it. Thank you.
ACOSTA: As for Sanford, his personal life is also on the mend. His mistress is now his fiancee, a chapter she's keeping private for now.
MARIA BELEN CHAPUR, MARK SANFORD'S FIANCEE: Thank you so much for everything. But it's his night. So I hope you understand.
ACOSTA (on camera): People are going to want to know, can we trust this guy? Is he going to let us down?
SANFORD: You asked that question before. You're coming back with the same question. I give you the same answer which is that -- that trust is ultimately earned.
ACOSTA: Sanford could be sworn in as early as this week, but Democrats are mocking his victory, with one top operative saying he should be placed on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. But it's Sanford who is getting the last laugh -- he won.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: About 18 minutes after the hour right now.
Other top stories we're watching this morning.
Delaware has joined the growing list of states approving same-sex marriage. The Democratic Governor Jack Markell signed the measure into law shortly after the state senate approved it in a 12-9 vote. That makes it the 11th state, plus the District of Columbia to do so. Gay rights activists hailed the law's passage saying it represents momentum for supporters of marriage equality laws across the nation. As things heat up in Michael Jackson's wrongful death trial, a stunning new court filing. Allegations of child sex abuse from a dancer choreographer who defended Jackson during a 2005 child molestation trial. Wayne Robson, who is now 30, is asking for permission to file a late claim against the dead singer's estate. Details of the allegation are sealed.
The judge in the trial of Aurora Colorado movie theater shooting suspect James Holmes says Holmes must show good cause to change his not guilty plea. Yesterday, defense attorneys notified the court of plans to change the plea do not guilty by reason of insanity. They will make their case before the judge next Monday.
Coming up, a record day on Wall Street. The Dow closes above 15,000 for the first time ever. So, should that rally make you optimistic about the economy?
Details when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Welcome back, everyone. We are minding your business this morning.
And it looks good. The Dow closes above 15,000 for the first time ever.
Christine Romans is here to talk about this.
The big question, you know, it's a big round number. What's the real significance behind it then?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You know, these are always psychological milestones, but this one is a big one, in part because this is the fastest start to the year in any bull market since the 1999 tech boom.
And your investments in your 401(k) are based on the S&P 500, the broader market, and it is up big as well for the year. So, let's not talk about 15,000, let's talk about what we've done here.
The Dow is up almost 15 percent for the year, that's more than it gained during all of last year, NASDAQ up 12.5 percent. And the S&P 500, the stock portion of your portfolio, likely reflects the S&P 500 is up 14 percent. Those are your major gains for an entire year, it's only May.
So, let me show you the rally in terms of real money. Let's say you invested 2,500 bucks in January of this year. If you bought in a fund that tracked the Dow, your investment would be worth $2,872. You know, that's the math. If you bought in to the NASDAQ, $2,812; $2,850 for the S&P 500.
Now, most of you I hope are dollar cost averaging, meaning you're buying every month through your 401(k), or with a special arrangement with the mutual fund company or something. And that means it moves out these gains, but you've had a very nice year.
In the savings account, I just saw a C.D. advertised for $10,000 for a half percent to hold your money for two years. That's why people are in the stock market. The price of your home likely hasn't gone up by very much over the past few years. You're not getting a 15 percent, or 20 percent raise at work, that's why people are telling me they're not feeling this rally overall. But investors say it's the only place to try to get in and make some money in the economy right now.
Do you think you're a sucker if you right now to buy stocks?
BERMAN: Is it a good time?
ROMANS: Well, by one measure, the rally still has some serious potential. P/E ratio, they measure how cheap or expensive stocks are, John, by using stock prices and what the company earned. So, by this measure, the current value for this market is about 15. That's the P/E ratio today.
Look at '90s bull market. Look at the historical average.
So, if you follow P/E ratios, that's telling you the market doesn't feel rich quite yet. As for today, investors seem to be taking a little bit of a break. We've got futures down slightly right now. I think you're going to see some jagged action as we look for clues about what the economy is doing.
But investors keep plugging away in here. They say the Fed is keeping inter interests rates low, the economy is slowly healing. It's the only game in town. They keep buying stocks.
BERMAN: Quite a run.
ROMANS: Yes, sure is.
BERMAN: All right. Christine Romans, thanks so much.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
BERMAN: Ahead on EARLY START, he's being called a hero by many. He is going viral online. More of Anderson Cooper's exclusive interview with a neighbor who helped save those three women held captive in Cleveland.
Plus, a plea from Dennis Rodman to his buddies in North Korea.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAMBOLIN: The plot thickens. Shocking new details emerging in the Cleveland triple kidnapping case. We are live on the scene with the very latest.
And the hero neighbor and now the Internet sensation, Charles Ramsey, has one wish -- that he could have saved the three women a lot sooner.
BERMAN: And new evidence involving the attack on Benghazi. House Republicans say they will make this new evidence public today.
Welcome back to a special edition of EARLY START, everyone. I'm John Berman.
SAMBOLIN: Nice to see you, John. I'm Zoraida Sambolin, live in Cleveland, Ohio.
Here is the full CNN Newsroom transcript from May 7, 2013, regarding the amazing rescue of three Ohio women missing a decade and found alive yesterday!
CNN NEWSROOM
Three Women Missing Nine Plus Years Found Alive; First Hours In Any Kidnapping Critical; Homeowner, Two Brothers Arrested; Family Of Kidnap Survivor Speaks; Mayor: Investigating Why Girls Weren't Found; Battle For South Carolina Congressional Seat
Aired May 7, 2013 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.
Good morning to you. I'm Carol Costello in Atlanta. Thank you so much for being with me. This morning we're following a remarkable and horrifying story that is still unfolding. Here's what we know. A daring escape leads to the rescue of three women. All three vanished more than nine years ago in separate disappearances. All three were just teenagers.
Gina De Jesus was last seen in 2004 when she was 14 years old. Michelle Knight was 19 when she disappeared in 2002, and Amanda Berry went missing in 2003 on the eve of her 17th birthday. It was Berry who escaped from that home, who called 911, ultimately leading to the rescue of the other women.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE ANTHONY, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Our prayers have finally been answered. The nightmare is over. These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival and perseverance. The healing can now begin. Every evening year after year as you well know family members and law enforcement kept the faith that one day they might see their daughters, their sisters, and their nieces again.
Monday evening that happened. The FBI Crime Task Force as the chief and mayor mentioned and particularly the men and women of the Cleveland Police Department had pursued every tip and have stood with the families each step of the way. The families of these three young ladies never gave up hope. Neither did law enforcement. As you can imagine, words can't describe the emotions being felt by all. Yes, law enforcement professionals do cry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The hero at the center of this drama, Amanda Berry. Here she is at the hospital last night. She's in the middle. She's with her sister, and beside her, her possible motivation.
