Survivor of 10 years’ captivity joins abduction alert group

CLEVELAND – One of three women who escaped a Cleveland home after being held captive for a decade has joined a child abduction alert system committee in northeast Ohio.

Gina DeJesus was abducted and held captive for 10 years by Ariel Castro. She escaped Castro’s house in May 2013 along with fellow captives, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight. Castro was sentenced to life in prison a few months later and hanged himself in his prison cell.

WJW-TV in Cleveland reports that DeJesus has joined the Northeast Ohio Amber Alert Committee. The Amber Alert system is activated to engage communities to look for children believed to have been abducted and their alleged abductors.

Northeast Ohio Amber Alert is a co-operative effort between local area law enforcement, radio and television stations and other organizations.