Ohio Suspect's Ex-Wife Alleged Severe Abuse

The mother of the children of one of the suspects in the abduction of three women in Ohio once accused him of brutally beating her, according to court documents dating back almost a decade.

Grimelda Figueroa, who passed away last year, filed a petition for protection in 2005 against Ariel Castro, alleging severe physical abuse.

The documents show Ms Figueroa accused Castro of breaking her nose twice, knocking out one of her teeth, dislocating her shoulder and causing her to break several ribs. She also suffered an inoperable blood clot on her brain.

She claimed Castro threatened a handful of times to kill her and her children and that he "frequently abducts daughters and keeps them from mother/legal custodian".

Ms Figueroa asked the court to keep Castro away from her and her children. However, records show her attorney failed to appear at a court hearing in late 2005, causing the request for protection to be dismissed.

The house where the kidnapped women were kept

Administrative Judge Diane Palos told Fox News Ms Figueroa does not appear to have been legally married to or divorced from Castro, but that the couple may have had a common-law marriage.

Court records also show Castro was arrested in 1993 for alleged domestic violence, but those charges were later dropped.

Castro is suspected of abducting three women nearly a decade ago and holding them in a Cleveland house until their rescue earlier this week.

Police Chief Michael McGrath said Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were in good physical condition despite having been physically bound with ropes and chains.

"We have confirmation they were bound and there were chains and ropes in the hall," he said.

Amanda Berry returned to her family's home on Wednesday

Mr McGrath also said they had been allowed out of the house "very rarely", adding: "They were released out in the backyard once in a while I believe."

Police have been searching the property and said no human remains have been found at the house. Officers had reportedly been looking for "possible aborted babies".

Miss Berry gave birth to a daughter, now six years old, while in captivity.

But sources told WKYC that as many as five pregnancies occurred in the house. They were also told the captors would beat the pregnant girls and that most of the babies did not survive.

Castro, 52, who owned and lived at the property, and his two brothers Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50, are now in custody after being arrested on suspicion of holding the women captive.

Police say they intend to charge the men.

Neighbour Charles Ramsey helped Miss Berry break out of Castro's house

Mr McGrath said they "are talking" but he would not say if they have confessed.

He also told NBC he was "absolutely" sure police did everything they could to find the women over the years and he disputed claims by neighbours that officers had been called to the house before for suspicious circumstances.

Ariel Castro is believed to have been friends with Miss DeJesus' father and reportedly helped in the search for her.

He handed out fliers after she vanished and performed music at a fundraiser held in her honour, it is claimed.

Antony Quiros said he attended a vigil for Miss DeJesus about a year ago and saw Ariel Castro comforting the missing girl's mother.

Miss Knight, now 32, Miss Berry, 27, and Miss DeJesus, 23, were abducted separately in 2002, 2003 and 2004 when they were 20, 16 and 14 respectively.

The three women were rescued after a frantic 911 call by Miss Berry, who escaped, led police to Castro's run-down property, where authorities say the trio had been held captive.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ohio Kidnap: Ariel Castro Charged By Police

A man has been charged in Ohio with kidnap and rape after police revealed his three alleged victims had only been let out of the house twice in 10 years.

Ariel Castro, 52, was held after Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, as well as Miss Berry's six-year-old daughter, were freed from the house in Cleveland.

He has been charged with four counts of kidnapping and three of rape. The rape charges do not relate to the child.

The women are believed to have only been allowed to leave the home briefly on two occasions, both times to go "into the garage in disguise", deputy police chief Ed Tomba told a news conference.

"They were in that home. They don't believe they've been outside of the home for the last 10 years.

A police officer outside Ariel Castro's home in Cleveland

"They were not in one room, but they did know each other and they did know each other was there."

He refused to comment on reports that the women had become pregnant on several occasions and had lost the babies.

Castro's two brothers - Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50 - were also detained on Monday but are not expected to be charged in connection with the kidnapping.