In a news conference that ended just minutes ago, police did confirm that this little girl, 6 years old, was taken from that house with Amanda Berry is Amanda Berry's daughter. No word on who the father is. Police are still investigating that part of the story. Martin Savidge is in that Cleveland neighborhood where this all went down. Bring us up-to-date.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Carol. I mean, there was just so much. We talk about the news conference that was held by authorities there, and you had the FBI that's now involved. They were saying that they now have specialists, FBI specialists, that are on scene in that house and that they are doing the evidence gathering.
And they said that is probably -- I think they called it -- that's something that's probably going to go on for several days because there are so many questions. The mayor said it. The FBI said it. Because the mayor, as he points out, they want to know why were these girls targeted in the first place?
How was it that they were taken and then how is it that they weren't discovered for ten years? All credit is given, as you heard from the authorities, to Amanda Berry, because they say had she not broken free then none of them would be free at this moment. Here's the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Michele Knight disappeared when she was 19. That was 2002. Amanda Berry disappeared the day before her 17th birthday. That was 2003. Gina De Jesus disappeared when she was 14. That was 2004. Then, Monday evening, a decade-long nightmare ended when Amanda Berry made an emotional 911 call to police.
AMANDA BERRY: Help me, I'm Amanda Berry.
911 DISPATCHER: Do you need, police, fire or ambulance?
BERRY: I need police.
911 DISPATCHER: OK, and what's going on there?
BERRY: I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for 10 years, and I'm here. I'm free now.
911 DISPATCHER: OK. What's your address?
BERRY: It's 2207 Seymour Avenue.
911 DISPATCHER: It looks like you are calling me --
BERRY: I can't hear you.
911 DISPATCHER: It looks like you are calling me from 2210 Seymour.
BERRY: I'm across the street using the phone.
911 DISPATCHER: OK, stay there with those neighbors --
BERRY: OK.
911 DISPATCHER: OK. Talk to the police when they get there. BERRY: OK, hello?
911 DISPATCHER: Yes, talk to the police when they get there.
BERRY: OK, are they on their way right now?
911 DISPATCHER: We're going to send them as soon as we get a car open.
BERRY: No, I need them now before he gets back.
911 DISPATCHER: All right we're sending them, OK?
BERRY: OK.
911 DISPATCHER: Who's the guy who went out?
BERRY: His name is Ariel Castro.
911 DISPATCHER: All right, how old is he?
BERRY: He's like 52.
911 DISPATCHER: All right.
BERRY: I'm Amanda Berry. I've been on the news for the last two years.
911 DISPATCHER: OK, I got that here. I already -- what was his name again?
BERRY: Ariel Castro.
911 DISPATCHER: What's he wearing?
BERRY: I don't know because he's not here right now.
911 DISPATCHER: When he left what was he wearing? All right, the police are on their way. Talk to them when they get there. I told you they're on the way. Talk to them when they get there.
SAVIDGE: She made that call after she was able to look out of the house where they were being held, and flag down a neighbor.
CHARLES RAMSEY, NEIGHBOR: I need my McDonald's. I come outside. I see this girl going nuts trying to get out of the house. So I go on the porch, I go on the porch, and she says help me get out. I've been here a long time.
So, you know, I figured it's a domestic violence dispute so I open the door and we can't get in that way, because how the door is, it's so much that a body can't fit through only your hand. So we kick in the bottom and she comes out with little girl and she says call 911. My name is Amanda Berry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you know who that was when she said that? RAMSEY: When she told me it didn't register until I got the call to 911, I'm calling the 911 for Amanda Berry? I thought this girl was dead. You know what I mean? And she got on the phone and she said yes, this is me. The girl Amanda told the police, I am not just the only one. It's both girls up in that house. So they go on up there, you know, 30, 40 and when they came out, it was just astonishing.
SAVIDGE: Police moved in swarming the house, rescuing the women. They arrested a 52-year-old former school bus driver who lives there, Ariel Castro. They also arrested his two brothers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They made some statements to the responding officers that gave us enough probable cause to affect their arrest.
SAVIDGE: The rescued women were taken to a nearby hospital and checked out. A photo of a beaming Amanda Berry and her sister appeared on Facebook.
DR. GERALD MALONEY, METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT MEDICAL CENTER: Currently, they're safe. We're in the process of evaluating their medical needs. They appear to be in fair condition at the moment. This is really good, because this isn't the ending we usually get to these stories so we're very happy.
SAVIDGE: That sense of happiness and relief shared by police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a great -- it's a great day.
SAVIDGE: And the people of Cleveland.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's an unbelievable day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: All right, we're going to get back to Martin Savidge. He is interviewing more neighbors in that Cleveland neighborhood where these three women were found. We'll get to Martin in just a minute.
Just in to CNN, though, a statement from Jaycee Dugard. You remember her. She was the girl abducted when she was 11 and held for so many years captive and finally released when she was an adult. This is the statement she just released moments ago.
Quote, "These individuals need the opportunity to heal and connect back into the world. This isn't who they are. It's only what happened to them. The human spirit is incredibly resilient. More than ever they reaffirms we should never give up hope."
One of the big questions right now centers on the man arrested in the case. His name is Ariel Castro. Police also arrested his two brothers, but say the 52-year-old, Ariel, owns the house where these women were found. According to the Cleveland dealer Castro was arrested at a nearby McDonald's.
Castro and his brothers have not yet been charged are, but we do know Castro is a former school bus driver. A spokeswoman for the school district does not know how long Castro worked there or whether he left voluntarily or whether he was fired.
Castro's Facebook page shows his love of guitars. His last post was dated May 2nd, just a few days ago, where he wrote, quote, "miracles really do happen. God is good." A frantic call to 911 for help came from, as you know by now, Amanda Berry. She escaped the house with the help of a neighbor and called police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERRY: Help me. I'm Amanda Berry. I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for ten years, and I'm here. I'm free now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Marc Klaas has dedicated his life to protecting children after his own 12-year-old daughter, Polly, was kidnapped in 1993 and murdered. He joins me now, and I see you shaking your head as you listen to that 911 call.
MARC KLAAS, FOUNDER, KLAASKIDS FOUNDATION: Well, you know, the sun is going to shine a little brighter on the United States of America today because of Amanda's actions during that phone call. You can hear the emotion in her voice. This is 10 years. This is a decade of pent-up fear and frustration that's being released all in one moment.
It's absolutely extraordinary, but Carol, I would like to -- in defense of law enforcement, I just like to say that this kind of a crime is one of the most difficult crimes there is to solve, particularly when the offender has no kind of a police record.
