hole in it. Amanda looked in and saw a woman inside. She asked who it was.
“It’s my roommate,” he replied.
Then Castro led her into a bedroom with an en suite bathroom at the far end, edging her against the wall. Suddenly, Amanda became nervous and told him to let her go, or he’d be in trouble with the police.
When Ariel Castro suddenly grabbed her, she started screaming. He muzzled her mouth with his hands, threw her to the floor and raped her.
Afterward, he duct-taped her wrists and legs together and taped her mouth shut. He put a motorcycle helmet over her head, and carried her downstairs into the pitch-black basement, where he chained her around the waist to the large center support pole.
Then he went up the stairs and locked the basement door behind him, leaving Amanda helplessly chained with the motorcycle helmet over her head.
When Amanda Berry didn’t arrive home after work, Louwana Miller immediately knew something was wrong. Her daughter was always punctual and was so excited about her birthday party the next day. She also knew that Amanda would never go anywhere without taking her phone charger or a change of clothes. There was also the hundred dollars in her bedroom drawer left untouched.
“Mandy waited all week for that party,” said Louwana. “All her clothes are here. No way would she leave with her Burger King outfit on.”
Over the next few hours, Louwana and Beth phoned around to all Amanda’s friends, asking if they had seen her. Then at 12:33 on Tuesday morning, Louwana went to the First District Cleveland Police Department office on West 130th Street, to report her missing.
“Mom is concerned,” read Amanda’s missing person’s report. “Mom claims there have been threats made against her at work. Cannot reach her on her cell phone. States this is unusual for her daughter.”
The following morning, Detective Brent Scaggs interviewed Louwana and Beth at their home. They described Amanda as a “good kid” who had never done anything like this before. They were concerned for her safety.
In fact, Louwana had already printed up fliers with Amanda’s photo and a brief description, which friends were now handing out around West 110th Street and Lorain Avenue.
“Mother also stated that [today] is Amanda’s birthday and a birthday party is planned,” wrote Detective Scaggs in his report. “Amanda took no money or change of clothes with her on the day that she left. She only had her Burger King work clothes. When ask[ed] about Amanda using drugs or alcohol they stated she does smoke weed and drinks beer but does not use any hard drugs. Mother and sister supplied me with info on Amanda’s friends.”
Louwana also told the detective that Amanda had called her from work before she disappeared, upset about her son-in-law Teddy Serrano’s affair.
Detective Scaggs then interviewed Serrano. He readily admitted the affair, saying it had upset Amanda and “he was going to kick the ass” of the person who had told his wife about it.
“He and his wife have worked things out,” the detective wrote. “He does not know who told on him.”
After leaving the house, Detective Scaggs drove to West Ninety-ninth Street to interview Amanda’s boyfriend, Danizo Diaz. DJ said he had spoken to Amanda several times on Monday, and they had arranged to meet at 10:00 P.M., after she had her nails done. Amanda was supposed to call him to arrange a meeting place, but she never had.
At around midnight, DJ said he had received a call from Amanda’s cell phone, but his phone battery was almost dead and he could not hear anything.
“But he knows it was Amanda,” wrote the detective, “because he had caller ID and it was her cell number.”
He said that he had then gone out all night in his convertible, searching for Amanda.
“To be honest with you,” DJ told the detective, “I think she was kidnapped.”
From then on, DJ would become the prime suspect in Amanda Berry’s
“It’s my roommate,” he replied.
Then Castro led her into a bedroom with an en suite bathroom at the far end, edging her against the wall. Suddenly, Amanda became nervous and told him to let her go, or he’d be in trouble with the police.
When Ariel Castro suddenly grabbed her, she started screaming. He muzzled her mouth with his hands, threw her to the floor and raped her.
Afterward, he duct-taped her wrists and legs together and taped her mouth shut. He put a motorcycle helmet over her head, and carried her downstairs into the pitch-black basement, where he chained her around the waist to the large center support pole.
Then he went up the stairs and locked the basement door behind him, leaving Amanda helplessly chained with the motorcycle helmet over her head.
When Amanda Berry didn’t arrive home after work, Louwana Miller immediately knew something was wrong. Her daughter was always punctual and was so excited about her birthday party the next day. She also knew that Amanda would never go anywhere without taking her phone charger or a change of clothes. There was also the hundred dollars in her bedroom drawer left untouched.
“Mandy waited all week for that party,” said Louwana. “All her clothes are here. No way would she leave with her Burger King outfit on.”
Over the next few hours, Louwana and Beth phoned around to all Amanda’s friends, asking if they had seen her. Then at 12:33 on Tuesday morning, Louwana went to the First District Cleveland Police Department office on West 130th Street, to report her missing.
“Mom is concerned,” read Amanda’s missing person’s report. “Mom claims there have been threats made against her at work. Cannot reach her on her cell phone. States this is unusual for her daughter.”
The following morning, Detective Brent Scaggs interviewed Louwana and Beth at their home. They described Amanda as a “good kid” who had never done anything like this before. They were concerned for her safety.
In fact, Louwana had already printed up fliers with Amanda’s photo and a brief description, which friends were now handing out around West 110th Street and Lorain Avenue.
“Mother also stated that [today] is Amanda’s birthday and a birthday party is planned,” wrote Detective Scaggs in his report. “Amanda took no money or change of clothes with her on the day that she left. She only had her Burger King work clothes. When ask[ed] about Amanda using drugs or alcohol they stated she does smoke weed and drinks beer but does not use any hard drugs. Mother and sister supplied me with info on Amanda’s friends.”
Louwana also told the detective that Amanda had called her from work before she disappeared, upset about her son-in-law Teddy Serrano’s affair.
Detective Scaggs then interviewed Serrano. He readily admitted the affair, saying it had upset Amanda and “he was going to kick the ass” of the person who had told his wife about it.
“He and his wife have worked things out,” the detective wrote. “He does not know who told on him.”
After leaving the house, Detective Scaggs drove to West Ninety-ninth Street to interview Amanda’s boyfriend, Danizo Diaz. DJ said he had spoken to Amanda several times on Monday, and they had arranged to meet at 10:00 P.M., after she had her nails done. Amanda was supposed to call him to arrange a meeting place, but she never had.
At around midnight, DJ said he had received a call from Amanda’s cell phone, but his phone battery was almost dead and he could not hear anything.
“But he knows it was Amanda,” wrote the detective, “because he had caller ID and it was her cell number.”
He said that he had then gone out all night in his convertible, searching for Amanda.
“To be honest with you,” DJ told the detective, “I think she was kidnapped.”
From then on, DJ would become the prime suspect in Amanda Berry’s
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