Ariel Castro's Mom Apologizes: Lillian Rodriguez Mother of Cleveland Kidnap Suspect Speaks Out 'I'm in A Lot of Pain'
Lillian Rodriguez, mother of the accused kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro, apologized for her son's actions.
"I am a mother in a lot of pain," she said in Spanish. "I am sorry for what my son has done."
On Thursday, May 9, Rodriguez spoke to reporters from the window of her car as she left her home, which she shares with her son Pedro, who was also arrested in connection with the kidnappings but who has not been charged.
Rodriguez also said she was sorry for the mothers of the three women who her son allegedly raped and beat while holding them captive for over a decade inside his Cleveland home.
Amanda Berry, 26, Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32, were all freed on May 6 after Berry was able to call 911. A six-year-old girl, believed to be Berry and Castro's, was also rescued.
Knight was abducted on Aug. 22, 2002, Berry on April 21, 2003, and DeJesus on April 2, 2004.
Castro, 52, and his two brothers - Pedro, 54, and Onil Castro, 50 - were arrested on May 6. Pedro and Onil were questioned and held on outstanding misdemeanors, but were released on May 9. Ariel was charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape.
In 2012, as excavating crews dug through an empty lot in the neighborhood looking for Berry's remains, Pedro told a local news crew that the search for the missing girl was "a waste of money."
Cleveland Municipal Judge Lauren C. Moore set bail at $2 million per charge, for a total of $8 million. He was ordered not to have any contact with the three women or their families. Ariel is also on suicide watch.
The lawyer prosecuting the case said he may seek the death penalty against Ariel.
Timothy McGinty, a Cuyahoga County prosecutor leading the case, said he and his team are assessing whether to pursue charges eligible for the death penalty.
