Following the dramatic rescue of three Ohio women held captive for years, local man Charles Ramsey became a viral sensation with his spirited interview about responding to the cries for help coming from a house near his own in downtown Cleveland. But he was not the only neighbor to help free Amanda Berry and the two other women and child trapped in the house.
Angel Cordero, who lives across the street from the Seymour Avenue property where the three women were held, came forward Wednesday. According to ABC local affiliate WEWS, local police pointed out Cordero as the man who actually broke down the door of the house.
"I helped her and I was first," Cordero, who speaks only Spanish, told WEWS. He continued to describe how he arrived on the scene, crossing the street and breaking down the door so he could help the women escape. It was only after the women were outside that Ramsey arrived, Cordero said.
As his niece Ashley Garcia translated, Cordero also recounted details of the event for CNN's Piers Morgan. He described how he went to investigate what was going on across the street when he heard screaming and saw a hand waving outside the home. Speaking of his first encounter with Berry, Cordero said, "She had told me that she had been kidnapped for 10 years. So I kicked the door at the bottom ... and that's when Amanda ran out of the house."
During the commotion, others -- including Ramsey -- gathered in the front yard to help. At that time, Cordero led Berry across the street to another neighbor's home to call the police. It was then that Berry made her fateful 911 call.
"Help me. I'm Amanda Berry," she told the emergency dispatcher. "I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for 10 years, and I'm, I'm here, I'm free now."
Also found in the Cleveland residence were Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who had been reported missing since 2004 and 2002, respectively. All three women were taken to the hospital for evaluations, where they were also reunited with their families. Police arrested three brothers in connection with the alleged kidnappings.
While two of the men were cleared without charges in the kidnapping case, Ariel Castro appeared in court Thursday for his arraignment. The 52-year-old was charged with four counts of kidnapping (one of those includes the child born to Berry during her captivity) -- and three counts of rape. He is currently being held on $8 million bail.
Allegedly Sexually Abused, Kept In 'Chains And Ropes' | Suspect's Daughter Says 'Sorry' | Brothers Released From Custody | Ariel Castro's Suicide Note Includes Confession | Suspect Charged With Rape, Kidnappping | Who Is Michelle Knight? | 911 Call Under Review Following Criticism Of Dispatcher | Missing Persons' Family Members React | 'Cleveland Hero: Charles Ramsey' T-Shirt Raises Money For Victims | Mom: Cops Didn't Take Daughter's Disappearance Seriously | Ariel Castro Helped Search For Teen Victim | Captor's Daughter In Prison For Slashing 11-Month-Old Baby's Throat | Neighbors Reported Naked Women, Bags Over Windows To Police | Suspect's Daughter Was Last To See Victim | Suspect's Son Wrote Article About Gina DeJesus | Family: Captor Was Known By Victim | Frantic 911 Call | TIMELINE
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