Cleveland police are facing tough questions now that stories are emerging from neighbors who have said they tried to alert law enforcement that something wasn’t right at the house where three woman, missing for more than 10 years, were found on Monday.
One neighbor said, a naked woman was seen crawling on all fours on a leashes in the backyard of the house a few years ago, the AP reported.
Another neighbor said, he heard pounding on the home’s doors and there were plastic bags over the windows, the AP also reported.
On both occasions police visited the house, but never went inside, neighbors say. In 2004, police also paid a visit to the house, but no one answered the door.
Other women who lived in the neighborhood said they saw three men controlling three women on dog leashes crawling around naked in the backyard of the house, according to USA Today, businessinsider.com reported.
The three women – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight – found alive on Monday, were abducted more than 10 years ago in separate incidents. A six-year-old child, Berry’s daughter, was also discovered after police went to the house where they were kept.
Berry was able to attract the attention of a neighbor, Charles Ramsey who helped her escape from the house.
Ramsey, who first heard Berry screaming for help, assisted in getting her out of the house to place a 911 call to police. Law enforcement found the two other missing girls, DeJesus and Knight when they went to the house.
Three brothers, Ariel, Onil and Pedro Castro have been arrested. Police have until late Wednesday night to charge the men.
