Houston house of horrors: Four frail men rescued from TEN years in 'dungeon' while captor 'collected their benefits'
Raid: Police went to house acting on a tip-off
CNN
Four frail men being held captive in a “dungeon” for up to a decade have been freed by police.
Officers found the malnourished men, aged 79, 74, 65 and 54 – in the makeshift prison behind doors and windows secured with elaborate locks.
At least one of the men is thought to be a military veteran.
Police Sergeant JW McCoy said: “One of them thinks he was picked up off the street and brought here.
"In exchange for beer and cigarettes and a place to stay, he had to turn over his Social Security.”
Neighbour Monica Booker said a man living at the house where the captives were held admitted people stayed at the home and he collected their Social Security payments.
A man in his 40s has been arrested and is being quizzed by officers but no charges have yet been made.
“It’s so upsetting,” Monica said, adding that had she known what was going on, she would have helped the men.
She added the man, who lived with his mother, sister and niece, had also told people that he owned other homes where he offered rooms in exchange for Social Security cheques.
Police went to the house in Houston, Texas, acting on a tip-off.
Sgt Steve Murdock said conditions were “very deplorable”, with three of the men were in the garage sleeping on the floor.
A fourth man was found inside the house, which had elaborate locks on the doors and windows.
Three of them were taken for medical treatment and appeared to be underfed.
Police said one man held at the home told them the house “was a dungeon” and they did not want to be there.
One victim reportedly told police he had been there ten years. Three of the men were unable to walk out of the house.
A neighbour, who saw the men being led away, said: “They looked incredibly feeble.
"How anyone could do such a thing is beyond me. The people responsible for this are animals and deserve locking up for the rest of their lives.”
Neighbour Robert Paris said he had not noticed any elderly men coming and going in the three months he had lived across the street.
He added he sometimes heard loud music coming from the property.
“It’s pretty weird,” Mr Paris told reporters. “It’s really bad news.”
The rescue comes just two months after Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were rescued a house in Cleveland after 10 years in captivity.
Former bus driver Ariel Castro has been charged 977 charges including 512 counts of kidnapping, 446 counts of rape, and an half-dozen counts of assault.
If convicted he could face the death penalty.
Officers found the malnourished men, aged 79, 74, 65 and 54 – in the makeshift prison behind doors and windows secured with elaborate locks.
At least one of the men is thought to be a military veteran.
Police Sergeant JW McCoy said: “One of them thinks he was picked up off the street and brought here.
"In exchange for beer and cigarettes and a place to stay, he had to turn over his Social Security.”
Neighbour Monica Booker said a man living at the house where the captives were held admitted people stayed at the home and he collected their Social Security payments.
A man in his 40s has been arrested and is being quizzed by officers but no charges have yet been made.
“It’s so upsetting,” Monica said, adding that had she known what was going on, she would have helped the men.
She added the man, who lived with his mother, sister and niece, had also told people that he owned other homes where he offered rooms in exchange for Social Security cheques.
Police went to the house in Houston, Texas, acting on a tip-off.
Sgt Steve Murdock said conditions were “very deplorable”, with three of the men were in the garage sleeping on the floor.
A fourth man was found inside the house, which had elaborate locks on the doors and windows.
Three of them were taken for medical treatment and appeared to be underfed.
Police said one man held at the home told them the house “was a dungeon” and they did not want to be there.
One victim reportedly told police he had been there ten years. Three of the men were unable to walk out of the house.
A neighbour, who saw the men being led away, said: “They looked incredibly feeble.
"How anyone could do such a thing is beyond me. The people responsible for this are animals and deserve locking up for the rest of their lives.”
Neighbour Robert Paris said he had not noticed any elderly men coming and going in the three months he had lived across the street.
He added he sometimes heard loud music coming from the property.
“It’s pretty weird,” Mr Paris told reporters. “It’s really bad news.”
The rescue comes just two months after Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were rescued a house in Cleveland after 10 years in captivity.
Former bus driver Ariel Castro has been charged 977 charges including 512 counts of kidnapping, 446 counts of rape, and an half-dozen counts of assault.
If convicted he could face the death penalty.
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