"There is nothing that leads us to believe that they were involved or had any knowledge of this," Mr Tomba said. "We found no facts to link them to the crime."

Tomba refused to discuss specifics of evidence discovered in the home, but earlier, city police chief Michael McGrath had said the women were "bound and there were chains and ropes in the hall".

People embrace outside Gina DeJesus' home after she was freed

Miss Berry, Miss DeJesus, and Miss Knight were aged 16, 14 and 20 respectively when they went missing around a decade ago.

All three were rescued when Miss Berry, now 27, alerted a neighbour who helped them escape.

Miss Berry and Miss DeJesus, 23, have been welcomed back at their homes with balloons and banners, while crowds cheered as they were reunited with their families.

Sandra Ruiz, an aunt of Miss DeJesus, said there were "not enough words to express the joy we feel at the return of our family member, Gina".

Miss Berry's sister, Beth Serrano, thanked the public for their "support and courage over the years".

Miss Knight is yet to appear in public. The 32-year-old is understood to be in a good condition at a local hospital.

Following criticism of the police handling of the case, Mr McGrath said he was "absolutely" sure officers did everything they could to find the women and disputed claims from neighbours that officials had been called to the property previously when suspicions were raised.

Ariel Castro is expected to appear in court later.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ohio Women Found: Police Praise Amanda Berry

Three brothers have been arrested after three women who went missing separately about a decade ago in Cleveland, Ohio, were found alive in the same house.

Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight disappeared in nearby areas of the city between 2002 and 2004. Officers believe they were tied up during years of being held captive.

The three, who vanished in their teens or early 20s, were rescued after a neighbour heard Ms Berry screaming and went to help her.

Police hailed her "bravery" and the said the women's actions were the "ultimate definition of survival and perseverance".

The suspects arrested in connection with the kidnappings have been named as Ariel, Pedro and Onil Castro, aged 52, 54 and 50.

Suspects (L-R) brothers Ariel Castro, Onil Castro and Pedro Castro

The property from where the women made their dramatic escape to freedom was just a few miles from where they vanished.

The women appeared to be in good health and were released from hospital after being taken there for checks and have been reunited with their families.

Authorities said they had no intelligence the trio were in the house, and police believe a six-year-old girl also found at the property is Ms Berry's daughter.

Forensics and FBI teams have been carrying out an extensive search of the property, where police sources reportedly quoted in the local media believe the women were repeatedly beaten and raped, and that there were five pregnancies.

Ms Berry in hospital with her sister and a young girl also found with her

FBI special agent Stephen Anthony said: "The nightmare is over. These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival and perseverance. The healing can now begin.

"The families of these three ladies never gave up hope, and neither did law enforcement. As you can imagine, words can't describe the emotions being felt by all."

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said there were still "several unanswered questions" about the case, and authorities stressed that as the investigation was on going, many facts could not be discussed.

Police revealed they went to the home in 2004 for an unrelated investigation when school bus driver Ariel Castro had apparently left a child unattended on a bus, but no-one answered the door.

Officers also visited the property in 2000 when Ariel Castro reported a fight in the street, but no arrests were made.

A poster with images of Amanda Berry

Sky's US correspondent Dominic Waghorn, at the scene, said: "Neighbours say there were some unusual things about Ariel Castro - the fact that he keeps his ground floor windows boarded up with plywood ... and he used to park his school bus here during the day just to drop in and check on something, but never explained why.

"But they say he seemed such a good man, and a good neighbour, they never suspected anything."

Elsie Cintron, who lived two doors away, told Sky News that a family member saw "a naked woman crawling on her hands and knees" in the backyard of the Cleveland house where the women were found and called police, and that she saw a young girl at the attic window.

Cleveland officials said Tuesday that they had no record of anyone calling about criminal activity at the house but that they were still combing their records.

Ms Berry, who was 16 at the time, disappeared on April 21, 2003, when she called her sister to say she was getting a lift home from her job at a Burger King outlet.

