Thursday, May 09, 2013

Michelle Knight: New Information Released about Cleveland Kidnapping-Rape Victim

New information about Michelle 'Shorty' Knight released; reported missing in Cleveland in 2002

Michelle Knight

May 7, 2013

CLEVELAND - New information was released

CLEVELAND - New information was released Tuesday about Michelle Knight, one of the three missing women found alive in a Cleveland home.

NewsChannel5 obtained the missing person report for Knight filed Aug. 23, 2002. She was 21 at the time.

The report said Knight, who went by the nickname "Shorty," has a mental condition that causes her to often be confused about her surroundings.

She was last seen at her cousin's house at West 106th Street and Lorain Avenue. Standing at 4-feet 7-inches tall, Knight had been missing for two days when police were called. She was wearing blue shorts, white T-shirt and glasses.

Officers checked the hospital, the morgue and a relative's house – but Knight was nowhere to be found.

Detectives conducted follow-ups in the case – in May and November of 2003 – but no one had seen Knight. Police noted similar checks in 2004, 2006 and 2012 that resulted in no new leads.

Then after more than a decade, Knight – along with Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus – were rescued from a house on Seymour Avenue on Cleveland's near west side Monday night.

With Knight's mental abnormalities remarked in the police report, it's of note that near the time of DeJesus' disappearance in April 2004, NewsChannel5 reported that she was a special education student at Wilbur Wright Middle School.

Their suspected captors, brothers Ariel, Pedro and Oneil Castro – were arrested Monday night. All are in police custody awaiting charges.

On Monday after the announcement of the finding of the women, Knight's brother told NewsChannel5's Tracy Carloss he was shocked but so happy his sister is OK.

Knight and the other women were taken to MetroHealth Medical Center to get checked out, and then released Tuesday morning into the FBI's care. Police said all three women are in good health.

NewsChannel5 is still working to get a photo of Knight. If you have one you'd like to share with us, please email it to 5pix@newsnet5.com

Keep checking newsnet5.com for more information on this developing story.

No comments: