Castro hanged himself at a correctional center.
By H. Nelson Goodson
September 4, 2013
Orient, Ohio - On Tuesday, Ariel Castro, 52, committed suicide after hanging himself in his cell at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, according to prison authorities. Castro had been sentenced to life in prison and more than 1,000 years after pleading giilty to more than 937 counts for the kidnapping and rape of Amanda Berry, 27, Gina De Jesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32. Knight was starved by Castro up to two weeks at a time and he allegedly punched her abdomen to induce miscarriages. He was also charged with murder.
The women were held captive for 10 years. Berry was kidnapped by Castro in 2003, De Jesus in 2004 and Knight in 2002. Berry had child from Castro. She escaped from an indoor room where she was chained and screamed for help, several nearby people heard and came to the rescue. The two other women were later freed by police in a Cleveland neighborhood where they were reported kidnapped.
Prison guards discovered Castro hanging in his cell around 9:20 p.m. and was taken to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m.