Gina DeJesus went missing on her way home from school

Ms DeJesus went missing aged 14 on her way home from school about a year after Ms Berry's disappearance.

The third woman, Ms Knight, had been missing since 2002. She is believed to have been 20 at the time.

The long nightmare for the trio ended when Ms Berry reached through a crack in the front door and called for help.

Neighbour Charles Ramsey heard her screaming and tried to get her out through the door, but could not pull it open.

So he kicked the bottom open and she crawled through carrying a little girl.

Another neighbour Anna Tejeda said Ms Berry was nervous and crying, and dressed in pyjamas and old sandals.

Balloons outside the home of Gina DeJesus

Ms Tejeda said she gave her telephone to Ms Berry, who then called police.

In a recording of the 911 call, she told the emergency dispatcher: "I'm Amanda Berry. I've been kidnapped. I've been missing for 10 years. I'm free. I'm here now."

She said she had been taken by someone - and begged officers to arrive at the home on Cleveland's west side "before he gets back".

When police arrived, they found the two other women who were allegedly being held captive. They were also rescued.

Mr Ramsey explained how he rescued Ms Berry, saying: "I hear this girl screaming and she's going nuts.

"So I come outside and I know there's nobody supposed to be screaming next door to my house because there's no girl that lives in that house.

Charles Ramsey, the neighbour who helped Amanda Berry escape

"When I came to the front door and looked at her she said 'My name is Amanda Berry - please get me out of this house'.

"She told the police, 'I ain't just only one, there's some more girls up in that house. So they go on up there ... and when they came out it was just astonishing."

Kayla Rogers, a childhood friend of Ms DeJesus, told The Plain Dealer newspaper: "I've been praying, never forgot about her, ever.

"This is amazing. This is a celebration. I'm so happy. I just want to see her walk out of those doors so I can hug her."

The rescue is the latest in a series of high-profile cases involving females being held captive for several years.

The three women disappeared in nearby areas of the city

Jaycee Dugard was found on August 26, 2009, 18 years after she was kidnapped aged 11 in California.

She had been seized by Phillip Garrido - and his wife Nancy - while on her way to school in South Lake Tahoe in June 1991, and was kept in a hidden backyard and had two children with him. The Garridos were jailed for life.

Reacting to the escape of the Cleveland trio, she said in in a statement: "These individuals need the opportunity to heal and connect back in the world. This isn't who they are. It is only what happened to them.

"The human spirit is resilient. More than ever this reaffirms we should never give up hope."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tributes To Girl Killed In Wall Collapse

A four-year-old girl who was killed when a garden wall fell on top of her has been described as a "little angel".

Surranna Stonestreet was trapped under the weight of the fallen debris just metres from where her father Karl was working.

It is understood he was removing a door frame from a shed when the wall gave way in Bath, Somerset, on Friday afternoon.

On a Facebook page set up in her daughter's memory, Surranna's mother Nicola wrote: "R.I.P BABY UR GOING TO B SOOOOO MISSED UR WERE MY WORLD. NOW SLEEPING WITH THE ANGELS LOVE U DARLING XXXX."

Hundreds of people have paid tribute to the youngster on the social networking site.

Susan Tan wrote: "My deepest condolences and sympathies to you and your family Nicola. I am truly so sorry for your loss but be assured that she is now home with God."

"No parent should feel what you are going through right now," wrote Donna Friday, while Nicky Garlington added: "RIP little angel xxx."

Ken Marks, who lives opposite the Stonestreet family in Haycombe Drive, described hearing "bad screams" before running to help.

He said: "I went into the house and saw the little girl on the hallway floor.

"I just stood there trying to console Karl. It seemed like ages before the ambulance arrived but it was only four or five minutes.

"The parents are traumatised. Karl is absolutely devastated by it.

"Nicola and Karl are smashing people. They are a happy family and the kids are always happy."

