Three women who have been missing for almost 10 years were found Monday, after police responded to an emotional 911 call made by one of the captives, Amanda Berry.
"Help me, I am Amanda Berry," the woman told police frantically, using a neighbor's phone to call the authorities. "I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for 10 years. And I'm here, I'm free now."
Berry was last seen in 2003, finishing up her shift at a Burger King in Cleveland, Ohio. She was 16.
Georgina DeJesus went missing in April 2004, at the age of 14.
Michele Knight disappeared two years prior to DeJesus, at 19.
All three were alive, but visibly shaken when they were found in the Cleveland west end residence of a 52-year-old man named Ariel Castro along with his two brothers, O'Neal Castro, aged 50 and Pedro Castro, 54.
Police closed in on the house where the women had been held captive and arrested the trio of men. Deputy Police Chief Ed Tomba told CNN that the 52-year-old man has been identified as a former school bus driver. They believe the only person who lived at the home was Ariel, the owner of the house.
A six-year-old girl who is thought to be Berry's daughter was also found on site.
The women were taken to a local hospital, where their health was evaluated and they were reunited with their families.
Tomba remarked on the "amazing," outcome, and how rare it is that Berry, DeJesus and Knight were found in good health.
"This is a great, great outcome that we have them still with us," he said. "It's just truly, truly amazing and it's a blessing to the community and to the members of the police department and their families that they're alive. I can't tell you how happy we are."
DeJesus' mother, Nancy, met her daughter at the hospital, as cousin Sylvia Colon told CNN's Piers Morgan Live. She said her mom did not doubt that her daughter was alive.
"She has always said that she just could feel it, a link a mom can feel, but she always believed Gina was alive and well," Colon said. "She always believed that. I just want to say what a phenomenal Mother's Day gift she gets this Mother's Day."
Neighbor Charles Ramsey aided in the rescue.
Just as Ramsey was sitting down to eat, he heard screaming from across the way.
"I see this girl going nuts trying to get out of a house," he told WEWS. "I go on the porch and she says, 'help me get out. I've been in here a long time.'"
Ramsey says he thought it was a domestic-related case, and kicked in the bottom of the door. Berry and a young girl emerged.
"Call 911, my name is Amanda Berry," said the older girl. Ramsey claims he didn't know her name, or that she was missing.
Berry frantically asked Ramsey to use the phone.
Neighbor Angela Garcia, whose aunt gave them the phone to call the police, said that Berry was all in a flurry.
"They were screaming, 'Help, call police, please help.'...they were desperate, crying, running."
The suspect Ariel Castro was arrested at a nearby McDonald's. He has only been arrested once before, for domestic violence in 1993.
Ramsey says Castro wasn't "anything exciting-until today."
"We see this dude every day," he said. "I've been here a year. I barbecued with this dude. We eat ribs and listen to salsa music. We never saw the girls there, and we were always outside."
Neighbor Israel Lugo said his sister didn't get good vibes from the house, and requested he not let the children play without supervision around it.
He also mentioned he saw Castro at a neighborhood park Sunday, with a young girl in tow. When he asked who it was, Castro merely said it was his girlfriend's daughter.
Mayor of Cleveland Frank Jackson said the ongoing investigation will reap more answers.
"There are many unanswered questions regarding this case...I am thankful that these three young ladies are found and alive."
