Updated: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, all found alive in Cleveland, all 3 were missing more than nine years, Imperial Women say Cleveland police do not do enough to find missing women and children, police did not even look for Knight or most of the 11 Black women murdered on Imperial Ave by since convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell, Gina DeJesus' mother and father rallied across Cleveland to find Gina and protested with Imperial Women, other community activists groups for justice for others like slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin
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| Amanda Berry (left) and Gina DeJesus |
Community activists at the Travon Martin rally sponsored by Imperial Women and other activists groups in Cleveland, Oh. on the city's east side on April 15, 2012.
Nancy Ruiz, the mother of Gina DeJesus, and Peter Schanz of Occupy Cleveland at the April 15, 2012 rally for slain Florida Teen Trayvon Martin. Ruiz would rally with others for justice and fair play and worked day and night with Gina DeJesus' father, Felix DeJesus, and community activists to find their now found daughter who went missing at 14-year's old and is now 23 .
CLEVELAND,Ohio-After being reported missing from the largely White west side of the majority Black city of Cleveland for more that nine years, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus, teens at the time they were last seen by family members who now both adults, were found alive Monday afternoon in a residential home on Seymore Ave, two miles from were they were last seen. A third woman, Michelle Knight, who went missing in 2002, was also found with them, and is alive as well. (Editor's Note: Cleveland Urban News.Com was unable to secure a picture of Knight)
Community activists and women's advocacy groups are saying that more should have been done by Cleveland police to find them and other women.
"Police everywhere and especially in Cleveland do not do enough to find missing children and women," said Roz McAllister of the grassroots group Imperial Women, a group founded in 2009 after the remains of 11 Black women were uncovered on Imperial Ave. on Cleveland's majority Black east side at the home of since convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell. "I can't wait to find out how bad they screwed up on Amanda, Gina and Michelle."
The murdered women on Imperial Ave were also strangled and allegedly raped by Sowell, 52, who sits on death row while his murder, rape, and other convictions are on appeal before the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals.
McAllister, a community activist who is Native-American and lives on the east side of Cleveland, added that Knight was completely ignored by police.
"Cleveland police admit that they did not even look for Michelle Knight, " said McAllister. "This shows at least an 11- year pattern that goes both east and west of Cleveland from Michelle Knight, to Amanda and Gina, and to the 11 women found murdered on Imperial Avenue"
Berry went missing in 2003 at age 16 after leaving her job at Burger King at West 110th St. and Loraine Ave. and DeJesus disappeared five blocks away a year later on her way home from school. She was 14 at the time.
Their families kept the teens disappearance before the public and never stop looking for them. They would rally all across Cleveland and stood with community activists fighting for justice for slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin. They had protests and annual vigils with community activist groups including Survivors/Victims of Tragedy, which is led by Community Activist Judy Martin, Black on Black Crime, Peace in the Hood and Imperial Women.
Just last year Community Activist Art McKoy, who founded Black on Black Crime, led a rally for Berry at the Burger King where she was last seen, a gathering that drew Imperial Women members, other activists groups and family members of both Berry and DeJesus.
Some of those groups rallied Monday night near the home were the two women were found along with Knight, who is now 32-years-old.
Three suspects have been arrested and are in custody," said Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath, who said also that a search warrant would be issued for a search at the home where the three women were found.
The prime accused abductor, Ariel Castro, 52, was arrested along with two of his brothers and is a former bus driver for Cleveland Schools and RTA. His uncle, Hulio Castro, told reporters Monday night that his nephew and their family allegedly knew the DeJesus'.
Police said that the women had been in the home were they were found the entire time.
A next door neighbor, Charles Ramsey, who is Black and now dubbed a hero, said he heard women screaming at the home .He then broke in the house with another man and freed at least Berry who went with him to his home and called 911.
"'I heard this girl screaming and she's going nuts," Ramsey told reporters." I came to the front door and looked at her and she said my name is Amanda Berry, please get me out of the house. And she said that there were two more."
Ramsey said that he thought the alleged abductor lived alone and that he never saw any of the women allegedly abducted.
Some children were found in the home, police said, and are being examined by medical authorities. A six-year-old found at the home is allegedly Berry's child.
Ramsey said that when he called police, dispatchers said he was joking, but did show up at the scene of the alleged crime some time later.
The three women were taken to Metro-Health Hospital and were met there by family members.
Berry's mother died in 2006 at age 44, and three years after her daughter disappeared.
"I believe Amanda Berry's mother died of a broken heart," said Cleveland Councilwoman Dona Brady during an discussion with Cleveland Urban News.Com a week and half ago on missing women and children, and shortly after the annual vigil for Berry that she attended.
"All three girls are healthy and getting treatment right now," a Cleveland police spokesman said, though time will tell the physical and emotional toll the ordeal has caused, community activists say.
The Imperial Women, which holds an annual vigil for the women murdered on Imperial Ave, said police should not second guess doctors to deem abduction, rape, murder or any other violence against women a healthy experience.
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