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said Surranna's death is not being treated as suspicious and has been referred to the local coroner.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jimmy Tarbuck In Child Sex Abuse Arrest

Veteran comedian Jimmy Tarbuck has been arrested in connection with a historical child sex abuse allegation.

Tarbuck, 73, was questioned by North Yorkshire Police on April 26 in relation to an incident which allegedly occurred in the late 1970s in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, when the victim was a young boy.

It is understood he was arrested at his home in Kingston Upon Thames, south-west London, and released on bail.

The arrest was made following information passed by Metropolitan Police officers working on Operation Yewtree to North Yorkshire Police.

A force spokesman said: "North Yorkshire Police can confirm that a 73-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a historic child sex abuse investigation in Harrogate.

"The man was arrested in Kingston Upon Thames on Friday 26 April 2013.

"Following questioning, he was released on police bail pending further inquiries.

"The complaint relates to an incident that occurred in the late 1970s when the victim was a young boy.

"It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."

Jimmy Tarbuck is known for being a comedian who has spent more than 50 years in television.

Born in 1940 in Liverpool, he was a schoolmate of John Lennon and his first television breakthrough came with It's Tarbuck 65! in 1964.

In 1994 he was awarded an OBE by the Queen for his services to showbusiness and charity.

Last November he performed in The Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

His daughter is the actress, television and radio presenter Liza Tarbuck.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Women Missing For Over A Decade Found Alive

Three women who disappeared as teenagers more than 10 years ago have been found alive in a house in Cleveland, Ohio - just a few miles from where they went missing.

A 52-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with the case.

Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 on April 21, 2003, when she called her sister to say she was getting a lift home from her job at a Burger King.

Police say Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight have been taken to a hospital for checks and will be reunited with relatives. They have also been described as being in good health.

A poster with images of Amanda Berry on

Police say a 52-year-old man was arrested. There's no immediate word on charges.

Ms DeJesus went missing aged 14 on her way home from school about a year later.

The third woman, Ms Knight, had been missing since 2002.

Cheering crowds gathered on the street near the home where the women were found.

Gina DeJesus went missing on her way home from school

It appears Ms Berry contacted police on Monday when she called 911 and pleaded for officers to arrive at the home on Cleveland's west side before her alleged kidnapper returned.

She told the dispatcher: "I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for 10 years. And I'm here. I'm free now."

In January, a prison inmate was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after admitting he provided a false burial tip in the disappearance of Ms Berry.

Her father wants a change in Amber Alert rules

Two men arrested for questioning in the disappearance of Ms DeJesus in 2004 were released from the city jail in 2006 after officers did not find her body during a search of the men's house.

No Amber Alert was issued the day Ms DeJesus failed to return home because no one witnessed her abduction.

The lack of an Amber Alert angered her father, Felix DeJesus, who said in 2006 he believed the public will listen even if the alerts become routine.

Age-progressed images of Gina DeJesus (L) and Amanda Berry

"The Amber Alert should work for any missing child," he said then. "It doesn't have to be an abduction. Whether it's an abduction or a runaway, a child needs to be found. We need to change this law."

Cleveland police said then that the alerts must be reserved for cases in which danger is imminent and the public can be of help in locating the suspect and child.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Father And Daughter Die In Speedboat Tragedy

A 51-year-old man and his eight-year-old daughter were killed and four other members of their family airlifted to hospital after a speedboat accident, police have confirmed.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the family from London was on holiday in Cornwall over the Bank Holiday weekend when the accident happened in the Camel Estuary near Padstow.

A 39-year-old woman, a four-year-old boy and two girls aged 10 and 12 were airlifted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where they are being treated for "a range of injuries, some of which are life changing," police said.

The boat was powered by a high speed petrol outboard engine

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) had said in a statement: "Falmouth Coastguard was first contacted at 15.48 this afternoon reporting that six people had been thrown from a speedboat approximately half a mile off Padstow."