This guy seems to have descended out of hell on three separate occasions and snatched these girls and somehow found a way to restrain them for the last decade. I think until we hear more information we have to be cognizant of that fact and not be too critical of the way that law enforcement handled this in the past, is handling it now, and will certainly continue to handle this case in the future.
COSTELLO: You're right about that. During that news conference, the police assured the community that there were no police calls to that house since 2006. No trouble at all and the only trouble that this Ariel Castro had is when he was a school bus driver for the public schools. Apparently in 2004, he left a kid alone on the bus. They investigated and they filed had no charges against him, and that was about it.
KLAAS: How creepy is it that this -- I was going to say how creepy is it that this character has got a job where he is surrounded by children on a daily basis. It's just makes your skin crawl. Everything about this guy makes your skin crawl.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. As far as police know right now, while he was a bus driver, they don't know if he came to know the women that way or not. They're still investigating that part of the story.
I also wanted to ask you, Marc, about the 911 calls because neighbors in Cleveland are really upset about how the 911 dispatcher handled the call. I'm just going to read you the end of it. You heard the panic in Amanda Berry's voice, right?
So this is the dispatcher, and I'm just going to read the transcript from the end of the call. Dispatcher, when he left, the suspect, what was he wearing? Amanda is, like who knows? Dispatcher, the police are on their way. Talk to them when they get there.
Amanda says, what? OK. The dispatcher then says I told you they're on their way. Talk to them when they get there, OK? And then it was all right, OK, bye, and the dispatcher hung up. A lot of people are upset about that. They say that the dispatcher should have stayed on the phone with Amanda Berry.
KLAAS: I agree. I think that the dispatcher should have stayed on the phone, but, again, in their defense, 911 call centers receive thousands of calls on a regular basis. I mean, we've seen cases where they're over extended and sometimes the call centers go down.
Oftentimes when people call 911, they're in a very emotionally distraught frame of mind, so I'm sure that as part of the training for the dispatcher to disassociate emotionally from the call.
That having been said, given the high nature of this case who this girl was, where this occurred, I think it would have been to their advantage to stay -- their advantage to stay --
COSTELLO: We've got to get to this press conference. It's Gina DeJesus' families, one of the women kidnapped. Let's listen.
(BEGIN LIVE FEED)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- simply because I also have another family member who just got out of the hospital yesterday from an aneurism, and I don't want her to go back. This is two miracles in two weeks. I am begging, begging everyone just to support our family by not crowding us. Give us air to breathe, and we promise we will give you at the right time all the information that you guys can have.
REPORTER: How is she doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will tell you this because I was there to see her. All three girls -- God works in mysterious ways. You would never -- I mean, it's just unbelievable, unbelievable. These girls -- these women are so strong, stronger than I am. I will tell you that much. They all have a positive attitude.
This is what we need from everyone. We need to still be a family, neighborhood with neighborhood. We need to watch out for all kids, really, watch who your neighbor is because you never know. OK?
It's like, I'll tell you, when I came from Puerto Rico everybody said I'm telling your mom, I seen you, I seen you. This is how we have to be again. We have to take care of everybody's children, and God has blessed us by bringing all three of those girls, all of them back.
REPORTER: How did you feel when you found out? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to be honest. I just -- God has been giving me signs two weeks in a row. One for my sister to get home, to leave work, go home, 5 minutes to get to her for her to make it for her to survive, and yesterday I said I was leaving work at 5:00, and they said go ahead.
And not even as I got into my driveway people were telling me go down there, go down there, and I did, and I kind of knew right then and there when I passed the yellow caution tape and they're telling me stay away because they know who the family is. It was -- I'm telling you, God works in mysterious ways.
He is looking out for us. It was my mom's 10th year anniversary of her passing away. Everything is in circle. If you don't believe in miracles, I suggest you think again because it does happen.
REPORTER: (Inaudible).
(END LIVE FEED)
COSTELLO: Just so you know what's going on, this is a news conference. This is Gina DeJesus's aunt, and she's holding a press conference in Cleveland saying her family is fine, but she wants the media to just give her family some peace -- back in English. Let's go back.
(END LIVE FEED)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She kept -- we had the strength. That's, you know -- I give her -- I don't know how she did it. If it was my daughter, I don't know. She's my niece, and I -- I survive day by day with God.
REPORTER: (Inaudible).
(END LIVE FEED)
COSTELLO: All right, as I was saying, this is Gina DeJesus's aunt. She's speaking to reporters right now to say the family is doing fine and of course, she is thanking God that Gina was found alive, but, of course, Gina is going through a lot right now.
Gina was abducted when she was just 14 years old in 2004. She was walking home from school. At the time, Gina's mother was absolutely convinced that she was abducted for human trafficking. That's what she said all those years ago.
All those years, at least police believe at this point, she was kidnapped by a man named Ariel Castro and held captive by him all these years until Amanda Berry, another woman allegedly kidnapped by the same man, escaped from the house, called 911, and she was the reason all of these women were freed. Let's go back to the press conference right now.
(BEGIN LIVE FEED) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Those girls, those women are so strong. What we do out here, what we have done in 10 years is nothing compared to what those women have done. Together they survived. That's it. I need to go take care of my sister, Sandra Ruiz. Thank you very much.
(END LIVE FEED)
COSTELLO: All right, you can see she is going to go back to Gina's mother because, of course, Gina's mother needs her a lot more than we all do. You heard her say that the women banded together in that house and helped one another survive.
I want to bring in psychologist Jeff Gardere and talk about this because I'm sure no one can imagine going through something like this except maybe for Jaycee Dugard. It's just awful, but Jaycee Dugard was alone until she had her child.
JEFF GARDERE, PSYCHOLOGIST: Yes, yes. Well, it is incredible that they did survive, but that talks to the human spirit that we do have the coping mechanisms that get us through these traumas whether with some sort of disassociation or some sort of repression or suppression as to what was going on.
Perhaps in their own way cooperating so that they wouldn't be killed, they were able to do it, and that's what investigators, therapists will be talking to them about, and then help them evolve those coping mechanisms to be able to integrate that into the outside world.
Because for what we know right now perhaps these women had not seen the light of day, being able to walk outside even if they were being suppressed by that individual for over 10 years.
COSTELLO: It's just unbelievable. We also heard Sandra Ruiz is her name. She's Gina DeJesus's aunt. She also said she can't believe the incredible strength that these women are showing.
GARDERE: Absolutely. These women had resiliency. They were strong. They were able to make it through. At the same time, because they were so focused on their survival and whatever horrific scenes were going on and, Carol, I can tell you, for them to -- for no one to know that they were there, it was not just physical or possible sexual abuse. We're also talking about mind control.
We're also talking about possibly torture here. These women now have to be able to transition out of that survival mode and now be able to increase or develop their social skills to be able to be back into the world, the reality of this outside world. What was going on in that home was certainly far, far from reality. That was a world that was horrific.
