After being held by a male captor for 10 years, three Cleveland kidnapping victims have broken their silence to thank supporters for giving them the help they needed to start leading normal lives. Amanda Berry, 27, along with Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32, chose to address their community in a YouTube video that displayed their gratitude for their rescuers, friends, and family.
All three women had been kidnapped by Ariel Castro, 52, around 10 years ago. Castro imprisoned the women in his home and managed to hide their presence until May 6 of this year when Berry, seizing the opportunity, took advantage of an unlocked door and escaped to find help.
Castro is pleading not guilty to 329 counts, including a rape charge pressed against him for sexually assaulting Berry, who gave birth to a daughter, now aged six. He has been deemed mentally fit to stand trial.
In the video, a smiling Berry delivers the first address followed by brief words from DeJesus and DeJesus’ mother and father.
“I want everyone to know how happy I am to be home with my family, my friends,” says Berry, reading from a written statement. “It has been unbelievable.”
Knight concludes the video with equally moving words of her own.
“I may have been through Hell and back, but I am strong enough to walk through Hell with a smile on my face, and my head held high and my feet firmly on the ground,” she declares. “I won’t let the situation define who I am, I will define the situation. I will not be consumed by hatred.”