MCA spokeswoman Jo Rawlings told Sky News: "It is believed the boat was out of control."

South Western Ambulance Service had earlier said it was thought that the speedboat hit some kayakers near the popular holiday resort, however this was subsequently ruled out by the MCA.

The tragedy happened off Padstow in Cornwall

The MCA said: "We do not believe at this time any other vessels, kayaks or people were involved in this incident, other than those in the speedboat."

Two people were dead when the ambulance service arrived.

Ambulance service spokesman John Oliver said the injured suffered leg injuries of various degrees of severity.

Police tape cordons off the boat for examination

RNLI lifeboats from both Padstow and nearby Rock were launched as part of the rescue operation, and search and rescue helicopters from two naval bases were also ordered to attend the scene.

A spokesman from Devon and Cornwall Police said: "It's still an ongoing incident and we are working alongside the Coastguard and Ambulance Service."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Football Fan Dies After Match Collapse

A man who collapsed at a Scottish Premier League match leading to it being abandoned has died in hospital, police said.

The man, aged in his 50s, collapsed with a suspected heart attack in Rugby Park's East Stand five minutes into the second half of Kilmarnock's home match against Hibernian.

The man was initially given medical treatment at the side of the pitch.

Medical staff from both clubs helped paramedics before an ambulance drove to the side of the pitch 10 minutes later to transfer the supporter to hospital.

Both managers agreed the match should be abandoned out of respect to the fan and his family.

The match was stopped by referee Kevin Clancy with the teams at 1-1 and fans at the Ayrshire ground had applauded in support of the man as he was taken to Crosshouse Hospital.

Inspector Sean Mangan, the match commander, said: "A supporter was taken ill in the East Stand, possibly a Kilmarnock fan."

On Sunday night, a Police Scotland spokesman confirmed that the man died in hospital.

In March, the Football Association announced that more than 900 defibrillators would be made available, in a funding agreement with the British Heart Foundation and Premier League clubs.

The move came a year after Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba survived a cardiac arrest during an FA Cup match against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nigel Evans Arrested For Rape And Sex Assault

The Deputy Speaker, Nigel Evans, has been released without charge after being arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault of two men.

The 55-year-old Conservative, a prominent gay rights campaigner, was arrested on Saturday morning at his constituency home in the village of Pendleton, near Clitheroe, in Lancashire.

He was questioned by police over an allegation of raping one man and sexually assaulting another between July 2009 and March 2013.

After several hours in police custody in Preston, Mr Evans was released on police bail with no charge and asked to return to the police station on June 19.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Speaker John Bercow have been informed of the arrest of the popular MP.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "The allegations are one of rape against one man and sexual assault against another man. Both of those men are now in their early 20s."

Mr Evans is a popular and sociable MP

He said: "The offences are said to have been committed at his home in the village of Pendleton near Clitheroe which is in his constituency of Ribble Valley."

Mr Evans, who comes from Swansea and whose parents ran a newsagent, has been MP for Ribble Valley since 1992.

Michael Ranson, the chairman of the Ribble Valley Conservative Association, told Sky News: "He is a very popular MP and a very good constituency MP. He's given assistance to a lot of his constituents over many years.

"Everybody's completely shell-shocked."

Mr Evans has held a number of front bench posts for the Conservative Party and was a Parliamentary Private Secretary in John Major's government and Mr Major's spokesman for Welsh Affairs.

In 2010 he became one of three deputy speakers, earning £102,000-a-year, including his MP's salary.

In December 2010 he came out as gay in an interview with the Mail on Sunday newspaper in which he said that he was "tired of living a lie".

Mr Evans became Deputy Speaker in 2010

Mr Evans, who was vice chairman of the Conservative Party from 1999 to 2001, said he had been threatened with exposure by political opponents.

Sky News Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig said: "Since then he has become quite a prominent gay rights campaigner.

