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Castro's victims resilient after torment
August 2nd, 2013
05:08 AM ET

Castro's victims resilient after torment

They were living in hell, and Ariel Castro did all he could to make sure they'd never escape.

He tied and chained them up, removed handles from doors and replaced them with padlocks. He rigged entrances to the house with makeshift alarms, threatened them with a gun and fed them only once a day.

He covered windows to keep them out of view and sunlight out of their rooms.

But Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus focused on the light at the end of the long, dark tunnel.

They nurtured the faith that they would one day be free. They clung to each other. They persevered and emerged from years of hell to find new life.

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soundoff (19 Responses)
  1. Scottish Mama

    And then they let him ramble on in court.

    August 2, 2013 at 6:35 am | Report abuse |
    • Lucinda

      Are you completely uncompassionate? Where is your humanity? Ariel is a victim of an addiction caused by society, a society filled with imagery that drove him to this. He should receive help, not incarceration, some intensive therapy for his addiction. He would be alright in a few months and we could move past this without the expense of incarceration.

      August 2, 2013 at 8:39 pm | Report abuse |
    • Joe Average

      Nah. A bullet to the head would be less trouble.

      Matter of fact, bullets to the heads of most of the prison populace.

      August 2, 2013 at 9:21 pm | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Lucinda, your stance is devoid of any value. Your compassion for his actual victims is underwhelming.

      August 2, 2013 at 9:32 pm | Report abuse |
  2. chrissy

    Yea no kidding! They need to muzzle him and while they're at it put an electric shock collar on him and everytime he makes eye contact with anyone zap him!

    August 2, 2013 at 8:00 am | Report abuse |
    • Scottish Mama

      And give the remote to Berry, Dejesus and Knight? No they seem too nice.

      August 2, 2013 at 10:08 am | Report abuse |
    • Dr McCoy

      I would never have thought the human organism could stand so much pain.

      August 2, 2013 at 6:42 pm | Report abuse |
  3. ronvan

    Life + a 1000 yrs.!! Maybe the prison population will make him suffer? Sure hope so.

    August 2, 2013 at 8:06 am | Report abuse |
  4. chrissy

    Lol @ ronvan, welcome back. And you know they will. He will be punked out in no time!

    August 2, 2013 at 9:22 am | Report abuse |
  5. Scottish Mama

    But he said it was consensual "sometimes". How sick is that? Jeesh. Pathetic.

    August 2, 2013 at 9:57 am | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Truing to salve his conscience, what's left of it, anyway.

      August 2, 2013 at 11:36 am | Report abuse |
  6. banasy©

    These women are the epitome of grace and resilience. They are incredibly strong and seem to be recovering well.
    Good luck to them in the future; I hope their lives are wonderful.

    August 2, 2013 at 11:33 am | Report abuse |
  7. saywhat

    Indeed @banasy.

    August 2, 2013 at 3:52 pm | Report abuse |
  8. banasy©

    Anything between you and I would be a figment of your imagination.

    August 2, 2013 at 4:42 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Jeff Frank (R-Ohio) "Right Wing Insanity"

    CNN always finds new hook ups for everyone. This time its Ariel Castro and Michelle Hammon-Garcia. They have a lot in common.Don't you think?

    August 2, 2013 at 5:48 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Cheech Marin

    I'll be playing him in the movie.

    August 2, 2013 at 9:24 pm | Report abuse |
  11. banasy©

    Your opinion of women is appalling.

    August 2, 2013 at 9:40 pm | Report abuse |
  12. vikingwoman

    A rupert & Lucinda, y'all are made for eachother!!

    August 3, 2013 at 4:39 pm | Report abuse |
  13. chrissy

    Puleeezz! Not me @ 6:47 yesterday!

    August 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm | Report abuse |
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