This Creepy Criminal Minds Episode Was Inspired by Disturbingly Real Crime
Criminal Minds has had its fair share of disturbing episodes. Some of which are based on real life. One, in particular, was so creepy it remains a topic of hot discussion.
"Hostage" follows an eighteen-year-old girl who escapes after years of being held captive alongside two other women. The BAU then executes a search for the unsub who abducted them. But what about the real women who inspired this tale, what exactly happened to them?
The Horrors Behind Closed Doors
The real-life case was carried out by Ariel Castro. Castro held his three female victims, Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus, captive in his basement for 10 years, from 2002 to 2013, repeatedly abusing and tormenting them throughout.
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During their time in captivity, the women faced unimaginable horrors. They were bound, beaten, raped, and starved regularly. They were confined to locked bedrooms and subject to using plastic toilets that were emptied very seldom. Under "good" circumstances, they would be fed once a day and allowed to shower two times a week at most.
Knight went on to detail the extent of the abuse after her escape in 2013. She described being impregnated five times over the years with all of them resulting in miscarriages. All of which were forcibly induced by Castro. His methods of inducement included beating her with dumbbells, slamming her against walls, and depriving her of food and water.
During the interrogation, Castro was eager to share the details of the kidnappings and confessed that he had not planned them in advance. He knew that one day he would be caught, and for this reason, had prepared a suicide note in which he willed all of his money and possessions to his victims. Ariel Castro was ultimately sentenced to life in prison with an additional 1000 years tacked on top. His stay would be short as approximately one month after his imprisonment, he was found dead by suicide in his cell.
From Life to Screen
Recounting these experiences and subsequent trials would be traumatizing for anyone that had to endure what these three women did. Though Criminal Minds provides us with a source of entertainment, it should be noted that these instances do happen. We all need to be mindful of that and analyze the crimes insightfully and compassionately, out of respect for those who lived them.