BREAKING – Cleveland kidnap victim Michelle Knight has been released from hospital today. Knight has remained in hospital longer than the other two victims as she required more medical attention.
However, a hospital spokesman said that Knight has asked for the public and media to respect her privacy and not contact her.
The hospital stated: "Michelle Knight is in good spirits and would like the community to know that she is extremely grateful for the outpouring of flowers and gifts. She is especially thankful for the Cleveland Courage Fund. She asks that everyone please continue to respect her privacy at this time."
Knight, 32, has been held captive by Ariel Castro for the longest time among the three victims - a total of 11 years.
She was last seen at a cousin's house near West 106th Street and Lorain Avenue in Cleveland.
Knight had required additional medical care as she was found with facial injuries and had suffered at least five miscarriages while in captivity.
She was reportedly starved and punched in her stomach whenever she fell pregnant by Castro.
Castro, 52, was charged with four counts of kidnapping on May 8. He has also been charged with raping the three women he kidnapped and held captive for around 10 years.
Knight was a single mother at the age of 20 when she was abducted by Castro. Because she was over the legal age of an adult, her case did not receive much publicity and was dismissed as a runaway case. She had vanished after losing a custody battle with child welfare authorities over her son, who was three at the time.
Some of her family members thought she had run off after losing custody of her child. However, her mother Barbara Knight who lives in Florida, never believed that her daughter would run away without a trace and continued the search for her daughter even after she moved to Florida.
Meanwhile, test results proved that Berry's six-year-old daughter Jocelyn, who was conceived while she was in captivity, belongs to Ariel Castro.
