"I've been kidnapped ... I'm here, I'm free"

[Hum]

CLEVELAND (AP) ? The woman's voice was frantic and breathless, and she was choking back tears. "Help me. I'm Amanda Berry," she told a 911 dispatcher. "I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for 10 years and I'm, I'm here, I'm free now."

Those words led police to a house near downtown Cleveland where Berry and two other women who vanished a decade ago were found Monday, elating family members and friends who had longed to see them again.

Authorities later arrested three brothers. They released no names and gave no information about them or what charges they might face. A relative said one of them is the homeowner, his nephew Ariel Castro.

City officials have scheduled a news conference for Tuesday morning.

Police Chief Michael McGrath said he thinks Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were tied up at the house and held there since they were in their teens or early 20s.

A 6-year-old also was found in the home, but police didn't disclose the child's identity or relationship to anyone in the home. The women appeared to be in good health and were taken to a hospital to be evaluated and be reunited with relatives.

Neighbor Juan Perez told NBC's "Today" show that he rarely saw Castro or anyone else at the house.

"I thought the home was vacant. I thought he probably had another property and he would just come and check and see if everything is OK." Perez said. "I didn't even know anybody lived there."

The women's escape and rescue began with a frenzied cry for help.

A neighbor, Charles Ramsey, told WEWS-TV he heard screaming Monday and saw Berry, whom he didn't recognize, at a door that would open only enough to fit a hand through. He said she was trying desperately to get outside and pleaded for help to reach police.

"I heard screaming," he said. "I'm eating my McDonald's. I come outside. I see this girl going nuts trying to get out of a house."

Neighbor Anna Tejeda was sitting on her porch with friends when they heard someone across the street kicking a door and yelling.

Tejeda, 50, said one of her friends went over and told Berry how to kick the screen out of the bottom of the door, which allowed her to get out.

Speaking Spanish, which was translated by one of her friends, Tejeda said Berry was nervous and crying. She was dressed in pajamas and old sandals.

At first Tejeda said she didn't want to believe who the young woman was. "You're not Amanda Berry," she insisted. "Amanda Berry is dead."

But when Berry told her she'd been kidnapped and held captive, Tejeda said she gave her the telephone to call police, who arrived within minutes and then took the other women from the house.

On a recorded 911 call Monday, Berry declared, "I'm Amanda Berry. I've been on the news for the last 10 years."

She said she had been taken by someone and begged for police officers to come to the home on Cleveland's west side before the man returned.

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

Berry disappeared at age 16 on April 21, 2003, when she called her sister to say she was getting a ride home from her job at a Burger King. About a year later, DeJesus vanished at age 14 on her way home from school. Police said Knight disappeared in 2002 and is 32 now.

Berry is now 27, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Authorities didn't provide a current age DeJesus. They were found just a few miles from where they had vanished.

Police said one of the brothers who was arrested, a 52-year-old, lived at the home, and the others, ages 50 and 54, lived elsewhere.

A childhood friend of DeJesus, Kayla Rogers, said she couldn't wait to hug her.

"I've been praying, never forgot about her, ever," Rogers told The Plain Dealer newspaper.

Berry's cousin Tasheena Mitchell told the newspaper she couldn't wait to have Berry in her arms.

"I'm going to hold her, and I'm going to squeeze her and I probably won't let her go," she said.

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[moloko]

This is horrible and I can't wait to read the story unfold.

[He's Dead Jim]

10 yrs, what a weird thing, and awful for these women and families,

[The Evil Overlord]

Maybe they thought the cleaning lady's tenyer was actually ten years?

On a serious note, I also hope the authorities get to the bottom of this

[GreenMartian]

Whoa, 10 years? That was the plot on Hawaii Five-0 just yesterday. What are the chances?

:iiam:

[jerzdawg]

Crazy stuff, sounds like the guy(s) who held these girls lived a normal life outside of his home. Emotionally scarring is going to be the hardest part here, these girls missed most of their teenage years.

[moloko]

Whoa, 10 years? That was the plot on Hawaii Five-0 just yesterday. What are the chances?

:iiam:

This happens more often than we think. Just last month same thing happened in DC.

[Yorak]

I like the neighbor that went viral. Specifically, his interview with Anderson Cooper. He was asked if he wanted a reward, and he said no, give these girls the money. He said he gets a paycheck and pulled it from his pocket to show Anderson. You could tell the guy was so frustrated that he had no clue this stuff was going on right across the road from him. He told Anderson that if he would have found out a year ago, this interview would have been different. He said he would have been in jail for a triple homicide. I concur.

What is wrong with people? I have a knot in my stomach every time I go to check the news online. It is always about something awful. Very rarely is there any good news. All the wrong people have bad things done to them. The ones that did not deserve anything. Some murderers and perverts live in bliss for years. I would save the taxpayer money and just put a bullet in the head of those guys that held the girls captive. What a bunch of worthless ****ing pigs. I hope they get repeatedly beat in a crowded prison.

[RatherLargeBear]

Glad they are ok. What a bunch of sick bar-stewards.

A 6-year-old also was found in the home, but police didn't disclose the child's identity or relationship to anyone in the home.

I'm wondering if one of the males fathered this child with one of the three women?

[DocM]

>

He told Anderson that if he would have found out a year ago, this interview would have been different. He said he would have been in jail for a triple homicide. I concur.

Me too - just 10 minutes alone with each, PLEASE! Then again, that honor should go to each of the girls 3 closest male relatives. 10 minutes, all laws suspended. No holds barred.

What is wrong with people? I have a knot in my stomach every time I go to check the news online.

It's because 3-6 percent of the population qualify as having antisocial personality disorders, and a too large portion are malignant sexual sadists. Unfortunately our committal laws were weakened in the 70's and 80's to where it's nigh on impossible to forcibly institutionalize them until something like this happens, and you can bet these guys have some kind of history.

[FlintyV]

Was very odd to me how the emergency operator didn't really seem that bothered with the call, bored almost.

Something like "We'll send a car as soon as we've got one open".

Don't even think they stayed on the telephone with her until the police arrived.

[syobon999]

[DocM]

After listening to the 911 tapes my conclusion is that the dispatcher either needs retraining OR he so devoid of empathy he should seek other employment - perhaps in telemarketing?

[Growled Member]

It's amazing that they could keep these woman right up under everyone's nose for 10 years and no one ever had a clue.

[FlintyV]

It's amazing that they could keep these woman right up under everyone's nose for 10 years and no one ever had a clue.

I read that neighbours rang the police a few times after seeing a few suspicious things but it was never followed up.

[The_Observer]

TV Movie anyone?