Friday marks 9 years since Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight escaped from Seymour Avenue home

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Friday marks nine years since three women escaped from a Seymour Avenue home in Cleveland after being held captive for more than a decade.

Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight were abducted and held confined by Ariel Castro.

Knight, who also goes by the name Lily Rose Lee, was taken by Castro in 2002. He impregnated her several times and then beat her until she miscarried, Knight says.

Castro then went on to abduct Berry and DeJesus, sexually abusing them and holding all three captive in the same house.

All three women were able to escape on May 6, 2013.

Castro was eventually arrested and pleaded guilty to 937 crimes related to the abductions.

A month after being sentenced to life, plus a minimum of 1,000 years, Castro died by suicide in prison.

A rally is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Friday to commemorate the anniversary of the escape. It will be held at 2207 Seymour Avenue in front of the property where Castro’s former home has since been demolished.

Copyright 2022 WOIO. All rights reserved.