"He had held, for example, at least one function in the Speaker's apartments on gay rights. John Bercow let him use the Speaker's apartment for a function and he has been prominent in that campaign.

"He is a very sociable MP. He is very well known."

A villager who lives opposite the MP and who did not want to give her name said: "I am shocked. I like him. He is a good MP and he has done a lot for the Ribble Valley. Obviously he is well known in the village and goes to the local pub a lot."

Another Pendleton resident, who also did not want to give his name, said: "It's unbelievable, I know him very well. He is an excellent person and I would stand by him 100%."

A Lancashire Police statement confirmed that a 55-year-old man from Pendleton had been been arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault and that he was being interviewed by officers.

The statement said: "We take all allegations of a sexual nature extremely seriously and understand how difficult it can be for victims to have the confidence to come forward.

"As a constabulary, we are committed to investigating sexual offences sensitively but robustly recognising the impact that these types of crimes have on victims.

"We would encourage anyone who has experienced sexual abuse, or who has information about it, to have the confidence to report it to us knowing that we will take it seriously, deal with it sensitively and investigate it thoroughly."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Heavy Explosions Shake Syrian Capital

Damascus has been hit by large explosions caused by an Israeli rocket attack, Syrian state television reports.

The rockets struck a military research centre in Jamraya on the outskirts of the capital in the early hours of this morning, state TV said.

The building was the target of an earlier Israeli strike in January.

Video footage uploaded online by activists claims to show a huge ball of fire rising into the night sky.

More of the unverified footage uploaded by activists

Meanwhile, hundreds of families are fleeing a Syrian coastal area where activists say government troops have massacred nearly 200, many of whom were women and children.

The opponents of Bashar al Assad's regime say that fighters loyal to the President carried out two massacres last night and on Thursday in a Sunni Muslim area driving by a policy of ethnic cleansing.

Activists posted a video online of the bodies of 10 people it said were killed in Ras al Nabaa, in the city of Banias, in an attack overnight.

Half of them were children.

Activists said that the number of dead could be as high as 60.

It comes just two days after pro-Assad militias are alleged to have killed as many as 100 Sunnis in the nearby village of Baida.

Amateur video showed a man and at least three children dead inside a room.

Protests in Banias at the beginning of the uprising in 2011

A baby had burned legs and a body stained with blood. Next to him was a young girl whose face had been deformed after apparently being hit with sharp metal.

Other footage from activists showed entire families killed in their beds, a dead mother cradling her child in her arms, two toddlers lying next to them.

The videos have not been independently verified.

Syria's crisis, that began in March 2011 with pro-democracy protests and later turned into a civil war that has killed an estimated 70,000 people, has largely broken along sectarian lines.

The Sunni majority forms the backbone of the rebellion, while Mr Assad's minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, anchors the regime's security services and the military's officer corps.

Other minorities, such as Christians, largely support Mr Assad or stand on the sidelines, worried that the regime's fall would bring about a more Islamist rule.

Syria's crisis has claimed the lives of an estimated 70,000 people

It has been estimated as many as 4,000 people are fleeing from the predominantly Sunni southern parts of the Mediterranean city of Banias amid fears of further large-scale killings.

It added that security forces had been checking identity cards and sending people back to Banias so that things would appear normal.

The US today condemned the May 2 attack. State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said: "We strongly condemn atrocities against the civilian population and reinforce our solidarity with the Syrian people."

Her statement added: "The United States is appalled by horrific reports that more than 100 people were killed May 2 in gruesome attacks on the coastal town of Bayda, Syria.

"Regime and Shabiha forces reportedly destroyed the area with mortar fire then stormed the town and executed entire families, including women and children."

It came as Israeli officials confirmed the country's air force carried out a strike against Syria, saying it targeted a shipment of advanced missiles bound for the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah.

The violence in the coastal region shows the sectarian nature of the two-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands and sent more than a million Syrians as refugees to neighbouring countries.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More