COSTELLO: Well, stay right there. I had many more questions, but I want to take it back to Cleveland go to Poppy Harlow now. She was at that press conference. Does the DeJesus family live far from where this suspect lives? I was just curious -- Poppy.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Hi, Carol. You know, that's something that we don't know at this time exactly in terms of location and don't want to speculate on. I did ask the brother Ricardo DeJesus who is the older brother of Gina, and he didn't want to comment.
I'm actually about to do an interview with him on camera, but before we do that I wanted to tell our viewers, I mean, everyone just heard that press conference with Sandra, the aunt of Gina, Gina's mother sister. She said believe in miracles. We always believed -- believed in miracles and also said know your neighbors. Watch out for your neighbors. That really stood with me.
Ricardo, the 33-year-old brother of Gina, said to me he saw his sister last night after coming home seeing the news on the television, on the news, went to the hospital, saw Gina, and said she was both surprised and happy, of course, elated at the same time, but also sort of shocked that this had all happened, that they had been rescued.
He said he kept hugging her, hugging her, talking to her while and he his family were at the hospital over 200 people came to the family home where I am right now to support them. He said I thought it was still a dream because it had been so long.
Now I asked the brother, Carol, if he knows Ariel Castro. He said yes. He knew him when they were younger, but had not seen him over the past 10 years since his sister was abducted. I asked how his parents are doing. How are the parents of Gina DeJesus doing?
He said that Nancy and Felix, their names, he said that they were crying. They were hugging, of course, their daughter. They were happy. I asked him, you know, you're her older brother. Do you feel even more protective of her now?
He said I'm not letting anything happen to her again. So we're about to talk to him for an on camera interview. I'm going to go do that. I just wanted to tell you --
COSTELLO: Before you go, Poppy -- before you go, Poppy, did you say that the DeJesus family knew Ariel Castro?
HARLOW: I can tell you that the brother tells me that the man who says he is her brother, the 33-year-old Ricardo DeJesus told me that when he was younger he knew Ariel Castro. He wouldn't go into specifics and he did say he had not seen Castro in the last 10 years -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Are they Puerto Rican because there is a Puerto Rican community in Cleveland, and I just wondered if that was the connection.
HARLOW: This is a Puerto Rican community here in Cleveland. I can't speak exactly for the families if they're Puerto Rican or not. I don't want to make any assumptions. They did say, yes, that is Puerto Rican community.
COSTELLO: All right, Poppy, I'll let you go you so can interview the brother. Thank you very much, Poppy. Do we still have Jeff nearby? GARDERE: Yes.
COSTELLO: Wow. So supposedly according to the brother of Gina DeJesus when he was a child, he is 33 years old right now, he knew this Ariel Castro. I don't know what conclusions we can draw, but it's just eerie.
GARDERE: It truly is. I don't want to in any way because hindsight is 20-20. I don't want to criticize law enforcement here, but I think questions are going to start to come up because one of the things you do in an investigation -- as you know I have worked as a forensic psychologist for many years.
You have to look at the sphere of influence. You have to be able to go in and interview everyone who may have known this family. So we don't know whether that happened or whether that was done in a thorough enough way, and as we saw with the Boston marathon bombing, cops went door to door, house to house.
I think even the families involve may start to question, but why wasn't there this sort of sweep outwards from where this neighborhood, this very close knit neighborhood was? Why didn't they go door to door?
Again, I don't want to criticize law enforcement, but people will begin to ask those questions, and I hope that we're learning from this situation as with others that there are things that we can do where every stone should not be left unturned.
COSTELLO: I'm sure it won't. Let's go back to that Cleveland neighborhood and check in with Martin Savidge. Because Martin, you've been kind of looking at this from the investigative angle. Did the police at the time of these women's disappearance go door to door? Do we know? In the press conference, they said they did all they could.
SAVIDGE: Right. Yes. Just to reiterate, back when first you had, you know, the two young women disappear and they were separated by almost exactly one year in their disappearance. You had Amanda and then after Amanda, let me just refer to the notes here. You had Gina DeJesus.
Both of those became very famous cases here in the city of Cleveland. There are people here today who are here now because they say, look, I was out on the streets. I was knocking on the door. I was canvassing neighborhoods. There were a lot of people besides just law enforcement that were looking out for these young girls.
It was a huge story at that time. Continue they had candlelight vigils. They would mark the anniversary date. It's not like there wasn't a large community effort. Where was the focus then? Was it focused in the right area? You know, that remains to be seen.
They were taken actually from an area that is about 110th Street. We're at 25th. So, you know, you're talking 75 blocks away or more. So it's not like they were immediately here, but you're right to ask these questions. Were family member connections considered? Were there links?
This goes back to what the mayor was asking at the news conference. He said we want to know why were these girls taken? Why were they targeted? Was there some sort of connection that made them stand out above anybody else? Then, of course, the other thing they want to know is, were there any other victims and are there any other suspects involved? Where does this go? It's the beginning. It is not the end of anything -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And of course, police are investigating Ariel Castro's two brothers. They are investigating whether any other properties were involved because for some it's difficult to believe that these three women could be held captive in one house for more than a decade.
SAVIDGE: Correct. I mean, there are a lot of people who insinuate that there were times that these young ladies might have been seen in the yard. That they may have been seen in a window that somehow neighbors or those in the neighborhood felt that they had recognized that they didn't belong or they were somehow out of place.
Now, they claim that they notified authorities. If you listen to the news conference that was held, the safety director says they came to this address on two instances, one in 2000 before all of this began and the other in 2004, and the reason they came was to investigate Ariel Castro because of a child supposedly left behind on the school bus. Not because of a report they received of anybody being held against their will in the home. All of this stuff will have to be ironed out.
COSTELLO: So many questions. I'll let you get back to it. Martin Savidge reporting live from Cleveland this morning.
A lot of news this morning to talk about. There's a big congressional election in South Carolina. As you know, Mark Sanford against Stephen Colbert's sister.
Let's go to Jim Acosta. He is standing by with the former governor right now. Take it away, Jim.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. That's right. I can tell you just a few moments ago the former governor of South Carolina, now congressional candidate Mark Sanford did vote at a polling location here in Charleston, and we're joined by the former governor now. Thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.
MARK SANFORD, SOUTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Pleasure.
ACOSTA: Let me just ask you. We had a chance to catch up with you a few moments ago, and you were telling us how you feel about things today. You said you're optimistic, but you're not making any predictions. How do you feel?
SANFORD: I still stand by that. You know, you get to the end of a campaign, and you are sort of worn out in the physical sense, but, you know, the finish line is here, and you're guardedly optimist being on what the voters decide come tonight. ACOSTA: It's not just the voters here in South Carolina. People across the country have followed everything that you've been through over the last few years and it's been interesting to note during this campaign, you haven't shied away from the questions.
