Ariel Castro Nicknamed the Cleveland Kidnapper

Background Ariel Castro was born in Puerto Rico on July 10, As a child, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where members of his extended family already lived. In 1992, Castro bought a house at 2207 Seymour Avenue. He initially lived there with his wife and four children. However, Castro was allegedly violent with his wife and she left him in 1996, taking custody of their children as well.

Background Continued In 2002, Castro offered 20-year-old Michelle Knight a ride. Knight, who knew one of Castro's daughters, accepted. After Castro convinced Knight to come inside his house, he proceeded to rape her. Knight would be Castro's captive for the next 11 years. In 2003, Castro offered to drive Amanda Berry, then 16, home from her job at Burger King. Like Knight, Berry knew Castro's children, and got into his car. She was also kidnapped, assaulted and held captive. Castro repeated the same scenario in 2004 with 14-year-old Gina DeJesus, who was a close friend of his daughter Arlene.

Crime On July 26, he pleaded guilty to 937 charges, which included kidnapping, rape and murder (the murder of Knight’s pregnancies). On August 1, 2013, Castro was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 1,000 years.

Evidence that pointed Ariel guilty. Ariel called Berrys mother asking for money after kidnapping her daughter. Michelle Knights testimony in court. Him confessing but saying “I didn’t mean to.”

Books? Movies? Songs? Michelle Knight wrote a book about her life with Ariel called “Finding Me.” Michelle is the only person who wrote about her experience with Ariel. There are no movies or songs about him.

House of Horrors

Quotes “Im a good father.” “I never touched them.” “My situation was difficult.” “I'm not a monster I'm just sick.” “I am a sexual predator.”

Victims Amanda Berry Gina de Jesus, Michelle Knight 10 years later. What the girls looked like when they got abducted.

September 3 rd 2013 On this day Ariel hung himself in his cell with towels wrapped around his window bars. People in the prison saw this coming because all of the police officers and other prisoners gave Ariel death threats. He never came out of his cell so when the police had found him it was two days after he committed suicide.

Labeling Theory This theory is the interaction between the society and members of that group. Labels are applied by people powerful enough to impose their standards in society. The “powerful” people such as the cops, and judges, label people as “ drug addicts,” abusers”, and “alcoholics.” The people being labeled think that they have to become that because that’s how society views them. If it’s the first time someone gets in trouble you're labeled for your crime. It is stuck with you forever because that’s who you are known as.

Labeling Theory Continued When Ariel abused his wife and got caught for it he was labeled as an “abuser.” He knew that, it was going to be his label for the rest of his life. Even when he got caught with the kidnapping of the three girls he denied that he did anything. One way to tell they were once labeled in their life, is when they start labeling themselves. Ariel swore under oath that he never touched the girls, and that “we” meaning the public shouldn’t judge him. When we think of Ariel Castro we think of the abusive man that he was, we still label people even when they are dead.

Justice Hartman Period 1