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Gina DeJesus Was Kidnapped at 14 and Spent Nine Years Trapped in a Nightmare
After living nine years in a kidnapper’s house, Gina DeJesus escaped when fellow captive Amanda Berry broke free.
To learn the full story, read my article on All That’s Interesting.
On April 2, 2004, 14-year-old Gina DeJesus was walking home from school in Cleveland, Ohio. On her way, she planned to stop at the convenience store to buy a snack with the bus fare her mom had given her.
But she never made it home.
Along the way, she ran into Ariel Castro, her best friend's father. Gina knew Castro well and, trusting him completely, she got into his car. But instead of taking her home, Castro drove her straight to his house.
The kidnapper forced her into the house and locked the doors behind her, trapping her inside. That’s when Gina realized something was very wrong. She wasn’t alone — inside that house, two other young women, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight, had already been held captive and tortured for years.
For almost a decade, Gina’s family searched for her, never giving up hope. But behind those locked doors, she was living a nightmare. She was often chained, restrained, and forced to endure horrific abuse. Castro isolated her from the outside world, using fear and violence to control her every move.
And then, in 2013, everything changed…
Read the rest of the story on All That’s Interesting. It’s free!