You know, we've come up to you and you have answered just about every question we've had to ask you. In particular about your permanent life and your past, why have you decided engage and take those questions on during this campaign?
SANFORD: Well, one, you talk about the position of public trust, and I had a failing that was well chronicled, and I think it's been important to discuss it. We discussed it at length during the first congressional entry. But you know, I think it falls into this larger, I guess, journey we're all on, which is that none of us are perfect.
All of us have feet of clay, and, you know, this notion of redemption, of second chances is part and partial to the American way, and we'll find out whether it's part and parcel to the election tonight.
ACOSTA: Do you think voters here in this district have forgiven you?
SANFORD: I do believe so. Yes, sir. I would say that forgiveness is at an individual level, and some people forgive me the next day. Some people will probably never forgive me, and you know, the continuum is where folks fall out.
I think this larger journey of second chances, of getting back up and trying as best you can to swing the bat in an area that you care about, whether that's in the world of journalism or world of politics, or world of business, I think is important to every one of our lives.
ACOSTA: As you know the National Republican Party sort of pulled out of this race and really didn't give you much support. How did you do it without them?
SANFORD: Well, a lot of friends talking to friends. I mean, the down side we hit a million or million plus dump on our head with some fairly strong negative ads based on, you know, with Nancy Pelosi associate the interest pouring into this campaign, but the good news was a lot of folks were out there talking to friends and neighbors.
Here is the full transcript from CNN Newsroom regarding the miraculous news that three women: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were found alive in the same home.
CNN NEWSROOM
Missing Women Found in the Same Home; Police, Mayor Update Missing Women Case
Aired May 7, 2013 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Thanks to you both. And good morning to all of you and thank you so much for joining us this morning.
I'm Carol Costello. This is a special edition of NEWSROOM. In just a few minutes, police in Cleveland, Ohio will hold their first news conference on a remarkable and horrifying story that's still unfolding.
Here's what we know. A daring escape leads to the rescue of three women. All three vanished more than nine years ago in separate disappearances. All three were just teenagers at the time.
Gina DeJesus was last seen in 2004 when she was 14 years old. Michele Knight was 19 when she disappeared in 2002. And Amanda Berry went missing in 2003 on the eve of her 17th birthday. It was Berry who ultimately led them all to freedom.
This is Berry at the hospital last night with her sister and a young girl who reportedly escaped from the house along with her. Amanda Berry is in the middle there. Police came and rescued the other two women after Berry's desperate call to 911.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
911 DISPATCHER: 911. Do you need --
AMANDA BERRY, KIDNAP VICTIM: Help me. I'm Amanda Berry.
911 DISPATCHER: Do you need police, fire or ambulance?
BERRY: I need police.
911 DISPATCHER: OK, and what's going on there?
BERRY: I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for ten years, and I'm here. I'm free now.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
COSTELLO: This morning all three women are out of the hospital and they are back with their families. In the meantime, FBI agents have locked down the neighborhood. They're searching the home where these women were held; its owner and his two brothers now under arrest. Of course, we're covering all the latest developments for you and waiting on that news conference to begin. Martin Savidge joins us live in Cleveland. Hi, Martin.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Carol. Yes, I mean we've just been moved back from where we were in front of the house. Let me just tell you what's going on.
It appears that authorities are coming in perhaps to do more searching and there's been talks of dogs being brought in. But I interrupted -- go ahead.
COSTELLO: No, I understand. I just wanted to talk to you about this 911 call. Because more than one woman has told me the dispatcher did not seem all that caring. He did not stay on the phone with Amanda Berry, for example, until police came. What are neighbors saying about this 911 call?
SAVIDGE: Well, you just mentioned that and in fact, there was a woman who just pulled me aside and said the same thing. She was absolutely livid with the 911 operator because she felt number one that it didn't sound like the operator was taking it seriously. And number two, it didn't sound like that operator was very compassionate. And also it didn't sound like the operator was aware of who Amanda Berry was which this woman was like for years we've been searching for her and this moment arrives and it sounded almost like this person didn't believe them.
Now I'm not a professional paid by the Cleveland Police Department, but they are trained in a different manner. And sometimes in their professional responses that they give, it may not sound like they are caring, but authorities would tell you, yes, we definitely do care. That said, you can bet that call is going to be reviewed.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
911 DISPATCHER: 911.
BERRY: Help me, I'm Amanda Berry.
911 DISPATCHER: Do you need police, fire or ambulance?
BERRY: I need police.
911 DISPATCHER: OK. And, what's going on there?
BERRY: I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for ten years and I'm here, I'm free now.
911 DISPATCHER: OK. And what's your address?
(EXPLETIVE DELETED)
BERRY: I can't hear you.
911 DISPATCHER: It looks like you are calling me (EXPLETIVE DELETED) BERRY: I'm across the street. I'm using the phone.
911 DISPATCHER: OK. Stay there with those neighbors --
BERRY: Please help me.
(CROSSTALK)
BERRY: OK.
911 DISPATCHER: Thank you. OK. Talk to the police when they get there.
BERRY: OK. Hello?
911 DISPATCHER: Yes, talk to the police when they get there.
BERRY: OK.
911 DISPATCHER: We're going to send them as soon as we get a car open.
BERRY: No, I need them now before he gets back.
911 DISPATCHER: All right. We're sending them, OK?
BERRY: OK.
911 DISPATCHER: Who's the guy who went out?
BERRY: His name (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
911 DISPATCHER: All right. How old is he?
BERRY: He's like 52.
911 DISPATCHER: All right.
BERRY: I'm Amanda Berry. I've been on the news for the last ten years.
911 DISPATCHER: OK. I got that here. I already -- what was his name again?
BERRY: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
911 DISPATCHER: And is he White, Black, or --
BERRY: Hispanic.
911 DISPATCHER: What's he wearing?
BERRY: I don't know because he's not here right now.
(CROSSTALK)
911 DISPATCHER: When he left, what was he wearing?
BERRY: (INAUDIBLE). 911 DISPATCHER: All right. The police are on the way. Talk to them when they get there. OK?
BERRY: I knew -- OK.
911 DISPATCHER: I told you they're on the way. Talk to them when they get there. OK.
BERRY: Thank you.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: So again, you know, a lot of people listen to that phone call and they go, wait a minute, this young lady sounded like she was in deep distress, why was the operator acting that way? It's going to be looked at.
