Cleveland Kidnapping Suspect's Brothers Break Their Silence
CLEVELAND (CBSNewYork) -- The brothers of Ariel Castro –- the man charged with kidnapping three women in Cleveland and holding them captive for a decade – broke their silence Sunday.
As CBS 2's Dave Carlin reported Sunday, Pedro and Onil Castro were arrested with their brother last week, but have since been cleared.
In a CNN interview, they said they had no idea the women were being held at the house, and claimed they too have become victims.
"People are going think, 'Pedro had something to do with this.' And Pedro don't have nothing to do with this," said Pedro Castro. "But If I knew, I would have reported him, brother or no brother."
In the interview, Pedro and Onil Castro said their brother is dead to them.
They said they want people to know they had nothing to do with the alleged crimes, with no inkling of the kidnappings and their brothers alleged nearly decade-long secret prison.
"That ain't right," Pedro Castro said.
Pedro and Onil Castro, who never lived in Ariel Castro's home, were arrested by police then released. Investigators found no evidence they knew what was going on.
But they said some people will always suspect them, and they revealed they are now in hiding and getting death threats."
"People out there know me -- they know that Onil Castro is not that person, and has nothing to do with that," Onil Castro said.
"I could never think of doing anything like that," Pedro Castro said. "If I knew that my brother was doing this, in a minute I would call the cops."
The siblings and others who visited Ariel Castro's house over the years remembered certain areas as off limits, with the doors locked.
With Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight and Amanda Berry allegedly hidden away, the suspect was seen in public with a child. Police said DNA test results confirm Castro fathered the little girl with Berry.
Witnesses said Castro introduced the girl to them as his granddaughter.
When Berry managed to escape and police were called, Jasmina Baldrich, 23, was in a car right outside. She gave CBS News this cell phone video showing officers storming the home.
"It's still shocking to this day," she said.
At the point when Baldrich was on the scene, Berry and her daughter were already with policem, but DeJesus and Knight were still inside the house and soon rescued.
It was also before Castro was apprehended at a nearby fast food restaurant.
Baldrich was still stunned that she was so close to the action.
"I'm very shocked. That's all I can feel right now," she said. "I'm forever going to feel shocked."
DeJesus, Knight and Berry said they are not ready to talk about what they endured together releasing a statement read aloud by their attorney.
"Ms. Berry, Ms. DeJesus, and Ms. Knight have asked -- in fact, have pleaded -- for privacy at this time so they can continue to heal and reconnect with their families and their lives," said attorney Jim Wooley.
Ariel Castro, charged with rape and kidnapping, remained jailed under suicide watch on $8 million bond Sunday as prosecutors prepared additional charges. Those charges could include the possible murders of unborn children.
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