The Slatest

Women Rescued in Cleveland Release First Statement, Plead for Privacy

The three women who were rescued May 6 around a decade after disappearing released their first statement Sunday, saying they are happy to be free and pleading for privacy. Attorney Jim Wooley read the statements attributed to the three women, reports the Associated Press. He also said that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight will not give any interviews until the case against suspect Ariel Castro has gone to trial, according to CNN.

‘‘Thank you to everyone for your support and good wishes. I am healthy, happy and safe and will reach out to family, friends and supporters in good time,” Knight said. ‘‘I am so happy to be home with my family,” Berry said. And the youngest woman, DeJesus, said: ‘‘I am so happy to be home, and I want to thank everybody for all your prayers. I just want time now to be with my family.’’

DeJesus’ mother is celebrating the “best Mother’s Day” ever on Sunday, points out Reuters, recalling an interview Nancy Ruiz gave last week. “This is the best Mother’s Day I could ever have,” Ruiz said.

Meanwhile, CNN began teasing an interview with Castro’s brothers, Pedro and Onil, who insist they knew nothing about his brother’s doings. The two were detained shortly after Castro was arrested, but police released them a few days later, saying they had nothing to do with the alleged abductions. Now the two men, who are in their 50s, are in hiding after receiving threats and having rocks thrown through their windows.

“Yeah, it’s going to haunt me down because people going to think, yeah, Pedro got something to do with this and Pedro don’t have nothing to do with this,” Pedro Castro said. “If I knew, I would have reported it, brother or no brother.”