But the real thrill for everyone right now is the fact that three young ladies who many thought maybe have been lost forever are back reunited or in the process of with their families. And that can't be overlooked. That moment is going to be savored even as the questions come -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, absolutely. But there are questions already coming. Not just about the 911 call, but also about the investigation itself. Some people say that they did call police and have them come and investigate this house where these three women were held for so many years. Tell us about those allegations -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Yes, talking to neighbors here in this community, they say that on at least two specific incidents over the years past, that there were times that authorities were called; that they were notified that hey, there was something suspicious going on. It didn't look right. That there was a young lady that perhaps didn't belong, that maybe was being held against her will.
On one occasion they said police did respond, knocked on the door for about eight minutes. But then hearing nothing, left. Another occasion, another call, this time authorities showed up, they went to the backyard. Lots of dogs barking, but again neighbors say nothing was done.
Here's the sentiment in this community. This is a hard-working, tough side of Cleveland. And many would tell you that, look, had it been a wealthier neighborhood, the police response would be different. That is way too early to determine. Right now it is -- they are looking at the rescue of these young ladies and the questions will come. Were there other victims? How was this handled? Should there be changes? We'll see.
COSTELLO: And right now those three young women freed after so many years really have their neighbors to thank for this. And of course Amanda Berry, who so bravely escaped that house, ran across -- well, she was helped out of the house by Charles Ramsey, one of the neighbors, right? And then she ran across the street. Neighbors let her into their home to call 911. SAVIDGE: Yes, they did. In fact, you know, she begged. She said, can I get in? Can I use the telephone? You can only imagine what this would be like. A chaotic scene where a woman comes dashing up and tells you who she is. I have been kidnapped for 10 years. By the way it was in the house right across the street from you.
A lot of shock, but people responded. And they responded in kind of a human way. This is a person who needs help, needs a phone, you get it, we'll get you out. Now that's what happened.
COSTELLO: All right. Marty, please stand by. We're awaiting a news conference to begin. Expected to speak the mayor of Cleveland, Frank Jackson, and also the chief of police, Michael McGrath. We're expecting them to outline charges against three men involved in this case. And also to tell us a little more about what these women's lives were like inside that house. That news conference expected to start at any time.
In the meantime, we want to hear from this neighbor who so bravely came to Amanda Berry's aid. His name is Charles Ramsey. We're going to start to play his sound for you but if the news conference begins, we'll jump out of that go to the news conference. But here's Charles Ramsey in his own words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES RAMSEY, NEIGHBOR: Heard her screaming. I'm eating my McDonald's. I come outside. I see this girl going nuts trying to get out of the house. So I go on the porch. I go on the porch and she says help me get out. I've been here a long time. So, you know, I figured it was a domestic violence dispute. So I open the door and we can't get in that way because how the door is, it's so much that a body can't fit through, only your hand.
So we kick the bottom and she comes out with a little girl. And she says call 911. My name is Amanda Berry.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And did you know who that was when you -- when she said that?
RAMSEY: When she told me, it didn't register until I got to calling 911. And I'm calling 911 for Amanda Berry, I thought this girl was dead. You know what I mean? And she got on the phone and she said, yes, this is me. And the Detective Cook, right here, Detective Gregory Cook says, Charles, do you know who you rescued? The girl Amanda told the police, I ain't just the only one. It's some more girls up in that house.
So they are going up there, you know, started pointing deep, and when they came out, it was just astonishing. Because I thought they would come up with nothing. Because we see this dude every day. I mean, every day.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How long have you lived here?
RAMSEY: I've been here a year. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK.
RAMSEY: I barbecue with this dude. We eat ribs and whatnot. And listen to salsa music in the same kind of room.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And you had no indication that they're --
RAMSEY: Not a -- not a clue that that girl was in that house, or anybody else was in there against their will. Because how he is -- he just comes out to his backyard, plays with the dogs, tinkers with his cars and motorcycles. He goes back in the house. So he's somebody, as you look and you look away because he's not doing nothing but the average stuff. You know what I'm saying? Nothing exciting about him. Well, until today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: All right. That was Charles Ramsey. Let's go back to Martin Savidge because something in that Charles interview intrigued me. We don't know. There were two children taken out of that house. Right? Two children.
SAVIDGE: Right.
COSTELLO: One of them came out with Amanda Berry. She called that little girl her daughter. But we're not clear who that child is right now. But you did tell me earlier that neighbors saw those children on the street walking along with suspect.
SAVIDGE: They did. Right. And there are a lot of speculation going on especially here in the neighborhood as to who those children are. Officially we have not been told. But as you point out, we do know there were two young children that were rescued along with the three women that came from the home. Their relationship to the women who were held, their relationship to the captors, we don't know at this particular time.
But there are neighbors who say that in the case of Ariel Castro, that's the man who owned the home that was being used to house these women. He occasionally was seen walking the streets here with a young child. And neighbors would go up and ask him, who is the kid here? And his response was that is the daughter of my girlfriend.
Now it apparently never went beyond that and he never went deeper in explanation. But it is a kind of startling thought to think that he was so brazen that he might walk around with -- if it is the child of his abductees, it just boggles the mind -- Carol.
COSTELLO: It really does. I mean, there are no words.
Marty, stick around. We're going to bring in Marc Klaas because for nearly 20 years Mr. Klaas has focused his efforts on protecting children after his own 12-year-old daughter Polly was kidnapped and murdered. And Marc joins me now from San Francisco.
Thank you so much for being with us this morning. MARC KLAAS, FATHER OF POLLY KLAAS: My pleasure, Carol.
COSTELLO: Where do I start? As you sit back and watch this story develop, what goes through your mind? You work with so many victims.
KLAAS: There are so many victims and we can't forget that these girls and these women are definitely the victims in this as are their families and they will, you know, suffer from that victimization for years to come. It's not a clear road. There's going to a long path to full recovery for all of them.
COSTELLO: Absolutely. And -- you're looking at live pictures of a press conference that's just about to begin. The mayor of Cleveland expected to speak. And also the chief of police, Michael McGrath. We're going to break away for just a second, Marc Klaas, so we can listen to what these people have to say. So you stay right there. Thanks so much.
(BEGIN LIVE FEED)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning. We're here today for the media briefing in connection with the safe -- finding of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight. We ask that you understand that some questions we can't answer and some questions we can answer out of respect for the family.
Be mindful that this is an ongoing investigation and due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, again, some questions cannot be answered. I introduce to you the mayor of the city of Cleveland, Frank G. Jackson.
MAYOR FRANK JACKSON (D), CLEVELAND: Now this morning we're happy to announce, or as you know that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight have been found and are alive. We're happy that they have returned to us. But their absence for several years has plagued their families, our community, Cleveland Police and our law enforcement partners for years.
We have several unanswered questions. Why were they taken? How were they taken? And how they remain undetected in the city of Cleveland for this period of time?
Today we have three suspects in custody. Over the years the Cleveland Police have worked closely with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force led by the Cleveland office of the FBI and on the investigation of Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry. We have with us today Special Agent in Charge Steve Anthony. He will be talking later.
