Amanda Berry’s 10-Year Captivity and How She Escaped Ariel Castro’s Prison

Amanda Berry was kidnapped in 2003 and spent ten years locked up before escaping and freeing Castro’s other victims.

Berry, just 16 years old when she was abducted, is pictured with her mother, Louwana Miller. Personal Photo

To learn the full story, read my article on All That’s Interesting.

Amanda Berry was abducted on April 21, 2003, just one day before her 17th birthday. While walking home from her job at Burger King, she accepted a ride from Ariel Castro, a school bus driver who knew her as a friend of his daughter. Unfortunately, this would be the start of a decade-long nightmare.

Castro’s Cleveland, Ohio home became her prison, where she was chained up and abused for years, isolated from the outside world. And her kidnapper always kept a close eye on her.

The days turned into years, but Amanda never gave up on the thought of being free one day. Even though to her it seemed like freedom was just a dream, Castro eventually made one mistake that changed everything.

In 2013, he accidentally left her bedroom door unlocked, and Amanda seized her opportunity to escape. As she squeezed her arm through the exterior storm door, she began screaming for help. Her desperate cries caught the attention of Charles…