A state report released on Thursday reveals prison guards faked logs and did not complete rounds on the night of Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro's death.
The review was conducted by Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, which found multiple rounds were not done for a six-hour period before they found Castro dead on Sept. 3 after hanging in his cell.
The report states the following:
"It appears from the full investigation of the incident by CRC and DRC/OSC that Officers Ackley and Murphy did not timely perform all rounds as required by Post Orders. Additionally, it appears that officers did falsify the post log book for their rounds. No interviews of these employees were conducted by CRC after-action or DRC/OSC after action teams. Both employees are on administrative leave, and all relevant facts were reported to the Ohio State Highway Patrol by CRC for a criminal investigation. That investigation is pending at this time."
Officials offered the following recommendation, according to the report:
"In addition to the report made by CRC to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, this matter should be referred to the Chief Inspector's Office at the conclusion of the Patrol's investigation for a full administrative investigation for potential discipline/termination of employment." (Read the full report here)
Castro entered a guilty plea on 937 counts brought against him in July, "including the hundreds of charges for the kidnapping, rape and assault of Michelle Knight, 32, Amanda Berry, 27, and Gina DeJesus, 23," Reuters reports.
Castron's son, Ariel Castro Jr., wrote a feature about his experiences in September, published by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He wants his father's life and death to be used as an example and lead to changes in how society deals with mental illnesses and sexual predators.
"If my father's life and death can lead to changes in how we deal with sexual predators, domestic violence, mental illness and, yes, prison safety, then we should have those discussions," Castro's son wrote. "If we can prevent a repeat here or anywhere, then justice truly will have been served amid all the broken pieces my father left behind."