We have also searched -- been searching our records for public safety calls to -- for services at 2207 Seymour as well as complaints regarding the house or the occupants of the house. Since last night we have learned the following. Building and Housing does not have any records of permits or violations at that address.
Our records show that the Cleveland Fire Department and our emergency medical service have not been called to that address. At this time our records show that Cleveland Police have responded twice to that address. Once in 2000 and another time in 2004. The Director Flask will provide some details in regards to that.
Now as we move forward, we will provide updates as they become available keeping in mind, as was stated, that this is an open investigation. Again, we're thankful that Miss Berry, Miss DeJesus, and Miss Knight have been found and that they are alive and that we have offered our -- support to the families and to the three ladies as they move down the road to recovery.
Now I do want to say, again, that this was a traumatic experience for them. Since we did not experience it as a community, but for them it's a traumatic experience and we need to give them room in this. So I will introduce you to the safety director.
MARTIN FLASK, CLEVELAND DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY: Good morning. Last night just prior to 6:00 p.m. Cleveland Police Communications Center received two calls. One from a neighbor to the house on Seymour Avenue and the second call from Amanda Berry, one of the missing women. An incident was created in our communications center at 5:52: 33. A police car was dispatch at 5:52:49 and first police responders arrived on the scene just under two minutes later at 5:54:07.
By 5:58 the responding officers have identified Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry as having been located at the home. At one minute later, they announced that they had also recovered safely Michele Knight.
All three of the missing women and a 6-year-old child belonging to one of the missing women was conveyed to Metro Health Medical Center where they were being treated further in provided care.
Immediately after learning of the incident, we began an immediate search of our data bases to determine what information that we had regarding this specific address. We have no -- as the mayor articulated, we went back and looked at all the emergency medical calls for service and our fire responses to the address on Seymour Avenue since 2006 as far back as our data base exists. And we found that there were no calls for service.
We again checked our Building and Housing Department to see whether or not there were any building code violations or complaints made against that address and there were no complaints or violations identified.
We also went back and looked at police calls for service. We did learn that in -- in March of 2000 Ariel Castro, one of the individuals that's in custody currently, reported to police that there was a fight in the street. There's no record of any arrests having been made as a result of that police response.
And in January of 2004, as a result of an investigation that was initiated by children and family services, Cleveland Police went to the address, knocked on the door were unsuccessful in connection with making anybody any contact with anyone inside their home.
That incident appears to have been related to his employment, Mr. Castro's employment as a school bus driver. He either intentionally or inadvertently left a child on a bus when he returned to the depot. As a result of that, it came to our attention that from the Children and Family Services that there may have been a crime.
An investigation that was conducted by the Cleveland Division of Police and the kid there was no criminal intent on Mr. Castro's action.
Again, we're going to continue to look at all the data bases not only from calls being made from that address or about that address, but any calls that have been made or could have been made by any neighborhood residents alleging illegal activity or inappropriate activity within that home.
And at this point I can confirm that we have no indications and neither the neighborhoods, bystanders, witnesses or anyone else has ever called regarding any information regarding activity that occurred at that house on Seymour Avenue.
I'll turn this over to the Chief of Police Michael McGrath who will provide some additional information.
CHIEF MICHAEL MCGRATH, CLEVELAND POLICE: Thanks, Director. Good morning, everyone. Last night the city of Cleveland, northeast Ohio, received a tremendous news. The rescue of Michele Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus.
As a law enforcement person, I know everybody within the division of police and all my law enforcement partners feel the same, I was overseeing the disappearance of Shakira Johnson back in the low 2000s. She was a 12-year-old female that disappeared and three weeks later we found her body tragically. So to find these three girls recovered well is really -- it's just makes -- the police department, it just gives us a boost. It really, really does.
Amanda, who had been missing since April 21st, 2003, was identified last evening after fleeing from her captor's home and amazingly Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight were in the same house alive and well with a small child. All the women, all the young ladies have been missing about a decade. Gina DeJesus was last seen on April 2nd, 2004. Michele Knight had been missing since August 22nd, 2002.
The Cleveland Division of Police and our law enforcement partners which includes the FBI, Cuyahoga County Sheriff's office, U.S. Marshals office remain committed to these investigations over the years. Through our involvement with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force led by the Cleveland office of the FBI, we have continued to investigate any and all leads in these cases.
These leads came in over years and were investigated time and again. Possible suspects were interviewed, search warrants were executed. Thankfully, and I mean thankfully, due to Amanda's brave actions these three women are alive today.
Three men have been arrested in this case and they are Ariel Castro, 52 years old, a brother Pedro, 54 years old, and another brother O'Neill (ph), 50 years old. The original task force will now continue to follow up investigation relative to the recovery of and processing of the scene, interviewing and the investigation.
Next steps, there's 10 years of logistical information that has to be sorted through. Numerous interviews have to be completed. The FBI evidence recovery team is processing the scene. They worked until 5:00 a.m. this morning. They will regroup later this morning.
And I anticipate it will take a few days to completely process the scene there on Seymour. Most importantly, though, the victim's physical and emotional well-being are the main concern and have to be addressed.
The FBI is providing assistance and special agent Steve Anthony will provide information relative to the debriefing of the victims.
Mr. Anthony?
STEVE ANTHONY, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Thank you, Chief. Good morning, everyone.
Chief said I'm Steve Anthony, special agent in charge of the Cleveland office of the FBI.
For Amanda's family, for Gina's family, for Michele's family, prayers have finally been answered. The nightmare is over. These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival and perseverance. The healing can now begin.
Every evening, year after year, family members in law enforcement kept the faith that one day, they might see their daughters, their sisters, their nieces again. Monday evening, that happened. The FBI's violent crime task force, and particularly the men and women of the Cleveland Police Department have pursued every tip and have stood with the families each step of the way. And the families of these three young ladies never gave up hope and neither did law enforcement.
As you can imagine, words can't describe the emotions being felt by all. Yes, law enforcement professionals do cry. We rejoice with those families in the homecoming of Amanda, Gina, and Michelle, where I'm sure they'll be showered with much love and many, many hugs.
But has been said while we celebrate today, we and our law enforcement partners continue to work shoulder to shoulder with the Cleveland Police Department to answer the many questions, the many questions that investigators have. And rest assured, the FBI will bring every resource to bear to assist our partners in this case to bring the full weight of justice behind those responsible for this horrific, horrific case.
And has been said, I know the public and you all have many questions and so do we. Until we have the answers to those questions, based on facts and evidence, we won't be able to speculate as to the how and why. Just want to reiterate in this case, all of us standing up here rely on the public's assistance to resolve these horrific cases.
If you have any information, please contact Cleveland's division of the FBI at 216-522-1400. That is again 216-522-1400.
