The rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight: 30 minutes that ended a nightmare

[ellisonz]

The rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight: 30 minutes that ended a decade of nightmares
By Henry J. Gomez, Plain Dealer Politics Writer
on May 10, 2013 at 5:00 PM, updated May 10, 2013 at 7:05 PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Evenings like this are as good as it gets on Seymour Avenue.

Goldilocks temperatures are perfect for a bike ride or for sitting out on the porch with friends. Perhaps a neighbor will fire up the grill. The smell of barbecue and the beats of salsa music soon might trickle out on to this short side street in one of Cleveland's many working-poor communities. It's mid-spring. The sun won't fade for at least another couple of hours.

For a few moments, everything is pleasant. Then comes the horrifying cry for help.

What happens over the next half-hour becomes worldwide news. Neighbors and police officers free three missing women and a child from years of abuse. Police arrest the accused abductor a half-mile away at a fast-food restaurant.

More: http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/30_minutes_that_ended_a_decade.html#incart_maj-story-2

[freshwest]

1. Very complete, more details, thanks.

[ellisonz]

3. You're welcome freshwest.

I hope at some point we'll hear from the police officers who went in that house, but in the meantime, I hope those officers are getting some counseling too. I think the legal process as it unfolds is going to be very challenging for the people who have been directly affected by this case.

[freshwest]

5. Yes, at the link it said the officer that went upstairs and found DeJesus and Knight was crying.

Knight had run into his arms and said 'you saved me,' IIRC, and DeJesus ran out of the other room. It said he was crying and holding her with one arm and holding his gun with the other.

I am sure everyone involved with this will be affected, especially as the story is heard. I've met officers in the special victims unit and I could not understand being close to so much evil.

I suspect there will be problems, not as bad, but like the LEOs who went into Sandy Hook elementary and saw all of that. Police see terrible things most of us don't, or we only see some. Stuff like this you do not forget.

The person who needs the most help, although all the women and little girl do, is Knight. She was almost destroyed in every single way that a person can be. I hope she will be taken care of and possibly reunited with her son who was taken away after her mother's boy friend raped her and abused him.

I think that is where her healing may come. I also think it is good she has a twin brother who is close to her and cares. I do not think she will ever recover from her PTSD. It was just too much for anyone.

[ellisonz]

7. I can't imagine what that house was truly like...

And I agree, Michelle Knight especially is going to face challenges getting some semblance of life back together.

[Cha]

2. Chilling to read, ellisonz..thank you.

[ellisonz]

4. Indeed, Cha.

I'm watching Anderson Cooper's show from tonight which was an hour long special with former kidnapping victims and the families of those still missing. What I personally find hard to reckon with is that as much as a case like this brings a sense of closure, there are numerous other people who are similarly being held hostage.

[Raine]

6. I watched that too. It's heartbreaking that so many are missing probably

most will never show up again.

[ellisonz]

8. Hope is a verb!