Did Ariel Leave the Door Open on Purpose?

[jjenny]

I heard both that the storm door was chained so that it couldn't be opened, and that Amanda was afraid to open it in case he was testing them, so she called for help. It makes me wonder if he'd screwed up before, and there were missed opportunities, or if this was really the first chance they got. I find it hard to believe that this was their first real chance in 10 years, but I do find it easy to believe that they were too afraid to take potential opportunities before this, considering he beat them if they tried to escape.

As for whether he left it unlocked on purpose, I don't know. If he did, I don't think he did it consciously. Subconsciously, maybe.

Considering a lot of kidnapping victims don't even try to escape when they are allowed outside, I am not surprised that these girls were too scared to try previously. Two of them were too scared even when Amanda went for it. They were hiding upstairs and didn't go with her.

 

[KaaBoom]

I heard both that the storm door was chained so that it couldn't be opened, and that Amanda was afraid to open it in case he was testing them, so she called for help. It makes me wonder if he'd screwed up before, and there were missed opportunities, or if this was really the first chance they got. I find it hard to believe that this was their first real chance in 10 years, but I do find it easy to believe that they were too afraid to take potential opportunities before this, considering he beat them if they tried to escape.

As for whether he left it unlocked on purpose, I don't know. If he did, I don't think he did it consciously. Subconsciously, maybe.

The reports are that she told investigators, that this was literally the first chance she had to escape in ten years. She had apparently been trying. Also her daughter had told her, that Castro had gone to his relative's house. That gave her the chance to go downstairs and check the doors.

 

[Kittymama]

No, I wouldn't be surprised if they were too scared to try previously, either. I guess...I just don't really understand how he was able to keep them under control for so long once he stopped chaining them up. Unless he just stopped chaining them up recently? But then...good lord, did that little girl see her mother in chains, do you think?

It will be interesting, if and when their stories come out from their own mouths, to hear what happened as far as how he managed to keep them under control for so long, and how Amanda came to decision to go for it at that time.

So was she not allowed to go downstairs before that? I guess not.

Does this make anyone else wonder what they would do in her situation, or is that just me?

 

[jjenny]

No, I wouldn't be surprised if they were too scared to try previously, either. I guess...I just don't really understand how he was able to keep them under control for so long once he stopped chaining them up. Unless he just stopped chaining them up recently? But then...good lord, did that little girl see her mother in chains, do you think?

It will be interesting, if and when their stories come out from their own mouths, to hear what happened as far as how he managed to keep them under control for so long, and how Amanda came to decision to go for it at that time.

So was she not allowed to go downstairs before that? I guess not.

Does this make anyone else wonder what they would do in her situation, or is that just me?

We know of some kidnapping victims that didn't try to escape even when allowed outside and without supervision. I think Shawn Hornbeck is the example-he was allowed outside without supervision (his kidnapper worked) and didn't try to escape. Apparently a month after kidnapping him, his kidnapper tried to kill him. And at that time he apparently made a deal that he will do as his kidnapper said to stay alive. Jaycee Dugard was allowed out in public, and even worked for her kidnapper's printing business. Elizabeth Smart was also seen with her kidnapper in public but has not tried to escape.
These three women (Amanda, Gina and Michelle) apparently weren't allowed outside at all. So it's not all that surprising considering these other examples.

 

[SophieRose]

I heard both that the storm door was chained so that it couldn't be opened, and that Amanda was afraid to open it in case he was testing them, so she called for help. It makes me wonder if he'd screwed up before, and there were missed opportunities, or if this was really the first chance they got. I find it hard to believe that this was their first real chance in 10 years, but I do find it easy to believe that they were too afraid to take potential opportunities before this, considering he beat them if they tried to escape.

As for whether he left it unlocked on purpose, I don't know. If he did, I don't think he did it consciously. Subconsciously, maybe.

I watched a documentary not too long ago about concentration camp survivors. A woman was asked if she had thought of trying to escape. She said that she was too hungry to think about anything but food, that maybe if she had so many more calories in her system she could have thought of other things.

The women had more to eat than a cc survivor, but they were malnourished and that must have affected their thinking. He could have not only beat them if they tried to escape but deprive them of food.

I wonder how he supported five mouths and three dogs on $18/hr, and then on unemployment in the last six months. How many times and days did the women go without food? But I guess when he was married, he was supporting a wife and four children on that, or maybe less.