It can't be emphasized enough. This is an ongoing investigation. In the coming days and weeks, investigators will be putting in countless hours to track the events of the last several years.
As the chief mentioned, the three, of course, Gina, Amanda, Michelle, much of the effort that we have, that we're going to be doing over the next several days is going to be focusing on them. How could we in law enforcement help speed the healing and the recovery process and treat them with the dignity and the respect that they deserve? And we're going to be providing not just the three but their families again, with comfort, with advice, with information in the coming days to, again, help in that process.
And part of that, we have a special team of child forensic examiners that will be arriving this morning to help in that process in addition to numerous victim witness specialists, similar to those that have been sent to events such as in Boston. Thank you very much.
I'll turn it back over to Sammy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
At this time, we'll take a few questions. However, prior to, I would like to reiterate this is an open and ongoing investigation. And we want to be sensitive to not only the investigation but the family members and the victims.
And I ask that when you ask your question, you identify yourself and identify the media outlet that you're with.
REPORTER: Is there any evidence that this is part of a larger operation or is this focused just here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, it's not. But we are aware of any type of national implications. That's why we're working so closely with the FBI. We actually briefed last night on the investigative end of it, and we reminded the investigators not to forget about that. That it possibly could be something that is outside of Cleveland. But as of right now, we have no indication that it's bigger than our neighborhood here.
Yes?
REPORTER: Were these girls held as sex slaves for 10 years?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, Tom, you know, that hasn't been determined. I have to tell you that we are very, very careful with the interview process last night. So, that's going to be an ongoing process today when we have our expert come in from the FBI. They are going to do in-depth interviews and I'm sure over -- as time goes by, there will be more information that will be provided from those young ladies as to exactly what took place.
REPORTER: Are the Castros subject to new other investigations?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pardon me?
REPORTER: Are any of the Castro brothers is subject of any other investigations?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the one brother was and it was a report that the director mentioned before about inadvertently leaving a young man on the bus. The investigation was conducted and there was no criminal evidence found.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If your child was left on a bus --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I couldn't hear your name enough.
TUCHMAN: Gary Tuchman, CNN.
If your child was left on a bus (INAUDIBLE) was done, why wasn't this guy questioned about this? And do you change your protocol for looking --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Number one, he was interviewed extensively relative to this complaint that we had. He was not a suspect in any other complaint. This was a -- he was a bus driver who inadvertently, so he says, left a kid on a bus, went for a lunch break, came back, and then found the young man.
Number two, our policies are solid. Our policies have been revamped over the last few years. We're constantly looking at those policies in a way to improve them.
Number three, I can tell you as being part of this division for the last 28 years and being very, very involved in this over the last 10 years that the amount of effort, the amount of leads, the amount of work hours and dedication that went into this, I have never seen it before over last 10 years. Every single lead was followed up no matter how small.
As a lot of you know in this room, we dug up a couple backyards. We re-canvassed neighborhoods. We had vigils. We participated in National Missing Children's Day along with the FBI.
So our goal was to get them back safely. The real hero here is Amanda. I mean, she's the real hero. I mean, she's the one that got this rolling.
You know, we're following her lead. Without her, none of us would be here today.
REPORTER: Did Castro own any other properties? Does Castro own any other properties, and are you going to search those properties? And what was the shape of this house? Was there any signs they were locked up or chains?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are other properties that we're interested in. Yes, that is true. We focused on the house on Seymour last night until the early hours of morning. We're going to go back. I have not entered the house. That is an active crime scene. The only people that entered that house is the evidence recovery team of the FBI.
So, before that evidence is processed, we haven't seen photos. We haven't discussed anything with them. That's their protocols. That's their crime scene. They are going to handle it.
(CROSSTALK)
(INAUDIBLE)
REPORTER: Only one child in this house. (INAUDIBLE) Is the child Amanda's daughter?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, there was -- yes, that child in the house, is that what you're asking about? Yes, we belief that is Amanda's daughter. Yes.
REPORTER: What about the father?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to answer that?
REPORTER: Subject of ongoing --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's ongoing. We have to do some -- yes?
REPORTER: Can you share with us a little bit about how the women were held in the house, whether they were locked in a room or how they were held captive for so long (INAUDIBLE)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't get into that because that is -- they are going to have to tell us that. Obviously, there was a long period of time where nobody saw 'em. So we have to wait until we interview them and hopefully they are going to tell us exactly what went on in there. They were the only ones there along with the suspects.
So that's a very difficult question to answer.
REPORTER: Josh Haas (ph) with ABC.
Have you guys spoken to the mother of the three? (INAUDIBLE) What's their involvement?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes. We spoke with her.
Last night, I can tell you a little investigative update is, we canvassed numerous parts of the lower west side of the city. We were out on a couple streets. We have gotten ahold of all of family members and interviewed them.
What those discussions were I'm not at liberty to release that right now. We're going to have an investigative briefing internally later today to find out some of the results, but, yes, we have talked to all family, friends and we're going to continue to do that.
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, Bill, we don't. Amanda is the key to that. Like I said, you can only imagine the scene last night at the hospital with the family and the friends. It was just chaotic. We really didn't divulge -- we didn't get into a deep, deep line of questioning.
Our concern -- our first and foremost concern last night was their physical and mental well-being. So, that is going to come out, but as of today, I couldn't tell you.
REPORTER: Do you know if -- we heard from the neighbor. The there was a lock on the door. Do you know if there was other locks beyond the door lock that there were other ways that those women were kept inside the house, without giving too much detail?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't. All I know is Amanda broke out the bottom of the door to get out. So obviously the door was secured, but exactly how it was.
REPORTER: You're still investigating whether there were calls from neighbors to that home. You know, you were called there twice but you don't know for a fact if a neighbor had ever called to report (INAUDIBLE).
FLASK: Marty Flask, Public Safety.
We've queried, looked at all the calls for service. We also checked this morning with county partners for the wireless system.
We don't have any indications that any incoming calls for service, allegations, tips or information was received from any other source or any other neighbors. I can confirm that. However, we will continue to check all our data bases to confirm that as we move forward.
But our initial review indicates clearly that nothing was provided to the city of Cleveland from any of the neighbors that live on that e street or anywhere else regarding the activities at that home.
(CROSSTALK)
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can tell you from what I saw the physical condition, I'm not a medical person. I know metro briefed last night, but they seemed to be in fatherly good health. I mean, look at them, there was no outward signs. You know, they needed a good meal, but that's something I'd have to refer to metro as far as their medical condition.
What was the second part?
REPORTER: Michele Knight, what's her story?
ED TOMBA, DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE, CLEVELAND: Her story is she hasn't been seen in over 11 years. That story is going to come out. She spoke a little bit with us last night.
